Alex captured some of it on his helmet camera. (cyclingdirt.org) If you watch said footage you will notice I am rolling along nicely up the Boreas Pass road during the - ehem - neutral 20 mile an hour uphill roll out. But not in the early trail clips thats because the action that took place early on.
Soon as the police car pulls off, Ben Sontag goes out of the saddle putting the hammer down. Josh Toastado followed. I let Colby and Colin Cares set the pace behind the first break. Matt Shiver (2nd from last years Leadville 100) attacks on the right and the chase is on.
We are dropping and weaving thru the aspens like a pack of hornets in pursuit of a dog. Colin goes down hard in front of me in a loose turn. I slam on the brakes and ask him if he is ok, he grunts "yeah" then I hit the pedals to make up some time. I dropped my chain and got it tangled around the crank losing 15 seconds. I put in a chase for a few mins and then made contact just as the trail went up for the longest climb of the day - a rutted and apple filled jeep track that climbs over 1500ft. I am in the groove now. Josh is turning the screws hard with Sontag and Shriver falling off pace by a few seconds. Alex seems on point and I am doing really well for arriving from sea level last night, just a little stiff and breathing like fat a kid chasing an ice cream truck.
Sontag joined us just in time for Feed 1 and the tough climb up to the highest point on the course. Alex was feeling a spring in his step and put down the hammer. Nightmare on baldy was knarly, a nasty rutted uppersection gave way to nice hillside single. We were putting pressure on but Toast was still there.
(OH, just heard Colin went to the hospital because his breathing was labored and has some type of injury. Best wishes. I think he is out but he was up walking around.)
Back to the story. I knew a lot of the course today from the Firecracker and I hit it up Little French. XC pace. Wished I felt that good in the Firecracker, but I will take it when I can get it. Alex and I started putting some time on Josh. We dropped down the flume at full speed it was a ripper. Alex was killing it in the dirt road decents; both of us catching sweet air on the grade reversals.
Alex and I were well matched today, he has been racing high up and my form is coming around so we were on the march. We hit the final climb up to Sally Barber mine flat out knowing time gaps need to be taken when you can get them and while you have the energy.
Carving berms turns and skating over rocks at full speed, man that was awesome.
I happened to be leading and took the stage just in front of Alex.
Ben attacked Toast on the final climb and rounded a podium sweep for CFR!
Other notes Pua Sawicki slayed it and was like 9th in the mens times! Evan is leading the single.
Garth and Ohran suffered but had fun. Thats all I got.
Stay tuned anything can happen.
JB
posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 5:21 PM 
