Life Time Grand Prix Sea Otter Classic 80k

Moriah Wilson & Keegan Swenson Life Time Grand Prix Round 1

Moriah Wilson (Specialized) turned in perhaps the most impressive ride of the day in Monterrey, California, being known as more of a gravel rider, she was able to drop a mountain bike olympian and a reigning mountain bike national champion on her way to the finish.

Wilson rode strong in the front group all day coming into the final climb with US marathon national champion Alexis Skarda (Santa Cruz HT Squad) and Argentine olympic rider Sofia Gomez Villafane (Specialized) before turning the screws opening a gap that she held to the line.

Gomez Villafane held on for second just in front of Alexis Skarda.

In the men’s event Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz HT Squad) controlled the race from start to finish. Swenson’s early pace created the first selection trimming the field to a select group of seven with Russell Finsterwald (Specialized), Tobin Ortenblad (Santa Cruz HT Squad), Andrew L’Esperance, Cole Paton (Orange Seal), Lance Haidet, and Alex Wild.

The relentless pace trimmed the lead group even more until Swenson, Wild, and Finsterwald coalesced at the front. On the final climb another acceleration from Keegan Swenson decided the race with Wild dropping off first followed by Finsterwald.

Open Women

  1. Moriah Wilson (Specialized) 3.24.16
  2. Sofia Gomez Villafane +0.20
  3. Alexis Skarda +0.29
  4. Lea Davison +0.59
  5. Evelyn Dong +1.30
  6. Haley Smith
  7. Hannah Otto
  8. Rose Grant
  9. Savilia Blunk
  10. Katerina Nash
  11. Kaysee Armstrong
  12. Sarah Sturm
  13. Anna Yamauchi
  14. Melisa Rollins
  15. Emily Newsom
  16. Hannah Wood

Click Here for Full Results

Open Men

  1. Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz HT Squad) 2.55.23
  2. Russell Finsterwald (Specialized) +0.18
  3. Alex Wild +1.07
  4. Tobin Ortenblad +4.27
  5. Andrew L’Esperance +4.29
  6. Lance Haidet +4.29
  7. Cole Paton +4.30
  8. Kyle Trudeau +4.31
  9. Alexey Vermeulen +4.31
  10. Robert Britton +6.15
  11. Lachlan Morton
  12. Ryan Standish
  13. Stefano Barberi
  14. Taylor Lideen
  15. Alex Howes
  16. Adam Roberge
  17. Dylan Johnson
  18. Bradyn Lange
  19. Geoff Kabush
  20. Blake Wray

Click Here for Full Results From All Categories

Race Bikes For The Life Time Grand Prix

Riders are lining up in Monterey, California, for the Sea Otter Classic and round 1 of the Life Time Grand Prix.

Saturday’s Sea Otter course features two 40-kilometer laps on the super-fast, hard pack at the edges of Laguna Seca Raceway. Riders have chosen a wide variety of race set ups to get the most from their bikes in Saturday’s marathon event.

We got a sneak peak at some of the fastest rides that will be on course this weekend including top riders like: Rose Grant, Geoff Kabush, Melisa Rollins, Dylan Johnson, and many more.

Rose Grant: Juliana Wilder

Rose Grant’s Juliana Wilder

Specs:

  • Drivetrain: SRAM AXS with Quarq power meter
  • Fork: Rockshox SID 100mm
  • Shock: Rockshox SID Luxe 100mm
  • Seat Post: SRAM AXS dropper
  • Wheels: Reserve 28 carbon
  • Tires: Maxxis Aspen 2.4 with Orange Seal sealant
  • Grips: Chunky ESI
  • Computer: Hammerhead

Melisa Rollins: Trek Supercaliber (Melisa is sponsored by Felt who do not currently produce a mountain bike)

Specs:

  • Drivetrain: SRAM AXS
  • Fork: Fox 32 Stepcast 100mm
  • Shock: Fox/Trek ISO strut 65mm
  • Seat Post: Bontrager Kovee XXX carbon fixed
  • Wheels: Bontrager Kovee XXX carbon
  • Brakes: SRAM Level Ultimate
  • Tires: Kenda Saber Pro 2.4

Hannah Otto: Pivot Les SL

Specs:

  • Drivetrain: Shimano XTR 12-speed with Stages Double Side Power Meter
  • Fork: Fox 32 Step Cast 100mm
  • Seat Post: Fox Transfer SL
  • Wheels: DT Swiss XRC 1200 carbon
  • Tires: Kenda Rush 2.2
  • Cockpit: Race Face Next SL
  • Grips: ESI Fit CR

Evelyn Dong: Custom Juliana SC Highball

Specs:

  • Drivetrain: SRAM AXS
  • Fork: Rockshox SID ultimate 100mm
  • Seat Post: SRAM Explr AXS dropper 75mm
  • Wheels: Reserve carbon
  • Tires: Maxxis Aspen 2.4
  • Saddle: WTB Silverado

Taylor Lideen: Pivot Les SL

Specs:

  • Drivetrain: Shimano XTR 12-speed with 4iiii power meter
  • Fork: Fox 32 Stepcast 100mm
  • Seat Post: Fox Transfer SL dropper
  • Cockpit: Pro Bike Gear
  • Wheels: Boyd Trail Blazer
  • Tires: Kenda Saber Pro 2.4
  • Computer: Wahoo ELEMENT Bolt GPS

Dylan Johnson: Factor Lando

Specs:

  • Drivetrain: SRAM AXS with Quarq power meter
  • Fork: Fox 34 Step Cast 120mm
  • Seat Post: Fox Transfer SL
  • Wheels: Black Inc Twenty Seven
  • Tires: Maxxis Aspen 2.25
  • Cockpit: Black Inc bar/stem combo
  • Tires Inserts: Tubolight EVO SL

Stephan Davoust: Giant Anthem Advanced Pro

Specs:

  • Drivetrain: Shimano XTR 12-speed
  • Fork: Fox 34 Step Cast Live Valve 110mm
  • Shock: Fox Live Valve 100mm
  • Seat Post: Fox Transfer SL dropper
  • Wheels: Giant XCRO carbon
  • Tires: Maxxis Aspen 2.25
  • Inserts: Cushcore front & rear

Geoff Kabush: Yeti SB115

Specs:

  • Drivetrain: Shimano XTR
  • Fork: Fox 34 Fit4 Step Cast
  • Seat Post: Fox Transfer SL
  • Wheels: Stan’s No Tubes Podium SRD
  • Inserts: Cushcore front & rear
  • Tires: Maxxis Aspen 2.25 EXO 120tpi
  • Cockpit: Pro Bike Gear
  • Grips: Lizard Skins 32.2 DSP

You can follow Shannon Boffeli on Instagram @shan__solo

Funk Bottoms Gravel 100k/200k

Funk Bottoms Gravel entered its 10th official race excluding last year’s pandemic virtual race.  Saturday morning started early as the field has grown from three entrants in the first year to a capped 250 entrants in 2021.   Volunteers and support staff on little sleep from marking the course the night before, start rolling in around 4am to prepare for registration, a 7am start for the 200k race, and the 100k race starting an hour later.  Many familiar faces return while plenty of new faces arrive for the self-proclaimed Ohio’s toughest gravel grinder. The 100k course this year featured 66 miles and 8200 feet of vertical climbing with less than 9 miles of the course paved.  If that’s not enough for you then you can register for the 200k which sends you out for two laps of the aforementioned terrain.

The weather on this Saturday morning called for fairly mild temperatures in the 70s with possible pop-up strong thunderstorms throughout the day.   The course was in fantastic shape and some fast predictions were casually discussed among the race organizers.   The threat of storms kept quite a few riders away and there were around 60 DNS entrants in this year’s race.  However as 7am approached and the neutral roll out began, the largest field of 200k racers for FBG took to the course and an hour later the largest field of 100k racers took off after them.

Under mostly cloudy skies and mild conditions, the field looked enthusiastic and excited to tackle the course that was ahead.  The first 5.5 miles of the course are a gradual climb, which may give riders a false sense of security about what their day might look like.   After the first real descent is an almost immediate steep climb of nearly 500 feet in under ¾ of a mile, and it’s at this point you can really start to gauge what your day is going to look and feel like.   When you’re not climbing on this course, you’re descending steep gravel roads which leaves many riders white knuckled.  While it’s difficult to count the hills on the course as there is a frequent joke that FBG put’s hills on top of the hills, there are roughly 6 steep climbs in the first 25 miles before rolling into Killbuck for a much needed break at one of the local convenience stores to refill supplies on this self-supported race.

Every year the race coordinators vary the Funk Bottom course for new and interesting sights and challenges.  This year’s route included 1.5 miles of new gravel roads never ridden in previous years.  One of the favorite sections among the riders is “Bigfoot Road” where a 15-foot tall Bigfoot holding gun has been carved out of a tree.  To the surprise of the racers a few miles before the secret checkpoint, some Gravel Angels decided to set-up an oasis dressed as clowns.  This was a much-needed comical break from the relentless grueling hills.

A not so secret checkpoint this year was at mile 52 again in Killbuck where the first riders from the 200k managed to pull in just over 3 hours into the race.  With mild temperatures and a little bit of rain, most of the 200k racers opted to not stop at the only aid station provided by the race and continue to push through the final 15 miles of the first lap back into Glenmont.   A little less than an hour after the first 200k riders came through; the 100k field started rolling through the checkpoint.  The faces of the riders ranged from enthusiastic that they were nearing the end of the course, to agony and asking for the shortest bail out option to the finish line.   For the next few hours, the strung out field of 100k riders continued passing through the checkpoint.  As the last of the 100k riders made their way through the mile 52 checkpoint, the aggressive pace of the 200k riders on their second lap lapped some of them.

A group of about five 200k riders pulls in together back into Glenmont finishing the first lap.  Initially it appears that this group might stick together for the rest of the day and the race could be in for a close finish.  Shortly into that second lap however, a surge by the leader breaks that group up and by the second time through the mile 52 checkpoint, there was well over a 1-minute gap between each of the first five leaders.

Not to the surprise of the race organizers, past Funk Bottoms champion Ben Meer won the 100k in under 4 hours separated by less than 2 minutes by Paul Martin, with the 3rd place finisher just another few minutes behind.   A late entrant Julia Priet won the Women’s 100K and posted an amazing time.  For the next few hours, riders of all categories would continually be pushing across the finish line.

Jeff Pendlebury defending his title from the 2019 200K was the first 200k participant to cross the finish line set a new race record with a blazing time of 8h 32m 11s. Fresh off her win two weeks prior at the Mohican 100 Jen Toops won the Women’s 200K. All 200k participants are greeted at the finish line with a finishers award; this year being the Funk Bottoms Gravel pint glass (hopefully full of ice-cold Yuengling).

All in all, it was a fantastic day for racing for everyone involved.  Special thanks to everyone who participated in this race and makes the day what it is.   Funk Bottoms Gravel truly brings out the most determined riders for Ohio’s toughest gravel grinder

Mens 100k open podium

Mens 100K Open
1) Ben Meer* (Johnny Velo Racing) 3:55:41
2) Alex Lundbeck (Paul Martin) 3:57:36
3) Maxwell Matsanoff  (Audi) 4:03:41

women’s 100k open podium

Womens 100K Open
1) Julia Priet (Bicycle Face) 4:51:38
2) Emily Miller (VeloFemm p/b Litzler) 5:24:48
3) Christina Condon (West Coast Cycling) 6:10:02

100k SS podium

100K Single Speed 
1) Josh Kunz* (Trans-Sylvania Productions) 4:32:04
2) Nicholas Campbell 4:52:21
3) Tucker Cavanaugh 4:56:42

100k Masters men’s podium

100k Master Men
1) Nate Loman (Hammer Nutrition) 4:28:36 
2) Rudy Sroka (Lake Effect) 4:36:11 3) Tom Weaver (Summit Freewheelers) 4:42:29

100k Master Women podium

100K Master Women
1) Julie Sroka (Lake Effect) 5:28:54
2) Judy Porter* 6:09:37
3) Peggy Cook 6:10:16
4) Cynthia Berard 6:10:16

200k Mens podium

200K Men Open
1) Jeff Pendlebury* (Ride on Wooster) 8:32:11 (Race Record)
2) Andrew Boissiere (Headwins p/b Elevator Brewing) 8:41:54 
3) Brent Goetz (Think Green-Bicycle Face) 8:47:23

200k women’s open podium

200K Women’s Open
1) Jen Toops (Pearl-Izumi/ Pivot MTB race Team) 10:23:04
2) Maggie Livelsberger 11:53:02 3) Genna Brock (DNF)

200k SS podium

200K Single Speed

1)Scott Phillips* (Team Dayton-Reser Bicycle) 11:20:01

200k Masters podium

200K Master
1) Garth Prosser (Specialized) 10:18:04
2) Steve Curran (Ghisallo Cycling) 10:33:04
3) Jason Hall (Summit Freewheelers) 12:55:02 

Race report & pictures provided by: The funk masters (Chris, Marc, Paul)

Full results CLICK HERE

2020 True Grit Epic Preview

Written by Jen Toops

The 2020 True Grit Epic put on by GRO races takes place March 12th-14th near St. George, Utah. Southern Utah offers up some world class desert mountain biking and for many, a chance to get away from the winter blues. This destination has no shortage of magnificent desert views, rock gardens, sand, technical climbs, and challenging descents. As always, True Grit serves as the NUE Series opener with the 50 mile (marathon) an 100 mile (epic) options along with some new categories for 2020.

New for 2020 is the Extreme Grit Stage Race.  It’s for those looking for the ultimate challenge and includes 3 days of back to back riding.

Day 1: A self supported 40 mile ride (MTB or gravel)
Day 2: True Grit Gravel course
Day 3: True Grit Epic 50 mile MTB

If gravel is more your style, the True Grit Gravel Epic doesn’t fall short of grit either! The course is 84 miles, 80% off road, with 9000 ft of climbing.

Not up to the challenge of racing 3 days or skinny tires? There are plenty of other options to choose from: NUE Epic 100 , NUE Epic 50, Relay (25), or the Challenge 15 mountain bike events. There are lots of vendors set up at the finish and fun for the whole family!

Want to join in on the fun? Get registered HERE