Trek Racing Co-Op Rider Jeff Schalk (photo by: steven hoover)
Round two of the National Ultra-Endurance Series (NUE) kicked off today with the Mohican 100 in Loudonville, Ohio. Anticipation was high as fans awaited another showdown between former teammates Jeff Schalk (Trek Racing Co-Op) and Jeremiah Bishop (Monave-Cannondale.com), who finished 1-2 at the NUE opener in Tennessee.
Ohio has been uncharacteristically dry for this time of year which helped to limit the number of muddy sections on course. Riders had a relatively dry surface for racing which left only the ripping-fast singletrack, bridges, creek crossings, and brutally steep short climbs to contend with. After 100 miles and roughly 11,000 feet of climbing every rider in the field would be praying to see the finish line.
The Monavie-Cannondale compound prior to the race (Photo by Alex Grant)
The men’s event featured virtually all the top ultra-endurance riders in the country including, Jeremiah Bishop and Tinker Juarez (Monave-Cannondale.com), Chris Eatough and Jeff Schalk (Trek Racing Co-Op) and Josh Tostado (Bach Builders).
The action started right from the gun as Bishop, Schalk, and Juarez got away with Chris Tanguy (Team Fraser), Brandon Draugelis (Cannondale), and Michael Simonson (Gary Fisher 29er Crew).
The group of 6 established a small lead over a strong chase group including Tostado, Eatough, Monavie teammates Alex Grant and Bart Gillespie, ultra-endurance veteran Harlan Price (IF) and Chris Beck. The chasers were pushing hard to bridge the gap until a wrong turn killed their hopes of joining the leaders. The wrong turn was especially costly for powerhouse team Monavie-Cannondale.com who would have had overwhelming numbers in the lead group. The mishap ended up costing about 10 minutes before the riders found their way back to the trail.
Unaware of the happenings behind them, the leaders kept the pace high working together throughout the race. The unseasonably dry conditions helped riders maintain a furious pace throughout the 100 miles.
The lead group worked together well, so well in fact, they stayed together until the 95-mile mark. At that point all out warfare was declared in the once cohesive group. as Bishop and Schalk clashed, elbow-to-elbow, each one trying to take the lead into the final singletrack section. Bishop prevailed as the skirmish began to take it’s toll on Schalk who started to cramp. Bishop kept the pace high over the final miles to take the win over second place Chris Tanguy who moved ahead of Schalk after the Trek rider cramped. Schalk held on for third. Simonson took 4th with Draugelis finishing off the podium in 5th. Mountain bike legend Tinker Juarez came home in the 6 spot.
Monavie-Cannondale.com Frontman Jeremiah Bishop (photo by: shannon boffeli)
After the race Bishop said, “I was in the gutter. At the end, I put all my chips in and it worked out. This is one of the hardest 100 milers I have done.”
Once regaining the course the chase group put in a strong effort but were left wondering what-if as Gillespie stayed strong leading the group in 7th place followed by Rob Lichtenwalner (VisitPA.com), Price, Grant, Eatough, Greg Kuhn (Team Fraser), and Josh Tostado.
In the women’s group it was east coast racing legend Betsy Shogren (Cannondale) taking first place over Karen Potter.
Race notes
-Monavie-Cannondale rider Alex Grant bonked toward the end of the race. He stopped at the final feed where he refueled with Little Debbie Swiss Rolls and a pocket full of animal crackers. “Before I stopped I was delirious but after the Little Debbies I felt great!” commented the Monavie rider after the race. Grant credits the Swiss Rolls with helping him hold on to his top-10 placing.
1, Jeremiah Bishop (Monavie Cannondale.com) 6.50.26
2, Chris Tanguy (Team Fraser)
3, Jeff Schalk (Trek Racing Co-Op)
4, Michael Simonson (Gary Fisher 29er Crew)
5, Brandon Draugelis (Cannondale)
6, Tinker Juarez (Monavie-Cannondale.com)
7, Bart Gillespie (Monavie-Cannondale.com)
8, Rob Lichtenwalner (VisitPA.com)
9, Harlan Price (Independent Fabrications)
10, Alex Grant (Monavie-Cannondale.com)
11, Chris Eatough (Trek Racing Co-Op)
12, Greg Kuhn (Team Fraser)
13, Josh Tostado (Bach Builders)
14, Scott Henry (Team Hammerhead)
15, Sloane Anderson (Pureenergy-Proair)
16 Aaron Oakes (USA) Team Bulldog/Cycle Craft
17 Bryan Alders (USA) Monavie-Cannondale
18 Tim Finkel (USA) Gary Fisher 29er Crew
19 Andy Gorski (USA) SPK / Speedgoat / Salsa
20 Jesse Stevens (USA) Velocity Bicycles
21 Ernesto Marenchin (USA) Speedgoat.com
22 Jed Prentice (USA) Bike Doctor
23 Matt Ohran (USA) Monavie-Cannondale
24 Justin Farmer (USA)
25 Andy Applegate (USA) CCN / Cannondale
26 Thane Wright (USA) Voodoo Cycles
27 Robert Spreng (USA)
28 Fredrick Dreier (USA) Velo News
29 Scott Cole (USA) Adventure 212/Specialized/Ergon
30 Tj Platt (USA) Gary Fisher 29'er
31 Bradley Cobb (USA) Motor Mile Racing/SCV
32 Travis Mullen (USA) 29er Crew
33 Dan Kotwicki (USA) 34 Ryan Heerschap (USA)
35 Karl Burk (USA)
36 Jason Murrell (USA) Motormile racing/waste services
37 Jake Grantham (USA) Pro Bikes, Bruce Construction, Endura
38 Mike Schultz (USA) Dirty Harrys/Highland Training
39 Bradley Schmalzer (USA) Team Bikeman.com/Kenda/Twin
40 Jeff Socia (USA) TSO
41 Justin Mace (USA) Motor Mile
42 Daniel Atkins (USA)
43 Brian Fischer (USA)
44 Ronnie Dean (USA) 2 Wheel Coach and Wobble-Naught
45 Kris Weber (USA) Team Bulldog CycleCraft
46 Jason Hilimire (USA) Gary Fisher 29er Crew
47 Nicholas Shaffer (USA) Human Zoom/Pabst Blue Ribbon
48 Aaron Shelmire (USA) ProBikes
49 Blaine Heppner (USA)
50 Theo Procopos (USA) Engin Cycles
51 Anthony Hergert (USA) Reality Bikes
52 Gary Chambers (USA)
53 Shawn M. Tevendale (USA) Trek Racing Cooperative/Bike Factory Racing
54 Donald Powers (USA) Pro Bikes
55 Bradley Youse (USA)
56 Mark Rucker (USA)
57 Kristofer Karwisch (USA) Biowheels
58 Patrick Warren (USA)
59 Nathan Mirus (USA) BioWheels
60 Brent Lester (USA) 29ER Crew
61 Brett Sherwood (USA)
62 Jason Mahokey (USA) Pro Bikes/Salsa Cycles/Twin-Six
63 Albert Ciesielka (USA) Aroundnj.com/marty's reliable
64 Tom Mcardle (USA)
65 Andrew Brautigam (USA)
66 Adam Naish (USA) RBS Cycling Team
67 Mac Johansen (USA) Unattached
68 Richard Bilson (USA) C3-Sollay.com
69 Robert Thomas (USA) Henry's Bikes, Wilmington, DE
70 Lee Simril (USA)
71 Clayton Bell (USA) Bell & Co MTN Biking
72 Martin Kozera (USA)
73 Christian Baks (USA) Pawling Cycle and Sport
74 Gary Hall (USA) Thiele Automotive
75 Dan Kabicek (USA)
76 Timothy Wilkie (USA) Riverbrook Bike & Ski
77 Rusty Brown (USA) CAMBA
78 Bradley Ungurait (USA)
79 Vincent Schultz (USA)
80 Cameron Kohn (USA) Healthy & Fit Magazine
81 Doug Milliken (USA)
82 Jeff Plassman (USA)
83 Michael Powers (USA)
84 Timothy Koch (USA) Gripped Racing
85 Lawrence Lanphere (USA)
86 Jeff Zimmerman (USA) Cycle Fit Multisport
87 Anthony Ippolito (USA) Southern Brazil Adventures
88 Ryan Wayne (USA) idutri.com
89 John Griffiths (USA) NYCMTB-Peak Bikes
90 David Spivey (USA) Gray Goat
91 Joshua Cohen (USA) J.Cohen & Associates/ Dirty Harrys
92 Mark Shellhamer (USA) Trek Ohio Valley
93 Chip Waite (USA)
94 Ben Bonney (USA)
95 Ralph Oppermann (USA) AFD
96 Coy Boroff (USA)
97 Katsuhiro Tanda (USA) Team Athens / KT Prototype
98 Adam Schmidt (USA) BioWheels
99 Mike Purcell (USA) Elkay Sales, Inc.
100 Rodney Martin (USA)
101 Peter Rajcani (USA)
102 Mason Brown (USA) onagerband.com
103 Russell Petts (USA)
104 Gary Cadelina (USA) Lucban
DNF Chip Meek (USA) Dieringer/IDUTRI
DNF Mike Weisgerber (USA)
DNF Matt Billingsley (USA)
DNF Claude Laberge (USA)
DNF Thomas Waniewski (USA)
DNF Lee Unwin (USA) GT
DNF George Stefek (USA)
DNF Travis Sapsford (USA) Guy's Racing Club
DNF Christopher Purcell (USA) Elkay Sales, Inc
DNF Robert Payne (USA)
DNF Robb Maher (USA)
DNF Alex Kopko (USA) IF Racing
DNF Andy Klumb (USA) BiciLibre
DNF Todd Henne (USA)
DNF Marcin Gembicki (USA)
DNF Austin Francescone (USA) Trek Store Columbus
DNF Mark Cole (USA) Specialized/Cole Brothers
DNF Dustin Cheney (USA) Rochester Bike Shop/Lewerenze Medical
DNF Christopher Beck (USA) Subaru Gary Fisher
Pro Women
1, Betsy Shogren (Cannondale)
2, Karen Potter
3 Cheryl Sornson
4 Denelle Grant (29er Crew/Bike Factory Racing)
5 Brenda Simril
6 Danielle Musto (Kenda/Tomac/Hayes)
7 Laureen Coffelt (RB's Cyclery)
8 Emily Brock (Faster Mustache)
9 Amy Stauffer (West Pro)
10 Lindsey Lighthizer (Trek Ohio)
11 Sara Dallman
12 Sherry Downing (7 Hills Racing)
13 Noreen Greene
14 Ruth Cunningham (WVMBA/Pro Bikes)
15 Sarah Miller (Carve/TWWSIX)
16 Tracy Martin
DNF Rebecca Tomaszewski (Niner/Ergon)
