A maelstrom in Norway or should I say a mael-storm in Norway

Although this took place a few weeks ago, here is a quick synopsis of my latest attempt at another world championship. I wrote this for my coach shortly after I finished the masters mountain bike cross country world championships in Lillehammer.

I think the best way to look at this is I persevered and finished the race. I didn't crash so I got through it without injury although my elbow right now is almost useless. I can't think of more opposite racing conditions than what I am capable of competing in than in today's race. It rained off and on all day and about 35 minutes before the race started a torrential downpour hit the venue including thunder, lightning and hail, a literal deluge. Daryl, my brother who was there supporting me for the week, said there was a puddle by the car that was 40 wide and came half way up the wheels of the car. When looking at my power file I was off the bike almost an uncountable number of times walking/trying to run a bit.

I got a bad start, I was on the back row of the start grid and didn't clip in right away so was dfl going into the first short climb onto the first rooted section of the course. Everyone was off their bikes in front of me so within 3 minutes of the start, the front of the race was gone. I passed several riders over the next 5 minutes but that was it and I was left in a place where I passed one more guy although he passed me back in a section I had to walk while he rode away. I came within 50 feet of him by the finish but that was it. This was my little race within the race that kept me going.

I haven't seen the results but I probably was something like 15th. My lap times, about 35 to 36 minutes were 3 to 4 minutes slower than my pre-race hot lap on Friday when I rode a step below race pace. It was certainly disappointing but not discouraging. Very much out of my element but I will look for redemption against these guys when I can race them on a course on which I can really race as oppose to just survive. Hopefully there will be a next time for many years to come.

One important take away from this experience is a need to be more prepared for radically changing conditions in climates where such things are common. Maybe a little more east coast racing will help should such conditions confront me again in a world championship. That said, I’ll eventually get another world championship race where all the ingredients are there for me to win. It took me nine tries to win my first world championship and I expect the next dirt one won't take quite so long.