right behind me . I windshield-wiper across the course trying to keep her bottled up behind me . I held her off and took third in the final moto – ironically , my best score of the week .
And when I turned to see who was behind me … of course it was Goncalves , right with me like she ’ d been all week long !
After the moto , all of Team USA waits for Brandy . Champagne bottles are at the ready . Finally , fresh out of her interview with the FIM , she rolls up . We fire our bikes and rev them to the moon . Champagne flies . Flags are waved . I hear shouts of joy . Finally , the bottles are empty . Britney tells me to hold her bike .
She runs to Brandy , grabs her by the shoulders and says something I can ’ t hear , except for “ you did it ”. Brandy turns around and I see tears in both their eyes . I ’ d be lying if I said I didn ’ t have some in mine too . Aside from our domination of the event ( fifteen minutes ) Brandy was the first American to overall the WWT division . If that wasn ’ t enough , she is the only rider in history to win every single test in her division . I don ’ t know that a champagne shower has ever been more earned . None of that is my victory though –
ON THE PEGS // PAGE 106