Moab Rocks Stage 3

Alexis Skarda & Cole Paton Wrap Up 2023 Moab Rocks Titles

Written by: Shannon Boffeli

Another cold start lead to a second day of heated racing at the sold-out 2023 Moab Rocks. With a start temperature of 30 degrees it was slightly warmer the yesterday while most riders still opted for tights and thick gloves for the frigid temps.

Stage 3, held at the Gemini Bridges trailhead, starts with some big climbs and a long section of jeep road before turning to singletrack. The lead groups powered up the climbs with Alexis Skarda (Santa Cruz HTsqd) leading the way but Juliana teammates Kaysee Armstrong and Evelyn Dong were just seconds behind.

Racers take the start on stage 3. Photo courtesy of Transrockies/Tony Campono

The group stayed close throughout the race descending the snow-covered rocks on the Bull Run and Great Escape trails. Skarda slowly stretched her lead out while Evelyn Dong opened up a gap by cleaning a steep uphill slab of sandstone while Armstrong had to get off.

No one could catch Alexis Skarda on the final climb as the race leader danced her way up the final 1.5 miles of the Gemini Bridges road climb and crossed the finish line to win the day and take the GC title.

Racers shred the snow and slick rock combo at Moab Rocks 2023. Photo courtesy of Transrockies/Tony Campono

The men’s race featured close racing as well. With Cole Paton (Orange Seals Academy) and Andrew l’Esperance (Maxxis Factory) separated by just 1/10th of a second.

After cresting the early climbs together the first attacks came from Bradyn Lange (Scott Sports), who started the day in third place and l’Esperance who opened up a gap to Paton. The race was on as the leaders set a grueling pace up the singletrack and rocks of the Getaway ascent.

The lead group on Bull Run with Bradyn Lange leading l’Esperance and Grotts. Photo courtesy of Transrockies/Tony Campono

After climbing they had their hands full navigating the turns and drops of Bull Run after a light layer of snow blanketed the trail overnight.

After holding a slight gap for most of the race the leaders were caught by Cole Paton on the slopes of the final 1.5 mile climb up Gemini Bridges road with Howard Grotts (Specialized Off-Road) also joining the party.

Cole Paton on the move in Bull Run trail. Photo courtesy of Transrockies/Tony Campono

The group bombed down the final stretches of Gemini Bridges road trading attacks to decide the winner of the 2023 Moab Rocks stage race.

Andrew l’Esperance held a slight margin just before the finish before Cole Paton jumped in front at the tortuous finishing chute to claim the title for Moab Rocks champion by just 6/10ths of a second.

L’Esperance finished second with Howard Grotts taking third.

Despite the cold temperatures racers were thrilled with the challenging trails and epic views on hand in the snow covered red rocks around Moab.

A light blanket of snow covers the race course. Photo courtesy of Transrockies/Tony Campono

Alexis Skarda and Cole Paton now take a lead in the Singletrack Series with them to the next round May 5-6 in Skarda’s hometown of Grand Junction, Colorado.

Stage 3 Results

Pro Women

  1. Alexis Skarda (Santa Cruz HTsqd) 2.20.17
  2. Evelyn Dong (Juliana) 2.21.15
  3. Kaysee Armstrong (Juliana) 2.22.00
  4. Deanna Mayles (Velocio) 2.27.50
  5. Sarah Sturm (Specialized/SRAM) 2.30.24

Pro Men

  1. Cole Paton (Orange Seals Academy) 1.58.54
  2. Andrew l’Esperance (Maxxis Factory) 1.58.55
  3. Howard Grotts (Specialized Off-Road) 1.59.02
  4. Bradyn Lange (Scott Sport) 1.59.12
  5. Stephan Davoust (Giant Bikes) 2.00.29

Click Here for full results from all categories

Click Here for full GC results from all categories

Nash and Kabush win Moab Rocks!

The final stage of Moab Rocks was a close one for the pro women and men. In today’s stage racers do a lollipop course that hits some of the best riding in Moab – the Mag 7 trail system. 

For the first half of the race, riders are climbing up road and single track for 14 miles.  After a challenging climb, then the fun begins as they descend the rocky and fast Bull Run Trail.  This is a rip-roaring descent that takes in some breath-taking views all the way to the La Sal Mountains.  After a long descent, there is one final road climb out and then it’s a fast coast to the finish line. 

Photo Credit @liketheglew

For the pro women, Katerina Nash (Clif Pro Team) won the women’s race by 3 minutes while second through sixth place all finished within 3 minutes of each other. 

Lauren Cantwell (Orbea/ Velocio) and Karen Jarchow (Revel Bikes) were climbing together in 2nd & 3rd position before Jarchow sent it on the Bull Run descent; gapping Cantwell.  Lauren Aggeler (Team Segment 28) caught Cantwell at the bottom of Bull Run but Cantwell fought back on the road and caught both her and Jarchow. 

Aggeler put the hammer down on the final climb out of the Gemini Bridges riding area and caught a draft on the final flat, catching Cantwell just 200 yards from the finish. Cantwell and Aggeler sprinted finish for second place with Aggeler crossing the line (2:23:49) and Cantwell 2 seconds behind at 2:23:51.

For the overall, Nash dominated the 3 days finishing over 20 minutes ahead of second place.

Jennifer Gersbach finished fifth on two of the stages but her strong race on stage 2 at Klondike Bluffs placed her runner-up overall.

Karen Jarchow finished fourth on stage 3 by less than a minute and solidified third overall for the stage race.  It was a strong women’s pro field with new women on the podium each stage.  

Photo Credit @liketheglew

For the pro men, Stephan Davoust (Giant-Maxxis-Fox) pushed hard trying to take on the reigning Moab Rocks champion, Geoff Kabush (Yeti-Maxxis-Shimano-Fox).  Davoust won today’s stage in a time of 1:56:55.  His time however, was not enough to win the GC with Kabush finishing in second only 16 seconds behind him.   Bradyn Lange (Cycle Progression) finished in third (1:59:01). 

For the GC, Kabush remains the Moab Rocks Champion winning the overall by a mere 15 seconds.  Davoust finished right behind him with Lange 2 minutes back in third place. 

The 2022 Moab Rocks race featured another year of strong competition, a great race atmosphere by TransRockies and epic Moab single track that keeps racers coming back year after year. 

Full Results: https://zone4.ca/event/2022/29F4F1AE/

Photo Credit @liketheglew