Marin Bikes Blog

Michael Hosey, Marin’s Rocky Mountain Pro, reports from Sol Vista in Granby, CO, to tell us about his National Championship experience aboard his Team CXR. Marin’s young gun nailed a 6h place finish in the highly competitive SS category which was won by some guy named Ned?!

The weeks leading up to nationals I had been maintaining my fitness and mentally focusing on the race.  Of course eating well and hydrating properly were a big part as well.  The single speed class was stacked with talent, namely some guy named Ned?! and the winner  of the Sea Otter Classic SS race. We were the five wave of riders to go off but, needless to say,  we should have left in one of the beginning waves because within  minutes  our group was already passing racers from prior categories.  My plan to push a hard steady pace on the climbs was quickly changed into short bursts around other racers.  The race started on a lung searing steep climb.  My Marin CXR’s stiff bottom bracket area shuttled me forward up the climb.  The power transfer on this frame is absolutely amazing; especially when romping one gear up a steep climb.  My gear for the race was a 34 ring up front and a 19 in the rear; turns out it’s the magic gear (no chain tensioner needed)!  I took off up the fire road at my own pace and quickly found myself at the front.  As we exited the first section of single track we were on another short fire road.  At this point I let a group go by.  I felt that early on it wasn’t time to burn too many matches.  This ultimately turned into a bit of panic heading into the last lap.  I lost a bit of time on the climb and descent, constantly running into situations where it took too much time to get by other racers.  There were situations on the climb and descent where I was sitting up, not racing, just waiting for the right moment to go by.  The first and second laps were entirely different.  The second lap was much better; I was able to climb at my own pace making up lost time with very little intervention with other riders.  By the top of the climb I’d passed a handful of guys I was racing and had two more men insight.  I felt confident my descending skills would put me in front of them by the end of the race.  I raced down half of the descent through part of the DH course section at a controlled reckless speed, quickly gaining time.  Then I hit tight single track and was locked up behind two geared racers who were battling each other and would not move over for me in midst of their fight.  It’s a bummer I couldn’t get around but racing always throws curve balls.  The course was good this year; hard climb, fun descent, high altitude!  Despite missing the podium, I’m stoked with 6^th place and how I felt.  Now that Nationals are over I am planning on taking a rest week off the bike.  I have a few more races here in the Rocky Mountains and then it will be time to shift gears and focus on cross season!