Teresa on the bluff before the first Enduro stage in Cumberland, BC. Photo courtesy of Todd Weselake –Raven Eye Photo
Last week I posted an interview with Kris Sneddon who won the Men’s open division of the recent BC Bike Race.
This week I came across an awesome article that goes into great detail about the race from the perspective of a first timer.
It sounds like such a fantastic event. If you’ve ever considered starting into mountain biking, or doing the race for the first time, you’ll want to check this out.
I’ve provided a few excerpts below, but read the full article here.
….
These trails are what we consider our beginner trails; however it was the first time many of them had seen roots this size, let alone ride over them. You could hear swearing as some tried to ride over the wet roots, only to have their rear tire slip off. Others just gave up and decided to walk while watching in amazement as those familiar with roots rode by. I knew some of these racers were in for a very long day while they learned a new style of riding. I also knew it wouldn’t take long for them to figure it out; today would be their hardest day.
….
One of the best parts of the week was watching the progression of some of the riders I saw struggling on Day 1. This included the group from Mexico and the team from Wales. When I first ran into them on Day 1 they were wondering what they had signed up for. I stopped seeing them on the trails after Day 3, however I would see them every night at dinner with massive grins on their faces
I met Susan from New Zealand on Day 2 when I heard a voice at the bottom of a technical downhill section say “wow, that was impressive,” and I looked up and found her standing at the bottom, watching the riders as they came down the trail. She mentioned that I was the first person she had seen ride that section and she was another that wasn’t used to the technical trails in BC. Susan would save my butt, literally, a couple of days later when we were in the start chute and she pointed out a hole in my Lycra shorts that exposed my left butt cheek. Luckily I was able to get some tape to cover it up in time! I later found out Susan came in third in our category.
… Read the full article.
