Last weekend was stop #3 of the ABA National Series in Tampa, Florida. When we showed up on Friday, the first thing we noticed is the track had been totally re-done and everything looked a lot bigger than last year. The starting hill was re-done, and although the track was pretty cool, the hill was hurting and didn't really flow at all. There were a lot of Elite Men on hand and it looked to be the biggest weekend of the year.
Come Saturday morning, there were 41 Elite Men signed up going for 8 spots in the final. Nic and Khalen both looked good in their qualifying rounds both winning the majority of their motos. In the quarter finals it was a bit of bad luck for the both of them where their day ended early.
In Junior Women, Brooke Crain cleaned house again winning with ease. It's funny how she'll let someone else get out front in the qualifier, only to blow by them on the second or third straight away. Make that 3/3 for Brooke.
On Sunday, Nic looked a lot better despite throwing up Saturday nights chicken wings after his first qualifier. It seemed he had a touch of the flu but that didn't slow him down enough to keep him out of the main event where he went on to finish 5th for the day. Khalen on the other hand, his day ended early in the qualifying rounds. Brooke had a repeat of Saturday with a wire to wire win, continuing her perfect season with 4 wins and 0 losses. What a legend.
With Brooke's double on the weekend, she takes over the lead in the USA Cycling Power Rankings. If she maintains this lead then she will be the first draft American Olympian for the 2012 Olympic Games. Although a 5th for the weekend wasn't exactly what Nic was looking for he remains atop the mens leader board in the Power Rankings as well, looking for that #1 spot to London.
