Krayer and Schouten win at WORS Reforestation Ramble

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Tristan Schouten (Mafia / Felt) and Lisa Krayer (Adventure 212 / Specialized) won the elite men's and women's races at the Wisconsin Off Road Series' Reforestation Ramble on Sunday. The 36-mile course was a mix of double and singletrack in the forests outside Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Schouten is currently leading the elite men's series and has been beaten only once, at the Crystal Lake Classic by Barry Wicks (Kona). On the national stage, Schouten finished 11th in the Subaru Cup round of the US Pro XCT race hosted by WORS in June, and sixth in the short track the following day, ahead of national and international-level racers such as Carl Decker and Ryan Trebon.

"He's phenomenal this year," said second place finisher Darrin Braun (Adventure 212 / Specialized). "I've learned a lot this season from racing with a group of guys like Tristan, [Brian] Matter, Nathan [Guerra] and [Mike] Anderson. They know how to race. They know how to control the pace, and put in attacks. They're savvy."

Schouten used both his fitness and his racing savvy to take the win on Sunday. He is in the habit of racing on the road on Saturday and then racing at WORS on Sunday, and this weekend he hit 30 races for the 2010 season.

"I guess that is a lot of weekends," said Schouten. "I think there may have been one or two weekends since April when I haven't raced. I like it though, and I have been able to stay focused at all of them, so I am feeling good about it and still feeling motivated."

"Cyclo-cross and finishing out the WORS series are my priorities," Schouten said. "At Reforestation, I had a hard time at first getting through my legs from the criterium race the night before. But, with the longer, faster laps, I was able to sit on comfortably and just wait for them to come around and hope for the others to tire. I know my legs in that situation will probably feel better at the end than at the beginning, so patience and determination were key. It worked out for me and finally on the third and last lap I was able to ride at a high level and keep the throttle on for the fifth WORS win of the year."

Pushing hard to test Schouten throughout the three-lap race was Nathan Guerra (Mr. Tree Racing). A group of five men broke away early, and Guerra set a high pace for the group through two laps while Schouten, Darrin Braun, Brain Matter (Gear Grinder / trek) and Mike Anderson (29er Crew) tested their legs, and each other.

"I was really hoping for the flat long lead out," said Brian Matter. "Instead we started off right through the mud and my lack of warm up had me suffering from the start. [Nathan] Guerra was using his Jedi Knight skills to rip the singletrack."

Braun and Matter both attacked, but no one was able to break away from the group. "I was just throwing in attacks whenever I felt good," said Braun, who is currently holding second place in the elite series rankings.

"I think that earlier this season, I was taking things too seriously. Putting too much pressure on myself. I can sum up my own race at Reforestation with one word: 'Fun.' That's the new motto. I had to back off on training because I had a promotion at work this summer. The last WORS race, the Border Battle, just hurt so much because I hadn't been riding. My fiance, Lynn, has really helped me to find a good balance and keep the focus on what matters. I'm racing my way back into shape right now, and we'll see what happens. I'm enjoying it."

As the attacks came in the second lap, Mike Anderson suffered a mechanical that impaired his ability to shift, and drifted off the back of the group to ride alone.

"I rode the last lap alone, and by the end of those 12 miles, I was getting pretty good at shifting with the mechanism basically dangling off my bike" said Anderson. The Michigan racer made the long drive to Reforestation Camp for the fierce competition.

"Who knows what would have happened if I hadn't had that problem with my bike. I come down to Wisconsin to race because the competition is just better. It's amazing to show up at a WORS race and have to park a mile or two away from the venue because there are so many cars. It's a well thought-out series and I'd like to be able to compete in the whole thing someday."

With Anderson off the back of the group, Schouten made his move in the last lap and no one was able to stay with him. Nathan Guerra was closest to matching the attack, and chased in second until he crashed hard into a stump that had been inadvertently concealed by a lapped rider.

"I plowed into a three-foot stump at full-speed," said Guerra. "Over the bars I went, and I heard a voice riding away yelling reassurances: 'I moved over! I moved over!'"

"My bars were backwards and stuck on the frame and I had taken a handlebar to the lower stomach," continued Guerra. "My mind wanted to chase, but the body had had enough and would not give in to my will. I finished in fourth place, a great result. And I learned a ton from the company I was riding with. Thanks for the competition guys."

Darrin Braun took second place and Brian Matter finished in third. Mike Anderson secured fifth.

Krayer claims her first WORS overall victory

In the women's race, defending Champion Abby Strigel (Trek Stores of Madison) was absent. The initial selection was made within a mile of the start as Lisa Krayer, Robin Williams (Mercy-Specialized) and Lori Sable rode away from the rest of field.

Sable won the Reforestation Ramble last year, but she came into this year's contest with no expectations.

"I just haven't been feeling it this year," said Sable. "I was riding with Lisa and Robin, and after a few miles I decided that I was riding above my where I should have been. I dropped back. It was hard to let them go ahead, knowing they'd be working together."

"Lisa is having a great year," said Sable after the race. "She's so fast right now, and I'm really happy for her."

Sable rode alone for most of the first lap until some of the Bontrager COMP Series men began to catch her.

Meanwhile, at the front of the race, Krayer and Williams were working well together to build a substantial lead. Williams, who lives in Iowa City, intends to finish the eight WORS races this year to contend for the series overall, and has been a strong competitor in every contest she's entered. For her part, Krayer is holding down second place in the series overall standings and her lead over third place looks almost locked in.

"We were able to get a comfortable gap, and we wanted to keep it," said Krayer. "We decided to work together. I thought it would come down to whoever won the sprint at the end. But then, near the end of the second lap, I head a clunk behind me, and I saw something flying into Robin's rear tire. I realized that it was her seat. I looked back and waited just a moment, but then I thought that she could not finish."

But Williams did finish. She chose to go out for a third, 12-mile lap without a seat, and still managed to finish eighth overall. After the race, Williams explained that the drive from Iowa to race had seemed longer than usual, and she was so frustrated to mechanical that she was determined to keep competing.

"I almost couldn't believe it when I realized she'd gone out for her third lap," said Krayer. "I think that was more impressive than my win."

Krayer soloed to victory, working with men racing around her to finish in 2:35:02, more than six minutes ahead of the second-place woman, Sable, who had also chased alone. Third place went to Krayer’s teammate, Michelle Peariso while Holly Liske (Hayes Disc Brakes) finished fourth and Renee Bach (MadFORCS) took fifth.

About her first visit to the top step of the elite women's podium, Krayer was reflective. "I guess it has been a goal at the back of my mind, but I just didn't really think it was possible. It does feel great, and I'm pretty happy. But, I wish that [defending WORS Overall leader] Abby [Strigel] could have been here."

Krayer attributes her breakout season in 2010 to the support of her family and the growing independence of her two daughters, 4 and 6. "I can train a bit more now. And I think I was just ready to make the next jump, and have been a little smarter."

She is mentoring her love of racing for her elder daughter, who recently had her own first big win in the WORS kids' race. "She loves to race," said Krayer, "but sometimes she doesn't feel like it beforehand. Then, after her last race, she told me 'Mom, if I ever don't feel like racing, just encourage me!'"

With over 85 women competing in the Cat 3, 2 and Pro/1 fields at the Reforestation Ramble, there is much to be encouraged by for women's racing in Wisconsin.

The next WORS event, the Alterra Coffee Bean Classic will take place this Sunday, August 29, outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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