Maribor Mud and Stitches

First day of practice at Maribor went off!! the track was super rough but also much faster than previous years, I was right in to it and enjoying it. Myself and team mate Brook "Ronny" Macdonald cranked out a few runs, and we did a helmet cam run for Dirt TV, was probably the worst run ever, I crashed about a minute in to it bending my bars, then Brook kept going to go off course in the rocks, So he went up to do another run with Kona rider Joe Smith and nearly got a full run in behind Joe but went over the bars near the bottom, check out that footage here:  Dirt video

So after DH practice was finished it was off to 4x practice, we did 2 runs and both helmet cam the first for Dirt TV check it out here: http://video.mpora.com/watch/P2eVv1Cg6/    . The second was for Slovenian TV and was quite possibly the dodgiest set up I've ever seen, i had the camera taped to my frame with the battery unit in my pants and the cord between the two wrapped around my seat, hope they got some good footage. Then we went and got ready for qualifying I put in a steady run not too much pedaling a couple of whips keeping it fun..I qualified in 39th spot not too bad for my World Cup debut, team mate Brook came in 57th squeezing in to the top 64 cut with a cruiser run.

After that big day we were off home to get some food and sleep. I awoke the next morning on DH Qualifying day to the sound of pissing rain on the roof. I knew it would be pretty hard on this course in the wet, as it quite hard-pack surface and littered with roots. So I got some cut down spikes on and headed up for a run it was actually a whole lot better than I had expected as all the water on the course kept it king of grippy, the only problem was trying to see the track through wet googles!! But either way it was super fun, then at the end of the practice session, thunder lightning came over causing them to close the gondola. So they had to postpone Qualifying to the next day, I was happy as I was keen for a hot shower and some clean clothes but it would of been cool to have raced in the rain! But it was a wise decision as the gondola at Maribor is the oldest in Europe, I don't even know wether to trust it in fine weather let alone lightning!!

So it was back to the hotel a nice hot shower and then a bit of a Facebook session, then it was time for 4x, myself and Brook were both not that keen to go back out and get muddy again. But still we had qualified so may as well give it a go. We got there a bit late and missed all the practice just rocked up the start got our numbers and went in to the gate...Fresh is Best... We were both in the same first heat and up against some tough competition Lukas Mechura who had placed 3rd at the previous WC and Michal Marosi, who is a bit of a legend. 

We both got smoked out of the gate but held speed in the first turn I managed to lean on Mechura and get around him, but he got me back on the next straight, it was on now! next turn i insided him then he got me back and then in the next turn I hit him and knocked him off line in to a hole. Then I chased Marosi down and and trying to get through the inside but my bars hit his back, pulling my front brake on sending me over the bars, Brook got around the outside winning the heat..teamwork one of us got through so I was stoked. Had to be one of the best 4x races was so fun and moto-like. Brook kept the sick passing move going and made it to the quarter-finals finishing 12th overall not bad for a debut!

So the next day was Finals day and the track was drying but it didn't get better, it made it a whole lot worse as more roots came through and they all became polished and super sketchy, the rock section also got pretty loose and was pretty much a gamble to ride. I did two practice runs with both of them being pretty average, although it was the same for everyone so had to get on with it. I set off in qualifying pretty well and was riding well till i hit the rocks, I got high sided by a slippery rock and smashed my ankle on a rock putting a hole in it. But i tried to keep going although it was a struggle and i was happy to see the finish line at the end of that run. Certainly wasn't one to remember I missed the cut by 3 seconds was pretty disappointed and had to get 5 stitches in my ankle. 

So far this year has been real disappointing for me,  I gotta turn that around soon and get back up to where i know i should be! Looking forward to Canadian World Cup rounds and Crankworks. The next few weeks im back in Italy, my second home training and racing some Italian Cups. The only thing I am stoked on right now is next years Wc

At last I'd like to thank all my sponsors, Ancillotti Cycles, UFO Plast, Formula Brakes, Doganaccia 2000, Campabros, Maxxis.  Thanks for all the support.

Keep the Dream Alive

Wyn

Goodtimes in Slovenia

So havent updated for a while, been busy enjoying the nice weather here in Slovenia. After Fort William I headed out to Slovenia for the European Champs in Kranjska Gora, which was a real cool event the track was sick nice steep section at the top and fast middle section, it certainly made for a good weekends training. My race didnt go so well as i got red flagged by a marshall and couldnt get a rerun but oh well still was a sweet weekend! 

We then packed up and drove to Maribor where we spent the next day doing runs on all the tracks we had a train of us pinning it down pretty much trying to beat each other which was a good laugh! The day after myself and Tam Murrell a young aussie junior headed in to town to check it out, and it was definitely worth the look..the amount of hot girls was crazy so it made for a good days worth of looking at the local scenery.

Then today we met up with Ancillotti main man Tomaso "le Tomato" and checked out Brook's sweet new bike that he will be testing here, It has lighter tubing and a sweet NZ flag sticker kit! We will both be on similar bikes to this in Canberra for the World Champs. After that we walked the DH course which looked sick a couple of new sections in there cant wait to ride it tommorow,  we then killed some time mucking round in the pits,  busting out some sweet flat land moves, getting us warmed up for 4x practice it was myself and Brook's debut to WC 4x and we were having some fun on the jumps the track here is pretty cool, hopefully we make the cut in qualifying, might have to stay "low and Pro" although that looks abit boring! 

Anyways I gotta go have some food and sleep busy weekend this one, DH practice tommorow followed by 4x practice then 4x qualifying. 

Hold it wide..

Wyn

Fort William return from injury

So myself Brook and "Tomaso the tomato" flew from Pisa to Glasgow and then drove through to Fort William, was an entertaining drive with Tomaso behind the wheel he wasn't so used to driving on the other side of the road and car. Myself and Brook spent the drive watching the Mirror get closer and closer to the bank on our side waiting for it get taken off but somehow we made it to Fort Bill and somehow  still with 2 mirrors.

The next day we headed out to the course, walked the track and checked everything out, the track looked well groomed some of it like concrete but after a few days of practice it would be destroyed. I already hated the midgys as well the worst thing about Fort Bill is those little things i cant stand em..

Next day was first day practice and after a few runs i was in to it, the track at Fort Bill is sick roughest track on the World Cup Circuit and probably also the longest, and in my book its up there as one of the best. I did a couple of runs with my Ancillotti Doganaccia Team mate Brook Macdonald he was riding well also. I got a flat in my timed practice and destroyed a wheel, the first of 4 for the weekend, my record as far as wheels go don't actually know how I broke that many, last season I only wrecked one wheel the whole year.

Then it was Qualifying day i did a couple of practice runs then headed up Qualifying I had a terrible run, just wasn't focussed and was made a few mistakes, I think most of it was due to having three weeks off the bike and kind of lost the edge you need for World Cup racing I finished in 65th. And Knew I needed to change that a bit in the Final. Brook had a crash and took to LCQ ticket in 74th. At least we were both in the finals.

Race Day was good, i had a big sleep in and was fresh and ready to go practice went well I was a bit loose but thats kind of my style a bit. Race run was off to a really good start I had a really good top section and was on pace for a good result which I need but then about 3/4 of the way down I washed out on a turn and over I went I kind of knew it was over after that, but i kept going with my helmet visor down and my brake lever up i tried to push it down while i was riding which was a bit loose. I got the finish and finished on a time of 5.01 for 59th place better than qualifying but thats no cigar, I was pretty pissed with myself but checkers or wreckers I guess it was the latter of the two for me lucky i didn't hurt my hand i guess, i just cut up the other hand. 

On to the next race I guess next week Im doing European Champs in Kransjka Gora, Slovenia. After that is Maribor WC got get it together there need a decent result this year. Thanks to my sponsors, Ancillotti Cycles, Doganaccia 2000, UFO Plast, Maxxis, Formula Brakes, CampaBros. And big thanks to Tomaso and Alberto for keeping my bike going would be lost without them. 

Keep it rubber side down people.

Wyn Masters