Redbull Exodus day one - what a day it was! First off, let me start out by describing the course. Okay coming form a trials background we don't have 16 minute gut-wrenching races but I guess in epic downhill they do. The qualifier course started at the top of Garbanzo chair on Whistler and was an epic race course all the way down. It was quite diverse terrain having everything from super tecky In Deep to wide open speed on Freight Train. The thing that made the course difficult was how slick it was. We had been getting rain at night and then a mix of decent weather in the day but the course was in the transition from super wet to dry and that just means it is slimy. Everything had a layer of grease on it, and that coupled with being kicked around on a 5 inch bike things could have become nasty.

My goal was to not ride super fast but rather be consistent and not crash so I stuck to my plan and had a clean run. My biggest problem with the race was other people. I didn't really know how to pass in a downhill race and I got caught behind 3 people! I thought getting passed would be the problem because I was on a 5 inch bike. It was still pretty cool to come ripping through the RedBull arches at the bottom though and I ended up in the 45th out of approximately 130 riders. I would have liked to be a bit more competitive so I would not have to be as far back in the mass start but 4-5th line out of 13-14 lines should be okay. I cant believe I am about to race down from the peak of Whistler and on a slopestyle bike to boot!

I awoke on the race morning to rain rain rain! Then thought "OH MY GOD" what have a got myself into! I was committed though and after a few minutes of reasoning with myself I realized the worst case scenario was severe injury or death and then suited up. Today was not going to be a denim day but rather a real ridding gear day. Jersey's, riding pants and even a pre-race garbage bag had to be pulled out. The peak was cold, windy and had low visibility, aka the perfect recipe for a crazy RedBull race.

After standing around for 30 minutes of riders meetings and being deep frozen it was finally time and the gun went off. The 5th row of 13 rows of riders lurched off the start line trying to catch the first rows of guys. Now alpine fire roads are generally comprised of stones 5-7 inches in diameter rocks which 5 inch slope style bikes do not handle all that well... I was being passed. Thankfully the course designers threw in some uphill which allowed me to grab back a few places; but, once back on the downhill fire road it was basically a death bull ride with almost no visibility as a result of rain, fog and fogged goggles. Once out of the alpine I ditched the goggles hoping that no goggles would work out for better visibility. I had to stop to remove them and that even cost me more spots. Once I could see again I started passing people on tight corners, slick roots and anywhere else I could make up for my lack of travel with skill.

Unfortunately, skill was not always enough and my tires gave way on an inside corner pass and I went for a slider. I quickly shook myself out as I tried not to get run over by one of the passing riders and got back on the gas. By riding some of the more risky lines at bottle necks I was able to make up quite a few spots and was not passed again and kept reeling other riders in one by one. My race ended with a balls-out 3 rider sprint through the giant dual slalom course but cold and wet I crossed the line safe and sound. This race was so much fun it was ridiculous... and a times scary. Finishing the course in 26 and some odd minutes and about 5 minutes behind the leaders was respectable... for a SS bike. Now there is nothing left but the after party and to put a check mark in the box beside 'repeat next season'.

Dylan