Schalk races to victory in Wilderness 101

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An amazingly cool July day greeted over 300 racers in the 10th Annual Wilderness 101 mountain bike race located in Coburn Park just outside of State College, Pennsylvania. During a summer that has seen extreme heat on the East Coast, the seasonally cool temperatures assisted racers posting personal bests throughout the field. The Wilderness 101 is the fifth stop on the eight-round Kenda National Ultra Endurance (NUE) 100-miler Series.

The men's race also did not disappoint with Australian road racer Nathan O'Neill (On the Rivet, LLC) joining Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale Factory Racing) and Nick Waite (GT/Kenda/ProTested) as last minute contenders for the victory. This didn't faze series leader Jeff Schalk (Trek Racing Co-op), as he had already marked Christian Tanguy as the one that could provide a threat on the climbs later in the race.

Pro roadies Waite and O'Neill caused the first separation on the opening climb. Their tempo split the race into a selection of 20 super fast riders hoping for a shot at the top 10. This group flew along the opening mellow 20 miles of forest roads into Aid Station #1 at Penn Roosevelt with Rob Spreng (Dirty Harry's) dangling off and on the back.

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Mike Simonson (Trek/SRAM/NoTubes) moved to the front of the group on the climb up Thickhead Mountain. Simonson opened a sizeable gap, which was the demise of half the field. The acceleration that closed the gap shed half the followers including Brian Lariviere (Bulldog/Cycle Craft), Zack Morrey (Ice House Bikes), Garth Prosser (Cannondale Factory Racing), Greg Kuhn (Team Frazer), Andy Gorski, Dan LaRocque (Tiger Cycling Foundation/Wampold Racing), Ezra Mullen, Ian Spivak (DCMTB), Andy Freye (Trek 29'er Crew/Cycle Mania), Ray Adams (PAValleys.com), Bradley Schmalzer (Team Bikeman.com/XXC Magazine/Kenda USA), Drew Scharns (Boone Bike and Touring), Charlie Clarkson (Ellsworth Bikes) and Brian Wilson (Bikebarn Racing) who was stylin' the wheelie’s up the climb at the time of the devastating acceleration.

A lead group of 10 surfaced from the Detweiler downhill onto Bear Meadows Road, including Christian Tanguy (Team CF), Chris Beck (Trek/Gary Fisher Collection), John Burns (Bikeman.com), Bishop, O'Neil, Waite, Schalk, Simonson and Rob Lichtenwalner (PA Valleys.com), with other top talent including teammates Brandon Draugelis and Michael Simonson (Trek/SRAM/NoTubes).

The ensuing pull up and over the hill into Bear Meadows popped Burns and Freye and put Lichtenwalner at the back pedaling squares after his early efforts towing the group along the flats. Simonson took the holeshot into Longberger Trail while Chris Beck stopped to re-affix his shoe buckle. Roadie O'Neil entered the singletrack in his biggest gear showing his lack of trail riding experience and was not to see the leaders again for the rest of the day. With a talented group like this at the front, one bobble is all it takes to lose contact.

A group of six exited the favorite singletrack spectating spot at Three Bridges onto Laurel Run Road and stayed together into Aid Station #2 at Whipple Dam. Tanguy had chain trouble on the run in and had to stop at the aid station for a chain replacement. The group sped along without him to the crux of the course, the Greenlee and Seegar climbs that would come back to back before the Aid Station #3 outside of Greenwood Furnace.

At the top of Greenlee, Schalk hit the Croyle Run singletrack first followed by Waite, Bishop and Draugelis. Simonson was dangling and Lichtenwalner had fallen off the back to be joined by a chasing Beck with Tanguy charging back into contention even though his chain continued to skip with no rhyme or reason because his derailleur spring was shot.

On the Croyle Run downhill Bishop had tire trouble and Draugelis slipped from the leaders. Simonson bridged up to him.

The Seeger climb was a view of carnage as Waite paced Schalk off the front, Draugelis pedaled into third, Simonson climbed solid in fourth, with Bishop recovering in fifth, Beck moved up into sixth for a short bit with Lichtenwalner being passed by Tanguy with John Burns and Will Baker riding strong just behind.

Schalk and Waite dropped into the Telephone Trail descent together and sped into the next aid station, where Schalk made his move on the Sassafras singletrack climb. Schalk throttled it hard and created a five-minute gap by the top and pushed on solo. Waite kept moving along in second with Draugelis in third. Christian Tanguy hit the gas in this section and blew past Simonson, Beck, Bishop, Draugelis, and then Waite appearing to threaten Schalk for the win.

Schalk left Aid Station #4 with a five-minute gap. Tanguy was pushing on behind with Harrisonburg, Virginia pals Waite and Bishop, riding together in third and fourth, and Draugelis was in fifth. Bishop appeared to be fading a bit on the climb up Stillhouse Hollow as Waite gapped him slightly.

Aid Station #5 was set and ready to go for the leaders in Poe Paddy State Park. They were all surprised when Schalk just rode past taking no support. They began to question whether he would fade and be caught by a charging Tanguy on the last climb of the day.

It was not to happen as Schalk broke the course record with a 6:34:37 saying, "I haven't felt this good since I took my first major win at the Shenandoah Mountain 100 over Floyd Landis. It really feels good to be able to go hard and feel great like this."

He might have had to dig deeper because Chrstian Tanguy's ride time was 6:31. After hearing that, promoter Chris Scott said he is really looking forward to seeing the winner of the 2011 event break 6:30.

Women

Former NUE champ and Wilderness winner Cheryl Sornson (Team CF) distanced herself from the women's competition once the event took to the trails after an opening road section. Karen Potter (MTBRaceNews.com), always a strong finisher, nailed down second place. Brenda Simril (Motormile Racing) finished in third after riding some of the race with her husband. Vicki Barclay (Freeze Thaw Cycles) made the locals proud with her fourth place finish followed by another Team CF rider, Selene Yeager, in fifth.

Singlespeeders

The race amongst the singlespeeders was fast as usual. What wasn't usual was the winner. Justin Pokrivka (ProBikes/Cohen Associates), who kept his head in the game which allowed him to take advantage of a mishap by Gerry Pflug and claim the victory.

"The 101 is one of my favorite courses. There is a good mix of trails, tons of climbing and some awesome downhills. The volunteers and aid stations at the 101 are some of the best of the series," said singlespeeder Pflug (Salsa/SPK/Pro Bikes). Matthew Ferrari's (Freeze Thaw/Hubcap Cycles) third place ride gave him the top local honors and bragging rights for a whole year. Montana Miler (Speedgoat/Wilderness Voyagers) showed huge potential with his sixth place ride.

Masters

None could touch master Bill Nagel (Guy's Bicycle Racing) as he cruised to a clear victory and claimed his Stans No Tubes Wheelset. First time Wilderness 101 riders David Belknap (Cycle Lodge) and Bill Simms (Cycle Lodge) rolled across the line together for second and third. John Williams (Bike Lane of Newark, Delaware) was a solid fourth. Locals Jim Matthews (MBR) and Erik Lenzing (Freeze Thaw Cycles) gave it their best shot with Lenzig finishing up on the podium in fifth place.

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