JB's Adventure Blog: World Cup Wonder.

Wow. a place on the podium there would be nice some day, I guess I will have to wait for the next chance.

I was having a stellar ride at Mt Saint Anne on Saturday untill half way through the race when I punctured, I was in FOURTH PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!! . Everything seemed to be going like clock work, I was fighting for position with the top riders in the World. I snuck past Roule Pauleson at the top of the highest point on rooted slick, techi course he cursed me for slipping past but I meant no harm I was just in the zone. I sliped past liam and started to put a small gap on the trio that included Jeff Kabush. I was now only 30 seconds back from Sauser Kassekoff and Craig, just a lap ago I was 1:10 back, amazing!

PSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Oh no . I had a flat. I reached for the big air and all I grabed was big air. It fell off of my seat post some how! Luckily I was riding right past pitt area full of parts and wheels, surely someone would help me, I was in real podium contention! Nothing, nope, nada... I felt like a beginner racer at Mc Eldon again with a broken bike. Humbling to think how fragil the perfect race can be, the wining result is more elusive than you can imagine.

I allmost cried as I counted the places pass me. I ran the up hills and squirmed the down hills to the main feedzone and pitt.
There I begged for help. The crowd would only lend me strange looks. I asked if someone would at least let me use a floor pump. In the past 3k I was only passed by 10 racers.
I felt like I was getting heat stroke as I pumped the tire with a loose floor pump in the sun. It was so hot. I got back on and some how chased back on to 18th only to flat again. I put in another tube and got back on the horse. Wells was having a bad day and so was Kashi Leuchs. I passed both of them and rode with a charging Sam Chultz to finish 28th some how.

I guess the bright side is my previous best finish at Mt Saint Anne is like 26th so I have broked through to a new level, one where finishing on the podium at a World Cup on a good day is really possible.

Thanks to Steve Hoover for keeping me thinking about the positives on the drive home, John Rourke, Elka and the mechanics of Subaru Gary Fisher for their hospitality, Rock Shox John Dawson for putting me on a Reba for the race (It was wicked fast on this course) And Hunter for putting my metal to the pedal!

See at TOUR DE BURG!

Jeremiah Bishop

(for more info on the 10th Year of magic and mayhem at le Tour check out mtntouring.com)

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 8:47 AM

World Cup Wonder.

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