With it’s barren rock, fine sand, and open expanses many sections of the Sea Otter racecourse appear as if riders are on the surface of the moon. For most riders today felt more like they were riding on the surface of the sun.
As temperatures climbed above 90 degrees, race officials made a last minute decision to shorten the typically long Sea Otter race. The women would be limited to one lap on the 19-mile circuit while the men would do one long lap and a shortened 10-mile cutoff.
Prior to the several riders were displeased with the changes made to the time-honored Sea Otter racecourse. Once the race was finished they had changed their minds. The high temperatures wilted even the best riders; only 102 of the 155 men that started the race completed the two laps.
Men’s Race
The men got off to a typically fast start. A giant pack of 155 racers made their way around the Laguna Seca raceway with the Specialized team out front. Once off the track and onto the dirt the race was officially on and World Champion Christoph Sauser was showing off his stuff for the U.S. crowd. Ryan Trebon (Kona) did his best to mark the Specialized man but a crash halfway through the first lap put an end to his hopes of a podium finish.
At the end of the first lap it was the Todd Wells, Burry Stander, and Sauser taking control at the front., with a group of hungry chasers not far behind including Sho-Air teammates Max Plaxton and Sid Taberlay and Sam Schultz (Subaru/Gary Fisher).
As Sauser increased his lead the chasers reeled in Todd Wells who would later succumb to a flat tire before the finish. That left Sid Taberlay to move into second and Plaxton into third which is where they would finish almost 5 minutes behind the impressive World Champion Christoph Sauser.
Subaru/Gary Fisher teammates Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski and Sam Schultz would finish off the podium in fourth and fifth respectively. With the absence to Geoff Kabush from today's race The Mountie Max Plaxton will take over the lead in the Pro XC Tour.
Race Notes:
Dave “Yellow Jersey Killer” Wiens (Ergon) won the battle for supremacy among mountain bike legends, beating Tinker Juarez, Steve Larsen, and Ned Overend. Wiens showed he still has it finishing 18th in the stacked Pro men's category.
In Saturday's Short Track Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru/Gary Fisher) was forced to ride a Supercaliber with 26 inch wheels. His usual 29er ride was lost on the flight back from the South African World Cup. His bike made it back in time for Sunday's XC.
Women’s Race
Today Georgia Gould (LUNA) put to bed any notions that she doesn’t race well in the heat. Gould suffered a serious case of heat stroke at last year’s NMBS race at Los Olivos, which led to questions about her performance when the temperatures spike. At Sea Otter, she left no doubt there is very little that can slow her down.
Gould simply powered her way through the course using her big engine to create gaps on the open doubletrack climbs and flats. Behind Gould, Lene Byberg (Specialized) and Catherine Pendrel (LUNA) battled. Both have experience racing each other at the World Cup level and it showed. They matched each other’s attacks repeatedly throughout the race and finished just seven seconds apart with Byberg taking the runner-up spot.
Behind them last year’s Sea Otter Champion Kelli Emmett (Giant) put together another podium finish in fourth followed by Willow Koerber (Subaru/Gary Fisher).
Race Notes:
Minnesota rider Jenna Rinehart (Specialized) took 9th in today’s XC, putting the finishing touches on a fantastic weekend of racing for the newly wed. Jenna (formerly Zander) finished 10th in the Short Track Saturday taking a total of 2 top-10 finishes in her first Pro XC Tour race this season.
