You had zero MTB skills. Paying tuition in skin usually helps us pay attention. It will go better next time. I raced in Germany a few times and it was a complete joke--I'd be the only one finishing with scabs, second or third non-German, and about 12-15 minutes behind the last German finisher.

The only thing that makes you appreciate how good US roads really are, more than road racing in Mexico is a serene, sight-seeing mountainbike ride on a recently-maintained fireroad.