National Ultra Endurance (NUE) Series: Mohican 100 2011: Preview

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Bob Rodgers gives a thumbs up in the men's 100-miler(Image credit: Ryan O'Dell)

Fair skies and mild temperatures are in this year's forecast for the 9th annual Kenda Mohican 100 mile and 100k, presented by Hammer Nutrition. That is welcome news for racers, who endured what may have been the toughest Mohican race ever last year.

From Maple Heights, racers will descend through Mohican Adventures and a stream crossing before entering the 5,000-acre Mohican State Forest where racers can be easily lulled into going hard along 20 miles of some of the best flowing singletrack the Buckeye State has to offer. However, the inevitable steep pitched hill climbs, stream crossings, and a few rock gardens can easily bring a racer back to earth later in the race. For 100-mile racers, Aid Station 3 headed by veteran Alan Kasper, is the point of no return. 100k racers split from 100-milers at this point, heading back toward the finish at Mohican Adventures.

This year, a web-based chip timing system will be employed for the first time to track racers at many points along the course, including all aid stations. In what is, perhaps, the best news of all, the creative geniuses at Great Lake Brewing of Cleveland, in response to demand last year, are bringing out a refrigerated truck to deliver drafted hoppy goodness to every racer who earns a Mohican finishers mug.

Jeff Schalk (Team Trek Co-op) from Frederick, Maryland is the three-time reigning NUE men's open champion and winner of the 2008 and 2010 Mohican MTB100. Schalk is a favorite again this year but off to a less than perfect start this season due to inopportune mechanical difficulties including flat tires, broken spokes at Cohutta followed by a broken chain at Syllamo's Revenge and despite those difficulties early in the season, Schalk remains second in the NUE standings. Not only that, he finished in an amazing 7:33:08 at Mohican last year, a half hour ahead of his nearest competitor. Take away those mechanicals and he is every bit the unstoppable force he was last season.

Gerald Pflug (Salsa/SPK/Pro Bikes) of Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania, made a move to the singlespeed division in 2009 after finishing eighth in the NUE men's open division in 2008. Since then Pflug, who has been referred to as "The Pfluginator" for obliterating the field, has won back to back series championships in the singlespeed division including third place at the Mohican 100 last year. No doubt, he is looking forward to getting a second crack at Montalbano.

Dylan "The Kid" Johnson (Oasis Bike Works) just 16 years old from Virginia astonished everyone with his unexpected fourth place finish at the Shenandoah Mountain 100 last year. At the Cohutta 100 this year, Johnson was rollin' with the big dogs again, however, while attempting to close the gap to the leaders along a stretch of steep, sketchy, gravel road down Bull Frog Mountain, Johnson suffered a painful high speed, over the bars, crash, landing on his face before being whisked off by ambulance for medical attention. After the race, the bold un-detoured Johnson told Cyclingnews he would be back to face off at Mohican.

Gabe Rainwater of Coshocton, Ohio, holds the distinction of setting a course record in the solo division of the 24 Hours of Mohican in 2009 completing 18 laps, the equivalent of 180 miles and 17,568 vertical feet, breaking the 2008 16-lap record set by Chip Meek in 2008 and 14 laps set by two time US Olympian, David "Tinker" Juarez in 2007. In 2009, Rainwater received the distinction of being the first male finisher of BOTH the Mohican Mountain Bike 100 and, just two weeks later, the 20th Anniversary Mohican Trail 100 mile run.

Roger Masse (Gary Fisher 29er Crew) of Bethesda, Maryland, finished second in the NUE Series and sixth at Mohican in the singlespeed division in 2009. Masse placed 10th at Mohican last year under adverse conditions. Now at 50 years old, Masse has moved into the Master's 50+ division and he is off to a great start, placing second at Cohutta this year and threatening to take the keys to the throne held by NUE Champion Herriman.