In the lead up to the National Championship weekend in Mt. Snow, Vermont, the National Mountain Bike Series (NMBS) jumped coasts and landed at a new venue in the heart of the Catskills: Windham Resort.

Team member Ryan Leech made the trip to polish up his form and get a glimpse of the competition from around the country. Racing in the semi-pro on Saturday, Leech and three dozen top amateurs chugged up and down the ski slopes four times. According to his Suunto heart rate monitor, the course ascended about 800 feet up ski slopes that made for slow and exposed (read: hot!) climbing, then descended 800 feet back down to the base lodge and start/finish.

The race played out well for Leech; he finished in third place, just three minutes behind the spry winner. Riding in the lead group for the early part of the race, Leech maintained a steady climbing pace, but couldn't match the attacks of the first- and second-place riders. As the two leaders tried to out-climb each other, Leech successfully protected third place.

The following day hosted the short track event---a 20 minute race on a very short, 1-2 minute-long course next to the base lodge. This event offered a better spectator engagement and a style of racing that was very fast and tactical as groups of riders worked together (and against each other) for the glory.

Early in the semi-pro race, Leech found the lead group too large and launched an attack in order to "snap the elastic" on those who couldn't hang on to a harder pace. The attack was successful. The lead group was halved, and Leech came back to comfortably sit in. Unfortunately for Leech, another mid-Atlantic rider counter-attacked and gained a lead that landed the winning move.

In the closing minutes of the race, with one solo leader just out of reach and a group of four (including Leech) unable to reel in the leader, Leech attacked and dropped the three riders. With one lap to go and heart rates nearing terminal velocity, Leech gained time on the leader and chasers. In the final moments, Leech secured a solid second-place finish, coming up short of catching the race winner, Martin Kell.

Big thanks to our sponsors:

•  visitPA.com
• Cannondale Bicycles
• Northwave footwear
• Rudy Project helmets and glasses
• Suunto
• Ergon
• Deuter Hydration Packs