Snowmass NCS

Well, for the third year in a row we headed to Snowmass, CO for the NORBA national @ Snowmass resort. This year was different however, the downhill course was not the usual "banzai" DH that we had seen for the past 2 years. Instead we were put on a course that as a good 3 miles from the Village, Mountaincross course and the main lodging area for most of the competitors (horray NORBA/Snowmass resort). Not only was the DH course itself far but the finish line was a good 1/4 mile hike up the mountain which meant next to zero spectators on the hill come race time. The course was fresh cut an featured many fast sections as well as flat pedaly ones and even an uphill creek crossing, wow. The course was anything but technical, combine that with the many pedaling sections and you have a course that is not suited for my riding style...Oh well I suppose. I had a couple of crashes during practice again, luckily the course lacked rocks and I came away relatively unscathed to spite the high speed dismounts.

The fact that lodging was so far from the DH made the race seem "dead" and under attended. Snowmass is a unique venue in that the Village is on a rather steep grade so getting around (even when the DH was in its old location) is quite the chore. Add the fact that there is a major construction going on in the middle of it all and you have a great recipe for disaster. It just did not feel like the typical NORBA, there were small crowds, the venue was practically dead and the whole "vibe" was missing...

A couple of notes from the race:

Bradical wrapped up the series and is the top JRX rider for the NMBS 2007.

JD killed the course and won the JRX class with a blazing time of 4 minutes flat.

Our new friends from Colombia did rather well with Marcelo Gutierrez finishing in second for the JRX and Mauricio Estrada coming in 7th in the pro men division.

As for my race day, I lost my chain in my quali which was not too bad, 20 seconds off pace with no chain...But my race run came and I decided to launch over the bars in one of the fast/steep sections near the top. I fell and was treated to one of my worst dirt-in-mouth moments, as I tried to spit all the dirt out I realized I could not see a thing and scrambled to try and take my goggles off my face as they had also been filled with dirt. I scrambled up the hill and found my bike in the haze and proceeded to mount and finish my ruined run. 19 seconds off pace! GREAT! I could not have asked for a more disappointing end to the season. First Deer Valley then Saint Anne now this?? I'm going to take up ping-pong!

Right now I will try to re-group and look foreword to riding in Northstar with my friends and brother over labor day...Interbike will follow and once again it will be winter. What next year will hold for me in terms of racing will be decided by the amount of support I get from this industry, this sport that I love so much but hate all at the same time.