USGP #3 Mercer Cup
Overall not my best result. I get to the race venue early, I sign in and get my crap together. I make sure to pre-ride the course. Nice course. Fast, not super technical but still tricky course. Also the course was long...really long. Today is however going to be pretty cool as Cape Atlantic Racing/Team Beacon is debuting our new kits.
I also got to rock my new Adidas XC shoes. Awesome shoes, super stiff, super comfortable, and they look sharp. However I would not live up to really showing the kit or the shoes off well. I had a good start sitting 4th wheel onto the dirt. Bruce got the Holeshot which was cool. I was riding well sitting 3rd wheel as we head around the course. Then right before the sandpit, I hit a slick patch on a turn and slip a little. Just a minor bobble but it cause my wheel to slip or something because it started to rub on my breaks. Luckily the pit was right after the sand so I made a quick bike change and was off. I ride that bike for half a lap and then I go for the switch. This is where my rant begins. So I make a clean switch but I miss my pedal. No big deal, I look down as I'm heading for the exit to catch me pedal. I look up and WHAM!!! I slam right into some lady. WTF!!! Most people would feel sorry for hitting some lady with their bike. However I was pissed! She falls down onto me and my bike. I start yelling and she has the nerve to say "I thought you were going to go around me" I'm about to lose it. FIRST if you are not a mechanic for a rider than you do not belong in the pit! SECOND If you are in the pit then you have to pay attention. THIRD Why would you stand in front of the exit to the pit! Like its not hard to figure out. Needless to say I was pissed. Still the best I could manage was 11th for the day, frustrating indeed. Oh well, I was just like moving on its time for homecoming.Homecoming was a fun night but a late night, did not get in until about 2 am. So I figure Sundays race day two would be a complete wash out. When I got up, my first thought was "Wow, this is pointless" Oh well I go anyway, my mother drives up as I sleep. I'm going to need it. I sign in and pre-ride the course. The course is slick as it is raining steadily. I have on dry conditions tires, and despite the lack of sleep, my tires are hooking up great and my legs are turning pretty easily. I say to my mom and teammates before the start "My legs are feeling awesome this morning...right now at least." They all laugh knowing that I'm on four hours of sleep. We get to the start and since my expectations are low I'm not too worried about the outcome. I have a front row start again and again I find myself riding strong early on. I'm riding 3rd wheel onto the dirt again. I keep pace as best I can but I got gapped. The lead group for the second half of the first lap contained Ethan Townsend, Eric Liner, and John Brewer. My thoughts are oh well there they go. However coming into the finishing straight they all sit up and look at each other. I'm gaining fast, I attack over to the far side of the road, and get a quick gap. I know that I'm not going to be able to hold it but I figure the best that will do is gap the ever strong and steady Jeff Bahnson. I get caught not long after that attack and so we switch places a few more times and just keep plowing through the laps. The interesting about this race was that because of the conditions the lead kept changing and at any one time in the race is was anyone of 5 riders race. Finally the last lap comes. I'm still up with the lead group and I still feel good. Heading into the slick turn before the sandpit Brewer is leading, Linder is next then E-Town then myself. Brewer makes it through safely, Linder slips and has to put his foot down, E-Town gets caught behind him, I squeaked by through the side. I was in second place. However Brewer had a gap as we went into the sandpit. At this point my brain turned off and instinct or craziness or something took over. I ran the sandpit hard and caught up to Brewer. We had a gap, could this be the chance to finally beat Linder? We remount and head into the 180 after the sandpit, Brewer bobbled a bit as he was looking for his pedal...I punched it hard. I quickly got a gap and I kept on the gas hard. Making the turn past the sandpit I slip, no worries I put my foot down and back in before I know it. No time lost. I keep on the gas but now I have a good gap and realize that I have to be careful. One wrong step and it's all gone. I keep on it hard and then I hit the finishing straight, I have it, I am going to win. Then it hits me, as I roll up to the line, a ton of emotion. Excitement, Joy, Exhaustion, Happiness, everything and the tears kinda start. No one captured this moment better than Kevin Dillard.
I'm not even ashamed to say I teared up. It was incredible. I cross the line and see Wade standing on the finish road hand extended for a high five. What a feeling. I roll on a bit and a few more people ride up to congratulate me. Then my teammates start to show up, and seeing how excited they were was just awesome. I was just glowing. Then it was time for the podium, you know its a big race when there is actually a podium girl giving out podium kisses, I was so stoked.
Alright well I need to get going but I will continue to update later on...hopefully tomorrow.Peace and Love,
Patrick
