True Grit 100-Miler – Santa Clara, Utah

Taylor Lideen Repeats as True Grit Champion and Joey Lythgoe Takes First 100 Mile Win

Written by: Shannon Boffeli

 

Once again riders from all across the country made the trek to Santa Clara, Utah, to take in the desert singletrack oasis tucked in the southwestern corner of the state. Warm weather and ideal trail conditions greeted the 500 riders registered for this year’s True Grit Epic.

The fact that the NUE series finale would be moving out west in 2017 provided extra buzz as many of those in attendance would be making a run at the series title, a challenge that is typically out of reach for most racers out west who have a hard time traveling to the east coast for the series final. This year’s finale will be located in Big Bear, California.

100-mile open male winner Taylor Lideen leading Dylan Johnson.

Open Male

The open men’s field included a healthy bunch of seasoned NUE racers looking to kick off 2017 with a race win.

Last year’s True Grit champ Taylor Lideen (Elevated Legs) looked poised to repeat after a winter of training in sunny Arizona.

Looking to unseat Lideen as champion was 2016 NUE series champion Dylan Johnson (Cameron Racing). Johnson was making his first appearance at the Utah race. Following a long trip out from the east coast Johnson wasn’t left with much time to ride the True Grit course prior to race day and would be racing blind for the first of two laps.

Not to be counted out was Colorado duo David Krimstock (Giant) and Josh Tostado (Santa Cruz); both experienced ultra-endurance riders capable of taking the title in Santa Clara. Perennial contender Cary Smith (The Hub) of Jackson, Wyoming is always in the mix and should never be counted out of a 100-mile event.

This impressive bunch departed downtown Santa Clara just as the sun rose Saturday morning. Once on course, it didn’t take long for Lideen and Johnson to establish themselves up front. A sight the chasers would have to get used to seeing all day.

Misfortune struck Cary Smith early on as one puncture led to another leaving the Wyoming strongman walking his bike on course in the first hour of the race and forcing him to call it a day much earlier than he would have liked.

This left the two leaders out front with Josh Tostado solo behind, doing his best to chase down the leaders.

“I felt really good the first lap and a half but toward the end of lap two the heat started to get to me.” The Breckenridge-based rider shared after the finish.

This was a common theme for most riders even with temperatures creeping just above the mid-seventies many riders, who traveled south from snowy, cold winter locations, were quickly overheating.

Lideen wasn’t feeling the heat though. In fact, the Phoenix-based rider was in the opposite situation. “I thought it was so cold this morning,” he remembered at the finish. “Mary (his wife and support crew) and I had to drive the van around this morning to get the heater running so I could warm up.”

Now in the seventies he was feeling comfortable and midway through the second lap he started opening up a gap on Johnson, who had stayed glued to his wheel following all his lines throughout the day.

On the long, false-flat climb of Stucki Springs, Lideen slowly pulled away from the reigning series champ who was also dealing with a broken saddle that cracked toward the end of the rugged Zen trail.

Lideen could feel a gap opening and kept the hammer down, deciding he wouldn’t look back until the very end, just a mile or so from the finish when his win was all but secured.

The two-time True Grit winner was ecstatic at the finish. Through big smiles Lideen had this to say about the course, “I think this the best single day endurance racecourse. It’s true mountain biking. I like seeing more and more people racing with dropper posts each year. Some of this stuff gets gnarly on an XC bike. I think it’s great.”

Johnson, comfortably held on to second spot crossing the line just over 10 minutes behind the race leader.

Josh Tostado took third but was feeling the heat, coming from the sun and Giant rider David Krimstock who was closing the gap on Tostado late in the race.

In the end, just over a minute separated the two with Tostado taking third.

Krimstock would finish the day in fourth place with not much time to spare over final podium finisher Heath Thumel (Race Pace Bicycles).

100-mile female winner Joey Lythgoe. Photo by Crawling Spider

Open Female

The women’s event featured one overall favorite and several lesser-known challengers looking to compete for the top spot on the podium.

Previous True Grit 100 race winner and ultra-endurance superstar Sonya Looney (Freakshow/Scott) was looking to continue her winning ways in Utah but would be challenged by former 50-mile winner Joey Lythgoe (Kuhl) and successful triathlete and road racer Shirley Lydsman (Red Rock Bicycles) who just recently found a love for the dirt.

The race got off to a fast start with several of the women mixing in with the men. The main contenders were all well established early on until Looney suffered a flat on one of the opening descents costing her time early on.

Lythgoe established herself out front and never let off the gas for the rest of the race. After the first of two laps the Kuhl rider’s lead was just over 10 minutes and almost double that at the finish line.

Lydsman meanwhile, surprised herself with a strong showing occupying the second spot throughout the race. Her fitness and ability on the mountain bike showed as she tackled one of the most technical racecourses on the NUE circuit.

Sonya Looney never recovered from her early flat. Loosing significant time and getting into the red zone trying to catch back up left the defending True Grit champ in a very dark place suffering from heat stroke for much of the day.

She worked her way back to the fourth spot but was never able to overtake third-placed rider Abelyn Broughton (Fitzgerald’s Bicycles) in the end.

Chase Edwards finished off the podium in fifth.

Riders flows over the rocks on Zen trail. Photo by: Crawling Spider

Singlespeed

At the beginning of the day the big question on everyone’s mind was, ‘Is Gordon Wadsworth here.’ It was rumored the multi-time NUE singlespeed champion and last year’s True Grit winner would be in Utah defending his True Grit win from 2016.

Steven Mills (New West Medical) stood on the start most interested in Wadsworth’s location. Mills was determined to rectify his mistakes from 2016 that let Wadsworth steal his race win. Mills led all of last year’s 100-mile event until an inexplicable course deviation just 10 miles from the finish meant he needed to ride back on course and complete the section he missed dropping him from first to third.

Mills took no chances this year and if Wadsworth was on hand Mills was determined to take him on. He threw a heavier gear on than he rode in ’16 and went hard right from the start.

Mills got out early, mixing in toward the front with many of the fastest geared competitors. And although Wadsworth ultimately didn’t make the trip out west Mills rode as if he were there.

He went out so hard in fact that even his closest chasers couldn’t see or follow him.

“He kind of has a great game plan for this race,” said second place finisher Quin Bingham (America First/Bikers Edge). “He has a big gear and gets out front really fast with the geared guys. Then he was just gone. I chased for awhile but you eventually just kind of forget about him.”

Mills also rode a hardtail on the rough southern Utah course but that didn’t seem to slow him down much.

Out front all day Mills eventually finished with a time of 7 hours 28 minutes. Good enough for first in singlespeed and ninth overall.

Bingham finished just 12 minutes behind the leader. Mark Schafer (Team Eastside Cycles) finished third.

Kip Biese, last year’s NUE singlespeed runner-up came home in fourth.

 

Masters Men 50+

Last year’s True Grit winner Greg Golet returned as the overall favorite in the 100-mile event. In addition to taking last year’s race win he also finished second in the overall NUE series barely getting beat out in the series final by top rival Jeff Clayton.

Clayton wasn’t on hand in Santa Clara giving Golet a clear shot at another True Grit title.

He proved to be up to the challenge turning in a blistering sub-eight-hour time, the only masters racer to do so.

Golet had a clean ride with no issues throughout the day. His consistent pace got him to the finish line almost a full hour ahead of second place and provided him with a great start for his shot at the 2017 NUE title.

Tim Phillips crossed the line in second at 8 hours 46 minutes followed by Sten Hertsens (Carborocket) just five minutes later.

Next the NUE heads back east to the Cohutta 100 in Ducktown, Tennessee April 29th. Check back for full coverage only on MTB Race News.

Click Here for full results from the True Grit 100

Singletrack 6 – Stage 6 – Golden, BC

Matieu Belanger-Barette and Sonya Looney Take Overall Glory at Singletrack 6: Rotem Ishay and Kate Aardal take Tinhorn Creek final stage honors

Written by: Marlee Dixon

Today was the last day of Singletrack 6, the sixth stage and ‘Queen stage’ of the race. It’s the longest day on the bike, almost twice the distance of the shorter days, at 35 miles with 5400’ of elevation gain.

It was a tough day on the bike and an awesome course to end the race. The trails were beautiful, flowy, singletrack with nonstop great riding.   Even though the course has a lot of elevation gain, it doesn’t feel that much harder than previous days because of all the rolling ascents.  With each climb, racers were rewarded with a lot of fast descents, and fun riding. The course takes racers to the top of stunning, sheer cliffs with spectacular views, where it’s impossible not to look up for a second or two and take it in.

Riders enjoying some of that incredible Singletrack 6 one-track. Photo by Gibson Images

Riders enjoying some of that incredible Singletrack 6 one-track. Photo by Gibson Images

With 3 aid stations and a whiskey/ whipping cream stop, for racers just looking to have a fun day on some great trails, today had some of the best riding of the week.  For racers going hard, todays route made for a challenging, endurance test.

For the pro men, Rotem Ishay (Jamis Bikes) won the stage in a time of 2:47:28; followed by Mathieu Belanger-Barrette (Pivot Cycles) in 2nd (2:50:01) and teammates Manuel Weissenbacher and Andreas Hartmann (Craft-Rocky Mountain Factory Team) tying for 3rd (2:51:02).

Teammates Weissenbacher and Andreas Hartmann took off in the front up the first road climb but not long after, Ishay took over the lead followed by Belanger-Barrette. From there Ishay, after having stomach issues the last few days was finally feeling good again, picked up the pace and pushed to stay in the lead.

For the overall competition, Belanger-Barrette wins in a time of 12:52:04 followed by Weissenbacher in 2nd (12:58:59)  and Hartmann in 3rd (13:00:16).

Marlee Dixon leads over a bridge. Photo by Gibson Images

Marlee Dixon leads over a bridge. Photo by Gibson Images

For the pro women, Kate Aardal (Ridley Cycles) was first, from the start today, and won in a time of 3:16:03.   Sonya Looney (FreakShow/Defeet) followed in right behind Aardal in 2nd (3:17:17) and Jodie Willett (For the People) came  in 3rd (3:18:03).

Aardal was in 1st for most of the race with Looney catching her a few times.  Willett and Marlee Dixon (Pivot Cycles) vied back and forth for 3rd place until Dixon dropped a chain after the timed descent and wasn’t able to catch her again.

For the overall, Looney wins in a time of 14:53:49,  Aardal comes in 2nd (15:03:51) and Willett gains 3rd (15:28:46) overtaking Marlee Dixon on the final stage.

Dropping in. Photo by Gibson Images

Dropping in. Photo by Gibson Images

Singletrack 6 ‘Ride the Rockies’ moved through 4 towns this year including Fernie, Cranbrook, Kimberley and Golden, British Columbia. Every day offered racers new trail systems with very different terrain, bringing out an experience unlike any other stage race. With the top finisher averaging a 10 mph speed most stages, each course was challenging with a lot of climbing but also well planned to offer epic descents and great singletrack riding. By changing locations each year, Singletrack 6, is constantly bringing racers to some of Canada’s best mountain biking trails. Next year hits the west Kootenays including the town of Rosslin and the world famous “Seven Summits” trail. The course is sure to be yet another awesome week of racing.

Click Here for full results from Stage 6

Click Here for final GC results following Stage 6 

Singletrack 6 – Stage 5 – Golden, BC

Weissenbacher Bounces Back but Belanger-Barrette Holds onto GC Lead While Looney Continues Her Win Streak on Smith Optics Stage 5

Written by: Marlee Dixon

Stage 5 of Singletrack 6 lived up to its expectations of being a fun, rocky and fast course. The race rolled out of downtown Golden and up into the Shadow Mountain trail systems.

Canadians... Photo by: Gibson Images

Canadians… Photo by: Gibson Images

The first 6 miles were all climbing; starting with a road climb and continuing the climb up a downhill singletrack.  This section gives racers a chance to spread out before its onto the first flowy DH of the day.  Next racers climb again, this time heading into the timed descent. A true downhill trail; steep, fast, trail over rocks, drops and roots that was used before in the Redbull Psychosis.

After dropping the heart-pounding downhill, the rest of the course includes some smaller climbs, a few rocky sections, technical features and a few more purpose built bike-park feel downhills. Today’s course touched on all aspects of mountain bike racing – a long climb to start off the race, fast technical descents, rock gardens and bermy downhills.

Mathieu Belanger-Barrette continues to lead after day 5. Photo by: Gibson Images

Mathieu Belanger-Barrette continues to lead after day 5. Photo by: Gibson Images

For the pro men, Manuel Weissenbacher (Craft-Rocky Mountain Factory Team) bounced back from a disastrous stage 4 winning the day in a time of 1:45:21.  Mathieu Belanger-Barrette (Pivot Cycles) came in 2nd in 1:46:13 followed by Marc-Andre Daigle (Garneau) in 1:47:38.

Weissenbacher and teammate Andreas Hartmann charged to the one-track climb first but during the climb Hartmann started to fade back.  Belanger-Barrette moved into 2nd place and from there he remained 2nd wheel with Weissenbacher moving fast on the descents to keep his lead.

Belanger-Barrette remains 1st overall (10:02:03), Weissenbacher in 2nd (10:07:57) and Hartmann in 3rd (10:09:14).

For the pro women, Sonya Looney (FreakShow/Defeet) took her fourth stage win out of five with a time 2:03:45, followed by Kate Aardal (Ridley Cycles) in 2nd (2:05:03) and Australian Jodie Willett (For the Riders) is back on the podium for 3rd (2:05:38).

Kate Aardal has been sending it on the DH all week. Photo by: Gibson Images

Kate Aardal has been sending it on the DH all week. Photo by: Gibson Images

Kathryn McInerney again lead the women’s field up the day’s first climb followed by Looney and Marlee Dixon (Pivot Cycles). Looney caught McInerney on the timed descent and remained in 1st for the remainder of the race.

Aardal passed Dixon on the timed descent and passed McInerney not long after.  Willett passed Dixon about half way through the race and McInerney and Dixon sprinted to the end finishing in 2:06:45 and 2:06:46 respectively.

In the women’s GC,  Looney has a strong  lead (11:36:32) over Aardal (11:47:47) but 3rd– 5th racers remain less than 3 minutes apart with Dixon holding on to 3rd (12:08:53), Willett in 4th (12:10:43) and McInerney in 5th (12:11:23). Tomorrow’s final stage will be exciting to watch as these women battle to decide the final order of the Singletrack 6 podium.

Michael Manka was forced to do his best Dave Stoller impersonation after his cleat fell off. Photo by: Gibson Images

Michael Manka was forced to do his best Dave Stoller impersonation after his cleat fell off. Photo by: Gibson Images

Stage 6 in Golden is the longest stage of the race heading to the Moonrakers and CBT trail systems for 5400’ of climbing in 35 miles. After 5 days of racing riders have their longest day ahead of them.

Click Here for full results from Stage 5

Click Here for full GC results following Stage 5

Singletrack 6 – Stage 4 – Kimberley, BC

Another Day of Excitement at Singletrack 6 as Men’s GC Lead Changes Hands Again; Sonya Looney Continues Winning Streak on Planet Foods Stage 4

Written by: Marlee Dixon

Heading back toward the mountains, Singletrack 6 moves to Kimberley for today’s stage.

Stage 4 is a night and day difference from Cranbrook riding.  Racers start off in the quaint Bavarian-ish downtown area and immediately climb up the road to the ski resort. At the ski resort they continue climbing on the biggest ascent of the day.  Once at the top, racers head onto the most technical section of the course, a large rocky flat section, technical enough that many racers were forced to run/walk for a few hundred feet.  Next it’s more moderate switchback climbing into the first descent of the day. A fun, flowy, berm trail, giving racers a taste for the fast descending on this course.  With one steep grunt climb and some smaller more frequent climbs; racers are rewarded each time with bomber fast descents to follow.  After doing the second largest climb of the day, racers head onto the day’s timed descent. An ear to ear grinning downhill over three trails – Thunder Turkey, Shapeshifter and Hoodoo View dropping racers almost 1000’ in just over 3 miles. Today’s stage was definitely about the descending, work hard and fast to gain position on the climbs to bomb down some epic singletrack.

For the pro men, Mathieu Belanger-Barrette (Pivot Cycles) won the stage in 1:59:50 followed by Andreas Hartmann (Craft-Rocky Mountain Factory Team) in 2nd (2:00:44) and a tie for 3rd between Patrick Chartrand and Marc-Andre Daigle (Garneau) in 2:03:20.

Belanger-Barrette and Chartrand worked together time-trailing the climbs to beat teammates Hartmann and Manuel Weissenbacher (Craft-Rocky Mountain Factory Team) to the descents.  Working together on the climbs, they capitalized on their descending skills to gain time on the Craft-Rocky Mountain factory teammates.

Marc-Andre Daigle hitting the trees in Stage 4. Photo courtesy of Singletrack 6

Marc-Andre Daigle hitting the trees in Stage 4. Photo courtesy of Singletrack 6

After the timed descent, Belanger-Barrette pulled away on the next climb for the win.  Manuel Weissenbacher flatted on course, losing 10 minutes and dropping to 8th on the stage. Chartrand and Diagle, who tied for 3rd, were teammates last year and won the men’s open duo field at Singletrack 6. Stage 1 winner Rotem Ishay was unable to bounce back from his difficult day in Cranbrook finishing outside the top-10 in today’s race.

For the second straight day big changes were seen in the overall classification for the men as Belanger-Barrette jumped into first (total 4-day time 8:15:49), followed by Hartman in 2nd (8:17:25) and Weissenbacher in 3rd (8:22:35).

 

For the pro women it was Kathryn McInerney who charged ahead up the first climb. Once on top of the first climb in the technical rocky flat section, Sonya Looney (FreakShow/Defeet) maneuvered past her into first. She remained in first for the rest of the race and won the stage in a time of 2:20:45.

Up until the timed descent Kate Aardal (Ridleys Cycles), Marlee Dixon (Pivot Cycles/DNA Cycling) and Kathryn McInerney battled for 2nd-4th.

Once on the timed descent, Aardal passed Dixon and remained in 2nd for the rest of the race. She finished in 2:22:23. Dixon finished in 3rd (2:23:03) with Jodie Willett (For the Riders) passing McInerney for 4th place (2:26:39).

Looney remains first overall, widening her gap to 10 minutes over Aardal (2nd).   Dixon again moved back into 3rd after dropping to 6th following stage 3.

Looney and Aardal continue to increase their leads in the race while 3rd-6th place continue to change up and remain ~3 minutes apart.

Next up is Golden BC for both stages 5 and 6. Tomorrow’s stage is the shortest stage at 19 miles with 4000’ ft of elevation gain over some purpose built trails and rocky fun descents. The talk between racers is that the riding in Golden is awesome.

Click Here for full results from Stage 4

Click Here for GC results following Stage 4

Singletrack 6 – Stage 2 – Fernie, BC

Looney and Weissenbacher Take Stage 2 with Looney Taking Over GC Lead

Written by: Marlee Dixon

Stage 2 of Singletrack 6 takes place at Fernie Alpine Resort and Mount Fernie Provincial Park. It’s a very different racecourse than stage 1 and includes more sustained climbing and descending. At 8am all riders were off, racing together up a mountain access road. The extended uphill spread racers out before descending into the forest on Snakebite; a dark, forested, fun and fast downhill trail.

location: Fernie, B.C., Canada

location: Fernie, B.C., Canada

Next racers head up the rail trail and then descend the multi-directional, fast Lazy Lizard trail. Then its on to the biggest climb; Project 9 access trail, that includes several steep grunts to really max out the heart rate.

The timed descent of the day drops down the Project 9 trail which is sure to have left racers grinning as they fly down through the trees, over drops and through berms on an epic descent. Back on Lazy Lizard, racers cruise downhill again and connect via a new trail to climb up Stove trail. From there it’s another fun descent on Dem Bones before racers head back up the resort in one final long climb.

location: Fernie, B.C., Canada

location: Fernie, B.C., Canada

The course finishes descending on the resort; first on a rooty, semi-technical trail with some slick bridges then heading on a rip-roaring flowy berm trail to the finish. Today’s course included a lot of steep uphill and downhill sections in the 21 mile course with 5000′ of elevation gain. It was a good test of rider’s fitness with sustained climbs, as well as bike handling skills, with lots of fast descents including roots, bridges, drops and technical aspects.

Rotem Ishay/3rd Place Stage 2/1st Place Overall / Singletrack 6 Open Solo Men

Rotem Ishay/3rd Place Stage 2/1st Place Overall / Singletrack 6 Open Solo Men

For both the pro men and women there were new stage winners today. For the men, Rotem Ishay (Jamis Bikes) flatted and ended up in 3rd (2:00:51) only seconds behind teammates Manuel Weissenbacher (Craft-Rocky Mountain Factory Team) in 1st (2:00:34) and Andreas Hartmann in 2nd (2:00:44). Ishay keeps the overall lead with Weissenbacher in 2nd and Hartmann in 3rd.

For the pro women Sonya Looney (Freakshow/Defeet) charged ahead from the start and maintained her 1st place position for the stage and took over the lead in the GC competition. She won the stage in 2:19:50 followed by Kate Aardal (Ridleys Cycling) in a time of 2:24:29.

Sonya Looney

Sonya Looney

Following the first descent down Snakebite, Aardal moved up from 4th to 2nd and proceeded to steadily break away from 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th position. Jayne Rossworn following closely behind Aardal, moved into 3rd on the rail trail climb and finished in 3rd in a time of 2:27:35. Looney moves up to first in the overall with Aardal in 2nd and Marlee Dixon (Pivot Cycles/DNA Cycling) jumping into 3rd.

Stage 3 of Singletrack 6 moves to Cranbrook for a totally different type of terrain; a smooth, undulating 26 mile course with 3900′ of elevation gain and more frequent smaller climbs and descents. Check out tomorrow’s race report to see if the different style of riding affects the racers standings.

Click Here for full Santa Cruz Stage 2 results from all categories

Click Here for full GC results following Santa Cruz Stage 2

The TransAndes Challenge Experience

Written by: Shannon Boffeli

About this time last year my wife and teammate, Jen Hanks, started seeking out an experience for us to take on. Spring of 2016 was going to be a special year for us as it would be her 5th year since her original breast cancer diagnosis.

Five is a huge year for breast cancer patients because research shows that if you make it that long after diagnosis your chances of going on get much better.

To celebrate she wanted to do something big and after some research we settled on the Trans Andes Challenge. A 6-day, 228-mile mountain bike race through the northern Patagonia region in Chile. TAC was an exciting choice and a huge challenge for Jen to take on and it also seemed significant that the race would start on the exact day she was first diagnosed with breast cancer 5 years ago. We had started stage racing back in 2007 and really liked it. But once Jen was diagnosed in 2011 we stopped racing all together and never planned to do a stage race again. We lived with the assumption that a week of racing would be too hard on her body but after years of steady progress and gained confidence we felt stage racing could once again be on the table. TAC was a great option because even if we got down there and things weren’t going well you still get to spend a week in one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes.

IMG_1477

I’m happy to report that our 6 days of racing went even better than we had hoped and our TransAndes experience was truly incredible. Jen’s body recovered quickly between stages and we were able to race hard each day.

The level of competition was definitely one of the many positives at TAC. The courses are well-designed, being hard enough to test racers but not so difficult that you feel like you’re just surviving to the finish instead of really racing. For us, race times were between three and five hours, right in the sweet spot for really going hard all day.

We raced in the open mixed category and faced some of the toughest head-to-head competition we have ever experienced. While Mary McConneloug and Mike Broderick dominated each day, we battled for second with two tenacious Chilean teams. Each day we would climb as hard as we could in the morning and establish a lead over the Chileans. That would be followed by trying our best to hold them off on the descents and stay as close as we could to the finish.

The first three stages take place in the shadow of the Choshuenco Volcano. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

The first three stages take place in the shadow of the Choshuenco Volcano. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

One of the teams, Claus Plaut and Elisa “Chi-Chi” Garcia, were exceptionally good downhillers and unfortunately dropped us each day bombing down the rutted trails and steep gravel roads on the way to the finish. Even though they beat us it was exciting being in front part of each day and turning ourselves inside out to stay ahead.

Right now I would say my experience at the TransAndes Challenge was the best of any stage race I have done to date. That includes TransAlps, TransRockies, and Breck Epic. While those races all have aspects that make them exceptional, Breck Epic brings unrivaled singletrack and TransAlps offers an amazing cultural experience, TransAndes brings it all together with a combination of scorching head-to-head racing, beautifully varied scenery, great food, exceptional camaraderie, and elite-level race organization.

Below are photos from the race that should give you a feel for our TransAndes Challenge experience.

We were happily surprised that all our gear made it safe and sound despite 4 layovers and plane changes on the way down. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli

We were happily surprised that all our gear made it safe and sound despite 4 layovers and plane changes on the way down. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli

Over 200lbs of gear and food needed for 6 days of racing.

Night time falls over camp. Photo by: Naslo Bustamante

Night time falls over camp. Photo by: Naslo Bustamante

One of the most rewarding things about TransAndes was leaving an especially penalizing winter in Park City to arrive in summer in Chile. Not only were the temperatures wonderful but we were so far south that daylight lasted from 6:30 in the morning to 9:30 at night. Lots of time to soak in the warm rays of the sun.

Traditional Chilean dance to kick off the race. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli

Traditional Chilean dance to kick off the race. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli

Tent city for the first 3 days of the race.

Tent city for the first 3 days of the race.

Mike Broderick leads his teammate Mary McConnelloug and solo rider Sonya Looney on stage 1. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Mike Broderick leads his teammate Mary McConnelloug and solo rider Sonya Looney on stage 1. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

American riders were well represented on the TAC podium. Mike and Mary destroyed the open mixed category and finished in the top-10 or 15 among all riders every day. Sonya Looney said she was putting in miles to get in shape for the upcoming 24 hour world championships but she was clearly in incredible form already as seen here riding with two of the fastest riders in the event.

Tennessean Kaysee Armstrong visited the podium each night with a strong performance as the second-placed solo female rider and the Boston-based team of Kevin Hines and David Dornaus battled for the top spot on the duo 80+ category each night.

Riders crossing the first of many many suspension bridges at TransAndes. Riders were stuck on the bridge as a ramp at the far end made exiting the bridge very slow. We were later told the bridge had a maximum capacity of 5 people. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli

Riders crossing the first of many many suspension bridges at TransAndes. Riders were stuck on the bridge as a ramp at the far end made exiting the bridge very slow. We were later told the bridge had a maximum capacity of 5 people. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli

Luckily, this bridge was only 20 feet over the river so we most likely would have survived even if it collapsed. Later in the week we crossed another bridge 200 feet off the canyon floor, a collapse there would be much more costly.

Food at the TAC was tasty and in large amounts. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Food at the TAC was tasty and in large amounts. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

The spread at TransAndes was always quite good and they served lunch each day which meant you could roll into the tent and throw down a mountain of food shortly after finishing each stage. Other stage races I have done skip lunch and only serve dinner which means you are on your own for several hours after the stage finish. Lunch at TAC was much appreciated and enjoyed by all.

24 hours of rain put a serious damper on stage 3. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

24 hours of rain put a serious damper on stage 3. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

The rain started falling almost immediately after stage 2 finished and didn’t stop for almost 24 hours. As the rain kept coming and temperatures on the mountain passes dropped race directors postponed stage 3 for a day. This meant canceling the 21km final time-trial that was scheduled on day 6. It was a difficult decision to make but was handled efficiently by the race organizers.

The staff posses such a singular focus on every rider’s happiness they scheduled an impromptu skills training session during the unscheduled rest day and provided a free shuttle to take riders into Puerto Fuy for a boat ride on the lake.

Skills training session after the rains stopped.

Skills training session after the rains stopped.

Elevated board walks through the preserve.

Elevated board walks through the preserve.

South American "Red Deer" in the Huilo-Huilo Preserve

South American “Red Deer” in the Huilo-Huilo Preserve

Riders not interested in skills training could use their time to tour the Huilo-Huilo Preserve walking along the miles of elevated walkways highlighting the deer and other wildlife that call the preserve home.

Even dropping off your bags takes teamwork. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuana/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Even dropping off your bags takes teamwork. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuana/TransAndes Challenge 2016

After the rain stopped it was time to pack up and race our way to the new campground in Catripulli. The race organizers haul your stuff to the new location and when you arrive they have all the tents set up and you pick which one you want. It’s first-come-first-serve so getting there early means you get a better location. Stage 3 was the longest stage of the race at 60 miles and almost 7,000 feet of climbing, although every stage, no matter how long, had almost 7,000 feet of climbing.

Neutral road start on stage 3. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Neutral road start on stage 3. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Out of all the crazy riding we did at TransAndes the “neutral” starts on stage 3 & 4 were by far the scariest time of the entire race. Imagine busting ass down a dirt road littered with every piece of construction equipment you can imagine just waiting to take you and 10 other riders down. Every minute in the group was terrifying. We witnessed two guys take themselves out on stage 4 just seconds after Jen moved off their wheel.

Jon Gould picks himself up following a crash. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Jon Gould picks himself up following a crash. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

No one had worse luck during the 2016 TAC than Idaho rider Jon Gould. On stage one Jon broke his chain three times. Stage 2 saw him finish on the podium only to suffer multiple flats on stage 4 and three more chain breaks on stage 5, ultimately keeping him from finishing the race. Despite the almost constant misfortune, Jon kept a smile on his face and never missed a chance to have a good time.

Rider descends on course at TransAndes. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Rider descends on course at TransAndes. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

The soil in Chile is a volcanic mixture that may be some of the most mountain bike friendly I’ve ever seen. It soaks up water like a sponge, even after 24 hours of rain there was almost no mud. The tiny volcanic pumice mixed in with the dirt is super grippy in the corners making for great singletrack riding.

Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Much of the TransAndes course travels on trails open exclusively for the race. One forest trail is actually only open once a year for TransAndes riders. The forest in these areas is amazingly dense and diverse. Huge old growth trees at times nearly block out the sun. In fact the only turn we missed the entire race was in one of these sections where it was so dark we couldn’t actually see the trail signs and rode right past them. Luckily for us, it was a very short detour.

Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

While the camaraderie and friendliness around camp was exceptional it was all business when out on the course.  We would ride with the same groups of people all day, often groups as big as 10 or more and hear nothing but the sound of riders breathing. No talking. Ever. Although some of the South Americans would greet us on course by yelling, Utah!

Elisa "Chi-Chi" Garcia. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Elisa “Chi-Chi” Garcia. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Open Mixed team of Maria Paz Lizama and Eugenio Parra. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Open Mixed team of Maria Paz Lizama and Eugenio Parra. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

We had a great time racing against the teams of Claus Plaut/Chi-Chi Garica and Eugenio Parra/Maria Lizama. Racing is so much more enjoyable when you are being pushed and these two teams never let up. We would out climb both teams in the first half of each stage and then push hard to stay out front. Once Chi-Chi and Claus would pass us the Pivot team was never far behind forcing us to stay on the gas all the way to the line. We were fortunate enough to finish third each stage and sneak onto the podium.

The event hosted an informal get-together the night before the final stage with free beers and entertainment was we watched the final riders cross the finish line.

The event hosted an informal get-together the night before the final stage with free beers and entertainment was we watched the final riders cross the finish line.

 

Chile seemed to have an endless number of crystal clear rivers that were ideal of post-race soaks. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli

Chile seemed to have an endless number of crystal clear rivers that were ideal of post-race soaks. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli

Meeting new friends and socializing was a huge part of each day. From cooling off in the river with our Portuguese friends Luis and Pedro to enjoying beers with the North American clan we spent lots of time enjoying the company of others throughout the week.

The highest of all the suspension bridges and probably the least sturdy. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

The highest of all the suspension bridges and probably the least sturdy. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

On stage 4 we tackled the bridge Jen had been worrying about all week. 240 feet above the river below this was the longest and tallest bridge we had to cross all week. Honestly, I felt better about it before actually seeing it. The bridge’s construction did not inspire confidence and it had a tendency to sway much more than any of the other bridges. Making it across was undoubtedly Jen’s proudest moment of the week, although she never looked down or let go of the railing the entire way.

Villarica Volcano from the stage start. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Villarica Volcano from the stage start. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Kaysee Armstrong crosses the lava flow below the Villarica Volcano. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

Kaysee Armstrong crosses the lava flow below the Villarica Volcano. Photo by: Marcelo Tucuna/TransAndes Challenge 2016

As scenic as the entire race was stage 5 blew away all of the other days in sheer beauty and landscape. From the start of the stage riders could see the massive Villarica Volcano, first from a distance and then up close as the course winds its way up the lower slopes of the smoldering beast. The Volcano disappears while you ride through the forest and then bursts forth again as the trees clear and riders pick their way through a huge solidified lava flow. Riding on a lava flow beneath a smoking, active volcano is, not surprisingly, incredibly surreal.

IMG_1581 IMG_1562TransAndes surpassed our expectations in every way. From the overall enjoyment of the event to ending up in a podium spot and still feeling pretty damn good afterward. It was all a fun surprise for us.

A very traditional meal of roast lamb was served on the last night.

A very traditional meal of roast lamb was served on the last night.

Steaks, just in case the lamb isn't enough meat for you.

Steaks, just in case the lamb isn’t enough meat for you.

Desert pudding pyramid. Jen with Kaysee Armstrong, who shredded her arm and entire right side in a crash that day.

Desert pudding pyramid. Jen with Kaysee Armstrong, who shredded her arm and entire right side in a crash that day.

Click here to check out full results from TransAndes Challenge 2016

During the event TransAndes Director Juan Pablo Santiagos announced two new events being added to the TransAndes family. Those events include and multi-day enduro based in and around the Huilo-Huilo Nature Preserve and a 3-day TransAndes Atacama endurance race located in the Atacama desert in northern Chile. More information about the new additions will be found on the TransAndes website 

I would like to thank our supporters for helping make our TransAndes experience happen. Pivot bikes for providing the best ride on earth, DNA Cycling for the fine threads keeping us comfortable and warm for over 200 miles, Stan’s NoTubes and Continental tires for the wheels, tires, and sealant that kept us flat free through miles and miles of sharp volcanic rock. Kask helmets for the comfortable lids. Carborocket and Honeystinger for fueling us for 6 solid days and no cramps or stomach issues along the way. Go-Ride bikes in Salt Lake City for the bomber prerace tune that kept our bikes running perfect. Xpedo pedals giving us the smoothest spin in all of Chile. Ergon saddles and grips for keeping our butt and hands fresh for hours and hours every day. And Bliz sunglasses for shading that bright Chilean summer sun.

Park City Point 2 Point

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

Lumberjack 100 – Manistee, MI

Schworm and Stickle Get the Axe at the Lumberjack 100

The 2015 Founders Brewing Lumberjack 100 welcomed 450 racers under brilliant sunshine on an unseasonably cold Michigan morning. The pre-race buzz was filled with chatter and excitement about the legend, Two Time US Olympian, Tinker Juarez and world class ultra-endurance mountain bike racer Sonya Looney who were both competing in this year’s race. Unfortunately, just two days before the race, Sonya crashed leaving her with a wrist injury that reluctantly forced her to pull the plug on racing.

The Lumberjack racecourse is located within the Manistee National forest which is just under a million acres of solid hardwood forest. The 33-mile loop is 90% singletrack with hard-packed, sandy soil and rolling hills that challenge racers with close to 3,000 feet of climbing per lap.

Many hundred-milers start slow, not at the Lumberjack however. Photo by Jack Kunnen

Many hundred-milers start slow, not at the Lumberjack however. Photo by Jack Kunnen

Even with the crisp morning temps it didn’t take long for things to heat up as Juarez (Ridebiker Alliance), Mike Simonson, and Brian Schworm (Green’s Toyota) kicked it up off the line with speeds pushing the upper 20’s for the mile and a half roll out to the trail.

The lead group pushed a pace of 16.5 mph for the first lap and came through the start finish with a selection of 14 racers clustered together at 2:12. Christian Tanguy attacked on the second lap and tore a hole in the lead group whittling the leaders down to six racers.

As they crossed the mat finishing lap two it was Tanguy, Juarez, Wakeley, Schworm, Vanias and Baker that were the sole survivors of the attack. Lap three saw more attacks on the hills leaving just Tanguy, Wakeley, Juarez and Schworm intact at the mid lap aid station.

Mike Simonson grinds his way up the Fire Tower Hill. Photo by Jack Kunnen

Mike Simonson grinds his way up the Fire Tower Hill. Photo by Jack Kunnen

 

With less than ten miles to go it was Brian Schworm who attacked, dropping Juarez and Wakeley, and continued to apply the pressure until he shook off Tanguy and cruised across the finish line at 6:27:39 (1:13 ahead of second place).

The women’s open field saw Rhonda Stickle (Bike Zone Racing) decide to push the field apart on lap one and she came through the lap with a lead of over two minutes on second place Jill Martindale (Grand Rapids Bicycle Co.) and more than four minute lead on third place Mari Chandler (Dart Nuun/Tecnu Racing).

During lap two Chandler reeled in Stickle and they started the third lap only thirteen seconds apart and almost six minutes ahead of Martindale. It was Mari Chandler who caught Stickle early on lap three and rode her fastest lap finishing in 7:59:03 as the 2015 Women’s Open Winner.

Sonya Looney with injured wrist goofs around with Lumberjack veteran Danielle Musto. Photo by Jack Kunnen

Sonya Looney with injured wrist goofs around with Lumberjack veteran Danielle Musto. Photo by Jack Kunnen

The men’s singlespeed class saw Gordon Wadsworth (Blue Ridge Cyclery/Pivot Cycles) pin it from the start and was in the overall men’s lead group through lap one with a time of 2:12:56. Second place Jan Roubal (Velorution) had a three and a half minute deficit and third place Aaron Fader came through the first lap almost ten minutes down on Wadsworth. In the end it was Wadsworth who had the legs and handily took the top spot with a time of 6:48:32

The women’s singlespeed category saw Emily Korsch (Team Noah Foundation) build up an almost half hour lead through one lap on second place Lisa Thompson (LCR) and in the end it was Korsch in first place 9:26:52 and Thompson at 10:04:59

The men’s master category saw Jeff Wittbrodt (Specialized) and NUE defending champion Roger Masse (Rare Disease Cycling) battling it out on lap one hitting the lap mat just ten seconds apart with over three minutes on third place Jeff Clayton (Georgia Neurosurgical Institute). They pulled away from the rest of the master’s group when they came through after one lap with times of 2:22:32 and 2:22:42 respectively. Masse passed Wittbrodt on the lap and never looked back as he finished with a time of 7:19:23 for the 2015 men’s masters title.

Click Here for full results from all categories

True Grit Epic (NUE#1) – St. George, Utah

Keck Baker and Sonya Looney Dominate in the Desert

Great Day for the New-Look True Grit Epic

With a new start venue and key course redesigns the 2015 True Grit Epic provided a first-rate race experience to go along with the high-powered course appropriate for the 374 racers gathered to take the start.

The field included riders from all across the U.S. including many National Ultra Endurance regulars like Keck Baker (Cannondale/Carytown Bicycle), Gordon Wadsworth (Blue Ridge Cyclery), Josh Tostado (Swiftwick), Amanda Carey (Luca Sunscreen), and 2014 series champ Brenda Simril (Motor Mile).

Ultimately it was a rider from Virginia that made the biggest impact in the desert of St. George. Keck Baker showed amazing early-season fitness despite enduring a brutal winter on the east coast. Riding smart and clean throughout the race he managed his efforts in the most difficult technical sections and gave full gas on the climbs and open desert singletrack to cut down his rivals.

Baker had never ridden in southern Utah and due to shipping problems the Cannondale rider’s bike didn’t even arrive until Friday before the race. “My plan was to follow some of the local guys in the technical stuff the first lap” the eventual race winner said, “but I got stopped once on the Zen Trail and when I got back on the guys I was with were gone.”

IMG_0858

Josh Tostado cooling down after the finish – photo by Shannon Boffeli

Josh Tostado and Cary Smith (The Hub), both veterans of the True Grit Epic, had gotten out front in the slickrock gardens of Zen Trail and worked hard to keep their advantage but with just over half of the first lap gone by Baker had worked his way back to the front and took control of the race.

The second pass through the Zen Trail went much better for Baker sacrificing some time on the ledges and jarring downhills but not enough to let second placed rider Cary Smith make contact.

After Zen the remainder of the race went by in a flash as Baker took his first NUE win over 5 minutes up on Smith at the finish as Tostado finished in third.

Taylor Lideen (92Fifty) turned in a strong performance at his first True Grit experience taking fourth followed by North Carolina’s Barnabas Froystad.

The women’s race was a showdown between multi-time NUE series champion Amanda Carey, ultra-endurance superstar Sonya Looney, defending NUE champ Brenda Simril, and newcomer Marlee Dixon (Pivot/Epic Brewing).

Having just returned from the 6-stage Andalucia Bike Race, Sonya Looney wasn’t sure how her legs would respond. It didn’t take long for her to find out as she moved to the front in the opening miles and never looked back.

After a mechanical tanked her 2014 True Grit Epic Looney was determined to improve her 2015 result. Indeed it seemed her Andalucia effort only strengthened her fitness as she was simply unstoppable throughout the 90 miles of desert riding.

Amanda Carey settled happily into second place enjoying the warm weather and opportunity to put miles under her wheels both of which have been hard to come by in her home just outside Jackson, Wyoming.

Marlee Dixon followed Carey throughout the first 45-mile lap. Halfway through lap two the 80-degree heat started to catch up with the snowbound Breckenridge racer. After suffering through a second trip around Zen Trail with an uncooperative stomach Simril overtook the Pivot rider to move into third.

Riders stayed in this order until the finish.

Sonya Looney was elated with her win and enjoyed her time riding the challenging True Grit course.

At the finish riders were treated to live music and food as they cheered in the remaining riders on course.

Results 

Open Men

1, Keck Baker Cannondal/Carytown Bicycle 6.52.57
2, Cary Smith The Hub 6.58.12
3, Josh Tostado Swiftwick/Santa Cruz 7.16.45
4, Taylor Lideen 7.23.10
5, Barnabas Froystad 7.32.11
6, Brent Pontius Rooster’s/Bikers Edge 7.33.43
7, Ryan Steers Pedalers Fork 7.34.08
8, Scott Leonard Mountain Flyer Magazine 7.37.03
9, Matt Woodruff Kuhl/Salsa Cycles 7.41.12
10, Chris Alstrin 7.52.10
11, Kelly Phil AllProBicycles 7.59.56
12, Clifford Clermont Trek San Diego 8.34.23
13, Tom Kavanaugh Cascade Bicycles 8.57.25
14, Shawn Mitchell Team Rhino Rush 9.12.51
15, Eric Zubick Crank Benders 9.48.00

Open Women

1, Sonya Looney Freak Show/Defeet 8.12.36
2, Amanda Carey Luca Sunscreen 8.24.22
3, Brenda Simril Motor Mile Racing 9.16.42

Singlespeed

1, Gordon Wadsworth Blue Ridge Cyclery 7.14.07
2, AJ Linnell Fitzgerald’s Bicycles/Pivot 7.29.59
3, Mike Montalbano Toasted Head Racing 7.34.16
4, Daniel Rapp Team Noah Foundation 8.14.21
5, Cole Anderson 8.37.52

Open Men – 50 Mile

1, Justin Lindine Competitive Cyclist 3.15.25
2, Jason Sager Competitive Cyclist 3.20.20
3, Nick Fisher Destination Homes/Togs 3.25.08
4, Drew Free Revolution 3.27.02
5, John Osguthorpe Team Endurance 360 3.28.57

Open Women – 50 Mile

1, Joey Lythgoe Kuhl 3.52.17
2, Karen Jarchow BH/Castelli 4.01.02
3, KC Holley Kuhl 4.07.33
4, Wendy Lyall YetiBeti 4.14.37
5, Tracy Thelen ProCycling 4.26.16

Singlespeed – 50 Mile

1, Quin Bingham Rooster’s/Bikers Edge 3.49.35
2, Shannon Boffeli Pivot/Epic Brewing 3.59.09
3, Danny Christensen Red Rock Bicycle 4.12.03
4, Kenny Jones Flying Monkeys 4.17.24
5, Shane Horton UMB 4.19.47