MSA/Windham Highlights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIYS5ZGc890

Post Relay Nationals Super Awesome Fun Day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA-pg-MQAXg

Edmonton Canada Cup Finals

Our BC Team was fortunate enough to stick around in Canmore until Wednesday afternoon before we made the short haul over to Edmonton where we were staying in less nice places then Canmore. We were now home to the U of A campus and living in Res for 4 days. There was kitchen, but no cooking supplies..so we were on the Uni breakfast plan, made sandwichs for lunch and went out for dinner. I do like cooking, but it nice to not have to worry about food for those few days. I did enjoy the batch made fake eggs with processed cheese mixed though..I still have my bodum so that was something to really look forward too while watching the Tour on the slow internet. We pre-rode the course in blue bird conditions Thursdays and then it rained all afternoon and all night. So Friday we decided to ride on the road in the pissing rain for our pre-race prep. I decided it might be good to do a quick section of the course in the mud, I was now stoked and ready for the race in the those conditions.

Saturday morning I chatted with the BC coach while he watching the cadets race..He said some sections were like fresh jars of nutella straight from the fridge. We had a slow morning, watched Cadel win the Tour for the MTBikers out there. I said to all the juniors that today is going to be a good day for us all, no matter how our legs feel. That is was, My legs just felt great from the gun and stayed that way the whole race. I was able to make the front group the first lap, get the lead into the singletrack and just slowly started increasing my lead until the end where I able to take my first Pro win. The U23's really showed themselves today with 3 of us in the top 5. With Evan squared goign 1-2 (Evan Mcneely), and Leandre Bouchard taking 4th. It was just one of those days where things all went well. Couldn't have done with without help of Rocky Mountain Bikes and all the team sponsors along with Cycling BC.

Canmore

My road trip had continued from Windham NY onto Canmore AB. Where the National Championships were held this past weekend. We had a wicked couple days in Canmore for some race prep and sun tanning. I was forced to ride my last years hardtail after my bike and luggage bag didn't make it on the place when I left NY. But luckily my bullsh*tting skills have increased over the past couple years and I told the Air Canada girl that I needed my bike for an "Olympic Qualification" race this weekend or pretty much I was giving up an Olympic spot..she quickly put me on hold and 2 min later had my bag traced, found and put on the next flight to Kelowna. I should have done that on Tuesday...Andd lucky my parents were coming to Canmore Friday night so I would have my awesome Rocky Mountain Element team bike for the race..haven't not ridden it on the course I knew it was a duely course. It was great watching some of the early races, those juniors sure can go fast! And Catharine of course taking the womens title again. For the first time in 3 weeks I had a pretty decent race. Being in the top-5 from start to finish and not quite able to make that 3rd podium spot. Jeremy Martin outclimbed me so bad it was almost embarassing, and I was able to close the gaps each lap on the downhill but the last lap he hit the climb so hard I wasn't able to catch him until the very bottom and he took off again. Still happy to ride in for 4th..

Sunday was the Relay Nationals, we had a pretty sweet Team BC entered. with Neal Kindree, Quinn Moberg, Mical Dyck and myself. We took the lead after lap two and with Ontario and 3Rox having anchors like Adam Morka and Derek Zandstra we were just hoping for a podium spot. We grabbed 3rd and made some $$$. After a group of about 20 awesome canadians went out for a super fun slow contest ride. With some wicked descending, bib short mini cliff jumping, coasting competition and dirt jump sesh we ended a fun Nationals weekend. Video coming soon..Here's a shot of the flyover, tried to style it out a little..

Here's some picture's from yesterday rest day:

Little Go Pro footage from the World Cups

Windham pre-ride:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJkdE5uD_aA

Monte-Sainte-Anne pre-ride:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtqlzhTEdkA&feature=related

Post Windham

Well I have to say New York state is quite beautiful. I had an unbelievable time down here for the Windham World Cup with some of the National team gang. The CCA put us up in a wicked half board accomodation, felt like we were on vacation with catered dinners, breakfasts, live outdoor music, pools, creeks, sunny weather and some bike racing. Felt like a solid week heading into the race, rested more than the previous week and sensations were better, but hey I guess that made me race worse..felt like a young kid trying to ride a bike against some super fast dudes. I didn't feel like I even got to race. Pretty frustrating to have two super important races go to shit. But what are you going to do, I feel like I've done the work and now its a waiting game to see when the legs come around and treat me well. I flew home from Albany, NY lastnight for a .5 day turn around back to Camore. My suposed to be short travel day turned into 22 hrs, no bags, missed flights, emergency landings and delays like no other. Get this, had to make an emergency landing in Calgary on our way to Van from TO, but the plane was no longer able to continue..so we switched plans and that one had too much has so we waited 2 hrs until the tanker came to empty gas and then we finally got to Vancouver, missed my original flight and had to catch the latenight one. Plus my bags didn't even make it on the plans from Albany. So who knows where they are, and I leave later today for another two week trip..uh oh I know. Lucky I have 30 lbs trail bike.. So to sum up the trip here are some photos:

Lake Placid

After our Monte-Sainte-Anne adventure we decided that we would stop halfway to Windham to make it an easy double travel day. What better place than Lake Placid. All I could think about though was giant alligators from the movie Lake Placid...We were lucky enough to coming into the US of A on the 4th of July. Nothing says american more than going out to 1 of only 2 original Howard Johnsons with the full original buffet dinners. That is $9.99 for all you can eat fatty foods. Since most of us cyclists eat somewhat healthy it was nice to binge or some awesome fake beef, bleu cheese sauce, mac&cheese and sausages. After we filled our tanks we headed downtown for some 4th of July action. I didn`t thin kit was possible to get bored of fireforks, but after 25 min we decided to head back to the hotel.

An early morning continental breakfast had me laughing at some very rude couple who were complaining about their eggs. As 14 of us cyclists though they were good, maybe a little greasy..so you would think this American couple would have loved them..but nope they decided to be a pain in the a**. So I got some of the Canadian team to fill out the review form saying everything was satasfying...This couple I could have laughed at all day.

We then headed out for an awesome MTB ride on some local trails, with the sun shining and a great group of people it was turning into a great day. We then packed up and headed for Windham.


We arrived to an absolutely hotel. Haven`t been to a place so cool before. All the building are from the late 1800`s early 1900`s. With catered breakfasts and dinners, river, pool, mini put,
outdoor bands, pool table, and movie nights! I`ll get some nice pictures the next couple days!

Monte Sainte-Anne

I've been fortunate enough to be apart of the National Team for the Monte-Sainte-Anne and Windham World Cups. This past week I've been in MSA training and racing. Since MSA is my favourite course I put some pressure on myself since it was Canadian style conditions with mud, rocks, roots and some sweet singletrack. There's a few sections on course that have become famous on the world cup circuit..with some top high paid pros not even able to ride some lines..

This section is called Beatrice, she seems to be unkind to the riders who have a tough time with technical. Here's a link to a video of highlights from a lap of the MSA world cup course:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOuhYBQXzbo

Our U23 mens race went well for Canada, with the goal of having 1 rider in the top 20 and we put 5 in the top 20 I believe. With the highest place to Leandre Bouchard. Evan Mcneely had a great race, if it wasn't for the warm crash into a sign that turned into post race stitches, and a good old bonk on the last couple laps he would have been nicely in the top 10. Jeremy Martin also with a great race to 16th, at one point in the start being 2nd wheel. As for myself there was a bike race going on and I didn't really start to participate until the 2nd lap once I was in 36th spot, and thanks for a burped tire which led to a decent crash and two stops for some air and finally a pit stop for a new wheel and some hammering of my brake caliper I was on my way and the day got better lap by lap until I rolled back into 18th. Satisfied but not excited as I know that trainings been going well I wanted to be up near the top 10. We all have another shot next week though in Windham, NY. Our U23 goal is now 3 riders in the top 15.

It was a great day to be a Canuck, with Catherine Pendral absolutely dominating the women's field and winning by nearly 2 min, MHP with a 5th and a career best for Emily Batty with a 7th! Geoff Kabush coming back for a burped tire to 7th, U23 women with 3 in the top 10, and today with the junior women sweeping the podium and a 3rd place for junior men with only the World Cup leader and Pan American champion besting him.

Thanks to some great crowds, unreal cheering and spirit our races we instantly better. Nothing like racing in your home country. And huge thanks to the Canadian Cycling Association for helping out us young-ins.

Here's a few photos to check out the venue..Crash compilation, and race recap videos coming soon..