Race report by Doug Jorgensen Iron Angels MTB race Sunday, March 7, 1999 New Melones Reservoir I raced beginner Vets, we started with about 10 in the group with about 35 in the two senior groups starting one and two minutes before. It was a great day, about 55 degrees, cool north wind. The course starts with a steep short climb on an access road, then onto smooth singletrack that loops around a mountain, then drops into a canyon headed back toward New Melones Reservoir. About 95% of the course is roller coaster singletrack. Being on Velo Prom time we started 30 minutes late. When I was warming up I was planning to take the first lap easy to try to stay with the leaders and to do something on the second lap. Right from the start this was out the window, off the line heading to the paved hill I was second. Powering up the paved ascent it looked like a good idea to be the first one to the singletrack as we were catching the back of the senior pack. Once on the singletrack I put as many people between me and second place as I could. I fell in behind 4 senior riders until about a mile before the second lap, then passed them doing most of the second lap on my own. Finished 1st Beginner Vets and 2nd in Beginner. Doug