to be a tight one and they were strong in it . I put my head down and charged . Fortunately , there were some roots and rocks and stuff as well as the tight stuff , so I was able to lay down a heater in the last test and hold Stew off .”
Grant and Steward were in a tight fight for second after the first test , but then Grant took a clear lead over his brother after winning tests two , three and four . However , a mishap in five cost Grant considerable time , leaving Steward to chase Toth to the finish .
“ Josh had a good lead after the first test ,” said Grant . “ I clicked away a little bit on that one in the second and third test there . Then I think it was test five , I was coming down the straightaway behind one of the faster pro women riders and the rider in front of her moved off the trail for her , and then instead of looking to pull back out in the straightaway , they just pulled right back out into me and I hit them going thirty or forty miles an hour .
It sent me and them flipping over the bars . It took me a while to get up after that . I ripped the whole of my starter button . My bike was all mangled up . It was a really good wreck . So , I got up after that and tried to get back going , but I couldn ’ t get back into that mode . Instantly crashed again after that . Just wasn ’ t focused .”
VOL . 6 ISSUE 5 - MAY 2021 // PAGE 55