World cup 6 Nommay France

We woke up yesterday to the phone in the hotel ringing. Was it a wake up call, no way. It was Stef , in the Lobby telling us we needed to come down for anti-doping blood test. I guess that's what happens when you stay in the same hotel as the Belgians. So, other than that it was buisness as usuall. We get to the course and it we knew it was going to be a shit show of mud. So no worries up to here.

Start of the womens race, I'm super chilled, relaxed trying to take some pics. I see Helen and she's in third...I wait a few seconds later I see Natasha in 9th...holy moly! I run over to the other side of the course, I see Natasha run through the pit and grab her bike off the side of the fence. We forgot to tell Stef that Tasha's kit was white and green, she has been wearing Cyclery blue and red kit all week for training as she only has thermal stuff in that kit. As it was just Stef and Jurgen in the pit for Wendy, Tasha, Helen and Gabby, I just thought it was too much for them and I thought that most likely I would not be in the top ten on this day , so I ran to the pit and assumed full control of Natasha's bikes. I knew if she saw me she would have full confidence that EVERYTHING WOULD BE OK. I'm sure it would have been ok, cause those guys are great, but I had to make a decision quick. So, Tash rode really well and we got the job done. She got caught by a group of 6 and battled back and forth, but slapped herself in the face on the last lap and squeeked out a 13th spot, which was really good in the 1st World Cup in these conditions, all things considered.

Maybe that wasn't the greatest warm up for my race. But I was semi-realistic about my chances on this course, I thought I could have a go, since there were alot of power sections and being a small guy some of the course suited me. But truthfully if you've ever seen me ride you'd notice that I stand up a lot and sprint out of corners, well there wasn't a whole lot of that yesterday. I probably sprinted in the wrong places, it's kind of like trying how to ride a bike again. It sounds easy, but all the places you choose to use your energy on a sloppy course really add up.

So I started off pretty good considering a 6th row start. I was right behind Trebon on the 1st lap, I thought I was ok until #36 dude plows his pedal into my front wheel and scrubs all my speed and breaks three spokes. I keep on going but the rim is rubbing and it's not great. I loose about 20 spots cause of this and next lap get the second bike. I was riding ok, when I get up to sprint out on the gravel and my derailer hanger rips in half and the derailer goes flying into the back wheel and brings me to a complete stop. I pick up the bike, run, assess the damage quickly, put the bike down for a second to try and roll it but the back wheel was jammed. Urggg. Leg shering run on a gravel path, which felt so long. Get the other bike inthe pit, with no front brake and a warped wheel and slug on for the next 20 minutes.

Part of me almost said...you know what this is not the day for me. But I'm pretty stuborn so I just whiped the spit off my face and pushed the pedals for as long as I could as hard as I could until I got lapped just before the leaders were on their last lap, another minute and I would have made it -1 lap. Not really the result I was looking for. But ironically enough I fought like a dog to come 50th and pass 2 guys in last little bit...which gives me a whopping 1 World Cup point, as the points go to 50. Unknown to us, start money this year is paid out in accordance with World Cup points and not UCI points, so yesterday we didn't get anything to start or for travel. But With my "one point" I'm on the list now and depending on who shows there is still a chance.

Moral of the story...fight. Even though it seems like you are loosing the battle, fight because you may not feel it at the time, but when you look at your muddy face in the mirror, you can say you did what you could and walk away with no regrets. If I would have eased up on the last lap I would have been so mad at myself for not pushing through when everything was against me.
It was a hard one for sure. But I just felt like a rabid squirrel looking to get his last nuts before the winter storm.

So we are content with Tasha's 1st WC this year. It's good, but we need better than good.
For me, well I'm happy I still know who I am. A scrappy little squirel from Cornwall, bud.
Ok, time to assess the damage to the bikes. Word.
DSJ