Brasov XCM

After last year experience I’ve decided to race here again because it can be a good training: long climbs, technical descends. Even though I prefer xco races, because the lack of them I have to improvise, so this race but for the short course was a good choice.

I had a rough week and this race was more like a test. I had a fast start but I couldn’t find a steady pace on the first climb which was the longest. Afterwards I’ve started to feel a bit better but not in a 100% race mode. On the last descend I didn’t pushed to hard because of the wet roots but I’ve tried to keep it constant.

In the last km because of the marking signs and the numerous paths I got on the last bit of tarmac 100 m earlier and because of an appeal of a rider the organizers added a 2 minutes penalty but without having any consequence. I was 4th and even if I had a good training it wasn’t my best race.

It was a better course than last year but the course marks in the essential point weren’t really offering a safety feel. Also some of the marshals weren’t to prepared being pretty bored.

But I have to admit that the spectators cheered up. Overall was a nice race and I think that everyone tried to offer a nice event to everyone. I’m glad to see that and I think that is an improvement for the Romanian Mountainbike scene.

In the end I would like to thank my girlfriend Simona and her parents for being next to me but also to my (Inter)team and my sponsors for the whole support. You make this possible every time.

More photos available HERE.

Cheers,

Vlad

Foto credit: ciclism.ro, FishEye, Petrut F., Simona B.