Martin Gujan of the Cannondale Factory Team(Image credit: Cannondale)
Jeff Kerkove (Topeak Ergon)(Image credit: Team Topeak-Ergon)
Sonya Looney (Topeak Ergon)(Image credit: Team Topeak-Ergon)
Martin Gujan (Switzerland)(Image credit: Hilton Meyer)
While the racing seasons of many mountain bikers in the northern hemisphere have wrapped up, a few are still competing. Among them, Cannondale Factory Racing's Martin Gujan is headed to Brazil for the Brasil Ride mountain bike stage race from November 14-19, 2010. The six-day race will cover 650km in Chapada Diamantina.
After a 12-week recovery post-knee surgery, Gujan managed a top 10 at the European mountain bike championships in Haifa, Israel. He was also in the top 20 at the world championships in Canada, where the Swiss racer finished 16th. The two-time (2006 and 2008) Swiss Racer Bikes Cup winner has placed as high as sixth in a World Cup (Bromont, Canada, in 2008).
In Brazil, Gujan will race with fellow Swiss racer Christof Bischof, who has 46 national and international victories on his own palmares.
Some other racers committed to the event include Topeak Ergon's Sonya Looney and Jeff Kerkove as well as Jenny and Brian Smith. Looney and Kerkove won the co-ed duo category at the Breck Epic stage race in August while Jenny Smith is a Cape Epic stage race veteran.
Neither Looney nor Kerkove have ever competed in South America. "Honestly this race was not on the radar, but then we got the invite. It is going to be exciting to extend the season and training for this opportunity to race in Brazil. The fire and fitness still burns hot," said Kerkove.
