Heres is a look at the 2012 Crusher In The Tushar podium spots and some video that Jason Sager put together of the race.
Pro/Open Men
1. Tyler Wren (Jamis) 4:25:58
2. Neil Shirley (Road Bike Action) 4:32:35
3. Jay Henry (Tokyo Joe’s) 4:41:26
4. Alex Grant (Cannondale) 4:44:55
5. Reed Wycoff (Conetender) 4:49:07
Just like yesterday, Alban Lakata (AUT) and Robert Mennen (GER) were the dominating racers on the course thus clinching the second Tyrol stage of the 15th CRAFT BIKE TRANSALP. Team Topeak Ergon Racing mastered the Alps classic’s third stage from Ischgl, Austria, to Nauders, Austria and thus 67.83 km and 2,720 meters in elevation in 3:04:49.5 hours.
According to this, the two pros reduced the gap on today’s second ranked overall leaders Markus Kaufmann (GER) and Thomas Stoll (SUI) of Centurion-Vaude/BiXS iXS (3:05:39.9) in the elite ranking by 50 seconds.
Lakata and Mennen also bettered their team ranking to the second position in the classifier thus edging of today’s third ranked Karl Platt (GER) and Tim Böhme (GER) of Team Bulls (3:12:22.6).
German Marathon Championships runner-up Mennen said in the finish of Nauders, which was only once part of the Transalp routing (2002) before: “Let’s see how the next days will be. It’s still a long way to Riva; so everything is still possible for us.”
However, he and his team mate have to make up 4:55 minutes on men in the Yellow Leader Jerseys.
Nevertheless, Lakata added: “We didn’t make up that much time but we had some very strong legs. There are still five days to come, so we will definitely seek our chances.”
And also the chased mountain bikers of this year’s Transalp know that their currently comfortable lead can fade away faster than expected.
“If we lose about one minute every day, we might make it to Lake Garda in top position. But we will fight and give our best. We want to keep the Yellow Jerseys as long as possible. But this will be a hard task as Lakata and Mennen are very strong,” said reigning German Marathon Champion Markus Kaufmann.
The 30-years-old and his partner lost contact to Lakata and Mennen not until the last climb to Norbertshöhe and thus were able to keep up with them until close to the finish.
Before, the two top ranked duos had broke away in the ascent to the Idjoch (2,737m), the high point of this year’s eight-day event, which obstructed the field right after the start of the stage and subsequently extended their lead by working well together.
Master leader de Bertolis and Deho overall third
Massimo de Bertolis (ITA) and Marzio Deho (ITA) duped the most of the elite teams with an incredible performance. Team Adamelloski, which is actually racing unrivaled in the category for the teams with a total age of 80+, finished the third stage in third overall position and thus certainly won the stage in the master classifier in 3:10:02.6 hours.
Andreas Laner (ITA) and Johann Grasegger (GER) of Team Scott (3:27:03.3) as well as Anton Warter (AUT) and Heinz Zörweg (AUT) of Cube Factory (3:30:19.6) rounded out the podium as second and third respectively.
Team Gisler makes up time with back-to-back win
Due to their second consecutive stage triumph (3:43:36.8), Antonia Wipfli (SUI) and Patrick Jauch (SUI) reduced the gap to the leaders of the mixed table.
As the bearers of the Orange Jerseys of Black Tusk Racing by toMotion, Katharina Alberti (GER) and Matthias Gärtner (GER) needed about two minutes longer for the distance from Ischgl to Nauders than their rivals, team Gisler is now only the tiny mere of 37 seconds behind.
A fact which definitely scared the mixed leaders a little bit. “We were afraid of the Idjoch. This ascent was very steep. And the other two (Wipfli and Jauch) are stronger in the climbs while we can make up some time in the downhills. We really fought as hell to defend our lead. Now, it’s time to keep on fighting,” said Gärtner.
Lorenza Menapace (ITA) and Claudio Segata (ITA) of Press Riva del Garda came in third of the mixed classifier (3:46:53.1).
Landtwing and Bigham still the top dogs
In the women category, the one team show of Milena Landtwing (SUI) and Sally Bigham (GBR) of Centurion-Vaude/Topeak Ergon didn’t stop. The two race ladies in the Pink Leader Jerseys secured their third stage win in 3:46:39.0 hours.
Catherine Williamson (GBR) and Louise Stopforth (RSA) of Bizhub-fcf brought home the second spot (4:21:13.6) ahead of Andrea Kuster (SUI) and Angelika Niklaus (SUI) of Team Metz-Kraftwerk (4:26:03.9).
Senior Master leaders unbeatable
Also on stage #3 of the 2012 CRAFT BIKE TRANSALP Silvano Janes (ITA) and Walter Platzgummer (ITA) of Team Scott were in full control of their competitors crossing the finish line first in 3:37:26.4 hours.
Renato Burch (SUI) and Bärti Bucher (SUI) of BiXS Suisse followed as second ranked senior master team of the day (3:44:52.0) while Georg Niggl (GER) and Walter Perkmann (ITA) of CRAFT & Friends 7 earned another podium finish as third (3:57:15.8).
Tomorrow, the fourth and shortest stage of the CRAFT BIKE TRANSALP leads over 52.66 km and 1,888 meters in elevation through Tyrol and thus from Nauders, Austria, to Scuol in Switzerland.
Words: Oliver Kraus | Photos: © Craft Bike Transalp/Peter Musch
The overall ranking got pretty garbled on the second stage of the 15th CRAFT BIKE TRANSALP. Topeak Ergon Racing athletes Alban Lakata (AUT) and Robert Mennen (GER), who were dogged by bad luck yesterday, clinched today’s stage through Tyrol, which led over 77.90 km and 3,274 meters in elevation from Imst, Austria, to Ischgl, Austria, in 3:31:37.8 hours. According to this, the Austrian-German team jumped on the third spot of the overall ranking.
The first rank and thus the Yellow Leader Jerseys went to German Marathon Champion Markus Kaufmann of Centurion-Vaude and his BiXS iXS colleague Thomas Stoll from Switzerland. The two pros reached the finish right next to the Silvretta Gondola after 3:33:37.1 hours. Today’s runner-ups were almost six minutes faster than yesterday’s winners of German Team Bulls, Karl Platt and Tim Böhme (3:39:24.7).
Karl Platt and Tim Böhme have clinched the opening stage of the 2012 CRAFT BIKE TRANSALP from Oberammergau, Germany, to Imst, Austria, thus approving that the team management made the right decision by forming its two pairings in new buildups. Team Bulls 1 mastered the 97.80 km and 2,215 meters in elevation as fastest duo claiming the Yellow Leaderjerseys in the time of 3:30.07,1 hours.
According to this, the two Germans relegated the also newly formed inter-team mix of Centurion-Vaude and BiXS iXS consisting of Markus Kaufmann (GER) and Thomas Stoll (SUI) with a lead of more than two minutes to the runner-up position (3:32.16,1).
Hannes Genze and Andreas Kugler, another German-Swiss combo riding for Multivan Merida Biking, rounded out the podium as third (3:34.12,8).
However, Genze and Kugler already lost more than four minutes on this year’s first Transalp leaders, who had attacked right at the first little climb of the eight-day event up to Mäuerle. Only Kaufmann and Stoll were able to keep up the pace and worked well together with their rivals thus keeping their lead on the pursuers constantly over some 30 seconds until the first real peak of the 2012 Transalp.
After the breakaways had entered the ascent to Marienbergjoch (1,810 m) the defending champions Urs Huber and Konny Looser caught up. But after Kaufmann and Stoll upped the tempo again, two-time U23 European Marathon Champion Looser struggled being forced to lose contact again. In the end, the Swiss high profile racers of Team Stöckli had to settle for the seventh rank with a gap of 9:24 minutes being one of many beaten pro teams today.
“Vaude and BiXS iXS did speed up things in the climb and we held the pace,” said Tim Böhme. “In the downhill, we finally were able to break away,” concluded the 30-years-old after his career’s second Transalp stage win.
His four years older comrade-in-arms Platt added: “We pushed it really hard in the downhill. Today was just amazing. We were both in super good shape. Coming back like this after a so far screwed up season is phenomenal and one of the best feelings I have ever had.”
Nevertheless, the seven-time Transalp winner and his team mate Böhme also took advantage of a flat Stoll had to handle right after the peak of Marienbergjoch. “We definitely lost some time but it could have been worse. Even so, I’m pretty pleased with the result. We work well together and are pretty strong in the climbs. I hope that we can benefit from that over the course of the next days,” said Stoll.
De Bertolis and Deho best master team
On the side of the teams with a total age of 80+, Italy’s very own Massimo de Bertolis and Marzio Deho demonstrated in a more than impressive style that both are – although being already 40+ – not part of the old guards yet. The former Marathon World Champion and his fellow countryman crossed the finish line in Imst as overall sixth ranked and thus fastest master team (3:36.12,7).
Team Adamello Ski thus has already an advantage of almost seven minutes on second-ranked Andreas Laner (ITA) and Johann Grasegger (GER) of Team Scott (3:43.10,0). 2011 master class Transalp champions from Austria, Silvio Wieltschnig and Heinz Zörweg of Cube Factory, came in third (3:48.05,8).
Landtwing and Bigham dominate women classifier
On the women’s side, Swiss race lady Milena Landtwing (Centurion-Vaude) and British Sally Bigham (Topeak Ergon Racing) met the expectations. Both arrived in Imst after 4:04.40,2 hours thus taking over the lead in the women’s table with an advantage of more than 16 minutes on runner-ups Catherine Williamson (GBR) and Louise Stopforth (RSA) of Bizhub-Fcf (4:20.49,7).
“We have been riding together several times now and really get together pretty well,” explained Landtwing who also added that “it went pretty smooth.”
Rank #3 went to Angelika Niklaus and Andrea Kuster of Swiss team Metz-Kraftwerk (4:50.50,7) who pedaled more than 45 minutes longer than the leading women.
Team Scott with successful counter in the senior master category
On the side of the teams with a total age of 100+, the main favorites for the 2012 Transalp title in the senior master class, Silvano Janes and Walter Platzgummer, did not allow themselves to be deterred by the fact of being some five minutes behind at the intermediate time taken at half of the climb to Marienbergjoch.
The two Italians of Team Scott attacked and got therefore awarded for their bravery crossing the finish line first after 4:03.11,2 hours in the saddle – only 1,6 seconds ahead of their so far leading rivals from Switzerland Bärti Bucher and Renato Burch.
Team BiXS Suisse lost the finish sprint thus being edged off to second in 4:03.12,8 hours. Former senior master Transalp winner Georg Niggl (GER) and his team mate Walter Perkmann (ITA) of CRAFT & Friends 7 finished in third position (4:14.43,9).
Black Tusk mix takes over lead
Katharina Alberti and Matthias Gärtner of the German mix Black Tusk Racing by toMotion have earned the Orange Leader Jerseys in a total time of 4:08.33,3 hours and have thus gained a pretty comfortable lead on Swiss mountain bikers Antonia Wipfli and Patrick Jauch of Team Gisler (4:11.03,3).
Italian team Press Riva del Garda with Lorenza Menapace and Claudio Segata came in third (4:16.57,5).
The second stage of the CRAFT BIKE TRANSALP leads over 77.90 km and 3,274 meters in elevation through Tyrol and thus from Imst, Austria, to Ischgl, Austria, tomorrow.
Words: Oliver Kraus | Photos: © Craft Bike Transalp/Peter Musch
Lots of racing going on this weekend and kicking off all over the world. Here’s a look….
The Crusher is 50/50 mix of dirt roads and pavement that starts in Beaver, Utah and takes riders over backcountry roads for 69 miles to Eagle Point Resort. 10,500′ of climbing in just 69 miles at altitude, with gradients anywhere from 5% to 15% has the Crusher In The Tushar quickly becoming a racer fave.
Who to watch: The Women’s race will have Leadville 100 runner-up Gretchen Reeves, 2011 national elite cyclo-cross silver medalist Nicole Duke and Tammy Jacques-Grewal. God I remember seeing T.J.G. back when ESPN televised NORBA mountain bike racing! Awesome to see her out there crushing it (pun intended).
The Men’s race is as stacked as ever with Tim Johnson, Tinker Juarez, Ryan Trebon, Jamey Driscoll, Alex Grant and of course last year’s winner Tyler Wren. This is gonna be a fun one!
XXC’s man in Utah Adam Lisonbee is set to take on the Crusher once again, so look for more on this race in the XXC Magazine and on xxcmag.com.
Saturday, July 14 thru July 21st brings us the 2012 TransAlp. I hate the term “bucket list” but I have to admit if I was one to use such a term and or have such a list, the TransAlp would be right at the top. I can’t imagine a better way to see Europe than over the forest roads and trails of the Alps. Now in its 15th year the 8 day stage race takes 1,000+ racers, from almost 40 countries, 600+ kilometers from Germany across the main chain of the Alps to Italy. Oh yeah, there’s 21,000 meters of climbing along the way. Easy peasy!
Who to watch: Team Bulls will be there with two teams featuring Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm as well as Thomas Dietsch (FRA) and Tim Böhme (GER). Also there are experience Euro endurance racers the likes of Alban Lakata (AUT) and Robert Mennen (GER) of Topeak Ergon Racing, Andreas Kugler (SUI) and Hannes Genze (GER) of Multivan Merida Biking and Markus Kaufmann (GER) and Thomas Stoll (SUI) of Centurion-Vaude/BiXS iXS Pro Team. Should be a fast one. Speaking of Team Bulls, I suggest following them on Facebook. There are real good about daily updates, pics, etc., It’s a unique look into endurance/marathon mountain biking scene in Europe.
As far as the women… The Duo team of Sally Bigham (Topeak/Ergon) and Milena Landtwing (Centurion-Vaude) looks to be the favorite right now. By the way, did you ever read the interview with Sally in XXC Magazine #15? Well, you should. She’s a class act, super fast and sees a ton of time on top of the podium at marathon events all over the world.
I am please to say that xxcmag.com will have coverage of the 2012 TransAlps with daily updates and photos. So keep your eye ballz on the site for all that.
Sunday’s Breck 100 has the notable reputation of being what may be the hardest 100 miler in the N.U.E. series. That’s not just a race hack like me talking either, take a look at what N.U.E. winning machine Gerry Pflug had to say about his 2011 Breck 100 race … “Out of all the NUE races I have done, the Breck 100 definitely ranks as the hardest in my mind. I felt completely beat after finishing my first two attempts at the Breckenridge 100. I did not want to feel this way for the start of my attempt at doing four NUE races in a row, so I tried to better prepare myself for the race this year and I thought I was ready. But, the thin air of Breckenridge once again left me feeling completely conquered after the race and actually worse than ever this year.”
Yikes, them’s some strong words indeed from one of the best in the race biz. Even my friend, experienced racer, long time XXC contributor/Podcast co-host and Colorado resident Ben Welnak opts for the shorter B-68 which takes racers on race loops #2 and #3 and still throws nearly 9,000 feet of climbing at you. Ben will once again be rolling the B-68 and will surely have somethign to share with us.
Even with the knowledge that the Breck 100′s 3 different race loops and 13,00+ feet of climbing can beat your ass and break the best, the race continues to draw racers back year after year.
Who to watch: Some men to watch will be Johnathan Davis, Ernesto Marenchin, and of course multi-time Breck 100 winner and Breckenridge, CO resident Josh Tostado. On the Women’s side the start list has racers the likes of Amanda Carey and Brenda Simril, but with a race like the Breck 100 you can never rule out that an experienced racer from outside the normal N.U.E. cast will take the win as Jari Kirkland did in 2011.
Looking forward to seeing how the race plays out in 2012. For a look at what the Breck 100 race experience was like for some singlespeed mortals from Pennsylvania check out the story Montana Miller wrote for XXC #13 on my friends Aaron (seen above) and Don. Funny stuff.
XXC hopes to have more on the Breck 100 and 68 in the coming weeks.
The West Virginia Mountain Bike Association’s ultra series continues this weekend with race #4, The Cheat Mountain 100 in Dailey, WV.
The Cheat Mountain 100 returns after a 5 year break. The 40 mile race* features a 12 mile gravel road climb to the top of Cheat Mountain on Public Road 92. Followed by 3 loops off PR92 on Yokum Ridge, Crouch Ridge, and Whitmeadow Ridge before returning via Public Road 92 back to the top of Cheat Mountain.
Friend and XXC Magazine rider/writer Bradley Schmalzer (currently ranked #1 in the series) will be there and when I asked about the course he said that he has heard phrases like “seldom used trails” to describe the course and is hoping for the best. One thing is certain: no trail in West Virginia is what one would ever call “easy” and the same can be said for the WVMBA Ultra Series. These races are all serious kicks in the junk filled with roots, rocks, nasty climbs and nastier descents. Just finishing these races with body and bike in one piece is an accomplishment, winning them is something special.
I have strong armed Brad into a recap of the race, so look for that in the future.
*40 mile race + 15 non-race miles back to the start will yield about 100K.
This one is the granddaddy of Euro marathons! THOUSANDS of racers (over 4,500 from 36 countries!) will take on marathon courses of various lengths, from 211 km to 74 km (+ there are some shorter options for folks as well). Along with the above mentioned TransAlp race, the Salzkammergut Trophy is another race that I would love t0 do in my lifetime. Again, what better way to experience an area you’ve never been to, than from the saddle of a mountain bike!
The 211 km course will see last year’s winner Wolgang Krenn, 2010 winner Erwin Dietrich, 4 time German Marathon Champion Max Friedrich and legend of the sport Bart Brentjens on the start line. The 119 km course will of course have eyes on former roadie/convicted doper turned marathon & stage race mountain bike racer Robert Heras.
Other races of note this weekend include: The 12 Hours at Night in Prescott, AZ, the The Tahoe-Sierra 100 (and 59) in Soda Springs, California, the 46 mile Boyne Marathon in Boyne Falls, Michigan (yours truly may be racing this one) and the 4th Annual Iron Mountain 100K in Damascus, VA.
There’s a whole world of endurance racing going on, and I’m sure I missed more than a few, but these are some of the races that we’ll be sharing info, recaps and results from in the coming days and weeks. Stay tuned.
More than 1,000 mountain bikers from almost 40 countries to enter 15th CRAFT BIKE TRANSALP
More than 1,000 mountain bikers will tackle the 15th CRAFT BIKE TRANSALP next Saturday thus lining up in Oberammergau, Germany, at 10 AM in order to pedal the first out of eight stages of the 2012 routing.
The majority of this incredible number of participants venturing on the Transalp myth is coming from Germany (400+). But also the Swiss (102), Dutch (84), Austrians (73) as well as Italians (71) are also high in number.
In contrary, there are also some “exotics” who have taken on very long travel distances to be part of the world’s most respected mountain bike stage race.
There are 56 South Africans as well as Australians (9), Canadians (4), US-Americans (6), Mexicans (2), Koreans (6), Costa Ricans (2) plus some Israelis (9) and one Kiwi from New Zealand as well as many other nationalities who give the Transalp it’s well-known international flair.
Top bikers battle for victory
However, the favorites for the Transalp crown are coming from Europe. Besides the Swiss title defenders Urs Huber and Konny Looser of Team Stöckli (photo left) there are several other pro teams who have registered their racers.
Team Bulls will enter the 15th edition of this Alps classic with two teams featuring Germany’s very own Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm as well as Thomas Dietsch (FRA) and Tim Böhme (GER). In addition the circle of podium aspirants also includes Alban Lakata (AUT) and Robert Mennen (GER) of Topeak Ergon Racing, Andreas Kugler (SUI) and Hannes Genze (GER) of Multivan Merida Biking as well as the new pairing Markus Kaufmann (GER) and Thomas Stoll (SUI) of Centurion-Vaude/BiXS iXS Pro Team.
While there are many duos aiming for the big shot on the men’s side, the women’s category is much likely to witness an easy race for a Swiss-British inter-team duo consisting of Milena Landtwing (Centurion-Vaude) and Sally Bigham (Topeak Ergon).
About the Transalp:
The Craft Bike Transalp is possibly the most famous stage race for mountain bike teams of two. Ever since its first edition in 1998, the routing leads the participants in eight stages from Germany across the main chain of the Alps to Italy. In 2012, the event takes place for the 15th time (July 14 thru 21).
For the first time in Transalp history, Oberammergau, Germany, will host the start. Leaving the Bavarian stage town southwards, the mountain bikers travel to Austrian stops Imst, Ischgl and Nauders. After entering Switzerland for a quick stopover in Scuol, the field aims for Italy and thus Livigno, Ponte di Legno, Madonna di Campiglio and finally Riva del Garda which traditionally hosts the finish right at the shores of Lake Garda.
This year, the racers will master a total distance of more than 600 kilometers peppered with more than 21,000 meters in elevation gain.
For further information visit www.bike-transalp.de.
XXC Magazine had the chance to talk to our friend and Pro endurance racer Jonathan Davis on the XXC Podcast a few months ago (XXC Pod #11) and we have had some past coverage in the magazine featuring his son, 12 year old Tanner Davis (see XXC Magazine #14′s 25 Hours of Frog Hollow piece). But now, for the first time- XXC contributor Heidi Volpe had the chance to talk with both Jonathan AND Tanner and get a unique view of stage racing through the eyes of a 40 year old AND a 12 year old.
Was this your longest ride to date?
JD: This was year two for me racing TSE (Trans-Sylvania Epic). TSE is the only seven day stage race I have competed in so while mileage-wise it was not the longest, it is the longest in terms of consecutive days of racing. I’ve competed in many 24 solo events where the total mileage in one day is higher than all seven days of TSE. What makes TSE so tough is not the mileage, but the day-to-day, full-out XC efforts, those get hard by day four.
TD: Yes, it was, at least for a one week period, but not in a single day. I have completed a few 24 hour solos with one of them being over a hundred miles.
Which stage was the most challenging and why?
JD: Stage 2 was my toughest day. The rocks were very wet from recent rains and I had not gotten my “east coast legs” yet. Riding slippery rock gardens is not something I see often living in Colorado and they take a certain finesse to navigate them at speed without flying over the bars. The stage also ends on a tough fire road climb that, if you have good legs, can gain you a few spots or, if you have bad legs like I did that day, you can lose a spot.
TD: I would say stage 2 because of the rock gardens. The slippery rocks made it harder to ride and it was technical. I crashed at least five times that stage. It was also long and I was out there for seven hours.
Did you think about each other during the race?
JD: I thought of Tanner all the time. Every tough climb I would think, “Tanner’s going to kill this climb.” On fun sections, “oh T is going to love this”, and gnarly crazy rocky descents, “man I hope T does not try and ride this.” I have a lot of confidence in my son’s ability to ride safely and make a wise choice when it would be better to walk a section but with that said, he is 12 and I do sometime get a little worried about his safety.
I always looked forward to seeing his hopefully smiling face when I would catch up to him. Passing by, we would both high five and encourage each other which of course would always make my day.
TD: I wondered how my dad was doing and if he was in first place and if I saw someone that was in front of him I would tell him when he passed me. I also told him how far he was off from the lead and that he had better get going.
East coast riding takes some technical finesse, how were those roots and rocks? Flowin’ it or flubbin’ it?
JD: Day 1 flubbin’, day 2 flubbin’ and some flowing, by day 3 it was mostly flowing. I had some very talented competition in the Masters class this year that I felt had a little more power than I did and would often gap me a bit on fire road sections. My strategy as the stages progressed was to let them go on the section that required a lot of power and wait to push it in the technical singletrack where I could most often reel them back in. My Trek Superfly 100 also ate up the rock gardens which most definitely helped me survive the entire week without any crashes.
TD: I rode some of the rock gardens but I was flubbin’ it on the ones that were gnarly. It had rained so they were slippery.
Any technical issues with your gear?
JD: Not a single flat or mechanical all week! My Maxxis Ikons with Stan’s sealant preformed perfectly once again. Bike maintenance is a huge part of successful stage racing. Every night I would tear Tanner’s and my bike apart and re-lube, clean and replace cables, bearings etc. as needed. The goal was to start each stage on a perfectly-running, like-new ride. One bad mechanical and your week is over!
TD: My Trek rode fine all week and I made it through with no flats. My butt was pretty chafed from riding so many hours
How did you fuel for the race? Was there any food you looked forward to on the ride?
JD: Two scoops of CarboRocket 333 per hour and some Honey Stinger chews is all I needed for these shorter days. In longer events I love Skittles but don’t find them needed in short days like those at the TSE. The most important fueling would happen at the dinner where most nights I skipped the cafeteria meal and made a buffalo steak, spinach and sweet potatoes. Stage racing requires staying healthy and recovering well day after day and proper healthy food is a huge component in making that happen. With that said, within 30 minutes of the end of the final stage I was eating butter pecan ice cream, salt and vinegar potato chips and a double cheese burger. 
Gotta earn your treats!
TD: I looked forward to the oatmeal cream pies, salty potato chips and Coke at the aid stations. I drank Gatorade and CarboRocket while I was riding.
Did this race uncover any surprises for you, about your riding and or your mental game?
JD: I found that riding up front and battling every day within seconds of fellow competitors is very nerve wracking. Stage racing takes a lot of good luck to pull off a win. A five- or six-minute lead can falsely make you feel like you’re way out front and then in a single stage that lead can be eaten up with one flat or a crash. I learned that no matter how much my lead grew I never felt confident that I could take the win. I’m glad I felt this way as it kept me racing focused and hard every day, never getting lulled into thinking I had the win wrapped up.
TD: I was shocked that I did the whole thing. I wanted to finish all of the stages but it kept getting harder to get out of bed as the days went on. After I went down and started I felt better.
What was your recovery program like after each stage? Tell us your routine.
JD: Hammer Recoverite as soon as possible after each stage as well as a good bit of water to make sure I was getting re-hydrated. If there was a lake nearby I would soak my legs and get a nice break from the PA heat. I would usually head back to my RV pretty quickly to get some food like hard salami, pineapple, peaches or some homemade chicken salad. Getting calories back in you quickly is key to starting the recovery for the next day. After I ate I would take a nice cold shower and then as long of a nap as I could. After the nap I spent a few hours prepping both our bikes and by then it was dinner time. After dinner we would head for the awards, get the low-down on the next day’s stage and then watch the killer videos and slideshows from the day. These slideshows that let you experience a piece of everybody’s day is one of the things that makes TSE an exceptional event and fosters a sense of community within the event. After that is was to bed usually by 8-9 pm to allow for 8-10 hours of sleep each night.
TD: I ate Goldfish and drank Coke and ate ice cream. I went swimming after every stage with Duncan and Andrew and we also rode bikes and went on the paddle boats. I was eating big dinners every night including a lot of good desserts. My mom made sure I was always drinking something.
Did you have different or special food for Tanner? Was he allowed to have anything he wanted to eat? Doughnuts included?
JD: Got to admit a bit of jealously on my part with what Tanner can eat, ha! At 40 I just can’t get away with the oatmeal cream pies, chips and Coke that T does. So, yeah T can pretty much snack on what he is craving during an effort like this but we keep his main meals to the same healthy food his mom and I eat. My hope is that he is learning that snacks are earned and are only eaten when big efforts are put out to burn them off. As a parent it is my responsibility to teach my children to enjoy healthy eating and that treats are just that: a treat, not everyday food. But hey, if you work seven hours on the bike and want an ice cream or a donut, well enjoy. We encouraged carbohydrates however we could as well as asking him to keep drinking.
TD: There was lots of ice cream which was good in the heat.
Tanner, did you have any other buddies to ride with during the race?
TD: I rode with Joel, Kathy, and Stephen most of the time. I had fun because we got to encourage each other and keep each other company especially on the long stages
What is it you like most about doing stage races?
JD: The challenge of gutting yourself for seven straight days. Personally I find riding shorter distances at higher paces tougher than say a 100-mile race where you can settle in a bit. Hard, fast efforts like this are building blocks for my true love which is long distance racing. So I do them for the challenge and to get stronger. I also love the camp/community feel. Spending seven days with your family surrounded by the coolest folks on Earth is so enriching. I wish every day of life could be lived like a camp at a stage race.
The 2013 Trans-Sylvania Epic Stage Race takes place May 26 thru June 1 in Central Pennsylvania. Registration is open now! Go to tsepic.com for more information.
Interview conducted by Heidi Volpe. Photos courtesy of the Davis family.
A stacked field met perfect conditions at one of the fastest venues in the Wisconsin Endurance Mountain Bike Series. This punchy mix of winding single and double track near Green Bay is home to the sub-8 hour century. Only a little powder and a lumpy mile of roughed-in trail at mile 7 of the 10 mile course offered any resistance to riders who could put the hammer down and weren’t afraid of close proximity to trees at speed. A deep field guaranteed plenty of action.
All expected the long course race to be a battle between series point leader, Randy Wegener of Fond du Lac Cyclery, and 3-time Stump Farm winner, Chris Schotz of Giant Bikes-n-Boards, but the field went much deeper than that. Adventure 212/Specialized elite rider Chris Peariso became the instant favorite when he jumped into the field of 32 as training for the High Cascade 100. After a leisurely Le Mans, riders lined up at a reasonable pace until Peariso went to the front a quarter mile in. First Schotz took up the chase and pulled Wagener across the gap, but he could not close that final 10 yards to Peariso on the sandy double track. Sensing this, Wagener shot away and quickly bridged to Peariso, leaving Schotz dangling just out of contact. As his heart monitor warned him constantly that he should know better, Wagener stayed glued to the seasoned pro-class racer.
Sometimes you’ve got to take a chance, and this surge sure was working for Wagener. Schotz would have gone after Peariso too, but his old engine takes a long time to get into gear and would not allow it. He was left in no man’s land after mile 6. One lap later he was caught by a surging trio including Salsa’s Tim Ek, Raspi’s Rich Lytle, and Polska’s Ron Knutowski. Knutowski surged to the front, but after a brief respite it was Schotz who went back to the front and set a pace that would split the group. He was clear again at the end of the lumpy mile that was murder on hardtails, but this seasoned group knew that a 20-second gap is nothing in a race this long. They found their own groove and disected a rafter of turkeys. By the end of the second lap the quartet was back together.
As the trail doubled back on itself they caught a glimpse of Peariso and Wagener, still glued together and chatting away. Had a third ultra weekend in a row lit some kind of new fire in Wagener? Had he jumped to another level? Would they ever see him again? They all knew what Peariso could do, but Wagener had them scared. By the end of the third lap, Peariso and Wagener had opened a 7-minute gap on Schotz. Knutowski crossed a minute later with Ek 3 minutes behind him and Lytle a further 2 minutes behind. Everything appeared to have been sorted out. Take care of yourself for 70 miles and make it official.
You can only race a man for so long before you find your own pace and just pound out the miles to the finish, ignoring the competition that is really way beyond your control. Ride through the rough patches because they can’t last 100 miles. These veteran riders had seen WEMS races settled early on numerous occasions, but a field this deep left a lot of questions to be answered over the 80 degree hours to come. Was Peariso in over his head at this distance? Would Wagener finally move to the front and reign over WEMS all year? How did that chipmunk at mile 9 die, and how flat can he get?
Ek and Lytle traded fifth and sixth place at least 3 times before Lytle finally got clear of him. Schotz kept the pressure on and got the twisty course dialed in, grinding his way to a third place until mile 56 when a familiar green jersey suddenly appeared before him. After a little “Where did you come from?” and “I don’t know. Where have you been?” Schotz went past Wagener, and after the lumpy mile they never saw each other again.
With one lap to go, Peariso and Schotz were on their way to first and second, and Lytle had pressed past Wagener and Knutowski for third, seven minutes ahead of Ek who had passed a wilted Wagener for fifth, but the race was far from over. Somewhere in that final ten miles, the 2010 WEMS Champ found his fastest lap since noon and moved past Knutowski midway. Ek surprised Lytle on the final gravel straight away and got the better of him with the finish in sight. Peariso never did fade. He broke the 8 hour barrier by over half an hour, Schotz just barely.
Denise Coppock of the Titletown Flyers continued to impress with tenacity that placed her eigth among the guys. Wheelwerk’s Mike Naughton and Treadhead’s Ray Nelson blazed through the 60-mile event in an incredible 4:22. Michelle Peariso captured the women’s 60-mile race ahead of series leader, Beth Wagner. WEMS racers will meet again in two weeks at the Muir South Kettle Classic.
Race report courtesy of W.E.M.S.. All photos by seenbyjordan.com
BCBR Day 7
The BC Bike Race closed at a party on the finishing line at Whistler’s Olympic Plaza lawn with the sunshine reflecting off the remaining summer snow of the surrounding mountain peaks. As riders crossed the line, getting hugs and medals, their tears mixed with the sweat and dust caked on their faces from the fastest final stage ever at the BCBR. As the riders lazed around in the lawn enjoying their post-raace euphoria, stories of the week and more hugs were shared between people who had never met a week earlier.
After one of the most challenging BCBR race weeks for both riders and crew, the relief of riding in the sun on a course that was completely dry was the perfect end to a roller-coaster journey. Incredible racing and riding distinguished this sixth year from the previous five, as the rain and leaders from earlier in the week transitioned on the final day to sunshine and new protagonists fighting for the peak of the podium.
Many stories emerge in a week of racing and each rider has to manage their personal challenges and expectations. For some it’s terrain that differs drastically from their home trails, and with riders from 33 different countries the singletrack varies as much as the languages. The large Belgian contingency has very little technical terrain but plenty of wet weather. Riders from the countries of Africa like, Egypt, Namibia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and the United Arab Eremites have arid desert landscapes that vary greatly from the deserts of Arizona in the US. Even Canadians from the central and eastern regions are learning a new riding style. What they all have in common is that they came to the BCBR specifically to ride trails unlike anything else in the world.
Early news from yesterday’s final stage
of the 2012 B.C. Bike Race .
Chris Sheppard takes the Whistler stage win while Neil Kindree barely crosses the line in time to salvage the overall.
Wendy Simms wins stage and overall, Hannah Thorne of New Zealand takes second on the stage only three minutes behind. Rachael Ruggea of Switzerland battles for a third.
Men’s Open Solo
Women’s Open Solo
