2nd, 4th and 9th, First Round of the 2012 National XCO Series

Photo by Emil F.

With temperatures of about 10 degrees celsius, wind and light rain, the First Round of the 2012 National XCO Series begun. Saturday, the day before the race, the wether was very pleasant. 

The day of the race, the wether turned rainy, with strong winds and low temperatures. 

Michel is in the last row, out of view.  

It is important that the first race of the season starts with last year's ranking, so that fast riders don't loose one race negotiating traffic. Michel had to start behind about 15 racers. 

Michel was constantly gaining positions. 

After passing riders for two laps, Michel was finally behind the top five. He passed two riders at the middle of the uphill, another at the top of the hill, and rushed to catch the top two. He was able to pass one in the last meters and, after a sprint he gained second place. 

Emil F. starts his first Junior A (13-14) race, after waiting for two hours in terrible weather. 

Emil F. in the blue jacket. 

Emil F. starts in the back of a field of 30 riders, and comes out of the start loop in about 22nd place. 

By the end of the first lap, Emil F. was in 9th place, which he mantained until the end. 

1st, 2nd and 4th, Third Round, National XCO Series, Ciudad Victoria

The racetrack had a paved hill section, a lose steep dirt downhill and a lot of big roots, stones, holes, steps, etc. Emil F. had a good start like in Puerto Vallarta, taking the lead. Jose Roque followed his wheel, and a spectacular race begun. They exchanged the lead a couple of times. Emil F. was following his race plan, but unfortunately his front wheel caught some lose small rocks over pavement and he fell. He was unable to regain the lead and arrived in second place.

Michel gaining ground, after passing to win the single-track

Michel had a bad start, since he was positioned by the officials next to the wall. He was boxed and lost the single-track behind slower riders, while the first three riders gained terrain. After Michel attacked in the paved section, passing three riders in the hill and one on the lose downhill, he started gaining terrain, but could only get as close as 5 seconds to the third place.

The expert racetrack was very long, the Elite riders were schedule for four laps. Ciudad Victoria presented hard conditions for all riders, due to the intense heat combined with technical demands.

Coatepec, Second Round, XCO Veracruz Series, 1st, 3rd and 4th

Emil F. (11) participated in the Junior's race (16-18). After three laps, Emil F. arrived in fourth place, in a race track filled with very steep and long hills and fun technical descents. Michel (8) raced one lap as training for next week's national race at Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas.

Emil, Master 45, started in first place, and maintained it until the end. This is his second consecutive win in the XCO state series.

1st, 1st and 3rd, Second Round XCO National Series, Puerto Vallarta

The racetrack was fast, didn't have steep climbs and it was unusually long.

Emil F. had a great start, takes first place and separates from the peloton in the first straight, and continued gaining ground with each lap.

Perfect day for Emil F.

Michel also had a good start, but he lost rhythm wile passing some pronounced depressions.
 

After a tough fight, Michel arrived in third place.

Michel showing good technique

Fighting until the end

Emil took advantage of the technical terrain to take sixth place, Master 45.