As if mtb racing isn’t hard enough, I had to enter this uci cat 1 in the Czech Republic with a head cold. I do like a challenge. After testing the germ tolerance of my Scottish team mates (sorry chaps) I made it to the start line not at all sure what to expect of my body. My form should have been good after my Croatian epic but I couldn’t breath and that is never a good start in endurance sport. The course (right in the middle of the town centre) was a mixture of technical, steep climbs, off camber chutes and flowing singletrack that, if ridden canny, could save you a lot of energy. This was my strategy. What I lacked in aerobic capacity I would make up for in brute strength and technique. It went according to plan. I rode the draggier climbs at threshold, used my biceps over my breath on the punchier ones and rested while descending for a respectable but not earth shattering tenth place finish in a strong field of mostly Eastern European riders.
My Scottish team mates rode to 16th place (Kerry McPhee) and 19th place (Jessie Roberts who is now heroically flying to holland for another race on Monday). Now back at the hotel but Gareth Montgomerie was last seem storming his way through the men’s race in 16th place and on schedular for a commonwealth games qualifying time. Go on the Montesaurous!
Home tomorrow for some egg rolling / combat and family time before the next round of the national series in Cornwall.
Bye Treplice