Sandpoint Trailblazers' seniors compete in final race

On Saturday, Oct. 10, the Sandpoint Trailblazers cross-country mountain bike team competed in their last race of the season: Lolo Final Landing in Lolo, Mont.

They saw it all this weekend with slippery, muddy trails and rain all day. However, the team did what they do best and still crushed the race. Roman Presta, one of the two seniors on the Sandpoint Trailblazers team, competed in his very last race in the NICA league. 

“One of my favorite memories of the team was getting stranded in the SARS hut on top of Schweitzer [mountain] after a lot of the team had some mechanical problems with their bikes,” Presta said. 

When asked how the team and NICA have helped him grow as a person, he replied: “Racing has helped me grow in many ways. Not only has it taught me the importance of consistency, but also helped me learn how to be much more humble. Especially in my later seasons where everything has gotten much more competitive, it’s important to realize that you probably won’t win every race you enter.”

Mattie Lynch, the other senior on the team, said this experience has helped her learn to persevere through hard times in life. 

“My senior season, I raced varsity and had a hard time. I caught some colds and had some off races, but the worst part was having trained all winter and still being nowhere near a podium," Lynch said she can tell she’s a lot stronger than a year ago, and her experience with NICA has strengthened her resolve to meet her goals. "But that was good for me to experience. Every racer at that level works really hard, on and off the course, but only the top five competitors get recognized. And that's life! You have to work hard. You should set hard goals for yourself and then don’t give up on them! And here’s the part that no one really likes — keep doing your best even when no one’s watching.” 

The Sandpoint Trailblazers will miss their seniors, but can’t wait to see what their futures hold as they continue their love for biking.

    Mattie Lynch bikes in the Lolo Final Landing in Lolo, Montana, last weekend.