Photos by: Ryan Keating
Another cold and snowy weekend in Salt Lake City led to a bigger than usual turn out for some spring racing in Hurricane, Utah. Temperatures in the 60s greeted racers hoping to unleash the speed stored in their legs after a long winter.
Alex Grant leads Burke Swindlehurst over the slick rock
The Pro fields have been bigger than ever this season and faster some would say. The Hurricane racecourse features a brutal mix of slick rock, flowy singletrack, and power-sapping flats. Despite the dry and dusty conditions the trail held up admirably and produced some fast-paced racing.
The men started in a cloud of dust and dirt. CFR racer Alex Grant had to back off the pace just to see the trail in front of him. Burke Swindlehurst (Team Give), winner of Intermountain Cup #1, got pinched at the start and also fell back in the group of 21 riders.
It didn’t take long for both Grant and Swindlehurst to work their way through the pack and take their designated spots at the front.
The leaders were accompanied by nationally-ranked riders Drew Edsall (Yeti), Trevor Downing (Mafia Racing), and Trevor Simper. For the first of four laps these five rode together. On the opening climb of lap two, Grant made an acceleration. His climbing was enough to dislodge Downing, Edsall, and Simper who ran into mechanical difficulties soon after.
Burke Swindlehurst leads Drew Edsall and Trevor Simper at the end of lap one
From this point on it was a two-person affair. Grant and Swindlehurst battling each other for the top spot on the podium. Swindlehurst started the fireworks with multiple small attacks designed to weaken Grant’s legs and establish a small gap but the Cannondale rider answered.
With just one lap to go Swindlehurst opened the smallest of gaps - just 15 seconds over his challenger. Then his talents as a time trialist kicked in. The Team Give racer put his head down and pushed the pace throughout the final lap finally taking the win by just 19 seconds.
Downing held on for third place followed by Edsall. Kuhl/Specialized rider Thomas Bender turned in a strong effort just passing Chris Holley before the line to take fifth.
Start of the women's race. Lynda Wallenfels (far right) seems to already know she is headed for a win
The women’s race featured a talented group of Utah’s top female mountain bikers. From the start it was 41 year-old Lynda Wallenfels (LW Coaching) charging to the lead. Wallenfels, an ultra-endurance specialist, was determined to start fast and it showed. She quickly went to the front and never looked back. Despite to fast group Wallenfels was able to get clear just after the start.
Left to chase the leader was Mafia racer Kathy Sherwin, Sarah Kaufmann (Roaring Mouse), KC Holley (Gary Fisher 29er Crew), and Jen Hanks (Revolution/Peak Fasteners).
Sherwin and Kaufmann stayed close and took turns challenging each other. Ultimately it would be Sherwin moving clear with Kaufmann not far behind.
The battle for fourth was tight with Hanks and Holley riding wheel to wheel until the end of the second lap when Holley pulled away on the flat leading to the finish. Holley crossed the line just 38 seconds clear of fifth-placed Jen Hanks.
Sarah Kaufmann chases Kathy Sherwin
KC Holley keeps her gap on chaser Jen Hanks
Brian Tolbert grinds it out in the desert of Hurricane
Shannon Boffeli crests a slick rock climb
Results
Pro Men
1, Burke Swindlehurst (Team Give) 1.52.55.
2, Alex Grant (Cannondale Factory Racing) 1.53.16
3, Trevor Downing (Mafia Racing) 1.54.58
4, Drew Edsall (Yeti) 1.55.56
5, Thomas Bender (Kunl/Specialized) 1.57.30
6, Chris Holley (Gary Fisher 29er Crew) 1.57.40
7, Trevor Simper 1.59.08
8, Reed Wycoff (Contender)
9, Jake Pantone (Biker Edge)
10, Greggy Gibson (Racer’s Cycle Service)
11, Daniel Nelson (Racer’s Cycle Service)
12, Brian Tolbert (Kuhl/Specialized)
13, Shannon Boffeli (iRide Adventures/MTBRaceNews.com)
14, Taylor Foss (Kuhl/Specialized)
15, Brent Pontius
16, Charlie Gibson (Felt)
17, Ryan Krusemark (Kuhl/Specialized)
18, Brent Steinberg
19, Mitchell Petersen (Giant)
Pro Women
1, Lynda Wallenfels (LW Coaching) 1.39.48
2, Kathy Sherwin (Mafia Racing) 1.41.55
3, Sarah Kaufmann (Roaring Mouse) 1.44.42
4, KC Holley (Gary Fisher 29er Crew) 1.47.08
5, Jen Hanks (Revolution/Peak Fasteners) 1.47.46
6, Nicole Wangsgard (Rooster’s) 1.49.42
7, Erika Powers (Revolution/Peak Fasteners) 1.52.51
8, Jennelle Kremer (Revolution/Peak Fasteners) 1.59.21
