You can learn a lot from the title of this report… The most challenging part of Intermontane MTB stage race was in fact finding the course!

It was all supposed to be the perfect summer vacation to Canada and some riding in my wife’s hometown (Kamloops, BC). In fact there was no vacation for me and the family couldn’t come on the trip.

Let me start by saying this race has huge potential because of the great riding in this area and for the local support. The event was fairly well done except for the issue we had finding the courses. It seems that the marking was there most of the time but erractic and illogical when it counted most. This resulted in multiple wrong turns nearly everday.

The first stage was going well until I missed a turn and subsequently lost touch with the front group (Tinker Juarez, Chris Sheppard, Ben Sontag, Jeremiah Bishop). Shortly thereafter I missed some turn and ended up AHEAD of them. Then I reached a feedzone where I was supposed to turn and everyone just cheered me straight on by. Finally the race organizer found me and turned me back but not before I was way behind but still in fifth place. right before the finish I missed yet another turn and lost more time and fell to sixth.

Day two started off with some steep climbs which split things up and resulted in some indecision about where the course led but no major time losses. I was able to ride myself back to the front but was dropped on the second climb but managed to finish easily in fifth and made up most of the time from day one.

Stage three was a debacle from the start. Delayed multiple times we finally started hours late and promptly EVERYONE was off course. We managed to get back on and again I was riding in fifth when the promoter directed me OFF course. I didn’t see markers so I rode back and questioned him several times. By that time he discovered he didn’t know the course and neutralized the stage. Nice since I had easily moved up to fifth on the road. Bishop who was still riding fast at the front oblivious to all this stacked hard and broke his back!

I easily began making up time on day four before missing another turn and losing it all before the halfway point. Not to be deterred I chased back into and opened a huge gap at which time I passed Sheppard tending to Sontag who had also stacked it up and was apparently out of the race. I hooked up with Tinker and we rode many miles together toward the finish before he dropped me on a steep climb. Shortly thereafter I passed the promoter marking trail and evidently a turn, too. This resulted in riding 10 miles out of my way and losing my place and lots more time. Tinker also lost the course and ended up catching a ride back to the finish resulting in his disqualification. Monavie Cannondale had gone from having the race lead and three riders in the top four to being out of the race all together–OUCH!

Stage five was a timetrial around the local MTB park so with little chance to get lost and lots to prove I hammered a great time just behind Sheppard to redeem myself a little. In the end I finished third overall and while my riding would have easily put me in second, navigation was the name of the game this week!

After a week of visiting chiropracters and massage therapists I seem to be feeling–ABOUT THE SAME! This is not cool at all. I have never been in a situation where my body has no real apparent damage yet I am being compromised by different ailments one after another.

First the knee. Then the hip. After than my chest–now my back. Like someone is picking the strings of my being one at a time…

Despite it all, my teammate Mark and I headed for Central Oregon and the first ever Crook County Crush. I was super glad we did because first of all we found a rad little Asian restaurant in Redmond for a super pre-race meal. Then we stayed the night with Mark’s folks and they were totally nice and it felt almost like home!

After a great sleep we drove out to what ended up being the best race course in Oregon this year. Just before the start my old pal and teammate, Bear Perrin, did a little rib adjustment on me and while I still didn’t do so hot in the race, by the time we got back I was starting to feel better.

The race started with a long climb first on pavement then singletrack. I maintained contact with Chris Sheppard (Santa Cruz) and Ben Thompson (Cannondale) at the front for awhile but once in the singletrack my body just couldn’t manage the changes in torque and body english required to navigate the rocks, roots and switchbacks.

The course was awesome with super technical trails and beautiful vistas. I was able to hang on to 3rd place for the day and finish the Oregon XC Series as overall Champion–again!

Drove 20 hours or so with about 6 hours of sleep following the final stage of Breck Epic. Got into Oakridge just in time to stand in a giant line for dinner and get dialed in for the even more epic Cascade Cream Puff.

The CCP is probably one of the most well known 100 mile MTB races in the world. That being said, and me living in Oregon, I have never done it before! This year I was able to just squeeze it into my schedule but I regret to say I still haven’t DONE it…

We woke up to the banging of the wake up bell way too early this morning. I was locked and loaded and generally running on adrenaline and oxygen dense atmosphere at the start. I had decided to run my rigid set up with semi slick tires but then it started to rain just as took off.

It was still half dark and super cold as we headed up the initial long gravel road climb. The pace was ridiculous for 100 miles but I was riding well and in good shape in the top ten.

We arrived at the first aid station and I stopped to get some more bottles and my jacket. Unfortunately the drop bags had not gotten there yet so I spent a good 5 minutes looking for my stuff only to leave colder and without my breakfast.

The course climbed onto singletrack and then traversed a rocky sidehill. I was ticked due to the lost time and riding a bit too erratically. I skipped sideways off a rock and PSSSSTTT–cut my front tire.

This was insult added to injury, but I quickly inserted a tube and inflated the tire only to discover that the said tube had a leak. Now, things were really falling apart but it wasn’t over yet!

I put in the second tube and inflated it. Jackpot–no holes. After scooping all my junk into my bag, I was back on my bike now behind most everyone. I passed a few other riders then lost in on a switchback only to discover than now my rear tire was FLAT. Game over!

The next bit of poor luck came when I asked another rider how to get back to the start. They suggested that they had done the race before adn I should proceed to the next aid station. Actually I should have turned around and gone back because the next aid station was the furthest point from the start in Westfir!

Oh, well, I still got to ride over 50 miles offroad today AND eat three unrounded meals in the most famous aid stations in the world!

Next year…

Wow, this had to be one of my all time struggles on a bicycle! I must humbly say that I was pretty much at the back today. Simply pedaling at any cadence or wattage was difficult, so I ambled around the track and collected my inaugural Breck Epic finishers belt buckle.

The course today was a nice combo of Gold Dust singletrack and some fireroads. Wouldn’t have been hard on another day but my body seems to be imploding at the moment…

The buckle is quite rad BTW so I am happy to have earned it despite my paltry performance. Now it is time to saddle up the moho and drive 20 hours back to Oakridge for the Cascade Cream Puff!

They just had to do it… seems like every MTB stage race ends up with some janky stage that leaves many of us scratching our collective heads.

Breck Epic was all over it today with climbing choice single tracks only to descend silly ski area service roads. That wasn’t enough, though. BE served up a nice hike-a-bike through some sort of wetlands (evidently a hiker/biker political hot-button). Which leaves my to wonder why?

Why push ones bike through a marsh anyway? If the hikers want their muckhole tire-track free, then they can have it!

Next up was the deathmarch/hike-a-bike over a mountain pass ala TransRockies(walkies). Dumb and dumber dudes! Anyway, there is your constructive criticism–you want this bike racer back, keep me peddlin’!

Anyway, for those who care, I finished way off the back and some dude won. Don’t really care who or how because sometimes we all just have to take a breather in our very own little pain cave to lament and reflect on what might have been…

Check out the course here:

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/episode/view.do?episodePk.pkValue=8603495

My body seems about half broken but my will and spirit rock on unitl next time!

VP

OH, YEAH!

Circumnavigation of Mt. Guyot is good. The folks from Breck Epic sure got this one right today! It was an awesome stage even in my previous said condition.

A ridiculous climb over the top of a high alpine saddle, some velo-schuss across a snowfield, face-cramping singletrack and more… All on a nearly cloudless day in the rockies.

Even if you can’t make the ‘Epic next year, go check out this ride…

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/episode/view.do?episodePk.pkValue=8599465

BTW. The Breck Epic has been an awesome event. All the crew is super cool and really genuine in their effort to pull off a sweet event. Kudos all around.

Especially to Mike Mac. The dude comes across a little silly but my impression is that he is a real thoughtful guy and also a straight-shooter bar none.

Thanks, Mike. Wish you the best and many returns on this one!

Ciao,

VP