All but "one"................

(Me smiling at the fact that the finish line is only about 30 ft away!)

"One” referring to the number of Ontario Cup races left in 2010!

This past weekend was O-Cup #6 at Kelso Conservation and Ski Area, Milton, ON. With this being 3.5 hours from home and also the closest O-Cup to us we decided it would be a day trip.

Jay, Kim and myself headed up to Kelso Fri. morning to pre-ride the course. I was expecting Chico to run the course backwards as they did a few years back, where it was a switch back climb opener and the gravel maintenance road downhill. Once the course map was posted on –line I saw that the course would be run in the usual direction as it has been in the last couple of years. Opening climb would be the double track gravel service road to the top of the ski hill. (A climb I have grown to like!) However this year, in comparison to last, there was a little less climbing per lap!! Apparently it was to give us a break and take it easy on us racers in preparation for Provincial Championships which are only 2 weeks away. The Championships are at a totally new venue in Uxbridge, which I believe is just north of Toronto.

Back to the pre-ride….. We (Jay, Kim & I) decided that we would do a lap together to get a feel of the course and redo any sections that offered multiple lines. The first lap didn’t start off so well…. The gravel was really loose on the climb and I found myself spinning out the first time I tried to cross over from one side to the other. Once on top of the escarpment the course was a bit of a false flat.  Into the trees, and it was fast and flowing. Some single track lead to double track and back to single track. There were a couple of tighter technical sections but overall a really fast course. At one point the course came back down a quick sandy/loose dirt downhill and ended with a tight, off camber left turn right back up the hill. This is where it stopped short of last years line, which took us all of the way back down to the bottom of the hill and through the grass before it sent us back up.  Anyhow, we decided it was best to scrub a lot of the speed early, well before making the sharp turn and go wide. No problem. (pre-ride) After the 1st lap, I went out on my own and put it together. Again I found myself losing traction on the opening climb and spinning out in that one small section. I continued on and finished the lap in a comfortable 27 minutes give or take. After the two laps I thought I had a pretty good handle on the course and decided to just wait for Jay and Kim and head back home. Sunday would come soon enough!!

Race day. We left early enough to get Kim to the venue an hour and a half before her race. Pak decided to join us for the trip. He was part of “their” annual shore to shore ride the day before and combined a night out with the boys and beer. In fact he was pretty much just getting home when we got to their house at 6:30 am. Needless to say he wasn’t racing today. I guess we'll call him support crew!  Kim races in the Expert Women’s category and has been steadily improving after a serious car accident last year put her in the hospital.

I began my warm up and felt pretty good, a bit relaxed and fresh. I guess sleeping in my own bed instead of on an air mattress can have that effect. About 10 minutes to race time I made my way to the start area. On my way I came across Kim who was walking rather gingerly. She had wiped out in a rocky section and bruised herself up pretty bad. She said a guy stopped half way through the short rocky down hill and couldn’t move quick enough out of the way. I couldn’t tell if it was a look of pain or disappointment on her face. I think perhaps a bit of both. Not exactly what I wanted to see before the start of my race but I knew she’d bounce back, she always does.

In the starting corral there was small talk with fellow racers. I was called up behind the Series Leader, Sue Haviland (Norco Evolution). Following us, next to be called up were a couple of riders from New Zealand. They were racing in preparation for the upcoming World Championships in Quebec. It’s always nice to see new faces at the start line.

1 minute, 30 sec., 15 sec. and then go! I had a good start, grabbed the holeshot and lead up the loose gravel climb. Once again I hit the same spot that I did on my pre-ride and spun out. Oh well I continued on at a comfortable pace without losing much time and expected someone to push my set pace. That pace held and I made it to the top in front. My recovery at the top was good and I continued to push at a steady rate. I realized that the group must have been strung out behind me and that only a couple of racers were with me. I raced on, through a section of single track that lead to open field and then I took a wrong turn. Thanks to Ashley Barson (CoachChris) who was right behind me, she gave me a quick shout out to let me know that was the wrong way and I quickly turned around and went back out to the front. We continued to ride together through the lap and at "that one off-camber climb" section (that I cleared in pre-ride), I totally botched it up. I could not see the line I had seen during the pre-ride. Off and running for a few strides. Back on the bike, only to mess up the next rooted climb. Geez, I couldn’t get it right. Ashley passed and so did Sue H.. I got clipped back in and then regained my spot in the front. Lap 1 down, 3 to go…… I felt good going into lap 2, up the gravel climb………. and wouldn’t you know it, yep, spun out in the gravel. Quick tap down, couple of steps and back in the saddle. I stayed out front for the remainder of lap 2. Lap 3, I pulled away a bit more and yippee made it passed the loose gravel part on the climb. Lap 4 went the same. I came across the finish line in first, fist pumping and still with a bit of energy to spare!! What a fun, fast course.

Final Results:
Sue Stephens (Bell’s Beer/Quiring Cycles) – 1st
Katherine O’Neill (New Zealand MTB Team) – 2nd
Sue Haviland (Norco Evolution) – 3rd

I am looking forward to Provincials. There is no doubt that Chico Racing will have an awesome course in store for us at the new venue. Can’t wait for 2 weeks!!

(Podium shot with my bike before the OCA warned me about bringing the bike up.  I didn't realize that is not allowed.  Oops!  Nice bike though!!)

Cheers,

Sue