We arrived at the Mont Sainte Anne a week out from the race with good preparation time on one of the most demanding XCO courses on the World Cup circuit. Two years ago I raced here in the World Champs as an Under 19 so I was looking forward to getting back on the technical and intense race circuit Mont Sainte Anne has to offer.
Lap after lap the course climbed steeply up the first climb which then came down the famous Rock Garden Mont Sainte Anne is well known for. It then climbed back up steeply up into a switch back section and then through a tight and gnarly trail and onto the fast downhill and past the feedzone. From here the second half of the lap saw a fast trail blaze around a loop that criss crossed a couple of times to follow back through the joint feedzone and to the start/finish.
Race day came around and I was feeling ready to get to that start line and get stuck into my first World Cup event this year. The race start was intense! I had not put myself into the best start position off the line and was stuck right in the middle unable to move out and put the hammer down. I quickly knew that I had stuffed up and as soon as we hit the top of the hill into the trees it was just chaos, people walking with others trying to ride around them over slippery rocks and roots made for a hell of a fun first lap, not!
I knew I had lost minutes once I came through onto lap two but now it was time to forget that and concentrate on improving my position as much as I could by the end of the race.
I was climbing well and attacked everyone that came in my path which I was happy with. While I didn't get the result I wanted to achieve and finishing 34th in the U23 event it was still a good hit out and im looking forward to improving my placing big time this weekend in Windham, U.S.A!
I have just come back from my first look this year at the track and am feeling really positive about it so things are looking good for this weekend before my flight home back to NZ. This trip has gone fast!
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