Milligan’s cycling team finished fourth place in the team relay and eighth overall at the Mountain Bike National Championship in Colorado, October 14-17. Riders encountered some interesting weather conditions including ice and snow that challenged the quality of their races.
In the womens’ events, Marjie Bemis finished ninth in the cross country race along with taking seventh in the short track cross country race. She noted the impact that both the weather and altitude had on the races.
“We knew we would be racing in ice, snow, and mud along with the challenges of being in altitude,” said Bemis. “It was still really fun and exciting. Overall it was a great experience.”
Bemis was hopeful to podium in every event but still appreciates finishing with two top tens and a podium in the team relay.
On the men’s team, Matthew Spong finished in 18th place in the downhill race. Spong described his experience as intense but rewarding.
Spong explained that downhill racing typically calls for competitors to walk the track and practice on it two to three times before the actual race. However, the snowy and wet conditions prevented any practices from happening.
“The day of the race was the very first time I saw the track we were racing,” said Spong. “It was a very mentally draining race and I’m glad to have gotten down safely with a decent result.”
According to Bemis and Spong, good attitudes were displayed throughout the teams despite the challenging weather conditions.
“We all did our best to remain positive, have fun, and try our best,” said Bemis.
The next national championship event will be Cyclocross on Dec. 7-12 in Wheaton, Illinois.
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