Midwest MTB Racing Report
The mountain bike season is off and running with events this past weekend in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. Also, the first two series races are set to kick off up this upcoming weekend in the aforementioned states as well as the first point to point race, Cable Area Off Road Classic. It is with caution I say off and running as I think we might be due for one more snow event this year! Not a popular statement but living in the upper Midwest, we have learned to be prepared for all types of weather events and the way this spring has been, seems like anything goes. Anyways, this weeks reports recaps the Spring Fling race at Hillside in Elk River, a special report from Tyler Gauthier racing at the RASTA rally in Rhinelander, WI and a look at the three upcoming weekend events all taking place in Wisconsin.
Happenings at Hillside-Spring Fling
"This race had it all. A fire, a blizzard, a giant tree falling and blocking the trail during the race (it missed Moose this time so no Moosacre), a really sweet new feature built just minutes before the race, Yak-brats, free beer, free beer openers, sun, free atomic alarm clock radio, free mini vacuum and of course the legendary Hillside singletrack", states Rich Omdal. True to Mother Nature's form, a interesting start to the race as Anne Ellefson provides a nice recap:
After coming across the short notice race when reading the Mtb Preview on Skinnyski I decided to bring the bike along on my weekend to the city to watch Summer at STU Conference Meet and visit family.
I am used to my hubby taking care of the preparations and making sure I am ready to roll so I was a little bummed when I arrived at the race site and found my front tire half flat with no extra tubes and a useless bike pump!
The wind was howling and ice pellets were coming down but the singletrack looked sweet and I could not believe I may have to head out without riding! I waited around for other racers to arrive hoping to spot someone with a pump and maybe a tube to buy off them if needed.
As racers started to arrive I decided to search out a pump and had a guy set me up. TIre seemed to hold as I rode and warmed up. (after a month out west this spring I was assuming there was a cactus thorn causing a slow leak!)
I had decided to race the advanced women two laps not quite sure what the laps would be or how long it may take. A few other ladies were out to ride and I lined up with them. Hit the single track and got into a flow that was so fun! For all the snow they had this winter the trails dries up and rode great!
The 1 lap men started out a minute after us and they came from behind fast and furious. I pulled off for the top guys to pass and found a great rhythm for a sweet ride! Lap 2 there was a huge tree that had fallen and you had to creatively hike a bike through.
No flat tires, 2 hour flowy fun course, and met up with all the familiar faces! So excited for the season.
It was an added bonus to come away with a new tire pump from the swag and I will definitely come more prepared when I travel on my own!
RASTA Rally
The Rhinelander Area Silent Trails Association (RASTA) once again sponsored the 2013 RASTA Rally Mountain Bike Race at Camp Tesomas in Rhinelander. The race offered classic Northwoods mountain bike racing with events for everyone from novice bikers to expert racers. (Photo: Alan Condra)
Three main events were featured including a two-lap, 26-mile course, a one-lap 14 mile course, and a seven-mile course aimed at the more inexperienced racers. Additionally, two short races for children ages eight and under and eight to 11 were held after the main events.
With recent weather trends, many early mountain bike races throughout the state have been canceled or postponed, and the RASTA Rally was one of the first races to run this year. Tyler Gauthier provides a report from RASTA:
We have waited, waited and have waited some more. For the mountain bike season that is. The Northern part of Wisconsin and all of the Upper Peninsula have been buried by late season snow and lingering fall weather. The inclement weather has prolonged the off season or the fat bike season, depending on how you look at. The mountain bike season has traditional come by this time of year and yet very few riders could claim any race results or effort as of May 11th. The RASTA Rally held in Rhinelander, WI was the first for many to seal up their tubeless knobby tires and feel the single track dirt beneath them.
The RASTA is one of the few races in the North Country that could claim their original date. Even with that, Mother Nature did it’s best to keep us away. Driving through snow from Ishpeming to past Iron River things were not looking promising but as I inched closer to Rhinelander the snow slowly vanished. As the snow vanished the temps fell along with it. A brisk 31 degrees at arrival made it tough to get into the mid-summer MTB mindset. Ole’ man winter fought but Susie sunshine fought back. The sun slipped through the clouds giving each of us a small hope of rising temps.
With a small crowd on hand the start line was scattered. This was a surprise as I thought people would flock to the first opportunity to ride single track this far North. A relaxed countdown and the first “go” of the season was released. With an absence of race efforts my intention was to mock a high effort start as we see in the WORS season week in and week out to acclimate to the brutishness both mentally and physically. With no care of who was around or on my wheel my eyes stayed forward. Around the first bend Justin Piontek, the other pro on hand, took his turn applying the same start effort I had attempted. After the 1 mile lead-out I took the hole shot into the single track. With no concern of energy for the 2 hours to come I pounced at each hill and turn. Justin glued to my wheel we extended our 2 man lead. My effort felt hard and fast but what wouldn’t feel hard after 5 months of no MTB racing. 1/3 way into the lap Justin takes control. He applied the pressure and now my turn to keep glued. I let a small gap open as I allowed my early efforts to replenish. The hills of Rhinelander smoothed out to flowing single-track. This allowed me to creep closer until we popped back out a 2 track climb. Taking back to the front I settled into an effort. As the terrain went up again I slowly opened a gap. Prior to this my single-track skill was far from being envied. A 5 month layoff of dirt was showing its way with me. The slowly forming gap allowed my mind to relax and I allowed my Trek SF100 do its job. I pointed the 29” wheels and the Maxxis Icon gripped.
The first lap had been completed in 1:02. Not knowing the 2nd lap was shortened from the first I managed my effort for the next 20 minutes until I noticed I approached a section closer to the end. Figuring I either missed a turn or they cut a section off I picked up my pace tapping the pedals to the finish. The sun had now started to come out in which I figured was perfect timing so it could shine down on my smile from completing my first MTB race effort of the year. To a course that I figure not to be my specialty Rhinelander has always been good to me. A win in the legs but more importantly it was a race effort long overdue waiting for ole’ man winter to give way to the sunshine of spring.
Dirtbits
Interested in watching the World Cup MTB race live, check this link.
Enduro Mountain Biking
Enduro mountain biking has been existence for a number of years but looking at the worldwide schedules, there appears to be more events popping up including a few more in the US. Enduros are a combination of "both car rally and motorbike enduro racing. Mountain bike enduro is essentially the competitive side of the mountain biking format often referred to today as "All-Mountain". It is a stage-race format where the winner is the rider who accumulates the lowest combined time from the various timed sections. Mountain bike enduro competitions typically take place over the course of 1 or 2 days, however, week-long enduro competitions do also exist. A typical one-day enduro race consists of 3 to 5 timed "special" stages which take place on technically demanding, generally descending terrain." As stated on Wikipedia. "The sport has taken root in mostly in the Northwest of United States, a location known for its miles of winding single-track trails alongside old growth forest and bubbling creeks". Northwest Epic Series is the most famous series in Washington state that offers race distances ranging from 30 miles all the way to 100 miles
Bike magic has a nice in depth blog post on Enduro mountain biking.
Cuyuna Mountain Bike Festival
The dates have been set for the Cuyuna Mountain Bike Festival which is held on Minnesota's popular flow trail in the Crosby Ironton area. The festival will feature a 7, 14 and 21 mile race along with events for the whole family.
Looking Ahead
Cable Area Off Road Classic
With the Cable area getting dumped with a very late season snow storm which resulted in Pisten Bully grooming in May, the doubts were high there would be no racing for the popular Cable Off-Road Classic. But the race is on and Cable chamber director James Bolen sent in the latest report:
"Obviously spring is not cooperating with us here in the north! The CAMBA trail system will now not open until after May 24th. Since our race uses the CAMBA system we either had to cancel (which all the WORS and MN Off Road races done prior to the 18th) or find another route. Our trail committee found a great gravel/ forest road route that will be very challenging. The course has winding roads with a lot of elevation changes too. The long course will come up Seeley Fire Tower road which is notorious in the Cheq. 40 race. Riders familiar with the course are very happy with the route and believe it will be a great race. We use the funds from this event to sponsor CAMBA and are also using proceeds to build the new Cable Classic trail which, for the first time, will connect the Namakagon and Cable Clusters.
Given the fact that all the other races have been cancelled and we are able to still deliver a race we are hoping that riders will take the opportunity to get out and ride, even though the course will not have the single track we usually deliver. Since many have not been able to ride single track yet this year, this will be a great chance to at least race! It should also appeal to riders who find the single track to technical too. This could be their first time doing the CAORC"
St Croix Valley Woolly
The Minnesota series jumps across the river to St. Croix Falls, WI to hit up the Woolly Trail Network which is run and maintained by the energetic and enthusiastic Woolly Bike Club, hence the name, St Croix Valley Woolly.
There is a mix of fast flowy and tight twisty singletrack over the six mile loop, and the course also utilizes XC ski trails, limestone railroad bed, snowmobile trail and even a little paved bike path. The Sport, Comp and Expert classes ride through a new technical rocky section, which includes several very challenging sections that the last glacier that formed the beautiful St. Croix River Valley.
The course covers almost 600 verticle feet which occurs mostly in the first section of singletrack and includes some steep punchy climbes and fast decents, but only one long-ish climb. Overheard in the parking lot last year when I hit up this venue for the first time was "a old school type course".
Iola Bump and Jump
The Wisconsin Off Road Series makes it first stop of the season in Iola with the Bump and Jump after having to reschedule the first two events of the season. Iola is another Nordic venue that was enjoying late season skiing deep in to April. Organizers are confident on a good course and the popular venue is ready to treat riders to a fun course that involves riding near the ski jumps, rolling hills, open ski trails, sandy wooded singletrack with quick ups and downs.
Keep the wheels moving!
 | About the author... Jay Richards maintains a very active lifestyle. He somehow finds time between managing a full-time resort (Maplelag) and bringing up a family of four boys with his wife Jonell, to compete in both mountain bike and a few cross-country ski races. Jay rides for Maplelag Resort, manages the Maplelag/Paramount mountain bike team and enters his 23rd year of racing and promoting mountain bike races. |