July 24, 2003 (Whistler, BC) – They say that the qualifying run in downhill racing is a pretty good indication of who the top ten riders will beS it's not always the case, but usually the top ten qualifiers trade a few places in their final run.

Norco's Mike Jones changed all that last weekend at the Tim Hortons Canadian National MTB Championships. He flatted about forty-five seconds into his qualifying run, putting him into dead last. In the final run, they run the slowest timed riders first and work their way to the fastest qualifiers last.

In the finals Jones was the first rider off, coming down with one of the fastest times of the day. Immediately he went into the hot seat, to wait on the next fastest time. As time went by it was starting to look like it might be awhile before someone came down faster. After forty-five riders went down and still, Jones was in the hot seat, people started to get excited. Pedal Magazine sat with Jones while the final ten riders came down the hill; this is what was overheard:

Pedal: Smooth run today?

Jones: “I had three mistakes and that's why I'm sweating my boots off right now. If these guys don't make the same mistakes I did, then I'm done. I lost some speed in some corners, I had to pedal pretty hard to get things going again.”

Jones: Here comes Jay Christianson, this guy is really good, he's local too, he's a really great riderS I still have it. Does this mean I have second at this point?

Pedal: It's either you or Brant (Lyon)

Jones' brother David: It looks like you're going to Worlds man!

Jones: I don't know man, we'll see.

Jones' brother David: Yeah, you're going.

Jones: Brant. Do not underestimate Brant. He's good.

Brant came down with a mechanical, knocking him into fourteenth position and Jones became the new national DH champion!

Pedal: How does it feel?

Jones: Feels incredible. I won nationals when I was a junior twice, in '93 and '94. I was second in '97 and I quit bike racing for two years, I was forest fire fighting for two years and I just had this gut feeling that I wasn't done with racing, I needed to come back and do it. It took me three years of racing again, I guess to get back in my form and win today. I'm incredibly happy. Two riders that are really good that weren't able to make it, Dustin (Adams) broke his scapula and Jordie (Lunn) had a broken leg. It doesn't cheapen it all for me, that's racing. Part of making it through a season is making it through healthy. So, I'm incredibly ecstatic right now it couldn't have gone better for me now.

My bike is so great. I've worked so hard at Norco over the last few years and they've been incredibly receptive to all the feedback that we've given on the bikes. I think that basically they've nailed it and the bike doesn't hold me back, it actually pushes me forward.

Pedal: How do you prepare before your race? Jones:  I was really nervous before the start of my race today, right to the point where I could hardly put my gloves on. And, I went to cruise a run on A-line, just to relax and focus a bit and I think that it calmed my nerves.

Pedal: After winning two national titles in the past, how does this one feel? Jones: This is definitely the most meaningful one for me. I was finally able to put everything together today. I have a lot of experience, it all clicked.

Pedal: What have you done differently? Jones: This year I've been focused on NORBA and World Cups, not so much the domestic stuff. That has been a huge thing for me. I've just done the North American ones. I always give that advice out to anyone that is starting out and can afford it. I'm lucky enough to have a great sponsor that helps me out with that.  But getting to those races and becoming comfortable with all the big riders. Domestically you can get away with making a four-second mistake and making a podium. At a World Cup or NORBA, if you make a four-second mistake, you're 30th. It's really helped me to develop as a rider, doing those races, and realizing the importance of every small portion of a course.

Jones has been staying up in Whistler all summer – last year at Nationals he crashed, and in 2001 he was 7th. Trevor Porter (Cove Bike Shop) was second, three seconds down on Jones, with teammate Eric Goss, taking third.

Men's Results:

1. Mike Jones (BC, Norco) 3:29.65
2. Trevor Porter (BC, Cove Bike Shop) 3:32.64
3. Eric Goss (BC, Cove Bike Shop) 3:33.19
4. Hugo Donais (BC, Norco) 3:33.59
5. Brian Mussellam (QC, IND) 3:36.23