My 15th lap was only 30 seconds slower than my very first lap of the 24-hour race, a 1:30. But Wilson rode like a man possessed, finishing with a 1:28 and claiming his second 24 Hours of Moab title. Sue Heywood also won her second title here in the desert, finishing with 11 laps.

Racing the single wasn't about winning or losing. It was about experiencing the mountain bike in pure form. I felt that. I rode as fast or as slow as the bike would allow and was happy...and I never missed a shift.