The commissaire gave the 10 second warning, the horn sounded and we all plunged down to the bend in a cloud of dust and a cacophony of sliding tyres and squealing brakes. I stuck tight to the inside and just hoped that everyone around me stayed upright. Safely round I was then on the outside for the uphill bend, but once it levelled out I surged to make up as many positions as possible by the gate. Once again I cut in and hoped the riders around me stayed out of my way. I picked off two further riders plunging down towards the wood and the first singletrack. My friend Darren had been gridded first as the leader of the series. On the decent my momentum carried me past him and up into 3rd. First challenge successfully completed! Not only had I survived the turmoil but had found myself at the head of the race.
Through the singletrack I stuck close to the rider ahead. I could have gone faster, but I was pleased to recover slightly from my effort off the line. Meanwhile the leader pulled away, opening a gap of around 20 metres. We swung left then right through long sweeping bends, before the course fired us back out onto a doubletrack fireroad. I popped through into 2nd briefly, but was immediately passed myself by two riders from behind. I leapt on their wheel, taking advantage of the slip stream as we began to close slightly on the lead rider.
The path ramped from here, the gradient increasing gradually before steepening dramatically at the end. After a few more twists and turns we were back onto another fireroad and two more riders came through as I dropped off the pace of those I had been following. The rest of the course was a twisty rooty tangle of trails, surprisingly damp and slick given the conditions. Darren too got through and I fought the urge to chase him, pacing myself and perhaps still paying slightly for my early efforts.
At the end of the first lap I was 7th with Darren in a group of three, 15 seconds ahead. Darren insight was like dangling a carrot, it is always easier to chase than be chased. I had been pacing myself and felt comfortable with the gap. However, backmarkers really hampered my efforts to close the distance back to Darren’s little group. Just as I would make it, a slower rider would get between us and the gap would open up again. I think the luck just about averaged out, Darren and I completing our second laps in exactly the same time.
Into the final lap and it was now or never. I nailed the sweeping bends and out onto the fireroad climb again. I was closer and did everything I could to get back to the wheels ahead. My approach had not gone unnoticed and I could see them repeatedly glancing over their shoulders. It was clear I was going to catch them before the top, the question was did I surge straight past or sit and recover?
I decided to regroup and sat at the back of the group catching my breath. We flowed through the single track and I picked off Darren and then as we hit the next fireroad I surged to the front. I gapped them briefly, but slowly I pulled the riders behind along with me. There wasn’t far to go now, and with track position I did as much I had to just to keep the others behind, while preparing myself for the uphill sprint finish that was inevitably coming.
As soon as I rounded the final bend I powered away, every sinew straining, every drop of energy remaining being used. I just had time to glance behind and relax as I crossed the line.
But if only I had concentrated on what was ahead as well as behind. When the results were published later that evening I realised I had missed the podium by 1.2 seconds! I hadn’t even clocked who the riders ahead were, if I had, would I have caught them before the line? Perhaps, but to be honest I’d have taken 4th sitting sweltering on the start. I also won my personal duel with Darren, but he crossed the line with a sharply angled saddle, which had deprived him of the chance to challenge properly.
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