Swiss Recap

In the first of two races over there I took a spill during my first run of time trials and couldn't get it together for my second run. It was completely a mental block and I learned a lot from the experience. So for the first set of heat races I was a spectator, which did allow me to get a great perspective to help me out with the next race and let my lingering aches and pains heal up a little bit.

The second day of qualifying came a few days later and after a couple of training runs my riding had come back to where it was and I finished the day qualifying in the 14th position. This is a great considering the big cross wind that was sporadically blowing along the length of the track. The heat racing was a great battle as is always the case as World Cups. In the first round I had a top to bottom battle with Paulo De Le Rue, an olympic medalist from France. We had a photo finish for first place crossing the line, even though the top 3 were advancing from each heat it was better not to take any chances. Quaterfinals came and I was lined up in the gate next to fellow American, Nate Holland. Nate had finished 2nd in the first race and so he had been riding the course very fast. We both had great starts and dominated most of the top section together, until a German rider, Konsti Schad, snuck in front Nate. Konsti and I were back to back battling going over a hip in the top section and when we landed we locked edges and I caught the raw end of that deal. I went down and watched everyone buzz  by. So in a few seconds I went from first to sixth and ran out of real estate before I could make up the distance. My riding has been great thus far in the season and I'm looking forward to X Games at the end of this week. Thanks all.