Angel Fire 2009

Once again I made the trip south to Angel Fire for my first real pro race. Anyone who knows Angel Fire knows you don't leave with injury, mechanicals and all in all a feeling of getting worked; this year was no different. The course was the usual brutal rock gardens fast open fire roads super technical woods sections complete with sniper lines. I was feeling pretty strong in practice but knew i would have to step it up in qualifying, after qualifying 51st i was a little dissapointed because i knew i could've gone alot faster. So in my race run i decided as i was rolling out of the gate to hold nothing back. My run was going great nailed every line i had practiced and was hammering on the fire roads, until the tight s-berms into the wood section above the last fire road. I came into the first turn too hot and blew the corner and sampled some silt. I knew right away that was all she wrote for a good result but i grabbed the bike and pushed as hard as i could through the bottom 5th of the track finishing a very dissapointing 73rd, definately not how i wanted to make my professional debut. after finishing and catching my breath i realized my brake lever was broken off. i had ridden the rest of the way with out a rear brake and barely noticed it. this just added insult to injury knowing how fast i couldv'e been...