Chula Vista – last World Cup of the 2011 season, super important race for us. Still we headed home empty handed – what happened?
Chula Vista, California. Last stop of the supercross series. I`ve been feeling good for the last coupple of months and me and Andre is in for the points to finish this 2011 season.
Lets start with the weekend before Chula. We were told we had to do a weekend with Nationals back home in Norway. So we couldnt leave to San Diego before monday before the race.
Saturday I crashed stupidly on the first jump during warm up. There was a big hole in my knee and I had to go get stitched up – weekend over. I didnt touch my bike before next wednesday together with Andre and Roger R. at a local track in San Diego. Next day was practice where I felt terrible – wasn`t comfortable at the bike at all. But things worked out somehow, and gates wasn`t that bad. Next day was much better and I felt ready.
During timetrails I messed it up. Two first straights were ok, but overshot the firt one on thrid straight. And instead of pushing speed I pretty much jumped trails just to clear the section, lost oh so much speed. Still qualified 60th. I never tought I make it, so two first straights were obviously fast enough, luckily.
Saturday, and raceday. We only had like 25 min of warm up wich ws ok. First lap around I went for the second straight straight away. As I landed the first step up I felt the softness of the rear and understood I had a flat. Still couldnt brake so jumped the next one chill, then braked and rolled the berm jump. “The pits” werent that far away from the track but now I really felt they were. Put in a new tube and a new tire on. As I came back to the track the other riderswas ramping it up on the hill with gates so I went straight up there knowing it wasnt much time left. With that in mind I was going fo a full lap – till the lat turn at least, just to get things done. Decent start, 3 pedals in first turn and went for second straight. Cased the middle doubble just a little bit. Leaving me in the classical “shall I jump or not”. Should`ve jumped for sure….. I tried to brake all I could but going up the lip for the berm jump I realized I was going to fast to land this one smoothly. next thing I remember is beeing liftet of on a stretcher with everything beeing blury and a immense pain in the back. Long story short is 4days in San Diego Hospital before flying home. T12 in the back broken, bruised lounge, torn ligaments in shoulder and a big concussion.
Still off the bike now soon 3 weeks later and body is healing up. Biggest issue has been the head. Still a little dizzy and head aches but it is getting better every day. Healing up and then backc on it! Season is over for me, only planned race left was euro rounds in Geneva. Now I`m trying to get ready for euro rounds in Belgium in January, and eventually the all important World Cup series and Worlds..
get well soon !
Karel Seydel