2013 was a very exciting and successful year for me as I just threw myself into racing. With a contract with MBW Kona Ireland Grassroots Team, I was now able to get myself a savage bike that would not only enable me to race a full season of Enduro but also a few rounds of the Irish Downhill series. I picked up my Kona Process 2013 around Christmas time and I remember the feeling of goosebumps as I rode around the carpark, loving the feel of a 140mm travel bike and a cool dropper seat post! This was the bees knees.
The plan was to race the full Irish Gravity Enduro Season again as well as some downhill races. I knew that in order to do what I wanted to do, I would need to get some practice abroad so I headed off by myself to Malaga for a weeks riding during the Easter holidays, with sierracycling.com. I shared a house right by the beach with six Swedish Downhillers. These guys were the nicest guys you could meet who took me under their wing and brought me down 'Happy Days' DH track with them. With this invaluable weeks riding on the sweet, dusty Malaga trails, I was raring to go for the season ahead. With a first place in all five rounds, I won the Overall Gravity Enduro Series for a second year in a row. This was a huge boost of confidence for me and made me want to get better and better. I went on to win the Redbull Foxhunt that year as well as a 3rd place in the Bluegrass International Enduro Tour in Ballyhoura and a 2nd place in the IDMS National Champs. I was on cloud nine. In July, I sustained an injury that was to put me out for at least six weeks. Just four days before I was due to fly out to Sauze D'oulx in Italy for a round of the SuperEnduro Series, I broke my elbow after a stupid crash on the downhill track at Rostrevor. I missed out on the GE Champs also, which was really disappointing. Fully healed by Halloween, and I was off to Bike Park Wales with a gang of friends. Bang, day 2 I had a highspeed crash and tore ligaments in my shoulder which put me out for another eight weeks to Christmas. Then, after my first big spin on my brand new Kona Process DL I managed to do it again! This time it was off a jump in Ticknock that didn't end well. I wasn't used to the bigger 650b bike and 160mm suspension and nose-dived, wrecking my other shoulder and putting me out for another 8 weeks....disaster. You'd think I'd have learned my limitations by now. |
Results & Highlights of 2013
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