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Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival Sunday Funday Recap

CABLE, WIS.. ­ Rebecca Sauber earned her second Cable Crit-Cross title in 10:56.1 while Joseph Maloney (KS Energy Services/Team Wisconsin) won his first in 9:02.1.  Both winners chose mountain bikes over cyclocross bikes in the four-lap, spectator-friendly race around the Telemark Bowl.  Sauber first won the race in 2008.

Maloney jumped into the lead on the first lap and by the fourth had built a comfortable enough lead to cruise to victory.  The Madison, Wis. rider also won the two-lap qualifying event to get into the finals, so he was clearly the strongest rider in this Sunday Fun Day event at the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival.  Mason Bacso trailed Maloney by five seconds in 9:07.9, followed by Oregon rider Chad Swanson in 9:36.3.

My legs felt tired after yesterday,” said Maloney who was 25th in the Chequamegon 40.  “But a couple of beers and a good night’s rest….”  He admitted the Crit-Cross was a good way to spin the legs out the day after a hard effort.

Sauber felt her mountain bike gave her an edge over second place Niki Soderberg and third place finisher Jeannie Fleck, both riding cyclocross bikes.  “They both beat me in ‘cross,” she said referring to Soderberg and Fleck.  But not today.

Like Maloney, Sauber jumped into an early lead and held it to the end for the win.  Fleck dropped her chain on the first lap and fell into third place.  Soderberg rode consistently in second place.

In the Rough Stuff Poker Ride, a timed orienteering race around the Telemark woods, Jerry Wright won his second title by beating former champ Greg Pattison.  Local Hayward rider Wright blazed the course in 57:32.3.  Pattison was over a minute back in 59:06.8.  Wright was the 2010 champion and Pattison won the event last year.  Ken Statz of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. placed third in 1:08:11.5.

Maria Statz, Ken’s wife, won the women’s Rough Stuff  in 1:08:12.7. Keeping the family tradition alive, Amy Statz of Green Bay, Wis. took second in 1:19:20.0 and Coon Rapids, Minn. rider Chris Gagner was third in 1:36:24.4.

The Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival is sponsored by Trek and produced by Life Time Fitness.  See itiming.com for a complete list of the Sunday Fun Day results.