This weekend past was the 2nd of the National US Cup rounds which was put on by the Mountain States Cup guys. I heard a couple of years ago from Paul Rowney that these events were big, actually that much been more like 4 or 5 years ago, boy how time flys. I've never been a fan of Altitude, it doesn't matter what I do my body and thin air just don't get along.

To give you an idea; the first night I woke up several times gasping for air, guess with a lower heart/breathing rate while sleeping I wasn't getting enough oxygen. This happened several times to the point where I started worrying about what might happen if I didn't wake up for

a deep breath, then of course I can't sleep in fear of not waking up. I learnt from Gila that I was best if I kept my heart rate and breathing under control, so my race objective was simple- stay under threshold. I did what I could in the Super D, more of a flat drag race TT, finished

4th. Short Track was interesting, no one wanted to push the pace and I was certainly happy to keep the pace slow- so I could breath. Colin Cares strung in out with 2 laps to go and JHK jumped us with a half a lap left. JHK is unreal at altitude, I'm not sure anyone has ever beaten

him at the thin air game?? he has at least 2 gears bigger than everyone else at elevation. All I could do was watch him ride away, I finished 2nd. XC was similar to the Short Track- JHK rode away and I tried to keep the pace slow so I could breath. Jay Henry also rode away from the group solo. I found myself covering Colin Cares fire road attacks then recovering in the single track. Coming off the Joe Martin road race which was full of attacking I couldn't have had better preparation for Colin's tactics. He almost had me on the final climb out of the creek

trail, opening up a couple of bike lengths gap, only he stalled with a slow gear chain and look back on crest of the climb, just enough for me to get back on. I flicked him on the line for 3rd.

Sid Taberlay