Story by Jenny Smith, photos provided by Brasila Ride 2011
Brian Smith and I traveled to Brazil to compete in a 600km MTB stage race over 7 days in Chapada Diamantia National Park, Bahia, Brazil.
We won the Mixta category in 2010 and were returning to defend our title. 2011 was promising to be very competitive and we were very excited.
Teams compete as partners riding within two minutes of each other . Racing as a team adds a dimension to the event that is both motivating and shared; it’s enjoyable in a mostly individual sport to have a shared experience!
Getting to the race start is as much an investment in time and energy as committing to and training for the event.
We traveled from Gunnison, Colorado to Denver, Chicago, Sao Paulo, Salvador where we met the race organization and embarked on an eight hour bus ride to Chapada Diamantia and the town of Mucege. Salvador has a reputation right now of having a danger element so the caravan of buses were escorted both to and from Mucuge by police. When we finally arrived it was some four and a half days after we’d started our trip.
Stage one: LUCKY
The race started Sunday 23rd October with a Prologue around Mucuge. The course was pretty technical but the 29er Breezers performed well on the rocky terrain. Even with 5 days of travel in our bodies we both felt fast and smooth. My bike had an erratic rubbing noise on each pedal stroke. I had it checked out; it didn’t improve so dismissing it I raced.
We were psyched with our time trial won by 15 seconds over the strong mixed team of returning women’s champion Ivonnne Kraft and her teammate. After the stage I saw a broken chain link hanging from the chain. LUCKY! (I think it was the cause of the noise – going through the derailleur… so lucky)
Stage two: Odds stacking.
We lined in front of 150 teams and headed out for a 148km to Rio De Contas. The start was fast, everyone seeming antsy and racing out of town as a peloton for 20km and then onto sloppy cane sugar field roads.
The big group split at a huge puddle across the road about 25km, riders having to take one side of the field or the other. I hung with the two top mixed teams but lost the lead group that contained Brian. Soon he dropped back to us. At about 30km our trouble began. 1. My lens fell out of my glasses. 2. On a long 10km downhill the tool pouch fell off the seat rails and onto my back wheel. 3. Stopping to remove it, my front chain jammed between the bike and frame. We got going again and told ourselves it was okay as the pace was too high I thought for such a long day in the saddle.
Something happened to the front derailleur in the chain suck so I had to manually drop down into the small chain ring on the climbs but we kept the pace high and moved into second place over the next few miles. Brian had been quiet, and we’d slowed down. I thought he’s pacing us for a long day. On a climb he suddenly pulled over and started throwing up. I kept riding, thinking he’ll catch back. After a few times, he commented thirsty and not feeling good. I pulled him into the 70km aid station to get water, food and my front shifting fixed. My plan was to just get moving and through the day. Brian repeatedly vomited, shook and cramped. Medical staff found his blood pressure really low, changed his clothes and laid him down. That was the end of our race. In eleven years I have neither seen him so ill. We were super disappointed AND worried about Brian.
Sonya Looney (Topeak/Ergon) came to the aid station in a school bus (her race over before it started-her bike not making it to the race) and we got a ride to the finish on several hours of dirt roads. Brian lay in the school bus along with Jeff Kerkove (Topeak/Ergon) who also had a bad case of food poisoning. In Rio De Contas we found a Pousada, rather than the tents for the night. Brian and Jeff slept for the next 17 hours straight.
At the end of that second day about a dozen riders came down with a case of food poisoning. It eliminated three of the mixed teams along with favorites from the Masters Race.
Our official races were over, however we could still line up at the back and compete each day.
Day Three Cross Country
This stage was new for 2011 and a super cool idea. Teams raced individually and the official results were both riders average time for the overall.
The cross country looped around Rio de Contas, climbing up to a small chapel above the town and riding through the church before dropping into a fun ledge descent back to cobbled streets of Rio de Contas. The course was a fun five lap affair of 35km.
Chapel at the top of the course.
Day four: Brian felt much better so we lined up together and it was game on. It was a great mix of double and single track, super technical ‘tracks’. We had fun, survived the 44 degrees Celsius temperature and raced our friends Ryan and Leighton from Canada into town with a sprint finish. It was a day filled with good legs and good times.
Day Five. We hit our groove again and caught up with the front of the field early enjoying the technical tracks in the first 30km. I had a nasty crash on this same stage in 2010 so it was special for me to revisit the trail cleanly this year. I flat a tire on the descent and pinch flatted the tube. My second tube was both a 26er tube with a small hole (not so Pro Mrs Smith) so we limped into aid station one. Brazilian friends gave us a new tube, but as Brian pumped the tire bead came off the wheel rim.
We waited at the aid station for all riders to come through before hitching a ride back in school bus. This was a long ordeal and we finally rolled into town nine and a half hours later.
At the aid station we’d spent time with Cleme the head staff medical doctor and his team. He’s a neurosurgeon at Sao Paulo University. His hobbies include organizing and supporting adventure events, from the Dakar rally to Eco motion Adventure racing, along with working volunteer mobile eye units in remote Brazilian communities. For his real work he removes brain tumors. What a special man! Hanging with Cleme and him showing us his computer and photo’s of events was a highlight of our trip.
The day ended with a late night too as our damaged bikes made it back at 8.30pm. We got our bikes ready for day six, and a 4 am wake up call.
Stage six: Back to Mucege. I was tired, not recovered from the heat and length of the previous day. Brian was kindly pulling me along for over six hours.
Stage seven. How fast can you go? This stage was shortened because of fire danger in the area. The original 100km day became a short and fast 47 km event. It was a popular change and the race was fast. Brian pulled and I rode as fast as I could. Quote of the day from Jason Sumner when I humphed and grumphed loudly for effect while furiously trying to keep his roadie wheel. C’mon Smith you know you love this!
It’s a wrap: Stage 8/9/10 all kind of rolled into one: celebration lunch, packing our bikes and luggage, the Paarrrtttyyy, Sonya and I conked out. However Brian and the Brasil crowd danced all night till the wakeup call at 5 am. The bus ride back to Salvador. Our mini beach vacation with Jeff Kerkove and Sonya Looney. Followed a rather hideous several day trip home.
A small hotel Jeff found just a few minutes from Salvador Airport.
I’ll be honest we were extremely disappointed to have had our race disappear in a few hours of illness, however that’s life.
More than any result the event is marked by the experience, friends, food, culture, community and shared passion. The Brasil ride slogan ‘more than a race, a stage in your life ‘ is true and I believe the real appeal. They have an excellent event going and the opportunity to race your bike for a week amidst the culture, style and friendship in Brasil is a special one.
www.xterrajenny.com
