2004 CX Nationals Experience

Jackson Stewart

I was happy with my ride, though I had a few problems. I had a great start and positioned myself well but, even though I road the course that morning and noticed that I wouldn't have to pit every lap due to the conditions, I still had a lapse from the day before conditions and mistakenly pitted on the first lap losing my perfect 2nd place position behind Page for the first lap. I regret that because I think the longer I would have been able to stay with Page, the bigger my gap from the others behind me would have had grown. Giving me more cushion to keep my position. Early in the race I found myself battling for 4th with Wicks. We were riding a steady pace and I think we would have been able to get Wells if I didn't come down with a rear flat. The rear flat was basically a typical flat that wouldn't have affected me much normally. I should have had to ride only a half lap with the flat in order to get a new bike but, my flat escalated to a little bit more than that. I pitted and yelled rear flat but my pit volunteers either didn't hear me or didn't believe me. I ended up coming into the pit the next time for a clean bike with the same rear flat tire. So, basically I had to ride a complete lap with a flat. I believe this enabled Wicks to get away from me and then shortly after Gully and McCormack to catch and pass me. I realized about mid race that I probably shouldn’t have pitted as much as I did. All in all I was happy to end the cross season motivated. I have really had a hard time getting motivated this season and found that motivation I need to ride well at Natz. Natz is motivating because (while half the people are calling me Mark or McCormack) people are really into the sport and everyone cheers you on. That kind of energy in the crowd is great fuel for giving it all you can.

Every year I go to cross nationals I feel that I miss all the events even though I am physically there and see a lot of the races I am always preoccupied with things like broken derailleur hangers and thrashed rear pulleys (this year) and only catch glimpse of the other races going on. But, congratulations to all our new National Champions and for the rest of us I hope we use these experiences for next year’s motivation. I know I will be.

A few things that I have realized about Cross Natz the last few years is the courses change so much from Fri-Sun. These last years I have gone out to the course on Fri. and came back thinking "what the hell is that?” But buy Sun. The course is so different that it just doesn't matter and you really have to refresh your feelings about the course by its current conditions.
Another thing I realized is that even the favorites can have a bad day or at least a slow start. So, it pays to never be defeated mentally before you roll up to the start.

And lastly I had my first realization and first hand experience this year about the unpredictability and fragileness of this sport. Not on the racing side but from the sponsorship aspect. This year I went from spending 2 years on the biggest cross program the U.S. has probably ever seen to barely being able to land a bicycle until just a week before the cross season. It was a bummer and it kind of attacked my motivation in a way because I was so use to racing with a group of people that really knew how to win and that environment and support breeds the motivation needed to win.

And here’s some thanks to people who really helped me out this season:

I want to thank the local cross scene who basically bred me as a cross racer and have supported me all the way. I still get weekly calls from guys like Rob Meagan (aka Buckwheat) checking in with me and giving me needed motivation and advice.

My Dad – who had a good season himself and is solely responsible for me ever even touching or racing a bicycle.

My friends and family – the support is much appreciated

Konrad Lebas and Family – These guys broke their backs just to accommodate me on the east coast. Konrad is a phenomenal racer who had a lot of bad luck this year. He’ll be back this year.

Scott Zwizanski and family- Scottie is my old road teammate and now my new road teammate for 05 this guy twice hooked me up for races on the east coast. And I believe I have stayed at his house and ate his mother’s famous homemade granola more than I have stayed at any other establishment this year.

Thanks to my boys James Selman and Slate Olsen. That work at Nike and W+K. These guys have been hooking me up for some time now. Up at Natz these guys hooked me up with a place to stay and took me to the Nike employee store where all the goods are at. Not to mention they helped me in the pits at Natz.

Thanks to Dylan Sequin and Clif Bar, along with all our sponsors such as Felt, Mavic, Giro, and Fizik that really came through last minute for me.

Well this is the first non Worlds year I have had in 3 years so it will be a nice break.

Till next year,

Jackson Stewart