The World Cup Middle race event centre was an Orienteering Club, Club House. Just amazing falicities, it even had a sauna.
As I warmed up and chilled at the start, the skies opened. It really chucking it down.
We knew the maps were not waterproof so in my pre-start minute I did not do any planning ahead, I just concentrated on folding my maps so they would stay in one piece. I ended up woith a rolling start through the startline just as the last beep went, sweet !
I rode really well to number one but made the mistake of cutting through on number two losing a little time.
A cut through again at number 6 after a small mistake missing a track junction cost me precious time, but I got the right route choice to 7, using the road and then started to nav a little better.
The course looped around, the tracks becoming more waterlogged and muddy as the rain poured down. I was riding really well, both technically and strongly in the middle part of the course. After the spectator control and map change we went back across the road before a long leg back to the X Country Ski arena again. I picked a ‘straight is great’ route choice which involved a cut through again. Unfortunately I ended up sliding down a bank in to a knee deep stream and had to throw my bike up the other side before hauling myself through some brashings. It was still a reasonable leg time but I think another route choice would have been quicker.
Crossing the finish line I felt id had a reasonable ride and managed to stay in front of Lasse which had been my goal, but only by 2 seconds. Although I was 48th I was just 4-6 mins down on a much better placing, so I go into tomorrows mass start long fairly confident on a reasonable result.
Anybody got any wet lube ?