The MTB Files: Round 2, Fountain Hills, AZ

Aroussen raced the latest round of the NMBS (National Mountain Bike Series). Another poor starting position on the grid and some further bad luck didn't do him any favors but he soldiered on and had a respectable ride, all things considered. Below is his report. Good reading!

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Fountain Hills, McDowell Mountain, Arizona

Rider: Aroussen Laflamme
Cat: Pro
Finishing Position: 63rd of 92
Course: 10 miles per laps
Laps: 3
Weather: Sunny, breezy and warm (88F)

The second race of the NMBS series adopted the stage race format with a super D race on Friday, a short track on Saturday and the XC race on Sunday. I was not able to participate to the super D on Friday so I opted to do only the XC race with fresh legs. The problem was that this has put me dead last on the start.

This was particularly a problem for this race since the very long lap was mostly a single track except for the 500 feet of the start-finish area. My strategy was the same as usual; start as hard as possible without being involved in a crash. And a crash there has been a couple of riders in front of me. This event has stopped my somewhat good start, putting me close to the end of the infinite tail of the charging bulls.

I have spent half a lap trying to pass people, losing a lot of energy doing so, often for nothing since the twist and turns of this course were so numerous and so tight that every pass was an epic adventure and a threat for my tires. In this aggressive mode, trying to gain every second possible, I was cutting every corner, taking unfamiliar path. After a rocky descent, I have taken the inside of a turn, letting my double suspension do the work to absorb the hidden rocks in the bushes.

But that was not enough; in a control slide I have sliced my front tire that began to lift dust all over the place, spraying the Stan's no tube latex liquid on the ground with a rattlesnake sound. Familiar with this situation, I have tried to put the tire in the sand to stop the hemorrhage. But nothing to do, even after having put some more air in the tire, it refused to seal. Right next to me was another guy in the same situation. Soon we are two of us putting a tube in our tires, inflating and leaving the scene promptly, leaving behind us the burning sensation of the desert sun.

The other guy has had the chance to have another set of tubeless wheels at the pit zone, not me. During the second lap, while I was pushing hard to regain the lost ground, I compressed totally the front suspension and tire in a small dip, just enough to feel the rim hitting the ground. Immediately I knew that I had just punctured the tube. Surprisingly, the tire remain inflated to about 15 lbs, just enough to continue to ride my bike slowly for the remaining ¾ of the lap toward the pit zone.

This has been an interesting experience since I was not losing so much ground, pushing hard on the climb, an riding softly on the descent, which is totally new for me but certainly useful. Nonetheless, my speed was not fast enough to remain in contention and I have been pulled from the race before the last lap and the so desperately needed pit zone. I have received the 63rd place for my effort, leading Ryan Trebon who has been forced to abandon after three flat. In fact, almost 1/3 of the riders haven't finished the race mostly due to punctures.

This is sad because despite my cold-sinusitis condition I was feeling quite in good shape for this amazing race. Better luck next time at the Sea Otter.

Thanks to my sponsors Webcor-Alto Velo and Kona endurance
Thanks for reading

The MTB Files: Round 1, Fontana

Our French Canadian mountain biker turned roadie, Aroussen, is still hitting up the dirt. He recently competed at the first big national race in Fontana, CA. Below is his report.

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NMBS (national mountain bike series): Southridge Park, Fontana,
California

Rider: Aroussen Laflamme
Cat: Pro
Finishing Position: 44th Of 90
Course: 5 laps: 6 miles per laps
Weather: a lot of sunshine and warm temperature, windy condition
Race statistics: 2h27 minutes, 1369 meters of climbing, Avg speed
19,4 km/H

As the first race of the season for the MTBer, Fontana offers a lot
of climbing, loose dirt and tricky descents in the sand. Most of the
best rider of Canada and USA was there for the kick-off of the season
in what was a really amazing race.

At the start line, I was thinking about my strategy, back on the
sixth rows with more than 40 angry-for-victory men behind me. My plan
was to stay calm during the start, trying to keep my energy for this
2h+ race. Anyway, we will have to run since there's two steep and
loose climb awaiting a couple of hundred meters after the start. So
no crazy moves, just anticipated the moment the peloton will stop, so
I can dismounted my bike in advance and keep my momentum. In front of
me there a target (it's always good to have a target in those kind of
race), a Giant Berry guy name Chance Noble, and the guy from Canada,
Matthew Hadley.

Bang! The start… here we go… slower than I'm use to, but I'm in the
back. I have the inside of the first corner, wich is great but I need
to defend it. No crash, we're rolling. At the first little bumps and
turns, a stall… run, run, and go like a cyclocross guy. The first
climb begins, there's too much dust, and we can't see a rock! One guy
skip is wheel, it's time to run… run to the top, jump on the bike
again and here's the second steep, loose climb. This time I'm able to
remain on the bike. Since then, the peloton is stretch on one long,
very long line.

The race continues and I'm able to take some position on the first
couple of laps, being stronger on the flat, I try to recover. The
race is constituted of 4 climbs each separated by a technical and
singled-track descent. Hopefully for the other guy, we can pass on
the climbs. Hopefully for them too, we can't really pass on the
downhill.

Everything works great, starting 48th on the first lap, to 40th on
the 3rd lap I'm on my way for a top 35. But then every hope vanished
when I've decided to take a gel… a mistake I've sworn I would never
do again when I was a beginner. But with the road racing, it appears
to works well, so I decided to give it another try. Never again, and
this time is for real. Combined to the dehydration, it caused me so
many cramps during the 2 remaining laps that I was not able to climb
hard. Fighting this cruelly painful sensation, I've continued to
fight for a couple of position, being forced to let some people go
away while the cramp stopped.

At this time I needed my target, but unfortunately is far back, or he
has stopped. At the price of some painful cramps, I decided to join a
group of two guys on a flat section leading to the last real climb.
We have worked together until the last tricky descent, and then I've
took the lead toward the finish, negotiating the chicane well I been
able to outsprint my fellows cyclist for the 44th position.

Considering that I've ride my MTBike only 3 times before the race and
that I didn't manage my energy very well, I'm pretty much happy with
the result. The race was fun, the organization perfect, the weather
very nice, so this was a fantastic experience.

Thanks to my family, and my sponsors Webcor-Alto Velo and Kona
endurance
Thanks for reading.
Aroussen Laflamme