PANDO XC-- The last Fun Promotions race at this venue!

John Meyers and Dan Kotwicki attened this MMBA CPS race. Here is what John had to say.


Second place sucks! The final xc @ Pando.....My goals for the season had been to race expert 40+ but somewhere back in the spring I decided that if I was going to race after having taken 3 yrs. off that I would not be personally satisfied unless I was racing elite....So every race that I completed and placed this season has felt great. A first place at pando was a dream but something that I thought was out of my league. The race started in mass with our group in the front. I was was able to take the lead just before the first bit of single track in the first lap and hold the lead for four and half laps with a 20-30 second gap. I made one error in the technical single track in lap four which allowed the three chasers to bridge. Lap five was complete with four of us together. After having been caught by the three chasers I decided that it was their turn to show me that they could ride away but I think they gave it everything to catch me so we were all together. Lap six seemed to slow so I went to front on the long rolling back section into the downhill. On the long gradually uphill Peter and I were able to drop the balance of our group and began to create a gap. Lap seven began with just the two of us. Having felt strong for the first six laps I was beginning to feel fatigued and new it was going to take the right move near the end of the lap before the single track to pull off a victory. Well the move I made worked and I jumped back into the lead with about a mile to go with all single track and a short uphill finish. I did not have a gap but did not think peter would try to pass until the final hill climb. As we approached the final single track Pete went past me on a short straight away. I stayed on his wheel thru the descent to the final hill but as I sprinted out of the saddle up the hill to the finish my rear wheel was spinning out so I had to sit down with a seated sprint finish. Pete finished just ahead of me. I finished a disappointed second but will regroup for the final showdown at the state championships at boyne mt in two weeks. I am currently leading the mmba elite points series and the boyne race will need to be my very best race of the season if I hope to win the points series.

Dan K. won his Expert class. He is in the hunt for the top 3 in his Expert MMBA CPS series. Lets hope DK can make it up to the BOYNE CPS race on time.