Erik da Silva Race Interview - Guy's Racing Summer Classic

As far as training my body, not really, but I did prepare the bike to work better. Wissahickon Cyclery hooked me up with some great new SRAM products and a friend lent me some 1.75 inchers. The bike shifted better than ever before and the tires kept everything running clog-free.

Did you like the way Guy's ran each category separately to reduce traffic due to the large turnout?

Absolutely. Having the sports race independently from the exp/pro greatly reduced traffic on the course. Other promoters should take a hint from this.

Were you happy with your choice of tires?

I don't know that any tire would have got great traction through that slop but the narrow tires I ran at least kept the mud from building up on the stays and around the brakes.

What was your favorite part of the course?

The section with all the naked girls... oh, and the dry places.

Were you strong from start to finish?

I felt great on the first lap, then I felt as though I was on the verge of bonking, I never did. On the last lap I caught my second wind and managed to make up some time.

Did you have any interesting experiences during your race (exchanges with competitors/spectators)?

Well I almost hit a deer that ran out right in front of me. Then of course there were those naked girls...

When did you put the hammer down?

I lost my hammer in the mud after the first lap, found it on the last.

Did you have any unusual problems?

This was the 2nd time that I rode with the new SRAM stuff and I wasn't quite used to it. As a result I had a lot of accidental shifts occurring.

How would you rate the course?

I'll give it an A+ for potential. This course would have been rocket fast in dry conditions, almost like a crit race.

Were you happy with the way the race was run?

I have no complaints.

Is there anything you would like to add?