I am writing this from Medellin in Columbia being here for the Pan Am Track events for Team Canada, this time we have only brought the power athletes who are trying to qualify places for the Olympics.

It was quite a hectic journey from South Africa and the first World Cup in Pietermaritzburg where the team rode great.

I left SA on Monday midday and I arrived here in Columbia on the Wednesday night at 11.30pm on a route which took me from SA to London, LA, Panama City then onto Medellin quite a journey.

It was really good to see Lene back on the podium at the World Cup and I am sure there is lots more success to come.  Ren our new addition to the women’s team won the event in such convincing fashion as well.

Jaroslav had a great ride in the men’s race to finish up on the podium and Burry was very unlucky to have crashed and bent his rear mech on the first lap, but his spectacular crash in the rock garden warranted 10 out 10 for style. Susi the elder statesmen of the team rode a really strong race as well as Todd who gave it everything.

The weather for the World Cup was very kind, quite a contrast from the weekend before which was a mud bath and only Jaroslav and Lene decided to compete off road.

The next day after the off road event I drove with Susi and Burry to a road race which they competed in with Burry winning. It was a very unusual sight Burry sprinting for the line on his 29r and beating these other riders on road bikes. Susi was 4th again on his 29r.

The track here in Medellin is an outdoor 250 metres which is very unusual as we cannot race in the rain and the forecast is not so good.

During the day it’s very warm and at night the thunder and lightning starts so I am sure the days here will be very long to try and get the racing all done weather permitting.

After this next stop Dalby in the UK for the next MTB World Cup.