WORS #1 Iola

I'm extremely excited to write this race report.  Not so much for the race or the placing but because I took a lot away from this race.  It is one of the first times I've raced the race around me, stuck to a plan, been calm at the line, and felt that I rode under what I'm capable of.

Out of all the courses we race on I figured, I believe everyone else did too, that this course would hold up the best in the rain.  Iola is a sandy course that gets really packed down which makes for high speeds when dry.  What we did find out is that the sand made a great recipe for mud.  The race became the Iola Mud Bowl instead of the Iola Ski Bowl.  We could see the racers before us were coming in covered in mud but I still don't believe anyone expected the conditions we rode in.

With my 7th overall finish from last year I was awarded the #7 plate.  My lifelong favorite number.  This gave me a front row start.  I wasn't super aggressive off the line and dropped back a few spots but found Nathan's wheel up the first climb and down into the bowl.  I remember climbing and thinking I wanted to be placed higher but following Nathan's wheel was a bit of a comfort because he always finds his way to the front.  Coming down into the bowl I sat 10th and by the time we dropped back down into the bowl I was 8th and attached the front.  I felt good with it and figured I was in a good spot to make the first break.  Then, the unexpected run up.  The cyclocrossers displayed their running skills and split the group immediately after the run up.  By the time I ran up, remounted, and spun up to speed I lost contact.  

After loosing contact I went with my game plan at settling into my own pace.  During the first lap I dropped back into 10th but moved my way up to 9th until I was joined midway through 2nd lap by Chris P.  Chris took over on the climbs on the 3rd lap which kept the pace up.  This was pulling back in the rider that was about 30 sec up on us. After the run up all I heard was "Whoaaaaa", I look back and Chris had disappeared.  I still cannot figure out how he disappeared so fast.  I think he fell into a 5 foot deep mud hole?? On that day it was possible.  This left me on my own until midway through the 3rd I was passed by a Kuhl rider and closely followed by another 212 rider, Ryan K..  The Kuhl rider gave a quick encouragement and jumped around me.  It didn't click at first but after a few minutes I thought to myself I know this riding style.  Sure enough it was Tyler J.  Tyler and I race well together and push each other on every aspect of riding.  I was really happy to have him up near the front.  He was taking risks in the single track that I was not previously, it allowed me to follow a wheel while gaining confidence.  

Tyler and I started the 4th lap together.  We were still chasing the rider that was 30 sec up, Cory S.  After the hills we were getting close and I knew we could catch on.  After the first single track section I went to the front to put in a good effort to bridge up and before I knew it I was riding alone and pulling back good time on Cory.  3/4 into the final lap I attached to Cory.  I jumped around in 1 of the last 2 sections to pass and held the lead until Cory made a great move to pass in the single track to beat me to the last pass section.  I gave a hard effort to go around and just edged out his wheel into the last single track.  In Iola, the first into the last section usually wins so it was important to go in first.  I had one small slip up in the last 1/8 of a mile but was able to hold onto 8th.  

I wasn't completely satisfied with my start but the remainder of the race was very positive.  I learned to race within the race, I was confident in settling into a pace, increased my mud riding skills, and bridged a gap to a strong rider on the final lap while feeling good doing it.  I came away with 8th place and my body felt great after.  Considering the conditions and the way the race played out on the run up I'm extremely confident with my 8th.  

The field is becoming incredibly deep in WORS.  Not only is WORS the largest State MTB series in America but I believe it is one of the deepest.  We had more than 10 professionals in the field.  The podium was all professionals including Matter, LaLonde, Shriver, Guerra.  All this talent and we were missing Eppen and Schouten.  Not too mention the up and coming talent that I'm sure will make an impact in Stelljes, Neff, Jenema, McConnell, and Koenig.  Oh, did I forget to mention the perennial power house of Adventure 212 in Peariso, Krayer, Phillips, and Braun.  What a great season this will be.