Monthly Archives: September 2015

Freetown 50

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Noah Tautfest and Karen Potter Conquer the Freetown 50

 

Perfect late summer weather for the Eastern Fat Tire Mountain bike series finale at Freetown State forest.  Early morning threatening a light shower but the sun came out at the day wore on and course conditions were near perfect.

Mountain Bike legend Tinker Juarez toed the line among top New Englander racers.  The Freetown 50, in its third year running, boasted some course changes to help eliminate some paved road and dirt road sections.  This simply meant more boney, technical, rocky singletrack and slower race times then previous years.  Although race promoters made it quite clear that the course could be even harder if they chose to make it so.

Racers had to face the toughest 8 miles of the 25 mile lap right from the start.  Rock gardens were plentiful.  Choosing good lines and maintaining momentum were key to staying on the bike and riding a fast lap. The middle of the course was where racers could gain some time and relax a bit more on the bike handling skills with some smoother trails and dirt road sections.  Around mile 15, the rough singletrack started up again for several miles ending on some bone rattling rock gardens before finishing out the lap on dirt road.

Riders enjoy the singletrack at Freetown 50. Photo by Deb Levesque

Riders enjoy the singletrack at Freetown 50. Photo by Deb Levesque

In the Elite/Open men’s field, Noah Tautfest (Bicycle Express), Billy Melone (ATA Cycles) Tinker Juarez (RideBiker Alliance/ShowAir), Neal Burton (ERRACE) and Matt Boobar all took off fast and hot.  Boobar faded off the pace first and Burton backed off about half-way through the first lap realizing the need to pace himself to finish the full two laps.  Melone, Tautfest and Juarez stayed together until early in the second lap Melone sliced his tire and had to abandon the race.  After that Tautfest rode clean and slowly opened up a gap on Juarez that held for the win in 4:12;  Juarez finished in 2nd 3 minutes back.  Burton rounded out the podium for 3rd in 4:33.

Tinker Juarez chose a super technical and rock garden laden course for his first race back after an injury sidelined him earlier this season.  He admitted it was more technical than he thought it would be thinking his “local” friends were exaggerating as to the toughness of the course.  He quickly found out differently but enjoyed the course nonetheless.

Karen Potter on her way to a Freetown 50 win. Photo by Deb Levesque

Karen Potter on her way to a Freetown 50 win. Photo by Deb Levesque

In the Elite/Open women’s field, Karen Potter (Pivot/Epic Brewing) took the early lead showing her strong rock riding technical skills and maintained it for the win coming in 4:59.  Alicia Faustini (Laurel Bike Club) followed up in 2nd in 5:29.  Pamela Fielding rounded out the podium in third.

For full results of the 50 miler, 25 mile and beginner race see here:  http://www.barttiming.com/lt/livetiming.htm

KENDA NUE Finals – Georgia

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Fool’s Gold 100

Carla Williams Repeats at Fool’s Gold and Keck Baker Locks Up NUE Title

Dahlonega, Georgia

Written by: Ryan O’Dell

The Fool’s Gold 100, the final stop of the Kenda National Ultra Endurance Series, became pivotal for many racers taking this final opportunity to improve their national ranking.

In addition to race day awards, the top five NUE Division winners, top 10 in the larger Men’s Open division, will receive a share of the $12,000 cash purse. Each of the four division winners will also be rewarded with complimentary entry into All NUE races in 2016, a custom made NUE Champions Jersey by Voler, along with an all-expense paid trip, including airfare, to Costa Rica to represent NUE at the La Ruta del los Conquistadores November 5-7, http://www.adventurerace.com/ . La Ruta is a UCI sanctioned three day stage race that stretches across Costa Rica from the Pacific to the Caribbean along an amazing course that includes two volcanoes, two oceans, Jungles and high-mountain passes.

2015 was the first year that all divisions were decided before the championship race. Three of the four NUE Race Series Champions successfully defended their titles this year. For racer’s who had already completed three NUE races this season, needing just one more finish to become ranked and eligible for prizes, Fool’s Gold marked the final opportunity to meet the four race series minimum. All NUE Series finishers, who do not receive cash awards, receive prize packages from NUE Series sponsors.

Brenda Simril on her way to another NUE series title - photo by H&H Multimedia

Brenda Simril on her way to another NUE series title – photo by H&H Multimedia

Women’s Open

And the winner is, Carla Williams!

Carla Williams, Joe’s Bike Shop Racing Team, took top honors for a second straight year at the Fool’s Gold 100 finishing 8:55:55 moving her into second place overall in the NUE Series rankings, “I love the Fool’s Gold course. It was great to be back this year and the trails were even more fun and fast than I remembered. The course was a bit longer this year. We climbed Cooper’s Gap twice which was challenging but I like the ups and tried to set a strong pace from the start. I will definitely be back to do the NUE series next year. See you at Cohutta!”

Brenda Simril, Motor Mile Racing, finished second on the day at 9:20:45. Simril completed eight of nine races this season including first place finishes at the Bailey Hundo, Tatanka 100, and Big Bear Grizzly 100. Over many years now, Simril has completed more than 50 NUE Races and successfully defended her NUE Race Series title this year.

“This season started out very different for me due to illnesses and injuries but finally got kicked into full gear by Bailey. To repeat as the NUE Champion this year is a huge honor and something I’m extremely proud of. The women who competed in each race are super strong and competitive. It’s great to meet new folks as well as build on the friendships over the years.

Fool’s Gold is a great way to cap off the season and (race director) Lisa does a fantastic job pulling everything together. We had incredible weather and the trails were in great condition for a fast course. This year was fun because (husband) Lee is competing in the Master’s category so I had inspiration to ride hard with him even though the series overall was wrapped up for me.

Carla is incredibly strong so I knew it would take superhuman effort to beat her, which I obviously didn’t have :) Kudos to her and the great season she’s had as well.

As for La Ruta, Lee and I are absolutely thrilled to be going back. What a fantastic adventure it was last year! (race director) Roman and his staff put on an amazing event so I couldn’t be more excited to return. I can’t think of a better way to end the season.”

Fourteen minutes behind the defending champion, Liz Carrington, CRC Janitorial-Cannondale p/b Hassle Free Sports, took the third spot on the podium at 9:34:39.

Keck Baker took the open men's race and the series title in Georgia. Photo by H&H Multimedia

Keck Baker took the open men’s race and the series title in Georgia. Photo by H&H Multimedia

 

Men’s Open

Baker gets the win and the NUE Race Series title!

Keck Baker, Cannondale/ChampSys pb Harley Davidson, was the first to cross the line at Fool’s Gold in 7:32:41 earning a perfect score of four in the NUE Race Series that also included wins at the True Grit Epic, Wilderness 101, and the Hampshire 100. Baker earned his first ever NUE Race Series title and will travel to Costa Rica to join the three other NUE Champions who successfully defended their titles.

“I was excited to be able to toe up to the line this year healthy. With the beautiful weather, perfect trail conditions, and a stacked field there was no question that this would be a very fast and demanding race, and a perfect end to the NUE season. I showed up fully prepared to fight for a win so I could end the season proving to myself that I really deserved that NUE overall title of which I had already been crowned.

As usual, the race started when Bryan Lewis attacked at the start of the first big climb which was right after a neutral roll out. I decided to answer just for fun and, afterwards, was questioning why I did that. The field answered very quickly and the tone of the race had been set right from the start.
Up and over the top we had a modest group and then we screamed down the backside to arrive at some super-fast and, what I consider, extremely buff single track. I was able to gain the hole shot and just had a really good time carving through the forest. All day we pushed the single track about as fast as our tires would allow, especially when Bryan Lewis decided to get on the front and smash it for a good hour. We only let off the pace while out on the dirt roads that followed each section of single track.

At the start of the second lap our group was now down to just three riders, Dylan Johnson, Bryan Lewis, and me. Brian Schworm had suffered a flat into lap one dropping him and his teammate out of our group. Up the start of the big gravel road climb (second time up) we settled into a very welcoming casual pace where we were able to relax and take in some much needed calories preparing ourselves for the single track to follow. As we crested the top we were joined again by Gordon Wadsworth who was mashing a huge gear in single speed fashion.

We stopped at aid 5 to refill our bottles and I was hoping to be able to pull a few rocks out of my shoes when, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, Brian Schworm flew by us going at least 25mph.  One of the best and most chilling memories of the whole ride was him looking over smiling and giving us a cheerful, “hey guys” as he blew past. I just turned to everyone and said, “I told you so”, finished my bottle fill, and then rocketed off after Bryan Lewis who was already in hot pursuit of Schworm.

Bryan and I were able to make contact with Schworm again shortly into the next single track section. Schworm was riding like a man on a mission and was hard on the throttle. The race was getting very interesting. Gordon and Dylan were not so quick through the feed zone and were never able to make contact again due to the pace setting by Schworm. I would say a little over midway through the second lap, Lewis suffered a flat at which point Schworm took the pace up one more click. He was a man determined to win and, at the least, get the second place finish he needed to move up in the NUE overall standings. He knew what he had to do and he was doing it. I was just along for the ride.

I pulled a little here and there but, deep down; I really wanted Lewis to make contact with us again for a few reasons. He is young and has the possibility for a profitable future in the sport so I would have been really happy to see him take the win. But, although he said he only messed with his flat for about a minute, the blistering pace that Schworm had decided to set was just a little too fast so I started focusing on how I might be able to best Schworm.

I had a plan in place and decided to stick with it until I sensed that Schworm needed to recover from the previous pace. I figured that my plan must change so, sensing the opportunity; I attacked on some double track rollers and was able to get clear.  It was earlier than I wanted to start an attempt at a solo march due to the nature of the course but I set off on a move that proved to be the right one.

I had a great day of racing.  I luckily suffered no flats thanks to the protection tires I was running and, while they are heavier than others, nothing can slow you down like a flat. Kudos to Conti for making a tire that is a great compromise in regards to performance and protection and another  big thanks to Cannondale for crafting the scalpel which slices through the trail with precision as its name suggests, and cliff nutrition for keeping the tank full. All of this put together by the Championsystem/Cannondale mtb team, my local shop Carytown Bicycle CO and one of my faithful sponsors of many years, Battley Harley Davidson. I am very aware that none of this might have been possible without having such great sponsors/products.

Now that I will be representing the NUE series at La Ruta, a new challenge awaits, one of adventure and suffering like I have never experienced. I had best stop typing as typing is not training and, from the looks of the event, I have no time to waste. Adventure awaits!”

Less than four minutes behind Baker, Brian Schworm, Think Green Pedal the Planet p/b Sword, finished second at 7:36:34. Schworm led the NUE Race Series through the first five races, winning both the Cohutta 100 and the Lumberjack 100 and, as a result, earning an all-expense paid trip to NUE’s newest race, The Rincon Challenge near Liberia, Costa Rica where he finished in the top fifteen.

“At the start of the race I knew I had to get second in order to secure second place in the NUE Series (Keck had a lock on first place in the overall standing) otherwise I would have been, at best, fourth place. The race started off well, we had a nice group of about seven or eight and we were going at a nice moderate pace.

Once we got to Bull Mountain I had a few issues. First, I noticed my front tire was a little low so I stopped to air it up. Complications with my CO2 inflator caused that to take longer than I expected. Secondly, on the decent I was trying to catch back on and was probably pushing it too hard because I hit a rock and completely flatted. My hopes for second were completely dashed but I wanted to continue on anyway.

After I got going, I was in tenth place and six minutes behind the leaders. I pressed on and caught two riders at the bottom of the descent and two more in the singletrack before starting lap two. Once I got to the big gravel climb, I caught Chris who was initially in the top five. That gave me a second wind because I thought the remaining four might not be too far ahead. I hammered that climb and actually caught them at the very top. From there Keck, Bryan (Lewis) and I were riding well until Bryan also flatted. I was trying to keep the pace high since it was now looking good for a second place finish in the NUE series.

Keck attacked up Bull Mountain and I was unable to respond. Fortunately, I was able to maintain a good pace to secure a second place finish in the race and second place overall in the NUE Series. I am very pleased with my second place finish in the NUE Series. I couldn’t have done it without a great team (especially my teammate Nate Cornelius), my amazing sponsors, and most importantly, my wife. I’m really looking forward to the 2016 NUE Series and giving it another go.” Four minutes behind Schworm, Bryan Lewis hung on to finish third at 7:40:42.

One of the youngest ever NUE contenders, Twenty-year-old Dylan Johnson, Scott Pro Mountain Bike Team, finished just four minutes later at 7:44:18 to place fourth. In doing so, Johnson improved his score in this “lowest point’s wins race series” to fourteen, moving his series standing up to fifth place overall in the NUE Race Series.

Ten minutes behind Johnson, defending NUE Race Series SS Champion, Gordon Wadsworth, Blue Ridge Cyclery Pivot Cycles/i9, having already successfully defended his NUE SS title, registered in the Open division riding his singlespeed Pivot, to place fifth in 7:55:43. With this finish, Wadsworth also completed four races in the Men’s Open, garnering eighth place overall in the Men’s Open Division. “

Singlespeed

Moss First at FG100, second overall in the NUE Race Series!

Following big wins at the Mohican MTB100 and Wilderness 101 earlier this season, Bob Moss, Farnsworth Bikes/Crank Arm Brewery, put it down at the final race to finish in 8:07:53! With this victory, Moss finished the NUE Race Series second overall including second place finishes at both the Hampshire 100 and Shenandoah 100 in addition to his three wins.

Next was Peat Henry, Team Noah Foundation/Dogfish, placing second in 8:46:19. Henry’s finish moved him up to third overall in the NUE SS Series Standings following second place finishes at both the Mohican MTB100 and Tatanka 100.

Jonathan Hicks took the third spot on the podium finishing 10:10:53.

 

Masters 50+

Clayton puts an exclamation point on an amazing race season!

50-year-old Jeff Clayton, Super Sport Athletic Wear, smashed the competition by fifty minutes to finish in 8:03:21. Clayton, when adding this win to his wins at the Cohutta 100 and Shenandoah 100, plus his second place finish at the Mohican MTB100, moved up to second place overall in the NUE Race Series.

Although Clayton had twice gotten the best of the defending NUE Race Series Champion, Roger Masse, Rare Disease Cycling, Masse was able to successfully defend his title with a perfect score of four points that included early season wins at True Grit Epic, Mohican MTB100, Lumberjack 100, and Wilderness 101. As a result, Masse will once again represent the NUE Race Series at the LaRuta de los Conquistadores in Costa Rica.

“While I was disappointed that Masters 50+ leader (winner) Roger Masse would miss the race, I was still very motivated.  I’d done the Fool’s Gold five or six times in years past, so I knew the course well. I raced well at the Shenandoah 100 and felt like I had a good idea of how to pace myself now and proper nutrition after having done a few hundies. I didn’t think I would stay with the lead group long at all up the initial long Coopers gap gravel climb but, since I wasn’t suffering too badly, I managed a good twenty minutes or so before easing up and watching the ten or so in the lead pack pull away.  From there it was a matter of coalescing with a few guys who also fell off the pace. Most of my first lap was spent back and forth with Bob Moss, he being quicker on the descents and me slightly faster on the steeper climbs.

After the first loop of the course I was feeling pretty good and led Bob and Nick Bragg up much of the second Coopers gap climb. They were busy chatting away so I guess I made a pretty nice pace for them!  We eventually caught up with Jesse Kelly and Nick decided it was time to fly and left us in his dust.  Jesse turned up the pace a little and Bob came off. We passed a couple of other “first group” guys and were making good time along the ridgeline road mostly thanks to Jesse. Jesse and I (both being older guys) descend at about the same level of sanity which helped keep us together.  I gapped him on most of the Bull mountain climb, but he fought back and caught me right at the top of the tricky Bare Hare portion.

After descending Bull Mountain together, we entered the flowy Jake mountain section and I mentioned that Bob Moss was just coming into the double aid station as we left…basically I was saying/thinking, “I don’t want that damn single speeder beating me!” so, summoning whatever I had left in my legs, I shifted up as high as I could to take on every climb and pulled away from Jesse. The last twelve miles or so were a solo ride though Jesse stayed strong and I only beat him by a couple of minutes, and held off Bob too.  I missed you Roger Masse!”

59-year-old Greg Turner, Cartecay Bikes, was next to cross the finish line at 8:53:36. “The course conditions were excellent.  The single track was fantastic.  I knew I could not ride with Jeff Clayton, so I just kept it steady. It was a long day.”

51-year-old Anthony Hergert, Rescue Racing, took third in 9:16:12. Hergert finished five out of seven NUE races this season, ending his season strong with his best finish of the year!

Four minutes later, Lee Simril, Motor Mile Racing, completed the course in 9:20:48 in fourth place. Simril had the best season of his ultra-racing career, completing eight of ten NUE races, the most of any Masters racer this season! Simril also posted his first every NUE win at the Tatanka 100 and finished in the top six at every race he completed. As a result, Simril ranks fourth overall in the NUE Series, just behind Greg Golet, Team Chico, who placed third overall.

Sixteen minutes behind Simril, David Jolin, Stark Velo, ended his season strong to finish fifth at 9:36:01 in a Masters field that has become increasingly talented and competitive since the NUE Series began in 2005. Overall, Jolin finished seven of the eight NUE Races he entered, dropping out of Hampshire only after missing a turn and getting off course. As a result, he finished the NUE Race Season in the top five overall. “Today was a perfect day for racing at Fools Gold. The course was in great shape and well-marked. I had a great start to the race with pretty much the majority of the master’s racers. Jeff Clayton, over the past few races, has been at a another level than the rest of the field (hats off). As for me, all was going well until about mile 65 when some digestive issues plagued my efforts costing me about three places and slipping to 5th place for the day.  Hat’s off to all that completed the two laps of the course. Right now, I just wanna sit back, de train and enjoy the fall season of riding at a recreation pace. The NUE series continues to be a great set of venues to go and ride mountain bikes with upwards of 600 friends. I have nothing but total respect for the winners of their respective divisions this year. Congratulations to all!”

Just one minute behind Jolin, sixth place went to 53-year-old Mark Drogalis, Toasted Head Racing, in 9:37:26, his best finish this season.

WHATS NEXT: For the last two years, NUE Champions have a perfect record of first place finishes at LaRuta. Can they maintain such a high standard against some of the best stage racing ultra-competitors in the world?! Stay tuned right here for the complete overall standings and follow the Kenda NUE Series Champions as they compete with racers from all over the world at the LaRuta this November! www.nuemtb.com

Click Here for full results of the 2015 Fool’s Gold 100

Epic-Rides Launches New Event in Carson City, Nevada

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Todd Sadow of Epic Rides Announces Newest Race in Carson City, Nevada

The team at Epic Rides is at it again. This time launching a new race and $100,000 series.

Their newest race in Carson City, Nevada, will follow the format of the Whiskey Off-Road and Grand Junction Off-Road including a fat-tire crit and long distance cross country for amateur and pro riders.

The Carson City event will join Whiskey and Grand Junction to form a 3-race series that will payout a minimum of $100,000 for series winners. Payout will be equal between men and women as it is with all Epic Ride events.

Check out the video of Todd Sadow making the big announcement at Interbike today.

House and Schneeberger Dominate at Treadfest

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House and Schneeberger Dominate at Treadfest
Report by Todd Nutter
Fans and competitors of the Wisconsin Off Road Series (WORS) gathered once again in Lake Geneva, WI for the 2015 Treadfest race. A staple on the WORS calendar, Treadfest offers racers a rare opportunity to ride some of the best private trails the area has to offer. Hidden deep within the grounds of the Grand Geneva Resort, the course takes advantage of the summertime availability of a downhill ski area. This means riders are sent climbing up through a sea of screaming fans from the start of the race. The course is surrounded by a beautiful golf course for spectators to appreciate, while competitors are more focused on navigating through its rocky and root filled terrain.
Tristan Schouten (Rolf Prima/Attitdue Sports) Doesn’t let the leaders escape

Tristan Schouten (Rolf Prima/Attitdue Sports) Doesn’t let the leaders escape

The Cat 1/Pro men’s race, sponsored by Belgioioso Cheese, brought some of the fastest guys in the midwest out on a hot and humid Sunday. This type of course is usually preferred by known climbers like Nathan Guerra (Vision Cycling) and Cole House (Broken Spoke), but the weather did not make it easy for either racer. There was a sprint preme provided by Loft and Shove (http://www.loftandshove.com) MTB gear for the first racer over the wooden flyover bridge. The prologue lap skipped this feature, so racers needed to shoot for the sprint coming into the 2nd lap. Guerra and House were both fighting for position to grab this purse, with House coming out on top. Once they passed the bridge, both riders allowed former WORS overall winners Tristan Schouten (Rolf Prima/Attitude Sports) and Brian Matter (KS Energy/MOSH) to pass and take a turn at pulling the group along. They were already in position before entering the fans’ next favorite vantage point, the rock garden.
Cole House (Broken Spoke) Leads Matter through the rocks

Cole House (Broken Spoke) Leads Matter through the rocks

For Treadfest, this means a descending path of loose river rocks starting at the top of the ski hill and followed by a luge-style staircase riddled with drops. Needless to say, it is a demanding course that takes a lot of focus to control. One of the most challenging aspects for the riders was staying hydrated. It was 95 degrees and extremely humid causing riders to perspire much more than usual, very few sections being ideal for grabbing a bottle. Shortly behind the 4 lead men was Ben Senkerik (Team Extreme) who was racing mostly alone but trying to catch the leaders. At the start of the final lap, House was leading until he ran into some trouble after a bad water handup and ended up going over the edge of a downhill stretch of single track. His great bike handling skills kept him upright as he rode through the grass, but he did give up two positions to Matter and Schouten. Those spots were later reclaimed before the end of the race giving House the Win just 7 seconds over Matter. Schouten finished 3rd with Guerra following in 4th and Senkerik in 5th.
Leia Schneeberger (Vision Cycling) Shows no fear

Leia Schneeberger (Vision Cycling) Shows no fear

The women’s race was dominated by the ladies of the Vision Cycling team grabbing all 3 of the top spots with Leia Schneeberger in the lead. Schneeberger started her racing career at this very event only a few years back. She worked her way up and is showing the other women that she has no fear in a tough and rocky course like Lake Geneva. Following her was her teammate Lindsay Guerra, wife of Nathan Guerra who is the founder of Vision Cycling. Guerra was one of many who ran into a bit of trouble navigating the rounded stones in the rock garden. As she recounted, she was being followed by another rider who was coming up too fast behind her in the rocks which caused her to ride above her comfort speed in the descent. This lead to an unfortunate trip over the bars for her. She got and rode it off with slightly crooked bars for the remainder of the race. But because she did not stop to fix them, she did give up any time to her other teammate, Jeanne Hornak. Hornak says she does well in hot races and proved it in this event. Although, climbing isn’t her primary strength, Hornak handled the conditions better than most to grab one of her best finishes to date.
Lindsay Guerra (Vision Cycling) Flies over the Loft and Shove Bridge

Lindsay Guerra (Vision Cycling) Flies over the Loft and Shove Bridge

WORS has two more races left on the calendar with the next event being a new one on the roster. The Hinson Forest Epic will take place on September 27th in LaCrosse, WI. For more info visit WORS.org

Alex Grant’s World Champs Blog

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Prior to this trip I had never raced In Europe. When people asked me if I had I would always say “No, I haven’t, yet…” in the back of my mind wondering if I ever would. In the past I had entertained the idea of racing Trans-Alp or one of the big stage races, but it never fell into place.

I wish it wasn’t so expensive, or far away, because the mountain bike racing scene in Europe is amazing right now. I am sure some of the general energy and buzz around this one can be attributed to the fact that it is the World Championships and all the major riders and national teams were there, along with thousands of fans. There is so much at stake at worlds, a lot of national pride and the privilege of wearing the coveted rainbow striped for the next season. This year’s race is also ahead of an Olympic year, so everyone brought their A Game and wanted to get as many points as possible for themselves and their country.

Overlooking the Andorran Pyrennes

Overlooking the Andorran Pyrennes

As for myself, I hadn’t come with any aspirations to win the rainbow jersey and was realistic about my chances, being my first Worlds and also first race in Europe.  Even though the venue was at an altitude of 6,000’ or so, which suited me, the course didn’t have a lot of sustained pedaling or descending sections. That meant that passing would be harder, and starting 99th out of 113 guys I knew that passing would be the name of the game.

When race day rolled around I was feeling ready to go even though it has been a bit of a rough week (see my previous post about the delayed and broken bike). I hadn’t been sleeping too well all week, which is another aspect of racing in Europe that I need to dial in. I had either been waking up shortly after falling asleep and laying there awake for hours, or not being able to fall asleep. I tried not to worry about it and didn’t nap too much in fear of making it even harder to sleep at night. Anyway it is all part of the learning process and I have some ideas for next time, beginning with a little red wine at dinner time ;).

Race day was sunny and cool, but course conditions were a big unknown due to two days of rain. The U23’s and juniors had had treacherous conditions the days prior, with the U23 men being the worst. Keegan came back after rocking a 12th place finish swearing that it would not be dry in time and to switch to mud tires. I threw on the Kenda Honey Badger Pros in place of the Small Block Eight and the Scalpel was ready to roll.

Not many flat roads in Andorra

Not many flat roads in Andorra

The race itself was crazy. As suspected I was about last row, the last two rows generally blur together once everyone rolls up. I had noticed a big puddle on the right side so I lined up back middle, and when the gun went off made it through past the puddle without getting wet. Got to take the small wins where you can get them.

Starting World Cups and Worlds at the back is pretty frustrating, but I just try to maintain a positive attitude. It goes something like this: SPRINT, BRAKE, SPRINT, BRAKE… Stop, get off, walk your bike, try to run, stop, wait your turn to get through some trees, try to get on, get knocked over by a guy running by, try to get on, endo on a guy crashed in front of you, run, remount, SPRINT, BRAKE, get off walk… Repeat. This track was particularly bad in the first half lap because it was so slippery technical, as well as tight in spots. It was a cluster out there for sure. I knew that would be the case, and even though this course was at altitude and suited me, it would be really hard to move up first lap.

After one lap I came through in 84th place and almost four minutes down. Ouch, I knew I had to kick it in gear if I were going to stay in the race. Luckily things opened up a bit second lap and I was able to pass 21 guys. I still got balled up behind people and had to run a bit, but not as bad as lap one. I came through after lap two in 63rd and feeling OK, though suffering for sure. I started lap three well, then made a dumb mistake of my own and crashed on a tough section. I flipped over and landed hard on my rib, ringing my bell pretty good.

Unfortunately my rib was injured and it hurt to breathe right away. Every breath hurt especially the deepest ones on the climbs, and there were plenty of those. It took me a minute to get back going again, my rib hurt but adrenaline kicked in and I was able to push through it. It is hard to say how much it limited me, but I gutted it out for the next three laps and continued to move up. I passed a few guys each lap and by the finish was 50th place, which I had set as my goal. Of course after the race we always want more, but it was a good day.

One thing is for sure, it was an amazing experience and I learned a lot about what I can do to improve next time, both in preparation and during the race. I’m not sure what the next one will be as this MTB season is a wrap for me, and I am really looking forward to some down time this fall with my wife Sammi and our five-month-old daughter Eleanor.

USAC HQ

USAC HQ

I need to thank USA Cycling for the opportunity to represent the United States over there, it was a privilege. I also want to say thanks to my long time sponsors for supporting me over the years and helping me get to this point, namely Cannondale, ENVE Composites, Ridebiker Alliance/Sho-Air, CTS and my coach Adam Pulford, as well as all of my new and smaller sponsors, too many to name.

Thanks for reading!

Park City Point 2 Point

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Rob Squire and Evelyn Dong Take Down Point 2 Point

Written by: Shannon Boffeli

Once again the Park City Point 2 Point lived up to its reputation as one of the toughest endurance races in the west. 78 miles, 90% singletrack, 12,000 feet of elevation gained, and stacked fields make the Point 2 Point a serious brute of a race and a major accomplishment for all who finish. Most riders will tell you racing the Point 2 Point makes the Leadville 100 seem easy.

The 7am start was unusually warm this year. Blustery winds made pack riding popular in the opening miles of the race.

After the first hour, a lead group of 12 riders took up the front of the open men’s race. As riders started the long, slow climb up to Deer Valley’s Silver Lake Lodge Hincapie Racing rider Rob Squire made the first acceleration of the day, jumping around a pack of riders on a short section of road and putting in a hard effort on the following climb.

Squire’s “test” of the leaders proved to be a major selection as he quickly built a lead on the way to Silver Lake and kept the hammer down using his impressive climbing speed to open a sizable gap on the hour-long climb through Deer Valley.

Justin Lindine (Competitive Cyclist) proved to be Squire’s closest competition but struggling with a softening tire for part of the day insured he would not be able to close the gap on the lone leader which stood at 9 minutes after the Park City feed zone just 22 miles from the finish.

Josh Tostado putting in a hard effort to catch Justin Lindine. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli

Josh Tostado putting in a hard effort to catch Justin Lindine. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli

At that point Lindine was feeling a threat to his own position coming from a hard-charging Josh Tostado (Santa Cruz). Tostado had Lindine in his sight at the base of the day’s final big climb up Armstrong trail.

Shortly after leaving Park City Resort the Point 2 Point unleashed some added brutality on the racers as a brief storm dropped temperatures 20 degrees and pelted the lead riders with hail and rain.

Freak hailstorms weren’t enough to slow down Rob Squire as he powered through the final miles of singletrack, so cold he couldn’t feel his fingers on the brake levers.

Squire crossed the line with a time of 6:32:29 and claimed his $2,000 for the win. Over 12 minutes ahead of Justin Lindine who surged in the final portions of the race to maintain his position.

That left three riders to battle for third place, which all came down to the final mile before the finish. With just minutes left to race Drew Free (Revolution) occupied the third position with Josh Tostado just behind him and Park City resident Sam Sweetser (Cole Sport) bearing down on them both.

Aaron Campbell throwing down a big effort on the enduro segment just 5 months after breaking his femur. Photo by: Angie Harker

Aaron Campbell throwing down a big effort on the enduro segment just 5 months after breaking his femur. Photo by: Angie Harker

Sweetser had planned a late charge from the day’s start and the race was unfolding according to his plans. Shortly after making contact with Tostado the Santa Cruz rider dropped his chain and was forced to pull over. This allowed Sweetser to sprint past quickly bridging up to Free.

“I saw Sam coming for me,” Drew Free shared after the race. “I knew there was one short little climb before the finish and I sprinted up that pretty confident that I would leave Sam behind. At the top I looked behind again thinking he would be gone but he was passing me!”

With the finish line just ahead Sam Sweetser wrested third place from Drew Free and crossed the line just 10 seconds clear of the Revolution rider with Tostado crossing the line 11 seconds later.

Evelyn Dong handles the roots and everything else at the 2015 Point 2 Point. Photo by: Angie Harker

Evelyn Dong handles the roots and everything else at the 2015 Point 2 Point. Photo by: Angie Harker

The women’s race had a very different feel. With several of the best ultra-endurance racers in the country on hand, there was no clear favorite at the start.

Fresh off a win at the Breck Epic, Evelyn Dong (Sho-Air/Cannondale) was clearly in good condition but so was Sonya Looney (Freakshow Defeet) who recently won the Rincon de Viaja 100-miler in Costa Rica.

To confuse things even more, the field included Marlee Dixon (Pivot/Epic Brewing) who finished second at Breck Epic taking a stage win in front of Dong. Also sure to be in the mix was Steamboat Springs rider Kelly Boniface (Moots) and locals Sarah Kaufmann (Stan’s NoTubes) and Meghan Sheridan (UtahMountainBiking.com).

Sonya Looney got off to a great start. Opening up a lead early on in the winding singletrack of Round Valley. Unfortunately for her, about 45 minutes in she followed an open men’s rider off course and lost about 5 minutes before returning to the missed corner.

Her misdirection dropped her back in the field and allowed Evelyn Dong to get out front.

Once the climbing started Dong was in her element. A long-time resident of Park City the Sho-Air rider has spent hours and hours riding the limitless singletrack of Park City and polishing her climbing skills. Once out front she used her light, high-cadence climbing style to stretch the gap on her competitors.

Few can match Dong’s climbing speed especially at altitude and it showed as she quickly made her way through much of the open men’s field who had started 2 minutes in front of her.

Behind the leader Colorado riders Marlee Dixon and Kelly Boniface were once again locked in battle as they both crested the climb out of Deer Valley within seconds of each other.

Looney was solidly in 4th position now with Meghan Sheridan in 5th.

By the time riders reached Park City Resort Evelyn Dong had increased her lead but now Marlee Dixon occupied second place just in front of Boniface.

Kelly Boniface sits in 2nd exiting the Deer Valley climb. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli

Kelly Boniface sits in 2nd exiting the Deer Valley climb. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli

Neither Colorado rider had anything left to chase down Evelyn Dong who was too far out front and eventually crossed the line with a nine minute advantage.

Marlee Dixon used the final 22 miles from Park City to the Canyons to open up a slim one-minute advantage over Boniface to finish second with Boniface taking third.

Sonya Looney stayed steady in fourth all the way to the finish.

NoTubes rider Sarah Kaufmann showed good form late in the race, overtaking Meghan Sheridan for the final podium position.

For the second year the Point 2 Point featured a mid-race enduro segment that included one of the long downhill sections on course. Justin Lindine took the title in the open men’s race while Marlee Dixon claimed the title for the women. Each racer took home $100 for the win.

Click Here for full results from all categories 

Click Here for full enduro results from all categories

Alex Grant’s World Champs Blog

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It’s been a wild ride, but I am here in Andorra about to go out and do the final course check ahead of tomorrow’s World Championship XC race. This week has been a blur of travel and intermittent sleep (for some reason I am not adjusting to the time change well), with some bike rides and lots of good meals mixed in.

I left Salt Lake City on Sunday morning, and by the time I arrived in Andorra it was about 3pm local time on Monday, and I had barely slept. Unfortunately I don’t sleep well on planes so these longer flights kind of kick my butt. I resisted the temptation to just crash and nap after lunch, grabbed a coffee, and went for a short spin to change some money and just get outside. I also hoped this would help me sleep better at night, which it did, even if just for one night.

Alex digs deep at the Mount St. Anne world cup

Alex digs deep at the Mount St. Anne world cup

Unfortunately my first spin was not on my own bike, as it didn’t make it to Barcelona on my flight. USA Cycling saved me with a loaner bike, which I needed the next day as well, my bike didn’t show up until Tuesday night. I put the loaner to good use on Tuesday and did a mellow road ride up some mountain passes, and even crossed over in to Spain on a dirt road for a few miles. The views are incredible and the mountains are beautiful here. The Pyrenees are dramatic mountains with a lot of steep slopes and huge vertical relief.

My bike finally arrived Tuesday night after dinner, and I rushed to start building it up. Right away I noticed that the airline had crushed my bag and cracked the frame! Aaarrrgggghhh! I tried not to panic and luckily didn’t need to as the next day the Cannondale Factory Racing team saved my butt with a replacement swing arm, which the USAC mechanics promptly installed, and I was on course Wednesday afternoon.

alexs bike

The course is awesome. It is super hard all around with really steep short climbs and some steep technical descents. All the climbs are less than one minute long so it will be a really punchy race and will surely tax the legs and lungs a lot. It is also super treacherous in wet conditions, which the juniors and U23’s are experiencing. It looks dry for our race but you never know.

Tomorrow is the elite race, and I have my work cut out for me for sure. I have number 97, which means that almost 100 of the best riders in the world will be called up ahead of me. I am rooming with Russell Finsterwald and he likes to make the goal of halving his start number. I like it. Honestly that’s about all I can hope for, that is a lot of passes to make still! I’ll add to that the goal of finishing on the lead lap, and there we go, two things to shoot for.

So far it has been a great week over here with top-notch support from USA Cycling. It has been great to stay with the national team, we have a solid group of riders in all categories right now, most importantly everyone has a great attitude and is having fun.

I’ll check back in after the race, hopefully with some good war stories.

Thanks for reading and good luck to all the Park City Point 2 Point racers back home.