National MTB Ultra Endurance Series finale

By Sue George

The Trek VW team dominated the eighth annual Shenandoah Mountain 100 on Sunday as Jeremiah Bishop and Sue Haywood won the men and women's races respectively and teammates Chris Eatough and Jeff Schalk finished off a team sweep of the men's podium.

In series competition, Harlan Price (Independent Fabrication) and John Majors (Giffen Interiors), leaders all year in the Open Men and Master's 50+ categories respectively) locked up the overall series win. After Open Women series leaders Tricia Stevenson (Landrover/Cannondale) and Karen Masson (Litespeed) both fell out of contention due to injury, the series championship went to Washington State-based Hillary Harrison (Giant Bikes/Kenda) over Ruth Cunningham. Both finished three races out of four or more attempts. Dan Jansen (Founders Ale/Algers Racing), who had recently traded the lead in the singlespeed category with Matt Ferrari (Mount Nittany Wheelworks), was able to win the category at the race and the series.

Teammates Bishop and Eatough battle on familiar turf

Despite three previous days of rain, largely due to the remnants of Hurricane Ernesto, a record four hundred racers signed up to tackle the lush trails and roads through western Virginia's dense hardwood forests. As the series finale of the National MTB Ultra Endurance Series, the race drew riders from all over the United States. Fresh off his eighth-place finish at the 2006 mountain bike World Championships in Rotorua, New Zealand, Jeremiah Bishop took the men's event on trails located just outside his Harrisonburg, Virginia hometown.

For complete results, race report and photos from the Shenandoah Mountain 100, click here.