Johnson in the lead at GMCX earlier this year. © Todd Prekaski
Tim Johnson has had a great early season, with plenty of podiums and a near-win at Gloucester last weekend. Today, he stayed with Jeremy Powers and Ben Berden, and narrowly was outsprinted by both for a third place Day 1 at the Providence Cyclocross Festival.
On the race… We traded back and forth in the beginning. Ryan [Trebon], Ben [Berden], me, Jeremy [Powers]. Then it got to the final half, and … it’s really hard to remember what happened, but Jeremy put in a big attack with one and a half to go. Then we got really motivated, dropped Ryan, Raphael [Gagne] came out of nowhere to the front, but when we went ingot he final lap, he was gone. I was trying to fight, Jeremy was keeping behind, came ingot he sprint, got waxed by him in the sprint, and Ben came around me too.
On the course… I like it. I really enjoy the course. They did a good job not just making the race a three meter wide path through a park. It went super wide, super tight, so you could have good lines and a chance to pass. There’s still a maximum speed and that makes it really tough and there’s a lot of single-file racing, there could be more changes to make but they did a great job.
On his season so far… I feel really good about the way it started. I’ve been on the podium every race I started, except Vegas, which… well, that was the World Champ. I think it’s a good start.
On what’s next… Not going to Boulder, doing a 100k road ride that’s 90% dirt up in Canada. My next race after that will be Ohio.
On Euro racing this season… Keeping it domestic. Nationals for sure. Finishing up the year in Boulder will be insane. The crowds are going to blow anything we’ve seen out of the water.
On Day 2 plans… I want to win. It’ll be the same people I’m racing against, I think I can make some adjustments… I tried to fight Jeremy for the lead going into the final parts of it and couldn’t get around him, and that’s the biggest thing I’d change.
Watch the full interview here:
[youtube RmBK-oSsREw 580 380]
