Jenna Rinehart (#552; Specialized) leading the women's Pro / Cat 1
field on the opening climb of the Legacy Cross Country race. 2008
Overall WORS Women's leader Abigail Strigel (#501; Mafia Racing /
Pabst / Felt) followed at second wheel. Rinehart went on to win each
of her three races during the Subaru Cup. Photo by John Senkerik.
Written by: Claire Cannon
The Subaru Cup, fourth race in the Wisconsin Off Road Series, was held last weekend in Mount Morris, WI. The Legacy Cross Country held on Saturday afternoon served as a qualifier for the USA Cycling National Mountain Bike Championships, while the Stage Race fell in the middle of the American Mountain Bike Challenge calendar. The challenging terrain and technical singletrack once again attracted Pro and Cat 1 racers from throughout the Upper Midwest, as well as from far away Oregon, Arizona and Colorado.
Local talent was dominant at the Stage Race. Jenna Rinehart of Mankato MN (Specialized) defended her overall title from 2008, winning each of her three races, while Sheboygan’s Brian Matter (Gear Grinder) led the Pro / Cat 1 men in points at the end of the two-day event.
Legacy Cross Country events won by Rinehart, Schouten
Jenna Rinehart dominated the women’s Pro / Cat 1 field in the Legacy Cross-Country race on Saturday afternoon, just as Wisconsin’s unseasonably cool early summer was ushered offstage by the arrival of clear, sunny skies and sweltering humidity. The heat did not seem to take a toll on Rinehart (nee Zander), who rode four laps of the technical, hilly course in 1:46:55. Despite starting a minute behind the Pro / Cat 1 men, she passed the majority of the men’s field and was riding around 13th wheel overall at the time she finished her race. As one of the men who jumped on Rinehart’s wheel was overheard to comment, “That lady was one heck of a domestique!”
“I had an awesome time this weekend,” said Rinehart. “I felt great and didn't seem to be bothered by the heat.” Rinehart was followed by Erin Disterheft of Galesburg, MI (Team Billy’s; 1:57:07) and 2008 WORS Overall Series leader Abigail Strigel of Madison, WI (Mafia Racing / Pabst / Felt; 1:58:58). Sue Juedes, also of Madison (Bike Hub; 2:01:10) and Robin Williams of Iowa City, IA (Mercy-Specialized; 2:03:57) completed to top five women.
2008 Subaru Cup Overall leader T J Woodruff (#2;
MomentumEndurance.com) and 2008 WORS Series Overall winner Jesse
Lalonde (#2; Gary Fisher 29 / T6 / BKB) check their gap after two laps
of the Legacy Cross Country course. Photo by John Senkerik.
The men’s Legacy Cross Country race was hotly contested throughout. A group of five riders broke away during the first lap, and were reduced to four by the midway point. Current WORS Series leader Jesse Lalonde (Gary Fisher 29 / T6 / BKB), 2008 Subaru Cup Stage Race winner T J Woodruff of Tucson, Arizona (MomentumEndurance.com), Tristan Schouten (Planet Bike / GT) and Brian Matter rode together until near the end of the sweltering contest, when Schouten attacked. With steep switchback climbs and singletrack just before the end of the lap, Schouten, of Sheboygan, managed to hold off the riders behind him to win in 1:57:08 for five laps.
Tristan Schouten of Sheboygan, WI (Planet Bike / GT) won the men's
Legacy Cross Country event. Photo by Dave Reich.
Jesse Lalonde, riding a rigid singlespeed, finished second in 1:57:26, and was followed by Woodruff at 1:57:35. Brian Matter held on to fourth at 1:59:02.
“A win against stiff competition always feels good. Travis, Jesse, and Brian are all national level riders and there are a few other guys staying in the game each week like Nathan Guerra [of Oconomowoc, WI, racing for Mr. Tree],” said Schouten. The Sheboygan racer, who has been a strong competitor at WORS events for years, has also struggled with health issues in recent seasons.
“The talent in Wisconsin is strong and it's fun to race when three or four different guys can win on a day. I'm just glad that for once it was my turn,” said Schouten. “It's been a while since I had a win at such a big event. I think everyone struggled in the heat and many of us were just trying to feel out our body's response. I guess I had the best legs on the last lap.”
Outback Super D and Impreza Short Track
The start of the men's Pro / Cat 1 Impreza Short Track. Brain Matter
(Gear Grinders, #10) won the men's race, followed by Chris Peariso
(Adventure 212 / Specialized; #3), Tristan Schouten (behind Peariso);
Darrin Braun (VCB; second from the left); T J Woodruff
(MomentumEndurance.com; #2) and Nathan Guerra (Mr. Tree; #5). Photo
by John Wrycza.
Matter came back to attack in the Outback Super D on Sunday morning, winning in 7:17.9 after a Le Mans start.
“The racing started on foot this time around. I warned the guys I had trained earlier in the year, but it didn't work as I was third or fourth to the bike,” said Matter. “I took the first corner in third behind TJ [Woodruff] and Tristan [Schouten]. I played the waiting game as Tristan passed TJ on the descent and others behind crashed trying risky passes. Then, I attacked on the first slight climb and took the lead into the final singletrack for the win.”
Schouten and Woodruff followed Matter by less than a second, at 7.18.3, and 7.18.7, respectively. Nathan Guerra (Mr. Tree; 7.20.6) and Maciej Nowak (Team Polska; 7.23.8) rounded out the top five.
Rinehart led the women’s field by a strong margin, crossing the line in 8:14.6. She was followed by Abby Strigel (8:26.9), and Erin Disterheft (8:31.9). Robin Williams (8:35.5) and Holly Liske (Hayes Disc Brakes; 8:42.2) rounded out the top five women.
The Impreza Short Track, held early Sunday afternoon, kept the heat on to the end as the men settled in for a blazing 23 minutes. The race started with a strong attack by Chris Peariso (Adventure 212 / Specialized), who managed to quickly open a sizeable gap. The chase group of Brian Matter, Tristan Schouten, TJ Woodruff, Darrin Braun (VCB) and Nathan Guerra was able to reduce the gap to a second or two within the first ten minutes. Soon after, Guerra rubbed wheels with Matter and went down, to lose several crucial seconds. Riding alone, he fought back to take sixth. In the end, it was Matter who came around Peariso for the win (23:22.3).
“The action was tight as there was really only 30 seconds of pedaling per lap.” said Matter. It was hard to get any significant gap. I stayed calm and kept the gaps within reason. With two laps to go I bridged up to Chris [Peariso] and went by him. He jumped onto my wheel, but never had the gas to come around me. I hung on for the second win!” Peariso finished less than a second behind at 23:23.5. Schouten (23:25.5), Braun (23:35.7) and Woodruff (23.38.3) completed the top five.
Erin Disterheft of Galesburg, MI (Team Billy's) rode to a strong
second place showing in the women's Impreza Short Track. Photo by
Caren Reich.
In the ladies race, Jenna Rinehart set the pace from the start, riding alone throughout to win in 18:34.8. Erin Disterheft, of Galesburg, MI followed Rinehart with a solid second (18:37.1). Third place was hotly contested, and ultimately went to Holly Liske (Hayes Disc Brakes; 18:43.0), who fought her way up from sixth wheel in the first few laps, to pass both Robin Williams (4th place; 18:45.5) and Abby Strigel (5th; 18:47.3).
Stage Race wins for Rinehart and Matter
At the end of the weekend, Jenna Rinehart and Brian Matter stood on the top spot of their respective podiums. “I decided to head over to the WORS Cup in hopes of defending my title from last year,” said Rinehart. “I also wanted to use the stage race as training for Nationals coming up in July. WORS put on such a great event. The courses were fun, challenging, and spectator friendly! Also, the equal payout for men and women was nice to see!” Erin Disterheft, Abby Strigel, Robin Williams and Holly Liske took the remaining spots on the women’s Stage Race podium.
After Brian Matter, second place in the men’s Stage Race went to Tristan Schouten. T J Woodruff, Nathan Guerra and Darrin Braun rounded out the top five men. "For me, WORS is now three for three in amazing Midwest mountain bike courses,” said a smiling Matter after his Stage Race award. “The Subaru Cup added a new dimension to the race with sustained climbing and hot temps."
For complete results, see http://wors.org. The next race of Wisconsin Off Road Series, the Chippewa Valley Firecracker, will be held July 5 in Eau Claire, WI.
