CU STX Race Report

Race 4 for me and the second to last of the season for the Short Track (STX) series. The race is about 20 minutes of all out sprinting with lots of technical sections to climb, descend and negotiate over and around. It is a burner but it's also a blast, from the crowded hectic start to the lung searing finish this race is all out and extremely competitive.

This weeks track was the longest I had ever raced on and had lots of technical switch backs and bmx style features. I figured this favored me as I was more of a technical mountain biker than just a sit-n-spinner. I got a few warm-up laps in and was feeling strong. I made sure to get my self to the start in time to get a spot on the front line as with these races you can't win it on the start but you can sure lose it. So with 24 racers lined up and less than 50 yards to the first turn and the single track the announcer counted down.

Into turn one I managed to get myself in 6th place but the rider in front of my on a cyclocross bike made a wrong turn and went straight into the pit-high weeds as the track took a hard left up and over the toilet bowl. Ok so I'm 5th heading into the backstretch with the leaders setting a blazing pace. I shift down and mash trying to keep the gap what it is between myself and the leaders, another rider in a Boulder Cycle Sport kit passes me on the long straight towards the start/finish, ok 6th after 1. I get passed by 3 more riders over the next 3 laps but I keep them within a few bike lengths and try to conserve my energy for the last 2 laps. On lap 5 coming out of the bmx section and a quick double switch-back then steep climb a rider loses it into the bushes (the boulder cycle sport guy that passed earlier) and doesn't get back in it. Now at the end of lap 5 and getting close to a single speeder who passed earlier, then going to the sharp left turn leading up the long straight he loses it, His front tire washes out and I drop a gear and mash down the straight to make sure he can't even think of catching me. Last lap with one rider in sight, every time I get close he opens it up on the straight. We finish like this with me chasing him down the straight for a respectable 7th place finish. I notice The leaders were not too far out in front and after the single speeder we had opened a huge gap on the rest of the field.

Last race of the season next week, time for a top 5!

*Sidenote this was the first week of racing for Jimmy Johns/Ripstoke, they will be paying my entry fees and hooked up a nice jersey to rock for the races/training.