NORBA Snowmass, Colorado

Course: Check this out...



This image is taken from the top of the cross country course and looks down on the mountain resort of Snowmass. Sweet. Sooo - the course wasn't so technical, just a bit rough with some high speed decents and a lot of climbing. Last years course was evidently better with a lot more singletrack.

Results:
Pro XC: 1st Geoff Kabush, 14th Roan
Junior Short Course: 1st Burry Stander

"FOLKS, just take a LOOK AT THIS ! ITS AMAZING,HE IS RIPPING THEIR LEGS OFF !! I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN YEARS, THIS GUY IS TEARING THE JUNIOR FIELD APART..." The commentators were having a field day at the junior Short course event - Burry put on an amazing performance for the crowds showing the yank kids how to ride FAST. Clearly in a different league, Burry made some really good contacts during his stay here in the states and his form is as good as ever. We look forward to seeing his performance at the World Champs next month.

FYI - Burry cannot race any UCI events in the pro category as this will disqualify him from being able to compete in the Junior category at the World Champs. I think Kabush asked the UCI to put this rule in the book !!! Seriously, he would have given the top Pro's a run for their money had he been able to race with them. My money is on Burry for at least a Podium at World Champs. Vat hom Fluffy!

World Cup Angel Fire NM

Yeeeeeha!

I had the best result of my career, 19th in a World Cup - its still sinking in. They 'random' selected me for drug testing after the race so i got to brush shoulders with the race winners in the waiting room. It was only after the 4th bottle of water that i realised what a day it had been... kinda like trying to sober up for work after a big night on the town, piecing together the snapshots of what went down.

From the gun we went straight up a 'muscley' steep road, it was mayhem - everyone was all over the road taking crazy lines just to get that 0.5 second advantage and stand the chance of getting into the singletrack one slot ahead. I had almost forgotten what World Cup starts are like, it was a kickstart back into reality - there is no track given and none asked amongst these guys, this is business. Merciless business.

The course was very similar to the Chile Challenge course which i raced a few weeks ago so that was a serious advantage - i knew what to expect... basically 6km of climbing then 3km decent. Its a tough course. We were the last race of the day so the track was all rutted out with braking bumps. Lots of powder dust made you keep a bit of a following distance from the cloud ahead and making overtaking really risky. But I wasn't held up on any of the decents - all of these racers can hold their own on any course. The split between hardtails and full bouncers was 50/50, some of the rock garden climbs were so rough that it was quicker to run them than to bash your way between the sharp rocks and increasing your risk of puncturing.

After the first lap I was hanging onto 25th spot. The pace on the first two laps was brutal and i was suffering to keep my position. On lap 3, my legs came back - something clicked and those jerseys up ahead started looming closer. Its probably thanks to last season's marathon and stage racing that I just seem to get stronger as the race goes on ... its a good way to finish.

On the last lap, I managed to catch and pass 2 more riders, one was Phil Spencer (GB) - I suffered past him in the top rock garden and managed to put some seconds into him by the highest point on the course. It was really important for me to put another commonwealth citizen behind me to increase my chances of selection for the Commonwealth games next year. Over the top I had to keep the pressure on, telling myself to flow the lines and keep the Pom off my wheel. The course marshalls blow whistles everytime a rider comes past them, the silences between the screeching blasts were getting less and less ... the pressure was on ... putting on the gas again my front wheel washed out but i managed to save it and cross the line with a 7 second buffer on Spencer.

A whole lot more than just another day at the office in the leather seat! This was the race of my life.

See official results at
http://www.uci.ch/ucinet/uci.asp?page=rankings&discipline=mtb&l=eng

Firecracker 50 Marathon

1st Liam Killeen(Spicialized), 2nd Jay Henry (Ford Specialised),3rd Roan Exelby

We went out to pre ride the course on Sunday and it started HAILING and Sleeting, mid summer in the Rockies just does not fail to entertain! Well, i had another ripping race and some of the stars even showed up to liven things up.

Start altitude: 9500ft

The pro peleton gently mozied up the main street of Breckenridge, CO, in a neutral zone along streets lined with people celebrating the public holliday holding lots of beer and letting off firecrackers (why is there a holliday again?!) As we exited town, the pace car pulled away but the pace remained pretty chilled until we hit the mountains, we ascended more than 11600ft (5400ft per lap) today.

Two laps of the course spread the field out pretty well. At the end of lap 1, i was in 7th place after a flat in my rear tyre. Second lap i managed to put the hammer down a bit more and reeled in the guys fast, chasing into third place before the highest point of the course (11500ft). Me happy camper, time to sleep and rest for the World Cup this weekend!

MSC Eldora,Nedderland XC

Results: 1st Kashi Leuchs(Team Bianchi), 2nd Roan Exelby, 3rd Mike West (Team Maverick)

Start altitude: 10500 ft
Course: Technical power terrain

Miles Venzara's prognosis for the day's racing: "this course is gonna put the hurt into the boys, you are just gonna have to MUSCLE it! "
Yeah Miles, you sure did get that one right. The course was uber technical with some extremely technical bits in it. Loose rocky climbs, open fire road, mud holes, power "walls", it had enough of everything to keep your mind off the pain... well, almost!

I had a great ride and am really looking forward to the Firecracker 50 on Monday... felling good. Will post some pics asap.

Crested Butte MSC

Location: Crested Butte, Colorado, USA
Series: Mountain States Cup (MSC)
Distance: XC lap race (2 hours)
Altitude: max:3018m, min:2719m
Climbing: 1500m for race
Temp: min 11, avg 15, max 20
Result: 2nd overall in Pro Men Category
Race Link: http://www.cyclecyndicate.com/


go to "http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/Members/roanexelby/images/smallCB_roan_msc_course.jpg" for a larger view

First podium in the states! I am really stoked, with my result - second in the pro field. So all this living at altitude is paying off...

We arrived a day early in Cresta Butte and managed to pre ride the course. I noticed a rider on a Morewood bike so i went over to him - it was Gerrit! (some of you might know him - he is a machine downhiller from RSA). He is living in Canada now and is ranked in the top 10 in the NORBA DH, it was good to see another saffer out here racing!


go to "http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/Members/roanexelby/images/smallCB_cale_3.jpg" for a larger view


The race...
Initially the pace was not too bad, i think everyone was a bit weary of the course so nobody attacked really hard to begin with. Slowly we dropped riders off the back until only 3 of us were left up front at the end of lap 1/3. Second lap i could not keep up with the mountain goats and let them get away deciding to push the rolling section of the course and the downhill to chase back. Third lap I came right again and managed to get my HR up again and really put the hammer down, managing to come within 17sec of the leader on the line ... watch out Nick, next time the course might be longer... or i just won't drink so much Guinness on thursday!

The course...
Course designers here have an affinity for ski slopes and singletrac. We did 4 or 5 clover leaf loops per lap (i was dizzy and delirious so can't say for sure), each loop went up to the summit of the ski area and then back down on some fire road or trail. A couple of rock gardens added a but of spice, my Mongoose handles like a dream through that stuff and i always seemed to catch the Full Suspension riders there for some reason... go figure ?? We linked onto the DH course for a bit so we got our fair share of braking bumps and powder dust to help the lungs cope (not!).

After...
Coffee and a bit of fishing in the fast flowing river (ha ha) to chill out after the race. Check out Sager's fish... and his website http://www.jasonsager.com/


go to "http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/Members/roanexelby/images/smallCB_fishing.jpg" for a larger view

On Sunday, a group of us went out for a ride that would have summited 3 peaks - as we got to the top of the first, the Rockies started growling with thunder and panelbeated us with hail and ice. Nice. Mid summer in the Rockies.

For the best Latte in Cresta Butte, go to...

go to "http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/Members/roanexelby/images/small_camp4coffee.jpg" for a larger view

Road trip there... how is this scenery ... ??

go to "http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/Members/roanexelby/images/small_bluemountainlake.jpg" for a larger view

Chile Challenge XC

Location: Angel Fire, New Mexico
Series: Mountain States Cup
Distance: XC lap race (2 hours)
Result: 5 Pro Men Category
Race Link: http://www.cyclecyndicate.com/


go to "http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/Members/roanexelby/images/chilechallenge51.jpg" for a larger view

Angel Fire ski village, at an altitude of 8600ft, provided an icy welcome to the mountain bikers on saturday. With about 4000ft of climbing over the race, it was a real lung burning experience.

"DUFF" is how Daniel, one of the local riders, described the trail conditions - this virgin course was very tough and definitely worthy of hosting a World Cup race later this season. Climbing up rock gardens and loose 'duff', ground beneath the trees made for relentless climbs zig zagging over and over the ski piste slopes. The descents were overboard technical, rock gardens, and tight off camber single track abounded as the course wound its way down the mountainside testing everyone's technical abilities. By the end of the day, good berms were forming on the track and lines were forming through the rocky sections making most of the course rideable. Its going to be a very interesting World Cup!

Ned Overend took overall honours in the PRO category on his full suspension S-Works carbon prototype bike - the top 4 riders were all on full suspension bikes. The last lap was eventful - continual chainsuck forced me to stop repeatedly to pull the chain from the frame losing valuable time in the process. As i summited the course, a Team Dean rider was hot on my tail , we were pushing the envelope and he eventually took a fall trying to get past one of the slow riders allowing me to get away. Very exciting racing!

Telluride from the gondola

Telluride has a free gondola (ski lift). It has just opened up for the summer, check out the view of the town from the lift...


go to "http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/Members/roanexelby/images/telluride%20from gondola.JPG" for a larger view