Kovarik may be checking the classifieds

If you think really hard, so hard you have to squint your eyes you will slowly remember those early days of Team Qranc out of Big Bear back in 1999. All right now that you have that memory concentrate on those GT Lobos they were riding, you know the one with the Hope hub, Rock Shox disc brakes and the quintessential red Boxxer. Now that I have got your synapse firing it should be easy to remember a young Chris Kovarik on this team. Wide-eyed and bushy tailed, ready to destroy anything that Norba threw in front of him.

Well that was one of my first memories of the guy, seeing him destroy the course and the bike. He then moved onto Intense, an American powerhouse company with an Australian powerhouse rider. He would hit the Norba and World Cup circuit with friends Nathan Rennie of Yeti as well as Steve Peat and Kirt Vories of GT. His most standout race would come in 2002 at Fort William, Scotland. He crushed the field of pro men, winning by 14 seconds. Which still stands as one of the most impressive wins and displays of bike handling ever. In 2003 he suffered a badly broken ankle from a motocross accident, the accident and an offer from Haro would put his career in jeopardy with Intense. Steber brought him back and in 2005 he began racing the World Cup circuit once again.

His career lately has been rocky, with mechanicals and flats he sunk down the standings. It didn't help that the Canucks wouldn't let him into the country taking away his chance at Mount Saint Anne, which he won in 2006. So it is no huge surprise to hear rumors of him leaving the MS-Intense race team. The speculation has been floating around of possibly Matti Lehikoinen filling his shoes on the team with his recent departure from big ole factory Honda.

One thing is certain it is a marvel to watch Kovarik ride, he shows such utter disdain for the terrain in front of him and makes the trail beg for forgiveness. Scott Hart said it best about his riding style "evil".

He will soon land another ride if he needs it and we will all have to get used to seeing him on something other than a Steber bike. Of course if you look hard enough, you know enough to squint you may just see him on his old Lobo.