PWC 2014 has come to a close and so has the first portion of my 2014 season. Pugsley World Championships was the last race in my early season schedule of Fatbike Snow races. I was going into this race with high hopes of a good finish due to the fact that it was on home course and the snow conditions were looking good. Hopes and actuality with me often don’t see eye to eye.
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| Rolling to the start |
Race Day
For once got to wake up in a familiar place (my house and bed). Slept in till I felt like getting up. As always on a race morning I was jittery and ready to get the day going. I was able to get a good breakfast in and then it was kit up time and off to sign in for the race. Upon arriving at the race sign in I was met with not the greatest of starts to the day in that they were pushing back the start due to the snowfall the night before and need to remark the course. Oh well guess the pre-race tablets I had taken were all for not. So be it, decided to sit at the Elks Lodge in Decorah until race start and see what I was going on with all the other racers. Was nice to see a couple of new faces this year and of course some of the oldies as well. Time finally came and we were told the course and time to head out to start line. Disappointed a little in the length of the course this year at only 10 miles I was figuring it to be about a 1:30 minute course at most. Gross overestimate on my part.
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| Waiting for the GO!!! |
Race Time
Rolled out to the start line by taking the group of fatties down Water St. (Main St. Decorah) to the odd looks of everyone we passed. You would think people would get use to us in town with how out there us locals are when riding but I guess not. The start was located below Palisades park on the gravel (snow) road by the river. It would be a nice 1/2 mile flat rollout to get the legs opened before it was straight uphill into the lung and leg burners of the Quarry/Whitetail/Clay Hill combination.
The start of the race was a good indication of how the day was to unfold. I went to the front of the pack and started the pace line with Hollywood next to me in another pace line. I figured being the local I was going to be pushing this line up the hill for a while. After the long flat rollout it was right and up Quarry/Whitetail. This hill is deceiving as the beginning is paved then turns to good gravel where it starts to go up and then another right and then BAM!!, hits you below the belt hard and makes you want to cry. That is exactly what it did to me as we hit the gravel Shockey (Local) took the pace lead and pushed it up the hill. Talking to him later he thought this was a good place to try and separate out some of the racers to see who had the legs. I was feeling fine with this and grabbed his wheel when we took the hard right up Whitetail and pushed as hard as I could knowing that the downhill was icy and going to be troublesome if there was a crash.
I made it to the top with Shockey and a slight gap on the group of Hollywood, Hollywood Teammate (Sorry Man forgetting name), and Trevor Olson. Felt good about this so down I went with caution trying to end my race on the icy gravel under the couple of inches of snow from the night before. It was here that the race was set and the front group of 5 was formed as we got to the end of the decent together and content to work it out over the next couple of miles of gravel roads. Going up Clay HIll I once again was at the front working to keep the tempo good and stay out of trouble. The climb up was rough as there were good inclines on this mile long hill that sent my tires spinning because of the ice/snow combination. I was putting in power only to be caught by the hill with a spin out. Finally I was content to go with the group over the top due to the fact I knew a head wind was waiting and wanting to catch a break hopefully not on the front. I was wrong!!!
Went over the top and the refusal of anyone else to go to the front meant I was leading it again. After about another 1/2 mile, Trevor Olson finally came around and pushed at the front for a little bit. That was much appreciated!! After make same 90 degree turns on the gravel on top of the ridge it was down a little hill and back up. Right after this hill I knew that we would be turning into a tailwind so I took the chance and I jumped. I put in a strong effort to break away hoping the tailwind would help to hold out front. Well Hollywood and his teammate didn’t let that last long as about a 1/4-1/2 mile down the road they were back on me but I felt that it was good to separate at least two off the group.
Down the long fast hill to what would be the deciding part of the race.......The Singletrack!!
No Passing Singletrack!!
Well got down the hill just fine and knew it would be a dismount into the singletrack so I was ready in cyclocross style and jumped off the bike and into the snowy foot wide path. Here I was able to make a little jump again and got around Hollywood after he decided to loose some pressure. I made the decision this year to start off low knowing that some would go high and dump air after entering the trails. This paid off as I was now in the lead and pushing on. But then my excitement got the best of me and I was off trail in about 2-3 feet of snow. It was here that Trevor Olson got by so I jumped back on and pushed on with him. By the end of Iowa Public Television I knew it was going to be a Trevor taking the win, but which one?????
So we pushed on as I ran through the remaining parts of the race in my head wondering how i was going to get around Trevor in order to take this W. I wasn’t able to make anything happen on the open Prairie section as I had hoped as the trail was down to pretty much a tire width and visibility was low due to the snow really falling now. So on I went following along hoping for a mistake. After Olson bobbled a little in the Pines East I thought I might get around but no go as I plowed into heavy snow, so back on I went. I finally made a pass right before entering the Pines West. Not to far in though I got overzealous and washed out on a corner that has gotten me many time before in snow and dirt. So Olson was back around. I knew that I had one last opportunity for a pass and that would be from Pines to Little Big Horn.
Made the turn out of the PInes and Olson punched it to keep me behind and I didn’t dare a pass knowing how soft the trail was on the sides. So I went in behind Olson on Little Big Horn hoping for a slip up by him. That never did come. We rode tire to tire rubbing often over the next mile or so of trail. Once we were off of LIttle Big Horn and on Rocky Road, I had to accept the fact that the race was over.
Down Rocky Road I could have went faster me knowing the trail but with Olson in front of me and nowhere to pass I was stuck in 2nd. After Rocky it was the Luge and the finish right at the end of the Luge. 2nd place rubbing Olson’s tire all the way in. I was a little bit disappointed with this finish position because the race was decided by the fact that there was no passing in the last 2 miles of trail even though we were a dead heat!!! In a race I feel that it needs to be decided like a race and if you are with another guy, a sprint finish. Take us down the opening gravel or at least a few hundred feet of road but don’t let the trail not being passable decide the race!!!!!! Okay I will stop ranting, still not happy with this though!
So overall the race was not a complete wash but definitely a disappointment. I wasn’t impressed how my legs felt in the trails section but more disappointed with my riding quality in this section. Could have done more if I would have staying up right those 2 times. Oh well race over and on to the actual season. 2nd Place overall in around 1:07 for 11.5 miles of snowy Gravel/Trails. Olson took the win and Hollywood was 3rd so at least I got Hollywood after last years debacle. Lessons learned and need to be a little more hard nosed in racing sometimes. Don’t just let people by.
Actual season starts this weekend, True Grit 100, the opening race in the NUE Series. I am looking forward to this season as I will try and take a podium spot in the Singlespeed Overall. Hope to get off to a good start in the desert outside of St. George,Utah. Look for upcoming race updates as the season gets going and I tackle the big dogs of the NUE Singlespeed Class!!! All for now. Thanks for reading.
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