We started as expected like a giant bee swarm with a few not too unsuspected crashes and clusters on the corners. With a start position of 85th out of the 240 staters I expected it to be chaotic but nothing would prepair me for what would happen on the 1st lap. We got to the second up hill that has some switchbacks and not 5 or 10 people started cutting up the hill behind us. I was riding in the same area as Todd Wells at the time I was friggen shocked there where no less then 80 guys cutting the course ripping thru the tape and running past a screaming course marshal. I stayed on course and on the next hill the same thing happed this time it was worse because people where going way off course and cutting out an entire trail section. On the 3 up hill a rider started to initiate course cuttning ducking under the tape and I grabed him by his collar from behind and yanked him back into the race while screaming nasty things. The spectors at this spot joined in yelling at the cheater. The rest of the race I rode really hard to catch up from my new possition wich I was told was around 150. I was fuming mad. I punched it and cut thu the pack with Wells. He was the only guy to work with me on the fast straits. I ended up cramping a bit with 2 to go. I crashed pretty good on the blue groove section of the course. I guess I was anerobic and just slid in the dust aproach. I got back up after 3 guys pased me and pulled in at 55th place. Wells I think was 48th. Jhk was like 22 and Craig was 41 and Broderick 77th.
The mayhem didn't end after the race there is a holiday in Madrid for the patron saint of Spain this weeked so after dinner we saw thousands partying and walking the streets and shops of down town near the gigantic royal palace. There were police wagons and cops in full riot gear Nick Rano was stoked on the buzz of Madrid as for me I could go for some predictability.
Jeremiah.
Todays race was the stangest I have ever done.
