Sauser and Nash among favorites for Whiskey 50
Kabush hopes to make it three career wins in the 50-miler
The pro category is packed with an ever growing depth of talent at this year's Whiskey Off Road coming up this weekend. Comprising a who's who of national and international mountain bikers, Prescott, Arizona will host a fierce battle among roughly 150 professional riders for the $40,000 in cash - the largest single-event mountain bike purse in America equally split between pro male and female categories.
On the men's side, confirmed riders include two-time defending champion Geoff Kabush of Scott 3Rox Racing, as are his teammates Derek Zandstra and Cameron Jette. Kabush will have his work cut out for him if he wants to three-peat, as several riders from Team Specialized will be in attendance too.
Christoph Sauser of Team Specialized is also confirmed. The current marathon world champion is a Swiss rider who was a bronze medalist in the 2000 Olympic Games and 2008 UCI cross country world champion. Sauser's teammate and American favorite Todd Wells is also confirmed and looking for payback after suffering a flat tire last year that dropped him from second to seventh in the final few miles.
Adding to the international draw of the Whiskey Off-Road, German star Markus Bauer of Scott/ Shimano/ Lexware will be in attendance as will some of the brightest future American talent, with 20-year-old Sepp Kuss of BMC Project Dirt looking to capitalize on his second place finish at last year's Inaugural Grand Junction Off-Road.
On the women's side, Team Luna Chix will be sending their star rider and four-time Olympian, Czech Republic native Katerina Nash, who finished in second place last year. To help Nash vie for the win in 2014, her teammate Danelle Kabush - Geoff's sister - will also toe the line. Prescott local Chloe Woodruff of the Backcountry.com Bike Team looks to improve upon her solid sixth-place finish in 2013, as will her teammate Evelyn Dong who placed an impressive fourth in her first attempt at the Whiskey.
Rounding out the women's field is first time Whiskey Off-Road contender Mary McConneloug representing Kenda/Stan's NoTubes/Seven Cycles. Mary brings a known force to the women's start line as a two-time Olympian, two-time Pan American Games silver medalist and two-time US cross country national champion.
There will be numerous spectating spots both at the Friday evening Fat Tire Criteriums in downtown Prescott and along the 50 Proof (proof = mile) Whiskey Off-Road course on Sunday morning. Among the favorite spots is the crest of a long and arduous climb at Sierra Prieta Overlook and along the last section of rocky, technical trail that runs along Miller Creek just outside of town.
Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*
Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets
After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59
Join now for unlimited access
Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Most Popular
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Remco Evenepoel's Tour de France ambitions back on track after high-speed Itzulia crash
Belgian superstar training on the road three weeks after breaking collarbone and scapula -
Best commuter bike tyres 2024
Avoid flats and make the ride to work a pleasure by choosing the best commuter bike tyres -
‘This is Team UAE Emirates, not Team Pogi’ - Behind the scenes of Tadej Pogačar's Giro-Tour double bid
A look inside the relationship between the Slovenian and his team -
'I surprised myself' - Luke Plapp grasps GC advantage ahead of Tour de Romandie TT
Australian jumps over to break on final climb of stage 2, gains valuable seconds on other overall contenders as he takes third