Interbike

More Exciting Products From Interbike 2009

The Cannondale Flash really is as light as they say. At 16.6 lbs this is the most fun you can have on a hardtail. Cannondale has refined it's carbon frame to produce a more vertically compliant rear end which dampens the bumps. The bike comes spec'd with DT Carbon wheels, SRAM XX components and sub 3 lb carbon lefty which make this bike so light we could hardly keep it on the ground.

Rock Shox has gone back to the carbon steerer and crown for their 2010 Sid World Cup which brings the weight down to a remarkable 3.05 lbs including their new push-button lockout

The new Antares from fizi:k sports carbon rails and a surprisingly large amount of padding for a saddle that weighs only 133 grams.

Pearl Izumi introduced the Octane II MTB shoe which couples a super stiff carbon sole with a minimalistic synthetic upper to produce a super light racing shoe. The Octane's tongue extends all the way to the toe of the shoe which allows the rider to get maximum tightening without the material bunching up for those of you with a more narrow foot.

Continental will be selling the Trail King in 2010. The Trail King is a more burly tire for use in loose and wet conditions. It is available with Conti's Protection Sidewall and Black Chili compound for even greater grip. The Trail King was formerly known as the Rubber Queen. It is unclear if Continental was uncomfortable with using the word "Queen" or "Rubber" in their tire line.

Eatough To Retire After Moab, US Cup 2010 Adds New Venues

Eatough Set To Retire After National Championships

24-Hour racing legend Chris Eatough (Trek Racing Co-Op) has announced his plans to retire from racing after this year's 24 hour national championship in Moab, Utah on October 10th-11th. Eatough voiced his intentions to USA Today writer Sal Ruibal who posted the remarks in his blog.

Eatough intends to spend more time with his family and plans to stay involved with mountain biking through product testing with Trek and his personal coaching business.

Throughout his 10 years as a professional racer, Eatough has won six 24-Hour Solo World Championships and five U.S. National Championships. In 2007, Eatough took top honors at 24-Hours of Moab conquering what is arguably one of the toughest 24-hour courses in the world. He failed to finish last season's event after succumbing to hypothermia. In his final race Eatough will have plenty of tough competition including last year's winner Josh Tostado (Bach Builders) and Granny Gear series leader Brandon Draugelis (Cannondale).

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
US Cup To Add New Venues For 2010

photo by John Senekirk

While the 2010 US Cup schedule has yet to be released MTBracenews has learned that two new venues will be added to next year's series. Included in the 2010 US Cup races will be Mt. Morris, Wisconsin and Bonelli Park, California.

Mt. Morris hosts the Subaru Cup and is part of the Wisconsin Off-Road Series (WORS). WORS is the largest mountain bike racing series in the United States. Just last week, WORS director Don Edberg told MTBracenews, "WORS has had another great year in 2009, for the first time since 2002 we are set to increase our numbers. Right now we are averaging about 680 racers per event."

It seems the US Cup is looking to capitalize on that success and hoping to include established successful races in what is now the national race series.

Minnesota racer Jenna Rinehart and local boy Brian Matter won this year's Subaru Cup race in Mt. Morris. Stay tuned to MTBracenews.com for a full schedule of US Cup events when it becomes available.

Fall Classic: California State Championship

Pro Men

1, Sid Taberlay (Sho-Air/Specialized)
2, Manuel Prado (Sho-Air/Specialized)
3, Dana Weber (Trek)
4, Sean Donovan (Cytomax/KHS)
5, Ben Bostrom (Sho-Air/Specialized)
6, Romolo Forcino (Bear Valley Bikes)
7, John Nobil (Bear Valley Bikes)
8, Charles Jenkins (Cytomax/KHS)
9, Eric Bierman (Steven K Cycles)
10, Matt Freeman (Pass PT)
11, Nate Whitman (Hammer Nutrition)
12, Alex Boone (Helens)
13, Derek Hermon (Bear Valley Bikes)

Pro Women

1, Allison Mann (Sho-Air/Specialized)

Cross Vegas 2009

Jamey Driscoll Wins Cross Vegas as Katie Compton Dominates The Women's Field

Race winner Jamey Driscoll leads Christopher Jones up one of the courses tough run ups

Marko LaLonde charges up the run

Sam Krieg pushes the pace in the opening laps

Endurance man Jeremiah Bishops shows he can pump out the watts when he needs to

Brian Matter displays efficient technique off the bike

Interbike

New Exiting Products From Interbike

Many mountain bikes in 2010 will be running a tapered steerer tube. The tapered tubes are a traditional 1' 1/8th at the top and 1' 1/2 at the bottom which increases the stiffness of the front end.

Santa Cruz Tallboy full-suspension 29er is a fun and nimble ride

Niner's new carbon-framed Air 9 features a 2.8 pound frame

The Specialized Stumpjumper HT 29 is one fast ride and it comes stocked with the SRAM XX and smaller 29er gearing up front.

US Cup Unification Race and Season Finale: Bonelli Park, California

Nearly four hundred competitors came out to stake their claim at the U.S. Cup unification race at Bonelli Park on Sunday the 20th. Racers were met with warm sunny skies with temps topping out in the high 80’s, and the racing was just as intense.



With a custom Primal unification jersey up for grabs and a load of swag from contributing US Cup sponsors, racers were leaving it all out on the course in hopes of adding one more title to their resume, and another trophy to the mantle before the season’s end.

In the men’s Pro Class, it was Sid Taberlay defending his Kenda Cup West title against some heavy hitters, who were there to try and topple his efforts.

At the end of the day, Taberlay proved to be too strong for Team Turbo’s Ignacio Torres from Mexico and KHS/Cytomax’s Sean Donovan. Rounding out the unification pro men’s podium was Trek rider Dana Weber and Team Sho-Air/Specialized’s Manny Prado.



After the race Taberlay had this to say.
“Well mate it’s been a long season, and I’m glad to end on a high note. These guys weren’t giving me an inch and made me earn it”, elaborated Taberlay. “I just want to thank Sho-Air/Specialized as well as other team sponsors for their backing this year. It was my first full year in the States and I think it went pretty well all things considered.” continued the Australian.

In the Women’s class, Kenda Cup West Champion Krista Park from the Incycle team lost the battle on the day but won the war. It was Sho-Air support rider Alison Mann taking her first professional win after turning pro in March 2009. However because of her late start, Park got the Unification title based on her points accumulation and her second place finish on the day.

“It was great to get my first real pro win out of the way,” expressed Mann. “Krista and I battled back and forth and neither one of us could get an advantage. I just bided my time in the heat and made my move stick when she ran into some shifting problems,” explained Alison.

“Bonelli Park looks very likely to host the opening round of the 2010 PRO XCT series in early March and the venue has a lot of potential”, states US Cup marketing director Ty Kady. In conjunction with USA Cycling we should be releasing a full PRO XCT schedule as early as October or maybe sooner once we confirm commitments from promoters and venues.

“We also have some exciting things lined up for the US Cup as well for 2010 and should be releasing that calendar here shortly over the fall. We are hoping to expand our presence across the country and offer both pro and amateurs a great racing experience and some titles to shoot for,” elaborates Kady.


Results

Pro Men

1, Sid Taberlay (Sho-Air/Specialized)
2, Ignacio Torres
3, Sean Donovan (Cytomax/KHS)
4, Dana Weber
5, Manuel Prado (Sho-Air/Specialized)
6, Ben Bostrom
7, Romolo Forcino
8, Kevin Smallman
9, Tom Koerner
10, Paul Freiwald (Pivot)

Pro Women

1, Alison Mann (Sho-Air/Specialized)
2, Krista Park (Incycle/NoTubes)
3, Joy Duerkson

Type rest of the post here

Chequamegon 40: Hayward, WI- Report, Results, and Photos

Matter and Rinehart take wins, both riders on track for the Triple Crown



Photos by: Bruce Adelsman
Brian Matter (Gear Grinder/Trek) captured up his second Chequamegon 40 win with a vicious attack two miles to go in the 40-mile race, setting a course record of 2:02:55.7 in the process. His attack dropped Cole House (BMC) who, taking risks on the final downhill corner, nearly caught Matter at the line and finished less than a second behind the race winner. Steve Tilford of Topeka, Kan., who initially went with Matter's final move, finished third. Dewey Dickey finished 6th.

In the women's Chequamegon 40, Jenna Rinehart (Specialized) also won her second race in 2:19:31.3. Her time was five seconds slower than Lea Davison's record time in 2008. Rinehart won in 2007 and finished second last year. She beat former champions Kyia Anderson (Hidden Bay/Cannondale) and Catherine Walberg (Team Kenda).

Men's champion Brian Matter climbs Firetower Hill

House, of Oneida, Wis., initially blew the race wide open in the early stages, whittling a lead group of 40 riders down to eight 16 miles into the race. These eight were later joined by another seven riders pulled along by Mark and Jesse Lalonde. Mark eventually placed fourth, over a minute down on Matter. Matter made his first move when the course entered the rolling Birkie hills with nine miles to go, and only House and Tilford could respond.

"I got on the gas with two miles to go in the last section of singletrack," said Matter of Sheboygan, Wis. House, whose legs were cramping, stayed in the saddle and tried to maintain Matter's pace up the final climb. "I took a big chance on the last corner and railed it as hard as I could," House said, but it wasn’t enough to catch Matter, who was a member of last year’s US World Championship cyclocross team.

Jenna Rinehart leads the women's field

Rinehart won the women's race teaming up with the men racing around her. "I got in a good group of guys and just focused on their rear wheels," she said. "The scariest part of the race was on the pavement. If you can survive that …." Rinehart rode the last few miles of the race alone, but by then she had established a comfortable seven minute lead on second-place Anderson.

Jake Richards of Calloway, Minn. won the 16-mile Short and Fat race in 51:57.4, beating Tom Meyer of Seeley, Wis. by six seconds. Meyer was riding a singlespeed. Former Chequamegon 40 champion Cindy Bijold grabbed the women’s Short and Fat title. Brian and Kim Eppen (Mercy/Specialized) of Iowa City, Iowa, won the tandem race, placing 38th overall in 2:12:51.1 despite breaking a chain.

The Chequamegon (pronounced shwam eh gin) is one of the largest mountain bike races in the nation. Each year it follows the same cross country ski trails as the world famous Birkenbeiner ski marathon from Hayward to Cable, in Northern, Wisconsin. This year the Chequamegon 40 alone hosted 1,778 racers.

By winning, both Jenna Zander and Brian Matter keep their hopes alive for winning the Midwest Triple Crown, an unofficial competition including the three major point-to-point mountain bike races in the Midwest. The Ore-to-Shore in Marquette, Michigan and Iceman Cometh Challenge from Kalkaska to Traverse City, Michigan join Chequamegon in the Triple Crown challenge.

Rinehart and Matter kicked off their bid for the Triple Crown by winning the Ore-to-Shore August 8th. The final race comes November 7th, when racers will go head to head for 27 miles from Kalkaska to Traverse City. Matter has had great results at the Iceman including a second place finish in 2008, just 7 seconds behind Jeremiah Bishop (Monavie-Cannondale.com).
Matter is the only rider to ever win the elusive Triple Crown, winning all three races in 2004. For the first time in history two riders now have a shot at taking the Triple Crown title.

Stay with MTBracenews.com for all your mountain bike race coverage including the Iceman Cometh Challenge, November 7th in Traverse City, Michigan.

Treadfest: Lake Geneva, WI- WORS #10

Lalonde and Eppen race a perfect tenth
By Claire Cannon

Mark Lalonde (Planet Bike / GT / T6) went on to win the men's race.
Photo by Extreme Photography

Most people don’t travel to a four-star resort for the dust, but when racers in the Wisconsin Off Road Series descended on The Grand Geneva in Lake Geneva, WI this weekend for Treadfest, the dust was really flying. Warm, dry weather in September left the technical, twisting singletrack dry and loose, and local organizers Club Tread pulled out all the stops with added sections of technical riding for the experts. With only a week to go before the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, the tenth race in the 2009 WORS series drew multiple regional stars, including Kim and Brian Eppen (Mercy / Specialized) of Iowa City, and Ryan Baumann (Trek / Livestrong) of Green Bay to line up with series regulars.

Mark Lalonde and Brian Matter duke it out again

“I wasn't sure how my legs were going to respond after a tough couple of weeks of training,” said Planet Bike racer Mark Lalonde. “It was hot and sure to be a long race.”

The five-lap Belgioioso Men’s Pro / Cat 1 race began with a series of steep climbs that sent racers up and down the ski hill multiple times before entering the woods. With position in the singletrack critical for success, the pace was blazing off the start. Current WORS series leader Nathan Guerra (Mr. Tree) led the charge, followed closely by Mike Phillips (Adventure 212 / Specialized), Mark Lalonde (Planet Bike / GT / T6), Brian Matter (Gear Grinder), Brian Eppen, and Ryan Baumann.

“Mike [Phillips] blasted off the line and I stuck fairly close going into the singletrack until I clipped my bar end and went down,” said Lalonde. “Nathan [Guerra] and I traded off a little but Mike kept pulling away.”

Phillips had a gap of nearly a minute in the early laps of the race, with Nathan Guerra and Mark Lalonde riding in hot pursuit, followed by Brian Matter and Brian Eppen.

“The course was relentless with three climbs right off the bat followed by the most technical singletrack on the WORS circuit,” said Brian Matter. “The dry conditions made for zero visibility with all the dust if you were following someone.”

The Belgioioso Series Pro / Cat 1 men head up the first lead-out
climb. Nathan Guerra and Mike Phillips were off the front (not shown),
followed by (left to right) Ryan Baumann (Trek / Livestrong), Brian
Matter (Gear Grinder, #10), Brian Eppen (Mercy-Specialized, #249), and
Mark Lalonde (Planet Bike / GT / T6, #6). Photo by Extreme Photography

Matter and Eppen were back in contact with Lalonde and Guerra by mid-race. “The Brians caught up by lap 3, when I pulled most of the lap,” said Lalonde. “Nathan put in a good ascent of the hill on lap four and pulled us through a quick lap, cutting Mike's advantage in half. Then I put in a good dig up the climbs with Brian Matter in tow. We seemed to be gaining quickly on Mike Phillips. I could smell blood and not so gracefully hammered for half a lap before catching on.”

By the end, it was Mark Lalonde and Brian Matter riding together in the lead. With both Lalonde and Matter set for the upcoming showdown during cyclocross season, a run-up made the difference at Treadfest.

“I lost Brian on a steep, loose climb in the back singletrack as we both had to dismount,” said Lalonde. “Luckily, my legs didn't seize up and I was able to hold on for the win.”

“All in all it was another great race and perfect prep for Chequamegon next weekend!” said Matter, who rolled in just seconds behind Lalonde.

Mike Phillips held on for third, and Nathan Guerra took fourth. In his first year of racing as a Cat 1, Darrin Braun (Adventure 212 / Specialized) turned in another impressive ride to claim fifth, and WORS alum and Superweek “Race the Lake” winner Ryan Baumann finished sixth.

Kim Eppen rides to another WORS victory

Kim Eppen (Mercy-Specialized) led the women's Belgioioso Pro / Cat 1
race. Photo by Extreme Photography

Mercy-Specialized racer Kim Eppen has suggested her greatest strength as a cyclist is as “a stoker on the tandem with [her husband] Brian - pedaling hard and not having to worry about anything else. “ And it’s no secret that the two Eppens have quite the kick on their tandem. They finished 14th overall at this year’s Ore to Shore race, placing along with the top Pro men. At Treadfest, however, it was Kim Eppen in the drivers seat. After following WORS Overall Series leader Abigail Strigel (Mafia Racing / Pabst / Felt) up the lead out climb, Eppen took the reigns and motored to another win.

“This was our first time racing in Lake Geneva,” said Eppen after her race. “The course was challenging with the open climbs right off the start followed by long sections of tight technical single track with varied terrain. There was a good-sized group of competitive women who showed up to get down and dirty on the dry and dusty course. The race seemed long for a typical XC race, but was good preparation for upcoming Chequamegon, where once again I'll be chilling out on the back of the tandem while Brian hauls me around the course.”

“It was really fun to race with Kim Eppen,” said second place finisher Abby Strigel. “The race course was so awesome; they did a great job.” Eppen also had some kind words for the WORS Series and Club Tread. “The WORS organization, race organizers and volunteers did an awesome job with the event, from marking the course to having course marshals directing racers to handing up water.”

Robin William (Mercy-Specialized) of Iowa City, IA claimed third place in the women’s race, followed by Lisa Krayer (Wildside Velo Club) of North Freedom, WI. Meghan Korol (Twin Six) completed the top five women.

WORS Series contested down to the line

As befits a series that began with a succession of sprint upsets, the 2009 WORS Overall looks to be a race to the very end. Favorites for the top spot include Brian Matter and brothers Mark and Jesse Lalonde, but “new blood” Nathan Guerra and Darrin Braun are marking their wheels and with two races to go it’s anyone’s game. Meanwhile, the final three spots in the ladies top five are also in hot contention. For complete results, visit wors.org. The next race in the series will be held at Bear Paw Outdoor on October 4 at the Wolf River Rendezvous.

Results from Robbie Project Raffle

Winner's of the Robbie Project raffle were drawn today. Doug Kolan was the big winner taking home the Reynolds Solitude wheelset.

We would like to thank Riley Siddoway and the Tour De Park City for their support of Utah mountain biker Robbie Squire. With their help, we were able to raise $585 to help pay for Robbie's trip to the world championships in Canberra, Australia. Robbie had a great race and crossed the line as the top North American finisher.

We would also like to thank all of our readers who made donations and helped make Robbie's trip possible.

A list of the winners and their winnings is below.

Doug Kolan- Reynolds Solitude Wheelset
Cris Fox- Garmin 605
Cris Fox- Rudy Project Helmet
Cipriana Harrison- Rudy Project Glasses
John Van Wagoner- Hammer Nutrition Package
Bob Saffell- Hammer Nutrition Package

Contest winners will be contacted by email to arrange delivery of their winnings.

The Robbie Project

The raffle for the Robbie Project has officially ended. We would like to thank everyone for their outpouring of support. The drawing will be held on Tuesday with the winner's announced at that time.

Your support made it possible for Robbie Squire to travel to Australia and participate in his first Under-23 World Championships where he was the top North American finisher. Without your support that would never have been possible!! Each and every person who donated money to the Robbie Project deserves a big pat on the back.

Please check in this Tuesday to find out who wins the raffle prizes. It could be you!

Product Review: Squirt Long Lasting Dry Lube

Smooth Move
By Brian Hester

I first tried synthetic “dry” lubes way back in the mid 1990’s. They promised to keep your chain clean while providing superb friction reduction. And they did, but only for a very short ride….on a dry road. After a few miles your chain started making that noise. You know the one. The one that sounds like you took your bike to the car wash and forgot to lube your chain before the next ride. I quickly gave up on the fancy, expensive lubes and went for the relative quiet of Tri-Flow.



Fast forward 15 years and dry lubes are pretty much the same. Or so I thought until I got my hands on a bottle of Squirt Lube (www.squirtlube.com). Billed as a long lasting dry lube, Squirt is a water based (emulsion) wax lube. Those of you over 50 will remember the days of waxing chains. This is the same idea but you won’t have to cook your chain in the oven!

Putting water on your chain is counterintuitive but in this case it carries the wax deep into your chain. The water then evaporates leaving the wax to do its thing. Simple! It repels dirt and lubricates at the same time. And for those of you that think Earth is a nice place to live, Squirt contains no solvents, is 100% biodegradable, and is made from recycled product.

Applying Squirt is the same easy process as any other chain lube. However, if you’re married, don’t use Squirt in the living room. The water based formula is impossible to put on without a few big drops ending up on your rim and….umm carpet. Because Squirt keeps your chain clean, you can reapply several times without wiping the chain down.

I admit to being a little skeptical before this product review. I would rather use motor oil on my chain than the typical dry lube. Thankfully, Squirt Lube is anything but typical. It works excellent in dry, dusty conditions and will get you through the rain as well. Squirt Lube has a new home on my workbench.

I’ve had my share of ups and downs throughout this season of mountain biking and this last week’s world championships was a good way to cap it off. Canberra, Australia, was the site of this years worlds and it did not disappoint. The course was really interesting compared to others I’ve raced this season in that it was all man made. The course was really fast and fun with an entire downhill section that had berms, gaps, and even a little dual slalom section.

Unfortunately, strong head winds and little passing made for a very difficult race. My call up position was fairly poor because it was based on UCI points which I’m really lacking and most of the other U-23s are doing quite well in - the number one ranked guy is also ranked 2nd in UCI points overall. I started 50th out of 80 or so guys and wasn’t able to move up much going into the first singletrack section. Like many of the world cups I’ve done, the singletrack section forced a bottle neck and forced everyone outside the top 20 off their bikes and running up the opening climb. The track was really narrow and tough to pass but I managed to move consistently throughout the race. After a lap, I found myself in a group of 5 guys consisting of several different countries and my teammate. Going into the 5th (out of 6) lap I started to fade a bit and got dropped from the group I was riding with. Turns out I wasn’t drinking enough and once I got through the feed zone I felt much better and was able to turn it up and catch the now shattered group of guys I was previously riding with. With less than 5 kilometers to go I managed to pass a few guys and ended up 32nd. It wasn’ the result I was hoping to get but I’m totally satisfied with that finish. Although I finished 32nd, I was the top placing North American which made me feel good.

After my race I spent some time watching the other races, mainly the elite men and women cross country races. It is crazy to see how fast the top guys are in person versus watching on t.v. or reading about in an article. I don’t think the course allowed riders to really exhibit their strength because of the head wind but it was impressive to see none the less. The Elite US men and women had pretty good races with Willow Koerber landing a podium in 3rd place and Todd Wells riding into the top 10 from a poor start position.

Canberra was a great place and out of all of the places I’ve traveled to this year I liked it the most. The area was surprisingly similar to Utah in that it was dry and arid. The wildlife on the other hand is very different, for instance the local bird population consists of cock-a-toos and parrots. Another oddity was that all of the animal crossing traffic signs warned against kangaroos instead of deer. I think that the plush accommodations added to my good experience in Canberra with all of the meals being cooked by good chefs and an overall friendly association with all of the Australians I encountered. One of the highlights of the culture was eating kangaroo steaks the final night I was there. Definitely a good way to finish off a week in Australia.

That was the final race of my 2009 mountain bike season and I’m more than happy to end on that note. I think that despite getting really ill in the middle of the season the year has been great. I’ve been able to travel around the planet and race my bike in some of the most prestigious races in the world. Of course, none of it would have been possible without the great support I had from numerous different sponsors. The support I had throughout the season from USA cycling and Specialized was absolutely great and once I qualified for worlds I couldn’t believe how much of the local cycling community came through for me.

Now that worlds is over it is time to just relax and try to figure out what I’m going to do next season. The US National Development team that I’m on is ending this year so I’m trying to find a new team and sponsors for the 2010 season. Although nothing has come up, from the support I received this year I’m hoping that I’ll be able to find a good deal for next year. Looking to next year I want to try to expand and start racing more on the road in stage races as well as more international races.

In addition to trying to find a new sponsor for next year, school has really picked up and it seems that I’ll be pretty busy this fall without worrying about training. As I found last fall it is tough to balance school and cycling; basically balancing school and anything is difficult so it is nice that there is no pressure from anything else right now and I can focus on school. Last year the mountain bike season ended a little later and that really threw things off for school and took me the entire semester to straighten out.

Shenandoah 100: National Ultra Endurance Series- Brief Results

Bishop returns from spine fractures with a win at Shenandoah as Tanguy continues his great late season form. Sue Haywood continues to enjoy "retirement" with another ultra endurance win.

Jeff Schalk, Sue Haywood, and Danielle Musto wait for the start in the early morning hours

Men's Podium Koerber, Schalk, Bishop, Tanguy, and Jakomait (left to right)

Sue Haywood rides her Turner to the win at the Shenandoah 100

Women's podium Musto, Lowery, Haywood, Shogren, and Simril (left to right)

Open Men

1, Jeremiah Bishop (Monavie-Cannondale.com)
2, Christian Tanguy (Team Fraser) -20 seconds
3, Jeff Schalk (Trek Racing Co-Op)
4, Jesse Jakomait (Cannondale)
5, Sam Koerber (Gary Fisher 29er Crew)

Open Women

1, Sue Haywood
2, Betsy Shogren (Cannondale)
3, Carey Lowery (Outdoor Store)
4, Danielle Musto (Kenda/Tomac/Hayes)
5, Brenda Simril (Motor Mile Racing)

The Robbie Project

Due to the tremendous early response and the mountain bike community's willingness to give we are going to keep the Robbie Project raffle open through this week. The raffle was originally scheduled to end today but many of you have expressed regret that you haven't been able to buy your raffle entries yet. For that reason we are going to hold off on the drawing until Friday, September 11th.

So this is your last chance to log on and help pay for Robbie's trip to the World Championships where he was the first American Under-23 finisher. Click here and enter to win great prizes from Reynolds Wheels, Rudy Project, Garmin, Hammer Nutrition, and Pro Bar. This is your last chance to support one of America's best young mountain bikers.

Park City Point to Point:Report, Results, and Photos

Alex Grant takes top honors and sets fastest course time while Pua Sawicki puts in an amazing performance winning her category and placing 5th in the Pro Men's field.

Monavie riders Bart Gillespie and Alex Grant get an early lead

Written by: Shannon Boffeli

On a day that went from blue skies to rain and rainbows and back again riders also experienced the full range of emotions throughout the 75 miles of the inaugural Park City Point to Point presented by Trek.

Located in the resort town to Park City, Utah. The Point to Point has over 400 miles of mountain bike trails to utilize for the racecourse and it appears they chose some of the very best. The route features over 14,000 vertical feet of climbing on 90 plus percent singletrack. Racers were treated to everything Park City has to offer starting off with fast rocky trails to steep aspen lined climbs, deep wooded pine forest, challenging technical descents, and blazing fast downhills.

A stalwart bunch of 160 riders toed the start line at 7 AM Saturday morning. With the sun just rising over the Uinta mountains to the east riders charged off the line. Monavie-Cannondale.com riders Bart Gillespie and Alex Grant quickly established themselves at the front entering the singletrack 1-2. Behind the Monavie team came a solid group of endurance racers including Yuki Saito and teammate Jeff Kerkove (Topeak/Ergon), Kevin Day (Kuhl/Scott), Brandon Firth (Rocky Mountain), Chris Holley (Subaru/Gary Fisher).

As the riders started the first significant climb of the day, 45- minutes to the top of Bald Mountain, the skies opened up and dropped rain on the field. The rain did nothing to dampen the Monavie racers fire. Gillespie and Grant continued to open their gap to the rest of the pack. Once past the halfway point at Silver Lake and into the more technical portions of the race Gillespie and Grant displayed their skills as some of the best trail riders in the country.

Behind the front two, the group of chasers stayed tight, all riding within minutes of each other. Holley descended off Bald Mountain in third with Saito just seconds behind. By now the rain had stopped but a tight section with several wooden features remained wet and extremely slick. The bridges claimed several victims from the front group including Brandon Firth, who went down hard on the slippery wood.

Chris Peters collecting his pay in the early morning rain

Once the leaders passed John’s trail at mile 43 they began the second significant climb of the day, up to Shadow Lake. It was here that Grant began to show is climbing form and gap his Monavie teammate. Grant, who finished 4th at this year’s Leadville 100 riding much of the course with eventual race winner Lance Armstrong, began to ride away on the steep, grinding grades up to the lake.

Once the leader hit the aid station at Park City Mountain Resort he held a lead of 4 minutes over his teammate who in-turn held 10 minutes over third placed Chris Holley.

Once into the final long climb of the day up the Spiro trail Grant could not be stopped. Tearing through the final 25 miles of trail in just two hours setting a course record that will be tough to beat with a blistering time of 7.04.01. Gillespie crossed the line just 8 minutes back. Chris Holley held on for 3rd with Kevin Day crossing the line in 4th, happy with the effort from his first-ever marathon distance event.

Race winner Alex Grant smiling his way to a great race time

The final podium would come down to Firth and Saito who had been close all day. Saito held the advantage into the final 25-mile section of singletrack but Firth was close behind and is known for his abilities as a long distance rider. Firth closed the gap on the Ergon racer and finally made the pass with just a few miles remaining on course. Yuki Saito crossed line in 6th and went directly to the first aid station for some IV fluids.

The women’s race featured a small but stacked field of racers lead by ultra-endurance phenom and multi-time US National Champion Pua Sawicki (Ellsworth). Just back from her best-ever American finish at the Marathon World Championships in Graz, Austria, Sawicki was excited about the opportunity of race in Park City again.

Starting with Sawicki would be endurance specialist Amanda Carey (Kenda/Tomac/Hayes) who finished second at this year’s Leadville 100. The field also included local racer KC Holley (Subaru/Gary Fisher) who has won just about every endurance event she has entered this season, Sonya Looney (Topeak/Ergon) who just won the Pierre’s Hole 100, and Sarah Kaufmann (Titus/Roaring Mouse) winner of the Mount Ogden 50k two weeks ago.

Right from the start it was clear Sawicki had her mind set, not just on winning, but destroying the field. After the opening 10-miles section in Round Valley Sawicki had a solid lead sitting just outside the top-10 in the men’s field. By aid station #1 she had moved into 5th in the men’s field. It was already clear, despite a catastrophic failure, Sawicki was having a phenomenal day.

Heather Holmes and Amanda Carey in Round Valley

Behind the leader Amanda Carey rode a strong race. Spending much of her time with Kenda/Tomac/Hayes teammate Heather Holmes who just returned from representing the USA at the Marathon World Championships. This time Holmes was racing in the Duo Women’s team event.

As Carey established herself in second she was surprised with her good form considering she has stopped training for endurance events and already turned her training toward the cyclocross season.

Holley and Looney summited the Bald Mountain within sight of each other while Kaufmann was already falling on hard times. She would eventually be forced from the race after suffering three flat tires in the first half of the race.

Women's winner Pua Sawicki

At the front Sawicki hammered on showing why she is undeniably the best female endurance racer in the United States. She handled huge climbs, slick bridges, miles and miles of tight singletrack, and bomber rocky downhills without a problem. As she started the final climb of the day the race leader still sported a huge smile. Sawicki finally crossed the finish line with an astounding time of 7.34.16, a time that would have placed her 5th in the men’s category.

Amanda Carey stayed strong to finish second with a blown fork, which she described as riding a “mullet bike, business up front and party in the rear.”

After the mid-way point KC Holley seemed to find her legs and immediately started to put time on Looney. She crossed the line just under 9 hours with Looney just 13 minutes behind after having a hard crash on the Crescent Mine Grade descent.

All racers were treated to a tremendous prize list with the Open categories receiving $3,200 in prize money with equal pay out for the men and women.

Race Notes

Participants in the race were treated to one of the best post race raffles in mountain bike history with thousands of dollars in gifts from Ergon, Skull Candy, Ground, Trek, Hammer Nutrition, Kuhl, Northwave, Squirt Lube, Rossignol, The Canyons, Scrub Components, and Carborocket.

Open Men

1, Alex Grant (Monavie-Cannondale.com) 7.04.01
2, Bart Gillespie (Monavie-Cannondale.com) 7.12.34
3, Chris Holley (Gary Fisher/Subaru) 7.24.21
4, Kevin Day (Kuhl/Scott) 7.28.44
5, Brandon Firth (Rocky Mountain) 7.45.14
6, Yuki Saito (Topeak/Ergon) 7.46.47
7, Brandon Cross (Monavie-Cannondale.com) 7.59.21
8, Chris Peters 8.00.00
9, Ryan Ashbridge (Revolution/Peak Fasteners) 8.06.19
10, Tom Bender 8.12.15
11, Peter McMullin (Revolution/Peak Fasteners) 8.19.25
12, Jeff Kerkove (Topeak Ergon) 8.36.51
13, Tim Lewin 8.47.02
14, Eric Jeppsen 8.57.26
15, Mitchel Peterson (Monavie-Cannondale.com) 9.05.27
16, Steve Elmer 9.27.26
17, Darrell Finlayson 9.41.27

Open Women

1, Pua Sawicki (Ellsworth)
2, Amanda Carey (Kenda/Tomac/Hayes) 8.14.06
3, KC Holley (Gary Fisher/Subaru) 8.51.29
4, Sonya Looney (Topeak/Ergon) 9.05.29

Local legend, Cris Fox, hands out wads of cash on the PCP2P course. While dressed as Raggedy Ann

WORS #9: Reforestation Ramble, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Jesse Lalonde and Sable win as WORS gears up for Chequamegon
Race Report by Claire Cannon

The Belgioioso Pro / Cat 1 men start at WORS Reforestation Ramble. 
Photo by Heather Lau.

The Reforestation Ramble, ninth race in the 2009 Subaru-sponsored Wisconsin Off Road Series, was held on Sunday, August 30 outside Green Bay, WI. Steady rainfall on Saturday afternoon caused race officials to close the course to preview, but Sunday dawned with sunny skies and perfect conditions on the sandy trails. At the end of the 36 mile race, WORS 2008 Overall Series winner Jesse Lalonde (Gary Fisher 29 / T6 / BKB) took home the victory in the men’s field and Lori Sable (Twin Six) enjoyed her first visit to the top of the WORS ladies podium.

The distance at the Ramble’s marathon format course was longer than the average WORS race, though greater inclusion of double track and open sections meant that finishing times were comparable. Many top finishers used the race as a preview of the upcoming Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival on September 19, and the race attracted several top riders from outside the series, including former WORS champion Rebecca Cleveland (Bike Hub) and cyclocross racer Kristin Wentworth (Planet Bike).

“Yesterday was a great race to prepare for Chequamegon,” said 2009 Triple Crown contender Brian Matter. The Triple Crown has been passed to those few who win three celebrated upper Midwest point-to-point events during a single season, the Ore to Shore, the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, and the Iceman Cometh. Matter took home the honors after the 2007 Iceman, when he launched a solo attack to hold off national stars Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski and Ned Overend as well as Midwest favorites Michael Simonsen, Jesse Lalonde and Tristan Schouten.

Jesse Lalonde (Gary Fisher 29 / T6 / BKB) is followed through the 
singletrack by brother Mark (Planet Bike / GT / T6), Brian Matter 
(Gear Grinder) and Travis Woodruff (Adventure 212 / Specialized). 
Photo from Extreme Photography.

On Sunday at the Ramble, it was Jesse Lalonde who held Matter’s wheel during a final attack and came around for the win.

“It wasn't until midway through the final lap that the moves started flying with Brian Matter looking to be the strong man,” said Lalonde after the race. “I latched on to a strong uphill surge as we gapped the other riders enough to sneak away. I road Brian’s wheel until we were half a mile out and punched it for the victory. “

Despite riding away from a tightly-packed and fast-moving field, neither Lalonde nor Matter felt they were in their top form for the Ramble.

Matter, who is a strong contender for the WORS Overall series win in 2009, commented that, “I was happy with my result after a couple weeks off the bike, and now it’s time to start ramping up for the second half of the season!”

Lalonde, who was undefeated last season for the WORS Overall series win, was likewise modest. “This season has been full of transitions with a job and buying a new house. My priority of pedaling a bike has taken a back seat many times so my intent is to salvage what I can out of the season, and what better way to start than at the Ramble.”

A tight race until the final moments

With the top five podium spots in the Belgioioso Men’s Pro / Cat 1 race coming across the line within a minute of Jesse Lalonde, the races for third and fourth place were even tighter. Younger brother Mark Lalonde (Planet Bike / GT / T6) outsprinted Adventure 212 / Specialized teammates Chris Peariso and Travis (TJ) Woodruff by tenths of a second.

“The race allowed a large group of 7-8 riders to stay together until late in the race,” commented race winner Jesse Lalonde. “During the first tow laps I spent a lot of time on the front trying to stretch the elastic without luck.”

“It was very important to be patient in the lead group at the front of the race,” said Matter. “The singletrack was smooth, and when you got in the right rhythm you would make guys chase coming out into the open sections. When I made my move with a half lap to go, it worked to drop 5 of the guys in the lead group. However Jesse suffered up to my wheel and raced smart at the end to just beat me at the finish.”

“I chose to ride my rigid single with a larger gear ratio than in the past as an experiment for the upcoming Chequamegon race, which worked in my favor,” commented Lalonde. “This style of course suited me well despite the wide open stretches and the longer distance. The course was near perfect in terms of conditions and the mix of single track and double track was superb. I'm hoping this will be the slingshot I needed to get back into the swing of things.”

A hard-fought battle for a first Overall in the ladies race

Heading into the first section of singletrack, Rebecca Cleveland took the holeshot and charged to an early lead. “Most of my riding this year has been long endurance riding to prepare for the Leadville 100,” said Cleveland. “It's now time to ‘kick it up a notch’ and work on building some top end speed before Chequamegon. This race was definitely the hardest thing I've done all year!

Cleveland, who finished the Leadville Trail 100 in just 11:08:33, didn’t mind the marathon format. “After finishing at Leadville two weeks ago, the ‘longer’ format at the Ramble was a breeze! It was very fun being able to race on my hometown course. I grew up in Suamico and have skied, hiked, and biked out there for almost 30 years.”

Lori Sable (Twin Six) raced to her first WORS Belgioioso Pro / Cat 1 
win at the Reforestation Ramble. Photo by Karen Reich

Riding to close the early gap was Lori Sable (Twin Six). The petite Sable recently took delivery of a new bike, and is enjoying a great season with the custom fit. A consistent top-five finisher in the WORS series, Sable had yet to step onto the top of the ladies podium, but the Ramble was her day.

“I am a fan of the longer races, as I tend to be a slow starter,” said Sable after her victory. “I am not a sprinter, so the longer courses actually suit me because it seems that I get ‘into my zone’ as the race goes on. I didn't know what to expect going into the race and, for whatever reason, was extremely nervous. Of course, as soon as race director Shawn Hauser said ‘Go’, that all changed and I settled in and started racing. Rebecca got away initially and I just though to myself, ‘I need to ride my own race and not make any mistakes’. Of course, shortly after that, I crashed on a slippery root!”

Sable and Cleveland ultimately crossed the line over five minutes ahead of the third place finisher, Kristin Wentworth. However, the battle between the two women in the lead was close until the very end.

“I knew I had a solid second place going into the second lap, and I also knew that I was feeling pretty good so, when Twin Six teammate Rick Walls came by halfway through the second lap, I sucked his wheel and, basically, he pulled me until we caught Rebecca towards the beginning of the third lap. At that point, I thought to myself ‘no need to blow myself up’, and let Rick go. After the last portion of singletrack, Rebecca was slightly ahead of me, maybe 15 seconds, and, at that point, another male rider, Dan Schaefer, not only bridged us up to Rebecca, but passed her. I sat on his wheel knowing it was now or never and it paid off! When I turned and looked back, just prior to the finish, Rebecca was not in sight!”

WORS Series director and NORBA Trustee Don Edberg (#811) took to the 
course at the Ramble in the 50+ Open division. Photo by Thomas Harron

Cleveland rolled across the line just 23 seconds behind Sable. “Knowing the singletrack definitely gave me an advantage over the other women,” said Cleveland, “but unfortunately, we ended on a mile of wide open trail and I just couldn't hold off Lori, who tactically rode a very smart race and had energy left when it counted.

Both women commented on the great condition of the course, and improvements in the layout of the race this year made by the local organizer, Shawn Hauser of the TitleTown Flyers.

“The course conditions were perfect! Trust me, I am not one to pray for rain because I like racing in the dry conditions but knowing that Ramble tends to be very sandy and absorbs the rain so well, I knew rain would only help the course. And that it did,” said Sable. “The singletrack flows so well and is a blast to ride and with the rain the previous evening, the ski trails, although usually very sandy, were like concrete.”

Cleveland agreed. “Shawn did a great job mixing up the sections of singletrack, running some of it backwards and including the hilly maples ski trail which got steeper and steeper each lap. The rain kept the sand packed down nicely, but it also made the many tree roots deserving of respect on the corners.”

WORS Series still in contention

With only three races to go in the 2009 WORS Series, the race for the overall spot in the Belgioioso Pro / Cat 1 men’s field is still wide open, with top contenders Brian Matter, Mark Lalonde, and current series leader Nathan Guerra in close competition with several others. In the women’s series, 2008 winner Abigail Strigel (Mafia Racing / Pabst / Felt) is defending her title well, though some serious shuffling could still occur with Holly Liske (Hayes Disc Brakes), Lisa Krayer (Wildside Velo Club), and Twin Six teammates Meghan Korol and Lori Sable in the mix. For complete results and series standings, see http://wors.org. The next race in the series will be held on September 13 outside Lake Geneva, WI at Treadfest.