Aspen -
Blair Morgan is the Brett Favre of SnoCross. It's that simple. Just when you think he's down, finished, upset, Morgan finds some weakness in his rival and exploits it. That's what happened Thursday at the SnoCross finals at Winter X Games VII where Morgan claimed his third consecutive gold medal.
Trailing through the majority of the race, Morgan eyed a mistake by leader D.J. Eckstrom on an uphill portion of the course and moved in for the kill. With just half a lap remaining, he calmly squeezed by Eckstrom and that was it … at least as far as Morgan was concerned.
"As soon as I made the pass I knew," said Morgan as he posed for pictures with his gold medal. "But there was still a half track to go around so I still rode my same pace and tried to get a little distance in case he tried to get me back."
One thing that made this gold medal slightly different than the first two was the ceremony. Instead of an X Games staffer draping the medal around his neck, Morgan was face to face with auto racing legend Al Unser Sr. Not to mention his son Al Unser Jr., also in the pits, handed out the silver and bronze medals to D.J. Eckstrom and
Tucker Hibbert.
The race did not start well for Morgan who missed the holeshot, a vicious 150-degree hard right hand turn just 50 yards off the start, and came out fourth. He found himself behind Eckstrom,
Michael Island and Tucker Hibbert, fighting to make up ground.
Throughout the race, Eckstrom, who won the bronze medal at Winter X Games V, was hanging on for dear life, sensing Morgan on his tail the entire way. On several occasions Morgan tried to pass, but Eckstrom managed to take away all his lines. You could sense Morgan's frustration as Eckstrom hit every corner perfectly and made it virtually impossible for Morgan to gain ground.
"I was sticking my nose in on him everywhere," said Morgan. "He was just holding his own and riding really well. He just made the one mistake on the hill and I got up on him."
One mistake was all it took.
"I was definitely feeling the pressure," said Eckstrom, immediately after receiving his silver medal. "It makes you really nervous with someone like Blair tailing you. I was feeling really good and the sled was working great. I just made one little mistake coming up the hill and Blair capitalized on it. That was it."
Having won the event three years in a row, Morgan was asked at the medal ceremony if he would ever lose the title of Winter X Games SnoCross champion.
"I don't want to. I have wanted to win every single competition I'm in. I had a couple seconds before and it made me even more hungry to win the other ones."
But he does admit that the competition is getting more intense.
"This was the toughest year by far. Last year I had the holeshot and was leading. This year I had to come through the pack and battle for awhile. It was fun. Well worth it."
As for Eckstrom, he'll be chasing Morgan all year long, in hopes of a rematch at Winter X Games VIII.
"I hope things come around so I can be back and try for the gold next year."
Related Photos:
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