It's September and the season is coming to an end with two important races to go. With the most important one of the two scheduled for this weekend, the MTB World Championships. After spending almost two weeks here in Livigno on altitude, I felt prepared and ready for the most important race of the season. Besides racing 4-cross, I also signed up for downhill. The downhill was fast, so fast that almost everybody decided to put on their skin suit……!!!! My downhill run went O.K. with a 14th place finish.
My 4-cross practise and qualifying went good. I qualified 3rd and times were close. During the last 4-cross practise disaster struck. I was on the gate by myself for a last gate start when the gate decided to quite on me. The start command complete with lights and beeps commenced but the gate didn't drop. This made me flip over the gate and hitting it on the left side of my body. It knocked the wind out of me and felt like someone stabbed me. After being examined in a hospital it turned out that I severely bruised my ribs and spleen. So there went my hopes on a world championship medal.......I could not believe this was happening to me.
Hopefully I will recover enough so I will be able to race the world cup finals next week in Fort William, Scotland.
Greetings,Anneke Beerten
