Snow bike pioneer Brock Hoyer is hungry to add another Winter X Games gold medal to his arsenal.
Hoyer, 30 of Williams Lake, became the first person ever to win a snow bikecross gold medal at last year乌鸦传媒檚 Aspen X Games 乌鸦传媒� the first time the sport was held at the event 乌鸦传媒� and wants to put the rest of the world on notice he is only getting better in the sport.
乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 the plan 乌鸦传媒� to show how hard I乌鸦传媒檝e been working and to go down and win another gold medal and bring it back home,乌鸦传媒� Hoyer told the Williams Lake Tribune. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 even more prepared this year after realizing what needs to be done in terms of changing [bike] setups and all that.乌鸦传媒�
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This year乌鸦传媒檚 2018 Winter X Games will once again be held in Aspen, CO., from Jan. 25-28. To prepare for the elevation change and to get acclimated to the conditions, Hoyer is heading south of the border early to train.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 way more prepared this year,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淢entally and physically more prepared and feeling really good on the bike. It乌鸦传媒檚 been going really well in that respect.乌鸦传媒�
The summer of 2017, however, wasn乌鸦传媒檛 so favourable.
With a background as a professional motocross rider before transitioning into the fledgling sport of snow bike racing, Hoyer typically utilized the summer months as off-season training.
The province乌鸦传媒檚 wildfires of 2017, particularly in Hoyer乌鸦传媒檚 training grounds of the Cariboo, didn乌鸦传媒檛 do him any favours.
With the backcountry closed and an off-road vehicle ban enforced due to the wildfires, Hoyer started looking at other ways to train. While downhill mountain biking, he sustained an injury forcing him to require surgery.
乌鸦传媒淏eing hurt set me back a bit,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淏ut I just had to work harder to catch back up, that乌鸦传媒檚 all. With the backcountry closure I crashed mountain biking and tore a ligament in my thumb. Had surgery the next day and started the road to recovery. I had a cast on and was still in the gym working to get back.乌鸦传媒�
And since snow conditions have allowed for it, Hoyer has been back on his snow bike training up at Yank乌鸦传媒檚 Peak in the Cariboo and putting in work in the gym.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e been working with a trainer, Tyrel [Lucas] from Total Ice Training Centre, and he乌鸦传媒檚 been helping me get back to where I need to be strength wise,乌鸦传媒� he said.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 just training as hard as I can. Doing more bike prep, more testing. I haven乌鸦传媒檛 even gone back to work [since the injury] getting ready. I乌鸦传媒檝e just been totally trying to focus and get prepared for this race.乌鸦传媒�
Asked whether he thinks he乌鸦传媒檒l have a target on his back after winning 2017 gold at the X Games, Hoyer said he乌鸦传媒檚 not too worried about it.
乌鸦传媒淚 felt the same way going in last year,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淓verybody was gunning for me, anyway.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 going to do my best to repeat. I乌鸦传媒檝e been working harder and putting more time and effort into it and hopefully it will pay off.乌鸦传媒�
sports@wltribune.com
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