After the National XC Championships

Hello to all of you,

I am coming back with a report from the National Championships. They were Sunday, but we went Friday to get used with the course and everything to be prepared really good. I got my dad's car and went for Izovru Muresului. Everything was fine until the car started to had some problems and couldn't go further. I was very angry but with the help from a truck driver and a hammer (the tool not the car) he fixed it and continued our journey. Finallllllly we got there and I was confident that I could win again a medal. Even if the problems with my finger persisted I knew that I could have a good run.

Saturday we went in the morning on the course (same course like last year), and tried several lines so me and my team mate Tudor were really confident, but then the disaster strucked. From 3 pm started the rain... and it rained... and it rained, and it was raining all night long. In the morning I've decided to change my tires with Continental Cross Country 1.5 becaus I didn't want so many problems with the sticky mud on the course. Also prepared the bottles with water so I can wash the chain.

After a good warm up(because outside were 13 C) I was ready. I didn't had the best start but I've push it really hard to get back in the front group, but the mud was stoping me... another fustrating thing was that I was passing riders for the first 3 laps but they were in the same lap like me and they weren't passing me... The lack of course referees put me on thinking that they cheated the course... I was pushing hard and the fustration made me push even harder... all this weren't enough so in the last lap I had some chain problems and I've lost another 4-5 minutes so my chance for medal was blasted.

I had tears in my eyes, because I know that i was good enough to get in front and fight again for a medal but I've dissapointed everyone. After the 6th place at Medias, here I've finished 5th. I know that I a better than a freackin' 5th place.

Thanks again to my sponsors. Without them I couldn't be where I am now and couldn't get even the 5th place: Cannondale Bikes, Maros Sport, Ashima, Continental, Syntace, Selle Italia, VDO, Sapim, Adidas Eyewear, Xpedo, 661, Buff, Sram, Kool Stop and DT Swiss. Also I must thank to: my parents, Simona, Gabee, Eli, and to everyone who supports me.