University of Arizona Dominates Collegiate Nationals
Posted by: tjwoodruff, in Uncategorized
You’ve probably read at Velonews, CyclingNews, and USACycling that Chloe absolutely crushed it at collegiate nationals this past weekend. Angel Fire Resort, NM hosted this annual event and the base elevation of 9,000 feet coupled with a lung searingly steep climb made it a perfect match for her strengths. She made the short track win look easy (soloed from the gun) and was able to come from behind with a second lap attack to win the xc. Chloe undoubtedly prepared better than any other women there and her dedication paid off in the form of two stars-n-bars jerseys. I got to see her focus day in and day out with the training and how it was rewarded on race day. Awesome!
It was strange being at a bike race and to not be racing at all myself. I didn’t like it! But at least I was able to play a part in the success of the U of Arizona cycling team. Melanie followed Chloe’s double wins with a 3rd place in the STXC and a 2nd in the xc. This made for some great podium time for Arizona. We also had three guys who raced men’s B and all placed in the top 12. Arthur, a student from France, hadn’t ever raced before so finishing in the top third was pretty great. I got to cook breakfast, do bottle feeds, handle warm up clothes, and take pictures for three days. This kept me plenty busy running all across the mountain, but I enjoyed it. I did bring my bike and managed to get out Saturday afternoon to preview the downhill course. It was a fun trip down and was really the first time that I’ve ever watched real DH riders tackle such gnarly trails. What they do is such a different type of demand when compared to riding downhill on a xc race course…
It’s been a month now since I last raced and I’ve more or less been riding at will with no real regularity or plan. This has been a good ‘rest’ and I’m starting to want to get at the training and be consistent once again. I won’t be pounding it on the bike everyday, and I will incorporate some strength training and running, but of course the bike workouts will take their precedence.
Thanks for stopping in. Keep it Real, -TJ
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