Stage 4: Wednesday June 2, Raystown Lake
Let me just start by saying this: the Allegrippis Trail system at Raystown Lake is the biggest ball of fun wrapped in perfect dirt in the most beautiful place on the planet, good old Pennsylvania. My god that place was, actually is, awesome. The start of the stage was a ripping-fast start up a "stiff" (Kuhn's word) climb for about half a mile, then a quick drop into the tight and twist goodness that is the singletrack at Raystown. I rode with a few familiar faces for awhile, just to be popped off on the days relatively short but steep power climbs. This place, while both super-fun is also extraordinarily hard to race. There are many short steep rollers which require something like micro intervals where you are on the gas, out of the saddle, for 10 or 15 seconds, then spinning or coasting down the other side. While it was so fast and over so quickly (I clocked a 2:54 for a 35-ish mile race), my legs were completely shelled after the race. My early efforts in the race came back to bite me about halfway through when I start going backwards a bit. Then I cased the third roller on Ray's Revenge. I came out relatively unscathed with a few minor cuts and a little crack in my helmet. After regaining my composure for a bit my legs started feeling better and I picked up speed for the last few miles. As soon as I started really feeling good, the sweet singletrack bliss was over and I rolled down the road and over the line. It was a damn good day to be a bike racer.
Stage 5: Thursday June 3, Mini-XC's at R.B. Winter
R.B. Winter is one of my favorite places to ride. It is so amazingly rocky it is always fun. The order of the day was a fun race type thing not meant to shake up the GC, but instead catered towards the back of the field; those who came to ride some sweet PA singletrack. We rode about 25 miles, with four timed sections and four group transfers in between each timed section. We would race a section, regroup, ride to the next section, race, and repeat. It was a lot of fun. It was all about getting to know all the racers, including the pros. Stages like this, in my opinion, should be featured in all stage races. Although, it was a little punishing on the legs to sprint for 15 min, then rest for a half an hour, but it actually ended up being a good recovery day for me. My legs finished the stage feeling relatively fresh, and ready to conquer the final two stages. Along the way we hit up some of the highlights of R.B. Winter: Rocky Corner, Black Gap, White Deer Creek, etc. It was another in a series of good days.
Stage 6: Friday June 4, Rothrock Whipple Dam
This was billed as the "Queen Stage" for the Transsylvania Epic. It definitely lived up to that billing, featuring what is possibly the best trail on the East Coast, or in the world: Tussey Mountain Trail. If you haven't ridden Tussey Mountain Trail you should. Just take my word for it. Really. Tussey is the greatest thing this side of Sunday. It was a short stage, clocking only 25 miles, and including one big climb. The roll-out was rather neutral; I rode with the lead group until the trail start really pitching up. Friday was the first day that I felt like I was climbing well, but I was riding technical stuff like I didn't know how to pedal. Tussey was still a great though. In case you haven't noticed, I'm having trouble writing (pretty wiped from the week), so I'll keep it short. I rolled in sometime under 3 hours.
Stage 7: Saturday June 5, Bald Eagle Little Poe
This stage was a short, but important one. Before the stage the top six or seven in the GC was tight. Alex Grant and my buddy Brandon Draugelis were tied. TIED!!!!!!! TIED!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let me just start by saying this: the Allegrippis Trail system at Raystown Lake is the biggest ball of fun wrapped in perfect dirt in the most beautiful place on the planet, good old Pennsylvania. My god that place was, actually is, awesome. The start of the stage was a ripping-fast start up a "stiff" (Kuhn's word) climb for about half a mile, then a quick drop into the tight and twist goodness that is the singletrack at Raystown. I rode with a few familiar faces for awhile, just to be popped off on the days relatively short but steep power climbs. This place, while both super-fun is also extraordinarily hard to race. There are many short steep rollers which require something like micro intervals where you are on the gas, out of the saddle, for 10 or 15 seconds, then spinning or coasting down the other side. While it was so fast and over so quickly (I clocked a 2:54 for a 35-ish mile race), my legs were completely shelled after the race. My early efforts in the race came back to bite me about halfway through when I start going backwards a bit. Then I cased the third roller on Ray's Revenge. I came out relatively unscathed with a few minor cuts and a little crack in my helmet. After regaining my composure for a bit my legs started feeling better and I picked up speed for the last few miles. As soon as I started really feeling good, the sweet singletrack bliss was over and I rolled down the road and over the line. It was a damn good day to be a bike racer.
Stage 5: Thursday June 3, Mini-XC's at R.B. Winter
R.B. Winter is one of my favorite places to ride. It is so amazingly rocky it is always fun. The order of the day was a fun race type thing not meant to shake up the GC, but instead catered towards the back of the field; those who came to ride some sweet PA singletrack. We rode about 25 miles, with four timed sections and four group transfers in between each timed section. We would race a section, regroup, ride to the next section, race, and repeat. It was a lot of fun. It was all about getting to know all the racers, including the pros. Stages like this, in my opinion, should be featured in all stage races. Although, it was a little punishing on the legs to sprint for 15 min, then rest for a half an hour, but it actually ended up being a good recovery day for me. My legs finished the stage feeling relatively fresh, and ready to conquer the final two stages. Along the way we hit up some of the highlights of R.B. Winter: Rocky Corner, Black Gap, White Deer Creek, etc. It was another in a series of good days.
Stage 6: Friday June 4, Rothrock Whipple Dam
This was billed as the "Queen Stage" for the Transsylvania Epic. It definitely lived up to that billing, featuring what is possibly the best trail on the East Coast, or in the world: Tussey Mountain Trail. If you haven't ridden Tussey Mountain Trail you should. Just take my word for it. Really. Tussey is the greatest thing this side of Sunday. It was a short stage, clocking only 25 miles, and including one big climb. The roll-out was rather neutral; I rode with the lead group until the trail start really pitching up. Friday was the first day that I felt like I was climbing well, but I was riding technical stuff like I didn't know how to pedal. Tussey was still a great though. In case you haven't noticed, I'm having trouble writing (pretty wiped from the week), so I'll keep it short. I rolled in sometime under 3 hours.
Stage 7: Saturday June 5, Bald Eagle Little Poe
This stage was a short, but important one. Before the stage the top six or seven in the GC was tight. Alex Grant and my buddy Brandon Draugelis were tied. TIED!!!!!!! TIED!!!!!!!!!!!!
After 6 days of racing they are tied. It made for a shootout at the head of the race. Watch the CyclingDirt Video if you want to see the shootout. As for me, I had an ok start to the race, and a crappy middle. I rode for a while with Ben Cruz, one of the WTB riders. I burped a ton of air out of my Maxxis Aspen tires trying to follow him down the descents. He can sure go downhill quick. It's pretty cool to follow a legit downhiller through the singletrack. But since it is a race, and I was racing him, I threw down a little attack when the road pitched up just before the finish to roll in at about 1:53.
So I finished my first stage race. It was hard. I came in 16th place. Jeremiah Bishop won, followed by Alex Grant, and Brandon. Good showing for him and all of PA. I don't really have much more to say now, only that I'd like to thank all the sponsors who kept me running this week. Especially Hammer Nutrition, who kept me hydrated and going forward for the whole week. Maxxis's superb tires kept me absolutely glued to the trail, and Crank Brothers pedals kept me attached to my bike. As always, Ergon grips kept my hands nice and comfy. Thanks also to Cannondale, makers of the lightest, fastest, and strongest bikes in the world. Also thanks to C-dale mechanic Ron who came through in a pinch with a spare dérailleur hanger. Also thanks to all the people who made this week so great. Mike and Ray, you put on a fantastic race. If there is anyone I forgot to thank, than thanks. All you guys rock. I'll leave you with some pictures of the week.
So I finished my first stage race. It was hard. I came in 16th place. Jeremiah Bishop won, followed by Alex Grant, and Brandon. Good showing for him and all of PA. I don't really have much more to say now, only that I'd like to thank all the sponsors who kept me running this week. Especially Hammer Nutrition, who kept me hydrated and going forward for the whole week. Maxxis's superb tires kept me absolutely glued to the trail, and Crank Brothers pedals kept me attached to my bike. As always, Ergon grips kept my hands nice and comfy. Thanks also to Cannondale, makers of the lightest, fastest, and strongest bikes in the world. Also thanks to C-dale mechanic Ron who came through in a pinch with a spare dérailleur hanger. Also thanks to all the people who made this week so great. Mike and Ray, you put on a fantastic race. If there is anyone I forgot to thank, than thanks. All you guys rock. I'll leave you with some pictures of the week.
1 comment:
Jake - you did AWESOME at the Epic. Very nice job.
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