The Scotland Report

It was a great experience to be at the UCI World Mountain Bike Championships 19 hears after the first NORBA worlds and 17 years after the first UCI Worlds. As far as I could tell there were only two riders to compete in both races,Thomas Frischknecht and Bend's own Carl Decker.
Thomas was 2nd in 1990 and 30th today (though his teamates were 2nd and
3rd) and Carl was, I think 16th in 1990 as a jr and 69th in this version.
The course was fast and furious. Though Scotland is known for its rain and techicnal conditions this course was entirely man made with mainly some steep rocky bits, but as Mary McConneloug described it it was like a bike path. It was chalenging in that it had lots of climbing and twisty downhills.
Watching the race was amazing and there was a helicopter flying over head filming and we got to watch on a big screen telivision the complete race.
This is something we could look into for Pickett's Charge next year.

The strength of Julian Absalon (riding an ORBEA) was unstoppable in the men's race. Adam Craig was the first North American in 22nd place. Adam, I am sure would have liked a more natural trail with mud and roots. He still did well and put him in top postition for the Olympic team for next year.
Mary being the second American has done the same for herself.
I talked to Mary after the race and as always she said kind words of her time in Bend and promised to visit. She felt she had an ok race and had nothing but good things to say about Scotland, even though they had dummied down this course quite a bit.