MTB News & Racing Round-up, Friday, November 11, 2011

• Previous Edition
• Next Edition

Date published:

November 11, 2011, 23:00

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.

• NUE series announces the 2012 schedule

  

  Article published:

  November 10, 2011, 19:00

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  New venue added plus finals move to Georgia

  The Kenda National Ultra Endurance (NUE) Series announced its 12-race schedule for 2012, including a new venue as well as a switch in which event will host the final round. Last season, in addition to its eight established venues, the series made stops in Mountain View, Arkansas; Alta, Wyoming; and Park City, Utah. The 2012 Series will remain a best four of 12 races with all ties broken at the championship race.

  The Hampshire 100 in New Hampshire becomes the first New England venue to be part of the series.

  "The Hampshire 100 Race Director, Randi Whitney, along with numerous volunteers have spent five years refining her event and NUE is very excited to add New Hampshire to the 11 great states hosting NUE Series races next season," said NUE Series Director Ryan O'Dell.

  "Located in the cooler, scenically beautiful northeast on Sunday, August 19 should make this a popular NUE venue this year and with a registration limit of 500, many racers will be able to get in when registration opens on January 15."

  The other major change for 2012 is a switch in the series final location. The Fool's Gold in Georgia, will host the championship event. The race, traditionally been held on a weekend in August, is moving to September 8 for 2012.

  "The cooler fall weather may make the Fool's Gold 100 even more attractive to racers. This will mark the first time the NUE Series Championship has been held in the southeast." In previous years, the Shenandoah Mountain 100, in Virginia, hosted the finals.

  An accomplished mountain bike racer who fought his way to a seventh place finish in the NUE Men's Open Division this year, his best performance so far, race director Eddie O'Dea, describes the new championship race course this way, "The 2012 Fool's Gold 50/100 will again be based out of the beautiful Montaluce Winery in Dahlonega, Georgia. Expect lots of fast and flowy singletrack, some doubletrack, and a fair dose of gravel road grunts. There are a couple of longer sustained climbs, but the rollers will probably be the ones to get you."

  According to NUE Series Director, Ryan O'Dell, "Eddie and Namrita O'Dea's decision to move the race start/finish to the Montaluce Winery really provides atmosphere for the Championship. Many new improvements are being planned next year as they host the championship for the first time. The entry limit this year will be 350, however, all NUE top-five division leaders will be able to compete at the championship as long as they register at least one month before the race.

  A growing success

  Even with three venues added last year, nearly all NUE Series races sold out last year, some within just minutes. The addition of still another venue this coming year will make it possible for more racers to attempt the series minimum of four races and in the process, receive a national ranking and prizes.

  NUE Series races offer quality venues and they are accessible in that racers do not need a license to compete.

  Series winner Amanda Carey Kenda-Felt) recently commented on the courses. "Each NUE Series venue is in a location you would want to ride whether or not you are there to race."

  O'Dell likened participation in the series to a 400-mile stage race. "The difference is that racers are free to choose the time and place of each stage from a qualified choice of 12 high quality events. With four races in the West and more to come, Western racers now have greater opportunity to complete the four-race minimum without the necessity to travel to the east but are still free to choose from any NUE venues."

  O'Dell expects the series to continue to grow and pointed to New York, Montana, Washington, California, Missouri and even Toronto, Canada, as possible future host venues. He encouraged NUE racers to attend events in those places and to report back on those which would be good to add to the series.

  The details

  The series will open on April 28 at the Cohutta 100 in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Ducktown, Tennessee. From there, Racers have one month to prepare before heading to the Ozark Mountains at Syllamo's Revenge in Mountain View, Arkansas on May 19.

  The 12th Annual Kenda Mohican MTB100 in Loudonville, Ohio will host race number three on June 2. A single loop race course with 11,000 feet of vertical climbing, this race spans four counties, including the 5000-acre Mohican State Forest. With nearly 600 racers last year, Mohican has become one of the most well attended races in the NUE series.

  From the Buckeye State of Ohio, the NUE Series heads north into the Great Lakes State of Michigan for the Lumberjack 100, headed by race director, Rick Plite. Located deep within the Manistee forest in Wellston, Michigan on June 16, The Lumberjack will finish off the spring portion of the series. This event always sells out early.

  In the summer, the series will gain some serious altitude with the next round held at the Breckenridge 100 in Breckenridge, Colorado on July 14. Breckenridge sits at 9000 feet and elevates over the continental divide three times. Bring your lungs for this one and try keep your eyes on the trail. The jaw dropping views can drop you right off the trail for racers who are not vigilant.

  One week later, The High Cascades 100 in Bend returns for its third year to represent the state of Oregon on July 21. Race Director, Mike Ripley, is already planning more improvements for this popular event.

  The Wilderness 101, headed by Chris Scott, will follow on July 28 in the Rothrock and Bald Eagle State Forests just outside of State College, home of the Penn State Nittany Lions in Pennsylvania. The race features some technical backcountry singletrack.

  The final four races will occur within a month-long period, which could create some chaos before the tie-breaking event. First up is the Pierre's Hole 100 near Alta, Wyoming, on August 4. Two-time reigning NUE Women's Champion and race winner, Amanda Carey, calls it home, residing nearby in the town of Driggs. Staging from the Grand Targhee Resort, the Pierre's Hole 100 consists of a 25-mile loop and each lap features over 4600' of climbing on mostly single and doubletrack trails. From the Teton Mountains to New England, The Hampshire 100 will make its NUE debut on Sunday, August 19.

  The next two races could keep everyone guessing like it did last season, each positioned on opposite sides of the country on Labor Day Weekend. The Park City Point to Point in Park City, Utah on September 1 was a sold out hit during its series debut last year, staging from the heart of the 5000-acre Canyons Resort, connecting nearby Deer Valley and Park City resorts along epic trails in the Wasatch Mountain Range.

  The next day, a series original, the Shenandoah Mountain 100 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, sounds off on September 2. Home to four of the last five NUE Championships, Shenandoah sold out last year with the greatest attendance in the NUE Series. As a result, the entry limit has been raised to 700 for 2012.

  Moving to a new date, The NUE Series Championship race will head south to Georgia for The Fool's Gold 100 on September 8. The Fool's Gold is aptly named after the first American Gold Rush that occurred near the town of Dahlonega, well before the California Gold Rush began.
  The NUE series schedule is tentative and subject to change as race organizers are still in the usual process of procuring forest service permits and other logistical race planning details.

  2012 National Ultra Endurance (NUE) Series
  April 28 - Cohutta 100, Ducktown, Tennessee
  May 19 - Syllamo's Revenge, Mountain View, Arkansas
  June 2 - Mohican MTB100, Loudonville, Ohio
  June 16 - Lumberjack 100, Wellston, Michigan
  July 14 - Breckenridge 100, Breckenridge, Colorado
  July 21 - High Cascades 100, Oregon
  July 28 - Wilderness 101, State College, Pennsylvania
  August 4 - Pierre's Hole 100, Alta, Wyoming
  August 19 - Hampshire 100, New Hampshire
  September 1 - Park City Point 2 Point, Park City, Utah
  September 2 - Shenandoah Mountain 100, Harrisonburg, Virginia
  September 8 - Fool's Gold 100, Dahlonega, Georgia

• Mountain bike legend Overend to host NorCal CycleFest

  

  Article published:

  November 10, 2011, 20:35

  By:

  Cycling News

  High school league fundraiser set for the weekend

  Mountain biking's first world champion Ned Overend will be the special guest at the 10th annual NorCal CycleFest, the Bay Area's cycling social event of the season on Saturday, November 12 at the Mill Valley Community Center in Mill Valley, California.

  The event will raise funds for the NorCal High School Cycling League, the organization that led to the formation of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association.

  The evening of cycling stardom starts with special patron hour, then a mixer combined with silent auction, before a presentation of featured student athletes and a gourmet dinner accompanied by an on-stage conversation with Overend himself. A live auction will conclude the evening's entertainment. Ten people will be able to bid on an small-group mountain bike ride on Sunday with Overend.

  "The NorCal High School Cycling League showed us not only that high school mountain biking is possible as a widespread activity, but also they showed us the right way to plan and manage this," said Overend. "Having been a keen follower of this movement since its inception, I continue to be more and more impressed by the high level of professionalism and the desire to continue learning that is contained within this organization."

  "The NorCal League has played a leadership role in the national movement, and like any strong leader they aren’t resting on their laurels. For anybody who loves cycling, or is interested in the well-being of California's youth, this is one of the most important organizations to support, and it is my honor and privilege to speak at the NorCal CycleFest, and help them raise funds for their ongoing work."

  Overend has raced for the Specialized team for about as long as anybody can remember. He virtually owned the US cross country mountain bike title between 1986 and 1992, winning every year except 1988. In 1990, aged 35, he won the inaugural UCI world championship, and the next year placed third. In 1994, he finished second overall in the punishing, season-long Grundig/UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series.

  Such enduring prowess earned him nicknames such as "Deadly Nedly" and "The Lung". Always the consummate professional ready with an intelligent quote immediately after finishing a hard race, no matter how exciting or disappointing the result, his wit and diplomatic approach has continued to earn him friends and fans wherever he goes.

  After retiring from full-time competition on the World Cup circuit in the mid-1990s, he has continued to compete in a range of different events ever since, and now aged 56 he can still acquit himself very respectably in a field of the world's top pro riders.

  Overend's appearance at the NorCal CycleFest will be an opportunity to hear stories that relate the initial growth of mountain bike sport to what is happening now in the US high school mountain bike scene, as well as a choice selection of the stories that arise from such a long career of racing all over the world. His attendance at the 2011 NorCal CycleFest spearheads the drive to reach the $50,000 fundraising target.

  The CycleFest schedule is as follows:

  Saturday, November 12th
  5:00 pm Patron Cocktail Hour
  6:00 pm doors open for cocktail party and silent auction
  7:00 - 10:00 pm dinner, auction and conversation with Ned Overend followed by Q&A.

  Sunday, November 13th
  MTB ride with Ned Overend for those who bid on it at CycleFest

  Proceeds from the ticket sales will go to supporting the Northern California High School Cycling League. Regular tickets are $125.00, and Patron tickets, which include the cocktail hour with Overend (and more), are $200.00.

  For more information, visit www.norcalmtb.org.

• Fleming targets Highland Fling victory

  

  Article published:

  November 10, 2011, 21:55

  By:

  Cycling News

  Thompson hopeful among the women

  More than 2,000 competitors will compete in the Briars Highland Fling, the final round of the inaugural Real Insurance XCM Series on Sunday, November 13. After a tightly contested series, it will all come down to the final result for both the Real Insurance XCM Series competitors and the Half XCM Series competitors.

  The overall competition will be between series leader Matt Fleming (Rockstar Racing) and contenders Dylan Cooper (Trek) and Ben Mather (Avanti Plus)

  Having never won the Highland Fling, Fleming is hoping to make 2011 his year by taking out both the Fling and the series

  "The Briars Highland Fling is one of the toughest enduro races on the calendar. The Fling is one race that has always eluded me," said Fleming. "I've had many places but never a win overall. My form has been a little down of late but I will be firing on the day nonetheless. My goal is to finish in front of Ben Mather and Dylan Cooper and take out the XCM Series, but a win would be a great way to finish off the series. I'll be well supported in the race by new teammates from Rockstar Racing, and I'm hoping I can deliver a win as well as the XCM series for the Rockstar Racing team."

  Unfortunately for Cooper, his series preparation hasn't been ideal "Although I'm usually racing overseas and miss the Aussie winter, this year I've had a long off-season with the plan to build up to racing this summer. The Fling is what I was hoping to kick things off with. Although I'd left the start of my training very late, things were looking ok... until I caught a nasty virus last week."

  "I've been off the bike with a chest infection and am not too confident about my chances of doing well now, but if I get well in time I'll certainly give it a crack. You never know in mountain biking, as results can come from nowhere. My plan is to race unfit but fresh, which will mean my endurance won't be so good. But maybe my legs will be rested enough to use some speed on a fast and variable course. There'll be plenty of good competition as usual though, so it's going to hurt regardless," said Cooper.

  In the women's series, current leader Sue Thompson needs to win the Highland Fling in order to win the series. This won't be easy though with Vanina Vergoz, Sarah Neumann, Kate Heyns, Vicky Cluver and Wendy Stevenson all in contention to claim the series win.

  In the Half Marathon Series, current leader Glen Pleffer will be racing hard to take home the series win and $1,000 prize money after posting three solid results from the last three events. While in the women's Half Marathon Series, a very consistent Kylie Webb looks set to take the win after winning the Capital Punishment, Dirt Works 100 and a very close second at the Husky 100ker.

  The Highland Fling is the biggest event in the Real Insurance XCM Series and one of Australia's best known mountain biking events. The Fling challenges cyclists of all levels by offering various endurance rides, from the 100 Mile Fling (165Km), Full Fling (110km) and Half Fling (55km), to a Flinging Threesome Relay and a Casual Fling untimed 14km participation ride.

• MTN Qhubeka team looks toward 2012

  

  Article published:

  November 10, 2011, 23:30

  By:

  Cycling News

  MTB squad to focus on marathons, Cape Epic and Olympics

  The MTN Qhubeka team generally will focus on the South African MTN Marathon National Series and the Absa Cape Epic as core races for 2012 while one of its stars, Adrien Niyonshuti, prepares to be the first ever Rwandan mountain biker at the Olympic Games in London next August.

  Jacques Janse van Rensburg and Niyonshuti have just completed their first mountain bike team event together, the Cape Pioneer Trek, and the duo performed well. They will continue to fine-tune their teamwork as the Cape Epic approaches in late March.

  Karien van Jaarsveld will join the women's team. As the 2011 South African Marathon Champion and 2011 Absa Cape Epic women's team winner, she will aim for further podiums and victories.

  Team MTN Qhubeka is a multi-disciplinary African team for men's and women's road, mountain bike and BMX racing.. "Qhubeka" means "to move forward" in Nguni. Altogether, its riders have garnered 390 victories since 2008, including a myriad of national and continental championships.

• Gutierrez signs with Elettroveneta-Corratec

  

  Article published:

  November 11, 2011, 16:21

  By:

  Cycling News

  Two-year deal for Spanish mountain biker

  Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez signed a two-year contract with the Elettroveneta-Corratec mountain bike team starting in 2012. The news comes one week after marathon rider Alexey Medvedev renewed his contract with the international squad.

  After an up and down year in 2011, the Spaniard is looking ahead to the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

  "I'm very happy that I signed with one of the best teams in the World Cup circuit," said Gutierrez. "I've gotten to know the D.S. Marco Fincato, with whom we have already planned a program and equipment. I am absolutely convinced that he has made the right choice."

  In recent years, Gutierrez has placed eighth at World Cups in Mont-Sainte-Anne and Bromont in Canada; 10th at Dalby Forest in the United Kingdom and 14th at Val di Sole in Italy.

  "[He is a] great person and athlete," said the team's General Manager Andrea Pendini. "We needed to strengthen the cross country team with a rider of his experience already capable of finishing in the top 10 of the UCI rankings."

  Pendini thanked Gutierrez's former manager at Team Giant Italia for helping with the move.

  Gutierrez has won international-level victories in France, Spain, Germany and Italy. He will target the Olympic Games and the cross country world championship in 2012.

• Van Hoovels and Vanderbeken win Granny Awards

  

  Article published:

  November 11, 2011, 18:32

  By:

  Cycling News

  Best riders and moments of 2011

  Mountain bikers and best and worst moments of the year were named at the annual Granny Awards in Bornem last weekend. Belgians Kevin Van Hoovels and Joyce Vanderbeken won the elite men's and women's honors while Sebastien Carabin was voted the top U23 rider.

  Van Hoovels earned the coveted 2012 Olympic team selection for Belgium thanks to his world championship performance, and his achievement was named as "best moment of the year".

  Jens Schuermans's crash at the world championship was selected as the "toughest moment of the year".

  Elite men
  1. Kevin Van Hoovels
  2. Kenny Belaey
  3. Sven Nys
  4. Robby De Bock
  5. Jimmy Tielens

  Elite women
  1. Joyce Vanderbeken
  2. Petra Mermans
  3. Kim Saenen
  4. Kristien Nelen
  5. Githa Michiels

  Under 23 men
  1. Sebastien Carabin
  2. Ruben Scheire
  3. Jeff Luyten
  4. Jonas De Backer
  5. Bart De Vocht

  Junior men
  1. Jens Schuermans
  2. Kevin Panhuyzen
  3. Didier Bats
  4. Boris Cara
  5. Pieter Geluykens

  Best Moment of the year
  1. Olympic selection of Kevin Hoovels
  2. European title won by Jens Schuermans
  3. European title won by Kenny Beleay
  4. Fourth by Versluys at the Cape Epic
  5. Iciar Van den Bergh among the world

  Worst moment of the year
  1. Crash of Jens Schuermans at the Worlds
  2. Crash of Sven Nys in Dalby Forest
  3. The entire season of Didier Bats
  4. Elise Marchal stopping

  Up and coming girls
  1. Lize Struyf
  2. Eva Maria Palm
  3. Lotte Van Thillo
  4. Emmeline Detilleux
  5. Sara Beeckmans

  12-year-old boys
  1. Laurenz Rex
  2. Jens Vertongen
  3. Timo Kielich
  4. Robbe Platteeuw
  5. Pieter Janssens

  13-year old boys
  1. Tom Van Ingelgom
  2. Alexander Bunn
  3. Emile Verhulst
  4. Jarne Driessen
  5. Arthur Baude

  14-year-old boys
  1. Cedric Luyckx
  2. Niels Derveaux
  3. Pierre De Froidmont
  4. Andries Baert
  5. Louis Jamin

  Beginner men
  1. Mathieu Dehaeze
  2. Bram Cools
  3. Kenneth Coomans
  4. Remy Mertz
  5. Erno McCrae

  Young women
  1. Annelies Derveaux
  2. Alcia Franck
  3. Clemance Baude
  4. Sofie Daniels
  5. Tamara Maraite

  Fun class A
  1. Ken van den Bulke
  2. Robin Porters
  3. Micha Ven den Eynde
  4. Eli Smeyers
  5. Gert Cools

  Masters 1
  1. Geoffry Maes
  2. Kris Henderieckx
  3. Kristof Houben
  4. Gody Jacobs
  5. Gerrit Delfosse

  Masters 2
  1. Kris Hertsens
  2. Hans Planckaert
  3. Kurt Tempst
  4. Ronny Geerts
  5. Bart Feyaerts

• Ettinger honored as USAC male athlete of the year

  

  Article published:

  November 11, 2011, 20:32

  By:

  Cycling News

  Another mountain biker, Matthes inducted into Bicycling Hall of Fame

  Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountain Bike Development Team) was honored as the USA Cycling Male Athlete of the Year at a ceremony on November 5 at the US Bicycling Hall of Fame in Davis, California.

  Ettinger got his start as a 10-year-old in Washington state's local race scene. By age 16, he was competing for national titles, and by age 18 was competing at world championship events. He finished third is his inaugural pro race and has posted 23 top-10 finishes (including eight victories) in the more than 40 races he has entered since 2009.

  As a member of USA Cycling's National Development Program, Ettinger has consistently shown that he is able to compete among the world's best. This summer, at the USA Cycling Cross Country National Championships, he won the under 23 men's cross country race by more than three minutes.

  At the same ceremony, Ruthie Matthes was inducted into the US Bicycling Hall of Fame in the off-road competitor category. Matthes won the cross country world championship in 1991 although she was also an accomplished road cyclist, too. She was cross country World Cup champion in 1992 and finished 10th at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia in 2000.
   

• High school cycling leaders will visit Madison, Wisconsin

  

  Article published:

  November 11, 2011, 22:11

  By:

  Cycling News

  Wanted: New clubs and league development

  The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) is hosting an educational outreach event in Madison, Wisconsin, on November 16 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm with the aim of forming new high school mountain bike clubs in the state and region.

  The Madison outreach event - led by NICA's Executive Director and the Development Director, Matt Fritzinger and Ben Capron - will outline NICA's vision and methods, as well as how people can get involved in the flourishing high school mountain bike movement.

  In September, NICA launched its Indie Club Program, whereby high school mountain bike clubs can join NICA as fully insured and supported high school mountain bike clubs before a formal league exists. New Wisconsin clubs may also participate in the recently formed Minnesota League. The meeting will include discussions about the formation of clubs, and also answer questions about the process of forming a Wisconsin league.

  The Minnesota and Wisconsin initiatives are part of NICA's plan to establish mountain biking as a high school sport reaching from coast to coast by 2020. NICA currently has leagues in California, Colorado, Minnesota, Texas, and Washington. This year, 15 new states enquired about becoming a NICA League.

  NICA founder, Matt Fritzinger said, "A lot of outstanding mountain biking development work has already been done in Wisconsin. We are hoping to put the high school piece into this puzzle, and are looking for a range of people who will create new high school cycling leagues. Mountain biking is our focus, which we find provides a great basis life long involvement in all disciplines of cycling."

  NICA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Leagues receive no funding from schools, school districts, athletic funds or any other tax-based revenue.

  The Wisconsin meeting will be held at the Madison Concourse Hotel, 1 West Dayton Street in Madison. For more information, visit nationalmtb.org/wi-outreach.