Ashland Mtn Challenge and more..

October 7, 2017… pre race nerves are present this week leading up to the CA Enduro Series finale in Ashland, OR. But this time was a bit different, it’s been awhile since there’s been action so let’s get up to date. Time to rewind to mid summer, the week in week out grind getting stoked for round 5 at Snow Summit Resort in Big Bear, CA. Thursday practice, July 20th, feeling good after getting some more bike park laps at Northstar the week before and sneaking in a 7th in their DH race showing the little Stumpy can keep pushing the limits! Back to speed now, second lap and about 15 minutes of ride time… right hand corner leaning over at speed, clipped pedals on a sticking out tree root and next thing I knew, I was on the ground with a snapped collarbone.  I never knew how fun bikes were until I couldn’t touch one for over a month!  Was quite bummed having to miss the next 3 rounds but the down time allowed for some positive reflection.  This was my first injury since pursuing mountain biking the past 5 years, and you know what, I finally realized how addicting this sport is and not being able to ride showed me how much this passion has grown recently.  

Long walk down the mountain..#painful

Fast forward to the present, September was full of one goal, what can I do to be back at my previous level or possibly better.  Many road bike miles were ridden and soft gym work saw recovery going pretty quickly in my opinion, although there wasn’t much pain, the healing bone was pretty weak and had to follow its course of action which the doctor said would be beginning of October...but that didn’t sound too fun so I figured it was time to just send it as long I kept it on two wheels!

Ashland, Oregon, what else is there to say besides what may seem like a small town on the outside is actually filled with a diverse group of people and nestled beneath a beautiful mountain full of recreational possibilities.  The Wednesday before the race, I made the drive up from Santa Cruz and landed at my home for the next few days, the compound of local ripper Noah “Bear Bait” Catropa (who took 6th in the stacked Pro field!).  After meeting this dude a few years ago at this event, its made the perfect setup to follow him on his local trails and try to pick up some fast lines.  

Needless to say, I was pumped to be riding MTB again and feeling just as comfortable as before, but with not being cleared to even ride yet, I knew I needed to stay within my limits and not push it.  Saturday morning was race day, up bright and early at 5:30am to make it up the mountain for an 8:00 start. Although the day would consist of 5 stages and about 4hrs on the bike, the race would mostly be decided on your first run of the day...16+ minutes of seeing how you could balance sprinting and staying smooth across a wide range of terrain, plus starting off your run in sub 30 degree temps was a tough wake up call.  Once crossing the first finish line of the day, I knew I missed the thrills of racing!  The rest of the day was as best as it could be I thought, stayed off the ground which was my biggest goal and avoided sketchy moments, besides having to ride one stage with a flat front tire which dropped a lot of time, times were close enough in the mix to leave me hungry for being back at 100%.

13th overall for the year, pleased with all things considered

2017 provided quite the adventure, fueling the fire that this is what I want to do as long as possible and become a top rider.  After my first season racing Pro last year and struggling to make top 20, I was happy to see hard work paying off and running 7th before injury.

Life is full of pressure and time frames which society creates that you feel you should abide by; college, work, relationships, and all that “normal” stuff.  While balancing that “less cool” part of life out, I know that I want to pursue this passion and live up to the potential I’m capable of.  Still being fresh in this sport, there’s many goals I have.  But for now, it’s time to hammer down and put the work in, I’m ready for you 2018 and I’ll be on that podium.

Always a big thank you to those who support my efforts:

• Scotts Valley Cyclesport: best bike shop around, Duh!
• Specialized Bicycles: bikes built for speed, gear made for safety & style
• Praxis Works: components to withstand any terrain
• Gamut USA: cockpit set up to keep the Nicky D steez under control
• Stikrd: custom is the new standard right? decals to keep you factree 24/7
• Hammer Nutrition: fueling your body for every condition
• Smith Optics: protection for your eyes, style for your photos
• Krawl Clothing: gotta look good on the street
• Monster Army: unleashing your inner beast
• FOX: keeping your ride smooth no matter how far you send it
• ODI Grips: comfort for your hands makes throwing turn bars that much easier

Thanks for reading and catch ya soon!

Follow the journey// Instagram @nickyd358 Twitter @nickyd358 Facebook @ Nick DiNapoli

China Peak Enduro

This past weekend saw the California Enduro Series racers attack the technical terrain of China Peak Ski Resort.  This also was the first stop of the Golden Tour, featuring more difficult stages and increased prestige for the Pro category, which brought out 42 riders on the start list ready to battle!  High temps, loose/rocky terrain, and five very physically demanding race stages each starting at about 8,700 ft elevation made for an eventful day on the mountain..

I was antsy for the day to start, practice was a blast and this year saw a newly added fifth stage being a super steep, rocky trail straight down the slope that was a challenge just to make it down still connected to the bike.. I started off a bit slower than I was expecting, nothing major but definitely was struggling to push myself with the thin air and trying to make each pedal stroke count when it needed to most on the flat sections between the gnar.  As the day continued and the adrenaline rush increased, I was stoked to get on stages 4 and 5.  These were all about high speeds, rocks shooting out every direction, and deep momentum draining sand...It was too much fun pushing your limits on both of these and I was able to lay down clean runs and nail my goals of top 10 times.  Crossing that final finish line for the day without too big of mistakes felt like a solid accomplishment.  Times tallied up placed me in 12th, and with the stacked group of racers, I was stoked to be in the mix only 3 seconds off the top 10 overall!  This year is creating such an incredible learning experience and I finally feel like I'm understanding how to push myself to the level I know I can be at.  Currently running 7th in overall points while our team of Scotts Valley Cyclesport holds down the lead for Team standings!

After seeing the technical terrain fight back against riders and equipment all weekend resulting in sliced tires, cracked rims, and everything in between, I want to give shoutout to those supporting me with top quality product that stood up to every ounce of abuse.  Wheels and China Peak don't mix as well as other places...Through the pits you could find racer's rushing to find replacements for broken wheels.  With the sharp rocks and high speeds over them, exploding carbon can become a reality when rider error happens.  Praxis Works based in Santa Cruz has been on the rise with producing components that have held up to all the abuse I can dish out.  The C32 carbon wheels took a beating all weekend, and with nothing set up differently other than a tad higher pressures in my Butcher Grid tires, I was yet again impressed at not having a single issue!  And there's something to be said about how versatile the Stumpjumper 29 from Specialized is.  29er's are fast, smooth, and the ideal choice for these California Enduro races. Once you find your preferred set up which I believe is important since it is lesser travel, the bike is capable of hucking any downhill obstacle while also making pedaling as efficient as possible.  With the long days of enduro racing and the fatigue on your body, I've been realizing how important fueling yourself with hydration and food is.  Having support from Hammer Nutrition this season has taught be a great amount thanks to their staff as well as knowledge on how to prepare best for your preferred sport.  With the heat of China Peak, my go-to in replenishing electrolytes was the Endurolyte capsules in the morning and then adding the equivalent Fizz tablets in water throughout the day.  The Perpetuem mix was also the perfect tool with the race day fitting the recommended 3hr+ time period where calories and protein begin to break down and need replacement, plus what's better than my favorite strawberry flavor?!  

Thanks for checking out a glimpse of my race adventures and catch ya on the trail!

-Nick DiNapoli
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Sponsors: Specialized Bicycles, SV Cyclesport, Praxis Works, Gamut USA, Krawl Clothing, Monster Army, FOX, Stikrd, Hammer Nutrition, Smith Optics, DNA Cycling.

Driftin sand, crash n' burn, to coastal forests

Picking up where I last left off leads us into the second round of the California Enduro Series in the hills of Salinas.  Toro Park has been home to the CCCX Cycling events for many years which has seen many current top Enduro and Downhill racers from Northern CA begin their careers at this venue.  What it may lack in overall technical features such as rocks or super steep sections, it highly makes up for in loose, high speed terrain and off camber sections that created some eventful crashes as over 400 racers tackled the four stages on Memorial Day weekend.  

Saturday morning brought the race day excitement after an hour drive from home and getting set up with the Scotts Valley Cyclesport crew, I was pretty stoked for this race as it's about finding the balance between how hard you can push while floating on the line between tucking the bike going down or just droppin a foot and drifting moto style.  I had my Stumpjumper 29 back on its Sea Otter set up with Specialized Purgatory/Fast Trak tires and tad higher pressures along with suspension to help with the high speeds and copious amounts of pedaling among each stage.  

After results were tallied and the day came to an end, I was pretty pumped to make it down each stage without any mistakes and fight the pain to power down on the pedals..this placed me in 6th overall among the Pro field.  With 3 weeks until the next round up north in Mendocino, I was planning on getting some big ride days in to prepare for what that race would consist of.

This is where my plans changed.. With Memorial Day and wanting to add to the weekend, I headed out to Hollister Hills for some Moto action.  To this day, I've ridden and raced dirtbikes wayyyyy longer than bicycles, and it's still going to take some years for them to equal out.  Hollister has been the local spot to ride since I was 5 years old and always made for nothing but good times, learning to find the line between speed and being smart to avoid wild crashes.  After a few hours of track and trail time on my KTM 250sx, I was ending the day on a main single track loop, having a blast and riding at a comfortable and pretty quick pace, but completely in my comfort zone.  Next thing I know, I'm waking up down a hillside with other riders and rangers around me without a clue of what happened.  I was knocked out with a pretty good concussion, but found out that I had been involved in a head-on collision by a group of riders coming at me around a blind corner on a one-way trail.  With no memory whatsoever of the incident and a very banged up face, I found myself in the hospital, but luckily all scans of my head came back safe and the worst would be a swollen face for a few days with broken bones near the sides of my nose.  After hearing about the accident and seeing the busted triple clamps and headset exploded on my bike, I realized how lucky I was to be walking out of the room...

After taking the rest of the week to rest and recover, I was getting nervous about if I would be able to race round 3 of CA Enduro in a little over a week.  As race weekend became present, I found myself behind the starting line of stage 1 ready to try my best to survive the 6 1/2 hour day covering 40 miles and 6 race stages.  The Mendocino forest right off the coastal ocean views of Highway 1 offered some of the most adrenaline rushed racing with traversing through very tight, wooded trails at mach speed.  I was fighting the nerves of not wanting to crash and hit my head again, keeping in mind the doctor thought I was still resting in bed.. but also having a total blast riding with everyone and the amazing trails.  Finishing the day, I found myself quite tired, super stoked on the riding, and happy I could complete the day after how crazy the past 2 weeks had been.  A 15th place finish was a bit off the pace but with how tight the times were among the 25 rider group, I was just glad to be in the mix.  

Now it's time for the technical bike park events starting with China Peak this weekend!

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Sponsors: 

Scotts Valley Cyclesport, Specialized Bicycles, Praxis Works, Gamut USA, Monster Army, Smith Optics, Krawl Loco Clothing, DNA Cycling, Hammer Nutrition, Stikrd, FOX.

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Instagram: @nickyd358

Twitter: @nickyd358

2017 Mammoth Bar Enduro

photo credit: Kasey Carames

5/6/17- The first round of the 2017 California Enduro Series found itself within the mountains just outside of old town Auburn this past weekend.  The sold out event saw 419 racers tackle a four stage course totalling just over 17 miles and 3,000 ft of elevation within the Auburn State Recreation Area; short physically demanding trails which consisted of loose, rocky terrain and punchy climbs created some tight racing among all classes. 

photo credit: Placer Foothills MTB club

For myself, Friday consisted of checking out the trails with the Scotts Valley Cyclesport team riders, working on the important factors of memorizing different features of each stage and practicing sections as close to race pace as possible in order to not have too many surprises come race day.  Saturday came bright and early, bringing some welcoming cooler tempuratures as well as pre-race nerves as we lined up for the first stage of Mossy Rock-Flood trail. 3 1/2 minutes of high speed fireroad into punchy single track climbs provided quite the wake up call for everyone's legs, I ended up with a smooth run but bit off the pace. After a quick 15 minute transfer over to Squirrel trail, some mental regrouping, and a blast of Hammer Nutrition goodies, it was go time. A steep, off camber descent to begin with raised the stoke level but the mix of flats into uphill sprints brought you deep into the pain cave.  I finally felt like I was in the groove, plus a 3rd place stage result was pretty sweet! The final two trails of Culvert and Confluence were the more technical ones of the day where loose corners and sharp rocks could make taking a dirt sample or mechanical easy to do.  Pedal, pedal, pedal was the name of the game and I was pleased to get down both without any mistakes.  

photo: Tom Schiller

Prior to the race weekend, what seemed like a pretty simple and easy race on paper, ended up being one of physically draining for both body and bike; but nonetheless good times and smiles were seen all around the pits.  Out of 27 riders in the Pro category, after times were tallied, I found myself in 9th place for the overall.  My goal for this season was to be competitive near the top 10, so I'm stoked to be starting off strong with much improvement over last year! Next up will be round 2 over Memorial Weekend in the rolling mountains of Toro Park...

Thanks for reading! 

- Nicky D

Sponsors: SV Cyclesport, Specialized Bicycles, Praxis Works, Gamut USA, Smith Optics, Hammer Nutrition, FOX, DNA cycling, Krawl Loco Clothing, Monster Army, Stikrd.com. 

Instagram: @nickyd358

Twitter: @nickyd358 

photo: Isaac Wallen

Ready to Rumble

As the Winter months come to an end, riders from across the globe begin counting down the seconds until the race clock starts ticking and their off season comes to a close.  For most, this transition takes place upon the kickoff of the Sea Otter Classic cycling festival just outside of Monterey, CA during mid April of each year.  For myself, these beginning months have brought forth exciting changes; adding a new bike to my quiver with Specialized's Stumpjumper FSR 29 has created new confidence in my riding and should make for the perfect enduro race weapon.  For this year, my primary goal was/is to focus on the small details which can either jump you forward in progress or hold you back.  Personally, this comes in the way of time management and making your efforts count. I struggled last year between schooling, riding, work, and social life which created times of giving up or "do it tomorrow" issues.. This is something that I have paid greater attention to this year and even after only a few months, I can see how it is benefiting every aspect and allowing much better improvement in my biking than ever before.  

Coming into my first event of the year at Sea Otter, which would be the Enduro race, I was pushing to be near the top 10 in the Pro field as the mix of top athletes and fairly short stages would keep times fast and close.  With racing comes a bit of the unknown, lining up behind the tape, no matter how prepared you may be, you can never be completely sure what lies ahead.  Just about a minute into the first stage, heavy breathing, burning legs and eyes glued in front trying to keep speed and control working together, a mechanical error between the chain and cassette left me relying on momentum to finish the stage and lose valuable time against the others.  But hey! That's part of the game and a quick fix at the bottom left everything running smooth for next 3 runs of the day.  In the end, my result would show up at 23rd place, on paper isn't the best but with the top 10 being only 30 seconds ahead, I'm pleased with my efforts and left wondering what could have been 😊

Next up was the famous Downhill event!  Known for being very short, high speed, and not very technical, the 0.9 mile course brings out the best in the world where 1st and 50th could be separated by as little as 5 or so seconds...but also can be a lifetime of distance out here. With the dry, hardpack conditions where thousandths of a second make a difference, bike set up is key.  I outfitted my Stumpy 29 with Specialized's Purgatory and Fast Trak tires front and rear respectively.  The Fast Trak is traditionally an XC tire but with the new 2.3 sizing option and updated Gripton compound, it screams speed on this terrain.  A 34t chainring up front with increased air pressure and compression in my FOX 36 fork made things ready to go!  The last sprint across the finish, 2 minutes and 13 seconds later left me satisfied with the run I had as well as the breakdown in my head of what could have made it better.  32nd out of 85 in this race was definitely something to be proud of, very short seconds away from the best of em. Next year, the goal is top 20!

BIKE CHECK: I couldn't be more stoked on how this thing came out, beyond thankful of Scotts Valley Cyclesport and Specialized Bicycles for making it possible! 

-Specialized: Stumpjumper 29 Large frame, Command dropper post, Power saddle and Butcher 2.3 Grid casing tires

-Praxis Works: C32 wheels, Cadet 170mm cranks, 32t chainring with 11-40t casette and PF bottom bracket.

-Gamut USA: Cillos TR 760mm bar with Cillos 50mm stem

-FOX: Float 36 150mm fork

-Stikrd: Custom fork/wheel decals 

-Other: Shimano XT derailleur, shifter, pedals. ODI eilte grips, KMC chain, SRAM Guide RS carbon brakes with 203mm/180mm rotors


Thanks for reading and catch ya on the trail!

-Nicky D

Instagram:@nickyd358
Twitter: @nickyd358

Sponsors: SV Cyclesport, Specialized, Praxis Works, Gamut USA, Smith Optics, Hammer Nutrition, Monster Army, Stikrd, FOX, KRAWL Clothing.