NPS # 6 preview

I am really looking forward to this event. Organized by the EPIC team, and in a dream location, this should prove a great penultimate NPS test for all the series contenders. Hope the course dries out so I can get the best out of the Element race bike!

Update from Canada - Test of Metal, Squamish BC Canada - Sat 16th May 2007

Update from Kevin Calhoun, Team Lead. The ‘Test of Metal’ race is one of Canada largest and most prestigious races.
I am very happy with this result (5th). Its been a long time coming, let me tell you. I think I needed that to get my morale back. Its funny to read the race reports… that never tell the whole story. I was in the lead for more than half the race with Neal and Ryan up until this monster climb known as 9 mile. Pretty much 9 miles straight up. It’s a crusher… I held on as long as possible, but that wasn’t enough. Then as I was about 10 mins from the line. Dre and Freddy passed me while I was starting to fade a little and ultimately that’s how it ended up. I don’t know how many times I race I get called Dre… go Dre… that’s all I ever here… I should ride around with a big stick, I am not Dre on it… ah well, there are worse people in the world to be called right? Besides, this way I can ride around in mystery and no one knows who I am. I like that angle better anyways….
But yeah, back to the race, it was very good. Tough conditions, pissed rain the entire time and made for a soupy mess of an already tough course. Good conditions for me actually…. Bike rode beautifully under me the entire time. I chose the right tires for battle too. I went with some heavier compound tubeless tires that rode all winter so I knew how they would handle the mud. Heavier yes… but they never flat.
When I look at the results, all the guys who beat me race full time with 100% national or provincial team funding…. They’re only job is bike riding/racing. So outside of that for a working stiff like me, I was pretty happy with the result. My goal was going into the race was top 5 and I achieved that, so I would have to call it a success.
As far as the form coming back… yes! I made some pretty serious changes to my bike set up over the winter and it was not working for me at all this year. I had no leg power, bad cramping and severe knee pain. I decided to take some measurements off of some older bikes of mine and noticed my saddle height was a full half inch lower on my mtb this year vs last. I changed back to my old shoes too in my old cleat position and it makes all the difference in the world. As the saying goes, if it aint broke, don’t fix it….
http://www.testofmetal.com/

Kevin takes on feed in the 'Test of Metal'

NPS # 5, Killaloe, Co. Limerick – Sat 16th May 2007

Once in a while, everyone has a bad day, today was my bad day! What looked like a super course, turned to shlomp with the previous days rain. A hard climb, straight up, and a long singletrack descent all the way back to the finish. Taylor mad for me, not in the mud! For some reason I never perform in the super muddy conditions.
Anyway, a mass start for all the main races meant a front row position was essential! I got a good start, and I was leading by half way down the first descent. However, super-elite Ryan passed me and I was never able to claw him back. To make things worse, I was passed on the third lap by another Master, Peter O! Unfortunately for him, a puncture sent him back to third by the end.
I fumbled my way through the remaining laps, taking the Masters win in very unspectacular fashion! I really should have been about 5 mins quicker!
I really have to sharpen up for the next NPS, only 2 weeks away on an amazing course in Douce woods in Wicklow, really looking forward to that! The new Element team should really shine there.
Got to mention Rocky Mountain stagiaire Philip Roche, a class young rider. Phil binned himself on the second lap and had to stop for 4 mins, but a determined fight got him back to second in the expert category, overtaking his teammate, Rich, on the last descent, see pics below, class!!!!!

Nice view

Mud, mud, mud!

Phil does the impossipass on the last descent!

New Race bike – Element Team

I took the new full-sus race bike out for a spin last night. The new bike has full XTR and full race suspension, so it performed like a true race machine. On the technical trails around Powerscourt waterfall, the bike did not put a wheel wrong, and climbing was also a joy with the Fox pro-pedal system and the new super-rigid oversized rear end.
Looking forward to racing it in this weekends NPS # 5.

Mark was also on his new totally custom Element. Scandium downtube, mega shappedm etc, a real nice machine!

The new bike

Oversize everything!

Marks new totally custom dream race machine!

Wicklow 200, Co. Wicklow/Dublin – Sun 11 June 2007

WOW, what a day. The weather was incredible, wall-to-wall sunshine, 1200 riders, 3000mtrs of climbing and 200kms of stunning scenery in the Wicklow and Dublin hills. Mark, Paddy and I rode as part of a larger group, and took it easy on the challenging route. Riders of all shapes and sizes attempt this challenge, and it always amazes that some of them make it at all, fairs dues!
Special mention to Brandan, Ian and Eric from our group, they rode very well to complete the challenge. This was by far the longest and toughest spin that Ian has ever done, and Brendan mentioned that this was the quickest he has completed the event. Eirc had a tougher time, but continued on to complete in ~ 12 hours, savage!
I completed the course on my Vertex MTB with 700c Mavic Speedcity wheels, kinda cool huh? Mark was on his brand new RM solo team, all new, full rear carbon end, very nice.Along the way I chatted to Joe Barr (former road pro), Martin Earley (former road pro, TDF stage winner), but the highlight of the day was the sprint finish with legend Sean Kelly, hes still got it ya know!

2 cycling legends, and Phil Cassidy!

Brendan drops Mark on one of the many steep climbs

Mark negotiates Sleive Mann