Event: Hershey

Name: Chris Eatough

City: Baldwin

State/Province: MD

Country: 21013

Age: 27

Place: 3rd

Category: Pro

CLASS +/or Age group: Pro

Team: Trek/VW

XC Race Bike: Fuel 100

Tires: Bontrager

Conditions: Muddy, cool

How was your fitness level going into this race?

Ok, but not at my best

Were you happy with your position going into the singletrack?

I was 4th, which was ok since things were not too bunched up, and the slower speeds made passing possible on the trails.

Were you strong from start to finish?

I rode fairly steady, but not at my best.

When did you put the hammer down?

At the beginning of the 3rd and final lap, I cranked it up a notch because JMac had been tailing me at about 10 seconds for most of the race.

Did you have any unusual problems?

Not really. I was a bit surprised at how quick Jeremiah and Nick were, and how convincingly they went away, but they are both good riders, especially in the mud.

Were you happy with the way the race was run?

Yes, the race was well organized, and there was even a hose! The start was delayed, which is understandable in severe conditions, but the announcement of the revised start time could have been clearer and more accurate.

Did you have any interesting experiences during your race (exchanges with competitors/spectators)?

No.

Anything you would like to add?

Thanks to Poz and Sean for devoting another weekend to the team. Thanks to Trek for putting us on such great bikes. Thanks to JBL, Nike, Powerbar, Zeal, Rock Shox, Hayes, Sram, Time, and Bontrager for their support of mountain bike racing.