Sheppard wins inaugural High Cascade 100

Endurance racers descended on Bend, Oregon, on August 23 for the inaugural High Cascade 100 mountain bike race. The rugged, high-desert course featured a mix of 70 percent singletrack, 10 percent ATV trails and 20 precent doubletrack that began in Wanoga Sno-Park 11 miles west of Bend and included a loop around Mt Bachelor.

Bikes and bodies were tested through technical lava rock sections, challenging singletrack and over 11,000 feet of climbing. Racer rolled through well-stocked aid stations including top-notch mechanical support and plenty of cheering and bumpin' rock 'n' roll music.

The field included endurance specialists Chris Sheppard (Santa Cruz WTB/ Shimano/ NoTubes), Evan Plews (Capitol Subaru Cycling) and Sloane Anderson (Pro Air/HFA) as well as renowned singlespeeder John"Fuzzy" Mylre (Niner/Ergon) and Angela Sucich (Voodoo/Recycled Cycles) .

After a chilly start with temps in the 30s (degrees Fahrenheit), things quickly heated up as Sheppard put in an attack up the long dusty climb to the Mt. Bachelor ski area parking lot. Only Mylre and Plews were able to match his acceleration, and the gaps quickly formed that would set the scene for the rest of the race. Sheppard continued to increase his lead around Mt. Bachelor, up and over the uber-technical Kwol Butte and past the race half-way point. Flat tires, high race pace and the technical ascents / descents began to take their toll as numerous riders DNF'd after the second aide station.

The battle in the for second through fifth stayed tight as riders bombed the buff Swede Ridge singletrack, climbed the steep, wooded South Fork trail and headed back to Wanoga Snopark for the final 11-mile loop. Sheppard kept the pedal to the metal and smoked the course in 8:37 taking the win, Anderson hung on to second at 9:26 and Paul Clark rounded out the men's podium with third at 9:55.

"I think attacking at the beginning of the race was a mistake," said winner Sheppard, "but it worked out in the end."

Singlespeeder "Fuzzy" Mylre was able to keep pace with the top geared riders and completed the course in a speedy 9:33.

Angela Sucich put in a great effort to stay in front of the rest of the women's field to take the win in 11:55.

Mudslinger Events, the race's organizers, donated US$3,500 to the local trail-building alliance, COTA, to help maintain the existing trail network, extend and connect new trails and preserve access to to the trails.

Results