Jennifer DeFalco started racing MTBs in early 2014.
At first, her riding ability in the woods was very much beginner, she was not equipped with the experience nor the skills to ride the gnarly terrain of North Jersey.
Defalco is a tough, strong, persistent athlete: today, she is a completely different MTBer. Her ability to corner, go over logs, ride rock gardens, and simply produce more velocity in the woods is greatly improved — she can ride.
Her MTB training and improvement will also serve her well in cyclocross in the autumn. Her season is designed to be MTB-focused in the first-half to early-summer, and then full gladiator school through summer to get ready for autumn battle.
For some, riding smooth and fast in the woods can feel natural — this does not come easily for her, but Defalco is a perfect example of what can be done if you practice and continue to perform more repetition. Her consistent results in racing this year show that her hard work does pay off.
She was 3rd in an MTBNJ Short Track race, then 3rd at the very technical Wawayanda race.
Last Saturday at Ramsey’s Revenge in Delaware, she rode to 2nd in the Cat-2 50+. The course is a mix of flowy turns, steep climbs, and surprisingly technical rock gardens.
The Race Highlight: “I rode the really hard rock garden fast! The guys were all screaming, and it was really cool. They said I rode it really well. It made my day.”
Jennifer Defalco races MTB, cyclocross, and road bikes for the Midatlantic Colavita Women’s Racing Team and is planning to race a full season of cyclocross in 2015.
