Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

~ - - -- ~----- OFF-ROAD Rounds 7-8 ~ AMA/NATC National Trials Series Geoff Aaron sweeps California National Trials STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHAN MOORE/TRIALS COMPETITION NEWSPAPER ter escaping with a pair of close victories in Colorado the week before, Geoff Aaron turned up the heat in his ome state of California and claimed a pair of decisive wins at rounds seven and eight of the AMA/NATC National Trials Series held in Aguanga. The eight-time and defending National Champion, who lives in nearby Jamul, got off to a slow start on day one (Friday), trailing Sherco USA teammates Cody Webb and Bruce Ie Riche after the first lap. But he answered back with an inspired one-point final lap for a come-from-behind win over the 12-section, three-lap course. On Saturday, the ERE/Gas Gas rider led from the get-go, eventually taking the win by a 14-point margin over the South African Ie Riche in the relatively lowscoring affair. A 40 JUNE 8, 2005 • With the two wins, Aaron moves ever closer to an unprecedented ninth National Trials title and now leads Ie Riche by SO points with only four rounds remaining on the schedule. The American Trials Associationprepared course, which was set at an elevation of 3000 feet, suited Aaron's style to perfection. It consisted of rides across narrow lines over the tops of the grippy but treacherous decomposing granite rocks found in the area and rewarded the riders with good rock-hopping skills and the ability to hold a tight line - which has always been Aaron's MO. The temperature reached a blistering 105 degrees during Friday's event and was already nearing 100 degrees when the first riders took to the course at 10 a.m. Webb jumped out ahead of the pack in an effort to beat the heat and to distance himself from the mind games being played at the rear. CYCLE NEWS After a fairly competitive opening lap, Aaron found himself in third position, behind Webb and Ie Riche. However, anyone who has followed the series over the last decade knows that Aaron is most dangerous when he is trailing after the first lap. Being in that position seems to give the 32year-old permission to throw caution to the wind and ride with a go-for-broke style that elevates him to another level. On that first lap, Le Riche had made a great ride for a three-point score in section I I, which was decidedly the toughest of the day, and he was the only rider to see the end cards. However, he suffered some bad luck in another section when a rock broke away under his rear wheel, causing him to crash. In the meantime, Aaron had made two major mistakes during the opening lap: one when he spun the rear tire at the exit of the very technical fourth section, a section that he had cleaned up until that point, and another mistake at section I I, when he took a bold line in an effort to clean it. With the temperature now reaching the sweltering point, Webb held the lead with I I points, followed by Ie Riche with I2 and Aaron with 14. "I got mad after that first lap, and all I could think about was Ricky Carmichael riding in the heat and the sand in Florida, and I just tried to suck it up," Aaron said. "I couldn't wait to get back out there." When Aaron did get back out there for the second lap, he sat about eliminating every mistake he had made over the previous lap. And while Ie Riche and Florin each bettered their scores over the next two laps, Aaron was leaving nothing to chance and dropped only two more points for the rest of the day. A 16-point total gave Aaron the win by eight points over Ie Riche, with Florin, who was suffering from the effects of a practice crash on Thursday, finishing third, another 12 points back. "I think this stuff kind of catered to my style," Aaron said. "There was some supertechnical stuff with lots of gaps, splatters and zaps, along with some really big stuff, and I feel really comfortable on that kind of stuff." Webb ended the day in fourth with 37 points, while 19-year-old Keith Wineland rounded out the top five with 58. The second day of competition began with several easy sections to warm up the riders, and in the end, the event was basically decided on just three sections eight, I I and 12. "The first seven sections were technical but really easy," Ie Riche said. "We were all waiting for the sections to get tougher, and when we got to section eight, it was really tough!"

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