Winnipeg Cyclocross Nationals 2014

I'm excited for this. First time I can go as I'm officially Canadian now for about a year, so I have finally a Canadian UCI license. 

After an off site strategy session for work, I rush packed and returned. Dropped everything at noon to fly out to Winnipeg for my first time there. Winnipeg airport was great in Cindy's view. We saw. 

We did. 

Check in was smooth for hotel and race. Great venue. Everything close and nice. Pre ride of course was awesome, flat course that flowed, had some tricky bits. Long sand, high barriers, one steep run up, one set of stairs, just a great mix. 

Woke up with breakfast to room 3.5 hours before race with this day looking great. 

We watched Ashley's race and cheered like crazy which pulled in a 7th. Alana Heise won with a command performance and Shawna Donaldson looked best of season elegant under strain for 2nd.  and the 50+ men where Peter Lawrence stomped it. Cindy didn't end up racing due to a soccer issue. 

We cheered the 40+ men where Andre Sutton led out hard, with Ian Auld in tow. They ended up 2nd and 3rd. 

My race went well. Mild glitch clipping in off start, usually I nail those, so 7th into first corner. Markus Henry led out some fast laps that put the pressure on. I felt so so, couldn't ramp it up. 3 laps in I stated rolling forward and didn't stop. Caught 3rd on the last lap then we both wiped out on an off camber right in front of the announcer. Neither of us had issues there all race. Shoot. He got up sooner, 5th passed me, so the next while was full gas. I got back to 4th and held it. Mental mote: the better thing to do when 3rd falls in front is to ride around elegantly and take the spot ; )

Wooded section. 

Finish. 

I had a great soigneur with Cindy, great cheering section, and 100% good race read and advice from Bunnin: ie 4th was fading go get it this lap, third is fading go get it this lap. He was right on all accounts, just a little oops out there.