So, are we “Pro”???

Video at this link discusses part of the reason why more roadies get paid and off-roadies do not, what it actually means to be “Pro”, and ideas about how to move toward Professional Mountain Biking .  Hope we can move toward making changes that would encourage a Pro field actually existing in Mountain Biking. 

Firecracker

Been a while, race report from Eau Claire Firecracker, I will give a recap of the last month later in the week.

Firecracker

Tristan said we felt like Jedi Knights on Speeder Bikes as we were riding the single-track so fast and I gotta say this is kinda what it felt like, Firecrackers single-track is AMAZING!

At the start I wanted to stay out of any mayhem on the tight corners in the lead out so I just went to the front and set a steady tempo that I figured no one would want to come around. 

Before the single-track Ben Koenig jumped and Darrin followed his wheel, Tristan and Chris Peariso snuck in there at the last second.  Lindsay says I am too nice while racing and maybe she is right cause I never shut the door when I actually do want the position.

I was getting worried that team tactics might be coming into play as a gap was starting to open to Darrin and Ben , but Chris dropped a chain half way through the lap and I got by and was able to close the gap to Ben, Tristan, and Darrin, as they began to work the flats.  Ben started to dangle and kindly let me by and it was three of us for the first 3 laps. 

Going into lap 2 I took control and started pushing the pace in the single-track.  Gaps were opening a bit, but I didn’t want to risk a solo venture this early on, so  I would just tempo coming into the flats.  Tristan got the picture real quick and for lap 3 he made sure to close the door whenever we came near single-track or anytime I wanted the front, which was totally the right way to play his strengths, as seen below.

I love the smirk at that move :)

Going into lap 4 I got behind on water and tried to get an endurolyte down (which fell out of my mouth) and some water down, cause my legs were really starting to cramp.  I knew the legs had a ton of power and endurance left, but cramps were going from calves all the way up to my hip flexors from lack of water.

Tristan put in an attack on the road going into lap 4, Darrin pulled me along as I spun and drank to try and get the twinge out of the legs.  Before we entered Darrin yelled at me to go in first, but I didn’t listen.  Darrin must have been pretty mad at me for that cause he proceeded to lay down in front of me 2 or 3 times.  I encouraged him to keep going until I was able to get by the last time and proceeded to try and close the gap.  Had the cramps been gone I know the power was there, but I could only close it to about 5 seconds until the legs completely seized up on a steep uphill and I had to spin it out and let Tristan go, props to him on another great win!  Cramps completely disappeared second half of lap 4 and I presumed chase, but too little too late.  Still 2nd place on the day is AWESOME and I have officially occupied every place on the WORS podium, which is a nice accomplishment!

Oh yea, lapping riders was a little crazy lap 4 and right before the finish Mudcat and I decided to get a little close for comfort through the rock “garden” or maybe rock “fountain” is a better name for it.

At this point  many probably heard me yelling “Get Up!” at Mudcat, but this was only because I was pushing as hard as I could to try and help him up, not because I was all that angry, just adrenaline and wanting him to work with all the effort I was putting out to get him back on his feet as it seemed he was just laying on me for a bit.

Here is a post race interview with Claire Cannon

Nathan Guerra - 2nd place - WORS 2010 Chippewa Valley Firecracker from Team WORS on Vimeo.

Thanks a ton to all of my sponsors as I literally would not be able to do this without them!  Thank you God, Lindsay, Mr. Tree, Wheel and Sprocket, Powerbar,  Trek and Bontrager.

 

Also thank you the Peters family and Lynn for water hand-ups, and thank you Mom and my step-dad Dennis for allowing me and Lindsay to have an awesome date day away at the races while you enjoyed the presence of our little ones.

Photo Credit: A. Dykema, B. Nigh, T. Mieves, kmp_1599