October 18, 2010 (Toronto, Ontario) – We caught up with Natasha Elliott (Garneau-Club Chaussures-Ogilvy Renault), Andrew Watson (Norco Factory Team), and Derrick St. John (Garneau-Club Chaussures-Ogilvy Renault) for their thoughts after Day 2 of Elite racing at the Toronto International Cyclo-Cross. Full results here.

Natasha Elliott (Garneau-Club Chaussures-Ogilvy Renault)

You were tight lipped about your strategy yesterday – tell us what you did different today for the win?
NE: I admitted last night that I wasn’t riding as hard as I could the first part of the race and I tried to improve on that today. That’s all the difference was, just be able to push yourself to the limits and have the confidence that I would be able to hold it the whole race. The first lap had definitely been my weakness this season and that was the goal today, so I just worked on pushing the limits and staying on the gas.

Did the race unfold according to plan today?
NE: Pretty much, the initial start was good until after three pedal strokes when my foot popped back out of my pedal almost into my face. I wasn’t expecting that, but then I knew Pepper and Katy were going to ride together in front if I gave them the opportunity so I was prepared to have to battle for position and just wasn’t going to give in for the first 10 minutes. After I recovered from a little bit of a bad start I got by Katy and on to Pepper’s wheel. I tried to attack a few times until finally one stuck. Then once I had a few seconds, I road the lines I wanted to and extended the lead as fast as I could. The course was very fast again with some windy long straight aways. It was hard to get out of sight but I just believed in my abilities and strength and put my head down and hammered.

What do you do to prepare mentally for each competition?
NE: That’s a work in progress, but I don’t think it has to be anything fancy. But definitely admitting I was a bit scared to go hard last night and know the first day I didn’t ride to my abilities gave me something to work on today. I just believed in myself, and got fired up to go as hard as I could. Also the announcer Rick Meloff got all fired when we were lined up on the start line. He changed the music and his voice got very intense. Funny thing is later that day I found out it wasn’t Rick on the microphone but Derrick [St. John] and he also asked them to play Gun’s n Roses but had to settle for Stone Temple Pilots. I could hear the music every time I went around the course.

How much tougher is the racing in Europe?
NE: The starts are crazy. Everyone sharpens their elbows and someone always goes down in the first corner, sometimes even on the first straight away. It’s hard if your in the 3rd row or further back. You have to avoid the crashes and the chaos and still ride full out to stay with the leaders. You have to fight for every spot and no one is going to give you an inch. That’s what cross racing is, you have to be prepared to suffer from start to finish.

All the best this season.
NE: Thanks


Andrew Watson (Norco Factory Team)

Congrats on your third place finish – how are you feeling after two solid days of racing?
AW: Thanks, I feel pretty good, these were my first cross races of the year. Right after Crank the Shield I shot an episode of Ride Guide for 10 days into late September and felt pretty tired after so I just laid low for a couple weeks and did some long fun rides with friends. I was reserved about how I could do but once I started I felt rested and was able put the power down this weekend.

Tell us about your race today – what made the difference over Saturday to move up from 4th to third?
AW: Race today was almost the opposite of yesterday, I was lucky to have some UCI points this year and got a front row callup which is huge in cross. Yesterday the rider to my left had a good jump off the line but missed a pedal and lost it a bit and swerved into a couple of us. So I got restarted in the 20’s. I was calm and patient and just did my best to move up and was happy to get to 4th.

Today I got the start I wanted and stayed in the top 10, I had to chase hard to get into the top three. Made another mistake in the sand pit and lost contact with St. John and Frattini. So I had to dig hard to close that in a second time. Once I got there it was just survival. Those two were riding super strong, I was able to ride nice smooth lines to stay in contact, but when the last lap rolled around it was an all out drag race, was a bit blown at the end but survived for third.

You’ve raced at the Toronto CX before – was this year tougher-easier and what do you think of the courses this year?
AW: I really liked the courses this year, the first day especially with really good flow and momentum. They limited the amount of hard 180 accelerations this year which I really liked. Felt like a fast dirt crit. The racing was good, not quite as deep as last year but hopefully in the future with maybe another NACT stop it can get some more of the US guys up.

What’s up for you for the rest of the season – will you be heading to the US or out west for any races?
AW: I run a fairly modest cross schedule, so just stick around here for provincials, Nationals, nothing out west but something within driving distance in the states is always a possibility.

What are your plans during the off season?
AW: Good question, I’ve already taken a ton of time off this year with an injury so I’ll probably get back to work and think about getting down south for some road miles in early 2011.

Thanks for your time and all the best this season.
AW: Thanks, and thanks to Midweek for another year of awesome racing in Toronto.


Derrick St. John (Garneau-Club Chaussures-Ogilvy Renault)

Congrats on your second podium – was today tougher than yesterday?
DSJ: Thanks, tougher in some ways easier in others. Tougher in the fact that I just rode as hard as I could for as long as I could, even though I did a lot of work on the front. I figured that whoever was going to win today was gonna have to go so hard that they would deserve it. Easier in the fact that I was at the front right from the start and only had one small bobble in the penultimate lap.

Tell us about your race – is Frattini beat-able?
DSJ: Today’s course was great! It was very fast, it had a lot of flow to it, all the corners linked nicely into each other and it just had this really nice rhythm you could tap out. Aaron “Taxman” Schooler got the initial hole shot, but there was a wicked head wind so I think it took a bullet out of his pistol, and Davide [Frattini] got around him and I followed. Midway through the second lap I took the lead which I kept for most of the race. I tried to dictate the pace and it made Davide bobble at one point, but he was super strong and came back on myself and Watson and I think Marc Lalonde – Marc Batty was up there as well.

I thought Frattini was the biggest threat so when I saw him bobble I just tried to extend the the gap. I’m not really too sure of too much else. I tried to ride as hard as I could for as long as I could and dabbed a foot in a corner and Davide attacked. Watson was between us and that was a few seconds – that’s all it took, one bad corner. I gave it everything to close but it wasn’t enough .

I think the nature of the sport means that no one is unbeatable…but Davide is riding extremely well and he’s super fit, so not unbeatable, but more like hard to beat.

How long have you been racing cross?
DSJ: I think it’s been about five years since I did my first cross race. For the first two years, it was more of participating in cross races. Long enough to know where I want my bike to go, but not long enough to always actually make it go where I want it to go at the speed I want it.

If you’re not racing in Europe what do you do during the winter to keep in shape?
DSJ: Regardless if I go to Europe or not, our season usually runs to December… so my off season is so short, I can usually get away with playing some guitar. At Christmas, I’ll try to make up on neglected family duties, hang out with the nephews, go tobogganing, skate, and we’ll have dance competitions. Ever try dancing out a 7-year-old? You think cross racing is hard…?

How was your Sushi and Sapporo…?
DSJ: The Sushi was good…but I was so hungry I must have looked like a caveman at 7pm inhaling a plate full of raw fish. I wimped out on the beer. I would have loved one right after the race, but I just wanted apple cider. It wasn’t on the menu so I settled for apple juice… after all I didn’t win, so I couldn’t really celebrate right? I must remain vigilant.