Over 2,000 riders lined up early Saturday morning to contest the 10th Annual Ore To Shore mountain bike race. The Ore to Shore runs 48-miles from Negaunee to Marquette, in Michigan's Upper Penninsula. Riders charge over a combination of road, doubletrack, singletrack, and legendary Michigan sand pits.
The Ore to Shore is the first leg of the unofficial Triple Crown of midwest mountain bike racing. The Triple Crown is made up of three celebrated point-to-point events in the upper midwest, the Ore to Shore, the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, and the Iceman. Each leg of the Triple Crownr hosts literally thousands of mountain bike racers.
Riders use their bikes to hold a spot on the Ore To Shore startline
Only one rider in history has claimed the Triple Crown. That rider is Gear Grinder's Brian Matter, who won all three races in 2004. Once again he is on the hunt for Triple Crown glory. Matter took top honors at Saturday's race outsprinting young Michigan local Mike Anderson by just 2 seconds. Matter has been virtually unbeatable in sprints this season.
The final three podium spots were seperated by just 28 seconds with longtime Minnesota strongman Doug Swanson taking the three spot ahead of Mike Phillips and Greg Kuhn.
Women's podium (left to right) Musto, Zander, and Anderson
In the women's race it was Jenna Rinehart (Specialized) repeating at Ore to Shore champion. Rinehart has been enjoying a fantastic 2009 posting some of her best results including a top-10 at Sea Otter this spring. Behind Rinehart it was Kyia Anderson once again taking the runner-up spot and Michigan's own Danielle Musto (Kenda/Tomac/Hayes) coming in third. Ore To Shore offers equal payout for men and women, which certainly helped swell the women's field to over 80 racers.
Round two of the Triple Crown, the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, will take place September 19th in Hayward, Wisconsin.
Danielle Musto is very happy with her third place finish
Special Thanks to Danielle Musto for her contributions to this story
Pro Men
1, Brian Matter (Gear Grinders) 2.28.17
2, Mike Anderson 2.28.19
3, Doug Swanson 2.33.10
4, Mike Phillips 2.33.15
5, Greg Kuhn 2.33.38
6, Jason Lummis 2.34.02
7, Mark Lalonde 2.34.08
8, Ted Hanes 2.34.39
9, Jeff Hall 2.34.57
10, Brent Steinberg 2.38.36
Pro Women
1, Jenna Rinehart (Specialized)
2, Kyia Anderson
3, Danielle Musto (Kenda/Tomac/Hayes)
Tandem winners Brian and Kim Eppen finished in the top-25 overall
