Brennan Wertz repeats as men's open champion while newcomer Nadia Gontova scores women's title
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Brennan Wertz heading to a second victory at Shasta Gravel Hugger with Max Ritzow in the chase(Image credit: Shasta Gravel Hugger 2023)
Epic scenery emphasized with snow for fourth edition in 2023(Image credit: Sean Bagshaw/ Shasta Gravel Hugger 2023)
Lead Pack in the Half Hug decending on York road with 17 miles left to race - Brandon Fisher, Owen Kuhl, Lief Yergensen and Ryan Palo(Image credit: Sean Bagshaw/ Shasta Gravel Hugger 2023)
Open Women's podium - Champion Nadia Gontova (center) with Sarah Flamm in second and Rebecca Fahringer in third(Image credit: Shasta Gravel Hugger 2023)
Open Men's podium - Champion Brennan Wertz (centre), second-placed Max Ritzow(left) and third-placed Nolan McPeek-Bechtold in his first gravel race(Image credit: Shasta Gravel Hugger 2023)
Riders ripping down Gravel Sector 14 on 5th Avenue(Image credit: Shasta Gravel Huger 2023)
Lead group in the Full Hug Route 18 miles into the race(Image credit: Sean Bagshaw/ Shasta Gravel Hugger 2023)
Gabriel McCoy on York Road at Shasta Gravel(Image credit: Shasta Gravel Hugger 2023)
Before the Start of the Open Full Hug with snowy and cold conditions(Image credit: Sean Bagshaw/ Shasta Gravel Hugger 2023)
Moto Support and Riders taking cover under a tree(Image credit: Shasta Gravel Hugger 2023)
Patrick Fisher with some final race prep at Shasta Gravel Hugger 2023(Image credit: Shasta Gravel Hugger 2023)
Snow, mud, hail, sunshine and freezing temperatures were part of the menu for the 2023 Shasta Gravel Hugger in northern California on March 4. Brennan Wertz returned to recapture another overall men’s title in the shortened 80-mile Full Hug race, while Nadia Gontova claimed the title in the Open Women’s division.
Because of cold weather and snow in northern California in a forecast a week before the event, race organisers moved the start time on Saturday from 9 a.m. local time to 11 a.m., and two dirt sections, East Louis Jeep Trail and Townsend Road were removed from the main course shortening the 100-mile route by 20 miles. By race day, the thermometer would barely rise above the freezing mark.
All three courses, the Full Hug, 62-mile ‘Half Hug and a 34-mile ‘Handshake’, were marked, giving riders a bonus since a fresh layer of snow did fall from heavy skies in Montague at the start, making conditions slippery on the gravel sectors but leaving the pavement just wet.
Now in its fourth edition, the Shasta Gravel Hugger has gained traction for breathtaking views and a challenging route that navigates around the Shasta Valley on a mix of surfaces around Mount Shasta. The normally 100-mile route presented 10 gravel sectors comprising half the course, including two major climbs totalling 4,700 feet.
Gontova, the British Columbia resident and last year’s Provincial road champion, didn’t find much sunshine in her trip to California, but a victory in her first race of the season was a bright start.
She finished in a time of 4:25:20, good for 19th overall in the 80-mile race. Sarah Flamm put in the extra kick for second in the women’s division, holding off third-placed Rebecca Fahringer by 15 seconds. The pair finished nine minutes behind Gontova.
“The course had everything from deep snow and mud to sunshine and hail. I had such a fun day racing on the rolling gravel hills and enjoying the unique snowy scenery. After a long solo effort, it felt good to get on the top step. I can’t wait for more gravel events to mix it up this season,” she noted on her Instagram feed. Gontova began her first full road racing season in 2022 after switching from rowing.
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Despite feeling sick in the days leading up to his defence, Wertz held off several charges by Max Ritzow to distance the Eugene, Oregon rider by two and a half minutes for the solo victory in a time of 3:57:37. Nolan McPeek-Bechtold, a triathlete competing in his first gravel race, trailed Ritzow by 28 seconds at the finish to earn the final spot on the podium.
After the finish, Wertz saluted the memory of Moriah Wilson, who won the women’s event last year, “This one’s for you Mo”.
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Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. She has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast). Her favorite road and gravel rides are around horse farms in north Georgia (USA) and around lavender fields in Provence (France), and some mtb rides in Park City, Utah (USA).
