So weekend #2 of the USGP is coming up quickly, and my focus is narrowing to keep this white jersey on my shoulders for at least one more weekend.  Of course the USGP is a season-long series, but I'm just going to take it one race at a time.   The excitement and surprise from Louisville is still fresh in my mind, and I guess the thing I'm thinking about most is how the heck am I supposed to defend a leader's jersey against Tim Johnson, Jeremy Powers, Todd Wells and Ryan Trebon?  I just mentioned the 4 most dominating characters in US cyclocross, and they're all hungry for results this fall. 

I'm not scared, in fact I'm just using that question as motivation.  If you think they're hungry, immagine how hungry I am!  I had an unplanned short road season, and after clawing my way back from two injuries this year I am absolutely starving for results.  I'm in the best shape of my life right now, and I'm exactly where I want to be this 'cross season.  I know I am still building my fitness up, and my hope is that I can go as hard as I can up through nationals and make every race count up until that point. 

So going into this weekend's Mercer Cup USGP I am feeling good in training and very motivated.  I'm ready to give my best effort and fight as hard as I can.  Nobody knows how things will turn out.  I didn't expect at all to be leading the series after Louisville.  So no matter how unlikely it is that I keep the lead this weekend, I'm going to give it my best shot and I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be able to hold onto the jersey. 

You should expect to see some of the most exciting, hard fought, explosive racing so far this season in Mercer County Park.  We'll see you there, and by the way, I hope the weather is as crappy as ever! 


Thanks for reading.
-Jesse