Ben Berden (Ops Ale) on his way to winning the Elite Men's race
(Image credit: Trish Albert / www.southeasterncycling.com)
Shawn Harhman (Boulder Cyclespor) climbs the hills
(Image credit: Trish Albert / www.southeasterncycling.com)
Lewis Garrney (FITaos) shows that not everyone was successful in riding the hill all the way to the top
(Image credit: Trish Albert / www.southeasterncycling.com)
Adam Myerson (Smartstop/Mock Orange) chases the leaders
(Image credit: Trish Albert / www.southeasterncycling.com)
Day 1 of the Hunter Subaru North Carolina Grand Prix presented by Liberty Bicycles saw Ben Berden (Ops Ale – Stoemper) claim the win in a two-man sprint.
The crisp temperatures and dry ground created a fast course that included a run-up ‘wall’, barriers and very long climb in the woods.
Berden stands in fourth place in the USICX and won the Boulder Cup (C1) earlier in November. Brian Matter (Team Geargrinder) stayed with Berden throughout the race but yielded the final sprint to the Belgian. Berden and Matter used the long climb to get away and stayed just out in front of the chasing Travis Livermon (Smart Stop/Mock Orange pb Ridley). Livermon’s third place made him the top North Carolina finisher.
My best guess would be that social media has accelerated the glorification and fetishization of the Alpe d’Huez atmosphere, and more and more people are heading up with the primary focus of seeking out the hot-spots where the music is loudest, and the costumes are wildest.
