MTB News & Racing Round-up, August 13, 2010

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Date published:

August 21, 2010, 16:19

Edited by Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

Welcome to our regular roundup of what's happening in mountain biking. Feel free to send feedback, news, & releases to mtb@cyclingnews.com and results, reports & photos to cyclingnews@cyclingnews.com.

• High school racing comes to Colorado

  

  Article published:

  August 13, 2010, 19:04

  By:

  Cycling News

  Inaugural race series scheduled

  The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) took its first step outside of California by starting a new high school bike racing league in Colorado, which will host its first mountain bike series this autumn. An estimated 100 high school mountain bikers from schools across Colorado are awaiting the inaugural opening event of the four-round 2010 Colorado High School Mountain Bike Racing Series, starting on September 19.

  The series spans six weeks and opens at Chalk Creek Ranch, Nathrop, near Buena Vista, Colorado, with a classic Colorado desert mesa course that includes many technical challenges and fast climbs.

  Schools in Boulder County, Carbondale, Chaffee County, Colorado Springs, Crested Butte, Parker, Durango, and Fort Collins have all expressed interest in the fledgling series.

  "I continue to be impressed by the breadth of support and depth of experience associated with the many people stepping up to lead teams, provide race expertise, and promote the Colorado High School Cycling League is outstanding," said Colorado League executive director, Kate Rau.

  "Emails arrive every day from folks interested in starting or helping with teams, parents and students looking for local teams, and supporters wanting to volunteer at races. I can hardly wait for September 19 to experience the buzz in the Pit Zone at Keith Darner’'s ranch."

  Prior to the race series, mountain bike coach Lee McCormack will lead several one-day camps to prepare both coaches and riders for a safe and fun season of riding.

  "Even for those who attended our Leader's Summit in June, I highly recommend these informative clinics. They effectively teach the fundamentals to riders from a wide range of abilities," said Rau. "Whether you are a novice or experienced rider, people always learn something at Lee’s clinics."

  The complete schedule for the 2010 Colorado High School Mountain Bike Racing Series is below. For more information, visit www.coloradomtb.org.

  Reflecting a growing interest in school-affiliated racing by youth in America, NICA is also working on projects to start leagues and series in states other than California and Colorado.

  2010 Colorado High School Mountain Bike Racing Series Schedule
  September 19: Race 1 - Chalk Creek Ranch, at Nathrop, 20 miles north of Salida
  October 3: Race 2 - To be announced.
  October 17: Race 3 - Bear Creek Lake Park, Lakewood
  October 31: Race 4 (State Championships) - Peaceful Valley, Elbert.

• TransWales kicking off this weekend

  

  Article published:

  August 13, 2010, 15:34

  By:

  Cycling News

  Seven days of action with a mix of linking and race stages

  The seven-day Gore Bike Wear TransWales point-to-point mountain bike race begins this weekend and runs through 487km (302.6miles) and up 14,795m (48,540 feet) of climbing in and around the wilds of Wales in Great Britain.

  Born as a way to create an epic event in Wales - where, as in England, archaic right of way laws prohibit bike racing on public bridlepaths - the TransWales mixes seven non-competitive marathon stages together with a selection of special competitive stages on the cream of Wales' purpose-built trails for singletrack speed shakes: Cwmrhaedr, the Cli-Machx trail, and Nant y Arian.

  The peloton will descend on the Penmaenau Farm in Builth Wells, Wales on Saturday in preparation for the big off early on Sunday. The first stage will take the riders 58km and 1810m of climbing and descending to Knighton, including the first special stage of the event. Riders will be competing for the overall honours in mixed or same sex pairs, or soloists in their respective categories.

  As in 2009, for this year's TransWales, all the special stages will have the racers tackling rally-style time trials in pairs and in relay during the day or at night in the form of a night time special stage; these special stages are blended into the linking stages themselves - either at the beginning, during, or at the end.

  As one rider wrote after last year's event, "The combination of relaxed linking stages and the eyeballs out special stages combine to provide an unforgettable experience."

  But unlike last year the organisers, Mike Wilkens and John Lloyd - the pairing responsible for Britain's Chain Reaction Cycles MTB Marathon Series - have fine-tuned the format still further. The TransWales is all about finding the single best overall rider in each category so for 2010 there will be specific hill climb, downhill and general trail riding special stages to truly find the strongest all-round rider to be crowned champions.

  For the first time ever there is also the option for riders to enter the mini TransWales: three and four day options for time-crunched riders looking to experience the wilds of Wales in the saddle but without dedicating an entire week to the task.

  Last year's solo men's and women's races were won by Jonathan Pugh and Marika Covre (Ideal - Vivibike).

  2010 TransWales
  Day 1: Builth Wells - Knighton, 58km (includes special stage 1, a 1.2km climbing stage)
  Day 2: Knighton - Llanidloes, 68km
  Day 3: Llanidloes - Machynlleth, 82km (includes special stage 2, a 7km descent)
  Day 4: Machynlleth - Cwymystwyth, 71km (includes special stage 3, an 8.5km loop)
  Day 5: Cwymystwyth - Cilycwm, 73km (includes special stage 4, a 6km night-time loop)
  Day 6: Cilycwm - Brecon, 75km
  Day 7: Brecon - Builth Wells, 52km (inclues special stage 5, a 2km loop)

  Stay tuned to Cyclingnews for full coverage of the TransWales.

• 53 Americans bound for mountain bike world championships

  

  Article published:

  August 12, 2010, 15:53

  By:

  Cycling News

  USA Cycling selects cross country and gravity racers

  A total of 53 Americans will compete at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec, Canada on September 1-5. Of those, seven men and seven women will wear the red, white and blue while competing for world titles in the elite cross country races.  All racers were selected by USA Cycling.

  As the reigning national champion, and winner of the 2010 US Pro XCT, Todd Wells (Specialized) earned the only automatic nomination to the elite men's cross country squad. He'll be joined on the course by discretionary nominees Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Trek), Adam Craig (Giant), Sam Schultz (Subaru-Trek), Michael Broderick (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes), Carl Decker (Giant), and Spencer Paxson (Team S&M Young Guns).

  Three women received automatic nominations to compete in the elite women's contest in Mont-Saint-Anne. Georgia Gould (Luna) earned her nomination by way of winning the national championship cross country race as well as the overall US Pro XCT. In addition, the Colorado rider earned a silver medal in the third stop on the World Cup and is currently ranked fifth in the overall World Cup standings. As the highest-ranked American woman in the UCI rankings, in sixth-place, Willow Koerber (Subaru-Trek) also picked up an automatic nomination to the team. In addition to her UCI ranking, Koerber met several other qualification criteria to receive an automatic nomination, including finishing second at the first World Cup of the season, placing second in the second World Cup, and currently sitting in third in the overall World Cup standings. With a fourth-place effort in the fifth stop on the World Cup circuit, Katie Compton (Planet Bike) also earned an automatic nomination to the team.

  Gould, Koerber, and Compton will join forces with the four discretionary nominees Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes), Heather Irmiger (Subaru-Trek), Kelli Emmett (Giant), and Allison Mann (Rock N Road).

  Eight Under 23 athletes and eight junior athletes were also nominated to represent the US in country competitions in Quebec.

  As the reigning national champ in the elite men's downhill discipline, Aaron Gwin (Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team) received the lone automatic nomination to the men's downhill contingent. In addition to winning the national title, Gwin also met the selection criteria by virtue of his fourth-place effort in the second World Cup and his third-place effort in the third World Cup this season.

  Gwin will be joined in the elite men's downhill time test by discretionary nominees Luke Strobel (Evil Bikes), Kyle Strait, Logan Binggeli (KHS Bicycles), Tyler Immer, Brad Benedict (Auburn/Specialized), and Duncan Riffle (Giant).

  Four women will wear the Team USA jersey in the elite women's downhill contest. The squad will be led by the only automatic nomination, reigning national champion Jill Kintner (Transition Racing). Discretionary nominees include Melissa Buhl (KHS Bicycles), Jacqueline Harmony (KHS Bicycles), and Leigh Donovan (Intense Cycles).

  Eight junior riders were nominated to compete in the junior men's and women's downhill contests in Mont Saint Anne.

  In addition to the downhill competitions, the World Championships will also feature elite four cross racing. The US squad will be led by automatic nominees and reigning national champions Ross Milan (Yeti-Cycles) and Neven Steinmetz (Ellsworth Bikes). In the men's contest, Milan will be joined by Barry Nobles, Mitch Ropelato, and Blake Carney.
  
  United States' Team for 2010 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships

  Cross country

  Elite men
  Todd Wells (Specialized)
  Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Trek)
  Adam Craig (Giant)
  Sam Schultz (Subaru-Trek)
  Michael Broderick (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes)
  Carl Decker (Giant)
  Spencer Paxson (Team S&M Young Guns)

  Elite women
  Georgia Gould (Luna)
  Willow Koerber (Durango, Colo./Subaru-Trek)
  Katie Compton (Planet Bike)
  Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes)
  Heather Irmiger (Subaru-Trek)
  Kelli Emmett (Giant)
  Allison Mann (Rock N Road)

  Under 23 men
  Tad Elliott (Sho-Air/Specialized)
  Rob Squire (Garmin-Felt-Holowesko)
  Russell Finsterwald (Subaru-Trek)
  Stephen Ettinger (Arlberg Sports)
  Jack Hinkens (Trek-Co-op)
  Mitch Hoke (Tokyo Joe’s)

  Under 23 women
  Sage Wilderman (Team Totally Wired)
  Lydia Tanner (Montana State University)

  Junior men
  Skyler Truijillo
  Zach Valdez
  Seth Kemp
  Tony Smith (Whole Athlete)
  Will Curtis (Whole Athlete)

  Junior women
  Alicia Rose Pastore (Rocky Mountain Chocolate)
  Sofia Hamilton (Whole Athlete)
  Essence Barton

  Downhill

  Elite men
  Aaron Gwin (Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team)
  Luke Strobel (Evil Bikes)
  Kyle Strait
  Logan Binggeli (KHS Bicycles)
  Tyler Immer
  Brad Benedict (Auburn/Specialized)
  Duncan Riffle (Giant)

  Elite women
  Jill Kintner (Transition Racing)
  Melissa Buhl (KHS Bicycles)
  Jacqueline Harmony (KHS Bicycles)
  Leigh Donovan (Intense Cycles)

  Junior men
  Sam Powers (Redstone Cyclery)
  Bryson Martin (Stevenson Ranch, Oakley)
  Neko Mulally (Trek World Racing)
  Mitch Ropelato
  Nate Furbee
  Evan Powell (Yeti Fox)
  Trevor Trinkino (Yeti RPM)

  Junior women
  Kelsey Anderson

  Four cross

  Elite men
  Ross Milan (Yeti-Cycles)
  Barry Nobles
  Mitch Ropelato
  Blake Carney

  Elite women
  Neven Steinmetz (Ellsworth Bikes)

• Beer brothers lead Swiss downhillers at mountain bike worlds

  

  Article published:

  August 12, 2010, 14:00

  By:

  Cycling News

  Selection of downhill team completes Swiss roster

  The Swiss Cycling Federation selected its final riders for the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec, Canada, on September 1-5.

  Brothers Nick and Marcel Beer will compete in the elite men's downhill while Emile Siegenthaler will race in the elite women's category. The Swiss are also sending two junior men: Freddy Hunziker and Marius Paccolat.

  The Swiss cross country and four cross riders were previously selected.

  Swiss National Team for the 2010 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships

  Downhill

  Elite men
  Nick Beer
  Marcel Beer

  Elite women
  Emile Siegenthaler

  Junior men
  Freddy Hunziker
  Marius Paccolat

• Former pro Tammy Jacques-Grewal recovers from life-threatening illness

  

  Article published:

  August 11, 2010, 21:26

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Retired road and mountain bike racer happy to be back on a bike

  2010 has been the year of the comeback for retired pro racer Tammy Jacques-Grewal, first in cross country ski racing, then in mountain bike racing. After nearly dying of an illness that was misdiagnosed for years, Jacques-Grewal was just happy to be alive as she lined up for the start of the elite women's cross country mountain bike race at the US Mountain Bike Nationals last month.

  The 44-year-old lives in Colorado and decided to celebrate her renewed health with some bike racing and a weekend out with her husband, former pro mountain biker Rishi Grewal, and their two children, Dmitri, 6, and Sofia, 9.

  Jacques-Grewal took a somewhat early retirement from pro racing in 1999, when she was 33 years old. "I was sick, but we didn't know why. The doctors never could figure it out. In the later part of my career, I'd have random stomach pain. My abdomen would just start hurting, and I'd have really good days and then really bad days. and all of the sudden I'd just feel horrible."

  After retirement, Jacques-Grewal's health problems only got worse, but not significantly so until after she'd had two healthy pregnancies.

  "Over the years, I was hospitalized several times for what doctors thought was high enzyme levels and hyponeutremia. They tried to bring my body back in balance. I always ate well and loved to cook, but food was going right through me. I was wasting away.

  "I started getting really, really sick in 2006, and we didn't know what was going on," she said. "They were doing blood tests, and I didn't have any weird diseases. I got to the point where I couldn't drink real water any more. I could only drink bubbly water. I lived on San Pellegrino and applesauce. It was horrible." Before long, even the applesauce wouldn't stay down, and she weighed only 88 pounds (39.9 kilograms).

  It wasn't until she and her family moved to Steamboat Springs and she found a new doctor, that the mystery was solved. "Dr. Harrington listened to me for an hour and then told me I needed to have a cat scan. He thought I had giant stones in my pancreas and said, 'There is a huge restriction in your pancreatic duct and no wonder you feel horrible because the enzymes are eating up your pancreas and you could die. You need to take care of this.'"

  Ultrasound images hadn't been good enough to diagnose the problem, so Jacques-Grewal was sent to Denver for an MRI and to work with specialists. "The pancreas is made of spongy tissue and it's hard to sew up," she said. "They told me they'd have to go in through scoping, and if something was torn in the process, it would mean more surgery."

  She started treatment in 2008, and in March of 2010, she had her last procedure. "I finally got rid of all the stones," she said.

  During her treatment, doctors explained to her that her illness probably stemmed from a cycling accident that happened in 1993. "I lacerated my kidney when I was in Fruita [Colorado] on Mary's loop testing a new mountain bike, a Barracuda with a new fork," she said. "Something happened when I went over. Sara Ballantyne, Susan DeMattei and Julie Furtado were there. Sara went by me and was like 'oh my god'. They think that at that time, the impact crimped the pancreatic duct ... like a bent pipe."

  Back in action

  Near the end of all the medical treatment, Jacques-Grewal started feeling good again.

  "I cross country ski raced this winter," she said. "I started training on my bike three and a half months ago. I figured that since nationals were in Sol Vista, I'd go have fun and see what it's like being on the circuit and celebrate being alive. I'd almost died several times." She pointed to one discolored, quarter-sized scar on her wrist, where an IV had blown up and left a wound down to her bone.

  Her comeback was helped in large part by 2001 mountain bike World Champion Alison Dunlap, who's taken on the role of coaching Jacques-Grewal since April. "I hooked up with Alison and we're having fun together. It's perfect because she knows me and we raced on the road together and on mountain bikes." Jacques-Grewal has been doing her local race series in Steamboat Springs and is being supported by Ericson, Honey Stinger and her husband and children.

  "I'm glad I retired because I wouldn't have two beautiful children," she said. "I have no aspirations to be a pro mountain biker again. I'm having fun. I want to be a good mom and a good role model. I want to inspire my kids and I'm just thankful to be alive. It was a real struggle, it was hard to function."

  Racing a nationals was a bit of a shock after competing in her local series. During her career, Jacques-Grewal was used to starting at the front of every race. Coming behind was a different experience.

  "It was hard not to start up front. I was getting squished into the barriers and on the climb, I was waiting and waiting," she said. "A few times I got pushed off the trail and one time, a girl nudged me into the trees and I fell off my bike.

  "I kept thinking 'ok, keep your head in there'. It was a fun course, and I think they did a great job designing it," she said of the Granby venue. "As probably the oldest woman out here, I was enjoying picking off the women in front of me and was excited just not to be lapped."

  Jacques-Grewal finished 15th, 14:07 behind winner Georgia Gould.

• Schurter leads powerful Swiss team to mountain bike worlds

  

  Article published:

  August 11, 2010, 21:12

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  30 selected for cross country, four cross squads

  Swiss Cycling has selected 30 cross country and four cross riders for the Swiss National Team heading to the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships on September 1-5. The worlds will be held in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec, Canada.

  Current World Champion Nino Schurter will be going for his second consecutive title. He'll be joined by former World Champion Christoph Sauser, Lukas Flückiger, Fabian Giger, Martin Gujan, Ralph Näf and recent World Cup winner Florian Vogel.

  On the women's side, European cross country champion Katrin Leumann will lead a strong team including newly crowned marathon World Champion Esther Süss, World Cup round winner Nathalie Schneitter and Sarah Koba and Marielle Saner-Guinchard.

  The Swiss team often excels in international-level men's and women's individual cross country events at the junior, U23 and elite levels, and after winning the European Championship in July, it is also a favorite for the team relay at worlds.

  Not as well known for its four cross accomplishments, the Swiss team will send two men and one woman: David Graf, Roger Rinderknecht and Lucia Oetjen for that event.

  The downhill roster is still pending following the European Championships this past weekend.

  Swiss National Team for the 2010 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships

  Cross Country

  Elite men
  Lukas Flückiger
  Fabian Giger
  Martin Gujan
  Ralph Näf
  Christoph Sauser
  Nino Schurter
  Florian Vogel

  Elite women
  Katrin Leumann
  Sarah Koba
  Marielle Saner-Guinchard
  Nathalie Schneitter
  Esther Süss

  Under 23 men
  Severin Disch
  Mathias Flückiger
  Martin Fanger
  Patrik Gallati
  Thomas Litscher
  Pascal Meyer

  Under 23 women
  Michelle Hediger
  Vivienne Meyer
  Kathrin Stirnemann

  Junior women
  Jolanda Neff
  Vania Schumacher

  Junior men
  Claude Koster
  Fabian Paumann
  Stefan Peter
  Roger Walder

  Four cross

  Elite men
  David Graf
  Roger Rinderknecht

  Elite women
  Lucia Oetjen

• Mountain bike titans to battle at Leadville 100 this weekend

  

  Article published:

  August 11, 2010, 14:59

  By:

  Dave McElwaine

  Leipheimer's attendance uncertain in Armstrong's absence

  Largely due to the participation of Lance Armstrong, the Leadville 100 has grown into one of the country's most prestigious single day mountain biking epics. Two years ago, Armstrong lost a hard fought battle with Dave Weins (Topeak Ergon), but last year, he crushed everyone with his Tour de France fitness. This year, however, Armstrong has withdrawn from the race citing a nagging hip injury suffered in the Tour de France as the reason.

  The news came after he was seen out on the course this past weekend with US Marathon National Champion Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski. "We rode 60-70 miles of the course or so," said JHK.

  Armstrong's Radio Shack teammate Levi Leipheimer is still registered to race and would automatically become one of the race favorites given his Tour de France fitness and the roadie-friendly fireroad nature of the course. However, Leipheimer is recovering from a wrist injury that was sustained in the Tour de France and may not want to risk that recovery with a grueling race on dirt. In addition, Leipheimer announced last week that he will race in the demanding Tour of Utah set to begin next week, just a few days after Leadville.
  
  Nearly 1,600 racers, selected by lottery, will depart the former silver mining town of Leadville at 6:30 am on Saturday morning for a grueling day in the saddle. They will be supported by six aid stations and have a 12-hour deadline to complete the course. Nearly every state in the country is represented, along with racers from nearly 20 other countries as far away as New Zealand and Hong Kong. The average racer age this year is 43. The oldest is 74, and the youngest is 21. The women's field totals 257 racers while the men's field consists of 1,293 racers.

  What is very different this year is the level of competition. If he races, Leipheimer will have to contend with two current US mountain biking national champions. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, who is the US marathon national champion, is a two-time Olympian and a World Cup racer and is the favorite for a win. While JHK rarely participates in endurance races, he has proven to be at least 12 minutes faster than any of the other top mountain bike competitors at a 50-mile distance. Given that Armstrong beat Weins by 25 minutes last year, JHK should be competitive for the win. He has also earned the reputation for being best high altitude mountain bike racer in the country.

  US cross country National Champion and Olympian Todd Wells (Specialized) has also decided to give the race a go. The Durango native has gone head-to head with JHK dozens of times. Each can beat the other on a given day. JHK probably has the edge in domestic races, while Wells typically posts better finishes on the World Cup circuit. Wells also participates in at least one road stage race per year, so he is no rookie when it comes to the tactics that may be employed on Leadville's fire roads.

  When asked about his preparation for the Leadville 100, Wells said, "I haven't had time to do any specific training for Leadville with the two World Cups and Nationals in the past three weekends. All I've been doing is traveling and recovering. I will do a few long high country rides before the race and probably just go up to Leadville the day before the race since it's at such a high altitude. I'm looking forward to that neutral rolling start after the craziness of the World Cup the past few weeks."

  The out-and-back Leadville course consists primarily of fireroads along with a few paved sections. Thousands of spectators and support crews will line the route. The starting elevation is 10,152 feet and the course reaches 12,550 feet at the Columbine Mountain at the turn-around. This climb has proven to be a decisive point in the race for years.

  Former US marathon champion Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale) is racing, too. "You can be sure of nothing in a 100-miler. Riders who you would not expect to crack will crack like glass on a rock. Among the favorites, I expect a battle," said Bishop. "A lead group will shatter the field on Columbine. 12,000 feet has a magnifying effect on one's form or lack of it. Since Leadville is so much of a dirt road race, tactics will play a big factor..and it's lack of technical features will favor the roadies."

  Last year's second place female finisher Amanda Carey (Kenda-Felt) may disagree. "I think Leadville gets too much undeserved characterization as a "roadie" course. Having raced Leadville twice, I know it well enough to know that it definitely favors a certain type of rider but it is certainly not a cakewalk! Personally, I think that JHK or Wells can take it if they are smart (i.e. draft) and they have good days. Weather and wind can have a huge impact on the race. It would be great for the spectators if all the men could hang together at least until the return trip up Powerline."

  Bishop is expected to be a force in this year's race. Earlier this season he swept the Triple Crown final weekend in Virginia, and followed that up by winning the Trans-Sylvania stage race in Pennsylvania. Normally Bishop would have been at the marathon World Championships this past weekend in Germany, but he decided to skip it while recovering from an infection.

  Other racers who are expected to compete for the win include, of course, Colorado favorite and many-time winner Dave Weins (Topeak Ergon). Alex Grant (Cannondale), a top finisher at La Ruta del los Conquistadores, finished fourth last year at Leadville after crashing on the final descent. Tokyo Joes' Jay Henry has looked sharp this season including a third place finish at the marathon National Championships.

  Fort Lewis College cycling coach Matt Shriver was also part of the elite group pushing the pace on the front last year. He finished third. He recently made these predictions to Cyclingnews: "My thoughts are that the pace will be close to the same. I think that riders like Jeremiah Bishop will be early animators. There will be more fireworks on the climbs. JHK and Wells will be looking to make it up Columbine Climb with the leaders."

  "There will be a larger group that goes up Columbine together and rides together all the way to the bottom of Powerline (80 miles in) on the return," said Shriver. "This will be the final selection. Powerline will be where the race is won this year."

  Manny Prado (Sho-Air/ Specialized), who is both the Costa Rican champion and La Ruta del los Conquistadores champion, will not compete in Leadville due to unforeseen circumstances. Prado finished eighth last year and had named the Leadville 100 as one of his major goals of this season.

  In the women's race, Rebecca Rush (Specialized) comes in as the overwhelming favorite, having won by 25 minutes last year. What was surprising last year is that she did not really prepare specifically for the race, but things appear to be different this time around.

  "I got here (Leadville) 10 days early to acclimatize, familiarize myself with the course, relax and breathe the thin air," said Rusch. "My preparation and focus this year have been way different than last year. Last year's race was icing on the cake after winning 24-hour solo worlds for the third time. That race was my major priority for the year and coming to Leadville was just to cap off the season. I did not know the course, did not acclimatize, pretty much had no idea what to expect."

  "This year, Leadville has been on of my main focuses for the year so my training has been a bit different with a bunch of 50 and 100-milers, coming early, scouting the course, bringing crew, etc," said Rusch. "I was a bit like a deer in the headlights last year and yet had a great result. This year, I am much more educated about the event, more prepared and really excited!"

  Amanda Carey, who looks stronger this season, may provide a closer battle. Last year she had to overcome a starting position far behind Rusch, and expended a great deal of energy early in the race just to make contact.

  "She's a heck of a strong rider in this distance and has shown that she can race well at altitude," said Carey of her main competition, Rusch. "I spent all of July in Colorado racing cross country on the weekends and trained on the Leadville course a few days in between those races. I raced the Laramie Enduro last weekend for my final long prep and that went pretty well."

  Leadville race veterans will tell you that a host of factors need to go right on race day, and luck often plays a pivotal role in the outcome. Riders will need to have the ability to deal with mechanical issues out on the trail. To ride 100 miles on this terrain without having a tire puncture is somewhat unlikely. Most of the top contenders live at an altitude of 6,000-8,000 feet but know that 12,000 feet is a whole different ballgame. At that altitude, the same rider can have very good days, but also very bad days. Jeremiah Bishop, who lives near sea level in Virginia, is one of the very few "flatlanders" who typically performs well at these altitudes.

  Stay tuned to Cyclingnews this weekend for all the latest results, stories, and photography from the Leadville Trail 100.