USGP Day 2

Sunday morning came with cold and clear conditions and we were pumped. Everybody on the team rode well Saturday and we felt like we could do it again. We were up early and at the venue to everything in place for the races. I was one of those early races so I was kitted up and ready to pre- ride the course between the first couple of races. There were only a few course changes so my hope was to check them out and get on the trainer to finish warming up. I got out a little late and before long I heard the announcer say the course was closed so it was back to the trainer until the race was over. Mark and I tried once that race ended but after a short time on course we were thrown off the course by an angry official. Turns out that OBRA(the local sanctioning body)has a rule that nobody can pre-ride the course once racing has begun for the day. I had no idea there was a rule since we had pre-rode on Saturday but it took a lengthy discussion to get them to let me race. Kind of hard to focus on warming up for your race when you are talking to race officials 30 minutes before the start. In the end it got sorted out and it was race time.

I got a decent start and once again got the lead before the technical part. Right away I knew that I had messed up on tire pressure. The course was a little bit faster than Saturday and my pressure was a little low. In fact it was low enough that I had to be careful no to bottom out the tire on the many rocks around the course. Now the issue was that I was in the lead but Bart Bowen was chasing and closing in. If I changed bikes right away he would catch me or I could try to stretch out the lead and then come out of the pit still in the lead. I tried to run but in the end I had to take a bike just as Bowen was catching me and that was it. Bowen had a 10 second lead as I exited the pit and I just didn't have the legs to close the gap. Other than getting taken down by a lapped rider the rest of the race was pretty uneventful. 2nd place, not too shabby.

The drive home was a 2 day marathon on the sprinter but it really was not too bad. Overall I think both Mark and I came through the trip in pretty good shape. Now it's time to focus on Nationals and Worlds.

I found a couple of videos of my 45+ races.

USGP Bend 45+ Day 1

 

 

USGP Bend Day 2

 

More pictures to come as I find them.