Cycling West and Cycling Utah’s Late Spring 2022 Issue is Now Available!
Cycling West and Cycling Utah Magazine’s Spring 2022 Issue is now available as a free download (13 MB download). Pick up a copy at your favorite Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Montana, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Northern California bike shop or other location.
Contents
- Adventure Awaits Riders of the Iditarod Trail Invitational — page 3
- Even Bicycle-Friendly Communities Continue to Fail to Build Bicycle Infrastructure — page 4
- NHTSA Seeks Comments on National Survey of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Attitudes, Knowledge, and Behavior — page 4
- Women Fear Interactions with Motorists More than Lack of Cycling Infrastructure — page 4
- Congress Passes Law to Create Public Map for Outdoor Recreation Access — page 4
- Navajo Nation Working to Expand Bicycling through New Trails, Kids’ Programs, and Racing — page 6
- Protect Yourself from Financial Fallout After a Bike Wreck — page 7
- Movie Review: The Soul of the Cyclist — page 8
- How I Learned to Jump — page 9
- Report: E-Scooters Help Everyone Get Around More Quickly — page 9
- California Coast Tour (Silicon Valley to Big Sur) — page 12
- Questions to Ask Yourself After a Bad Ride — page 15
- Transportation Alternatives to Receive Increased Federal Funding — page 15
It’s Always Been About the Bike – WashCo Bikes Gives Bicycles to Those in Need
By Joe Kurmaskie and Shannon Johnson — Nine-year-old Dylan knew he loved riding bikes so much that he talked his mom into signing him up for one of the weeklong bike camps in the Portland, Oregon area organized by WashCo Bikes. Dana didn’t have enough disposable income to cover all the camp fees AND get her son a new bike. The one he had was two sizes too small and still had training wheels on it. Dylan was using the wrong equipment which led to him lose confidence in his riding abilities.
The first thing camp instructors did was give him a refurbished Trek bike from a partner program FB4KPortland.org. FB4kidz is a branch of a national organization started in Minnesota by Terry Esau with a mission to collect bikes in cities on one day, refurbish them for free distribution. They partner with other nonprofits like WashCo Bikes which has an army of volunteers and mechanics for refurbishing and a network to get bikes to kids like Dylan.
On the second morning of camp Dylan was keeping up with his camp mates. By Friday, during the family ride with parents and friends, Dylan’s mom was amazed at the change. As the camp ended, she asked where Dylan should leave the loaner bike. We saw the misunderstanding and approached Dylan. “Do you like this bike?” we asked. Dylan put his hand on the bar grip as if saying goodbye to a friend, “It’s the only bike for me!” he replied. We let go of it. “That’s good, because it’s yours.”
Dylan’s smile could have powered a city. His Mom put her hands to her heart and offered a heartfelt parental nod.
Fast-forward a season — WashCo Bikes and FB4Kidz gets requests from those in need for bicycles on a daily basis. We try to get wheels under as many folks as possible. In 2021 we gave away over 2000 bike packages, which include a light, lock, helmet, bicycle, and safety programming.
When BikePortland.com bicycle journalist and advocate Shannon Johnson came to our board meeting with a proposal asking if we could provide a few bikes to recently arrived Afghan refugees we decided to step up in a more meaningful way.
Here’s an account of her experience that first appeared on BikePortland.com and offered with permission:
This past Saturday, baby Felix and I had a blast at the first bike giveaway event in an exciting new partnership between WashCo Bikes and Lutheran Community Services Northwest. WashCo is committed to getting over a hundred bike packages (with lock, light, and helmet) to Afghan refugees settling in Washington County and the Portland metro area. This exciting event welcomed dozens of LCSNW’s refugee clients and got them set up on bicycles.
It was a joy to watch as WashCo’s executive director, Joe Kurmaskie, ran from person to person, fitting helmets, raising, and lowering bike seats, handing out lights and locks and personally writing dozens of vouchers for refugees to pick up bikes at WashCo’s Hillsboro shop. There was a pre-arranged list of refugees due to get bicycles, but no client was turned away.
“We’re going to get you a bicycle!” was Kurmaskie’s repeated enthusiastic refrain. Despite language differences, the abundant smiles (see below) needed no translation.
Baby Felix played his own little part in the lead-up to this event because it was sometime during the sleepless-late-night-nursing-phone-scrolling marathons that his Mama discovered that hundreds of Afghan refugees had been sent to Portland for resettlement after fleeing the Taliban. (Resettlement agencies are now preparing for an influx of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.)
Tired of merely watching the news and crying into her morning cup of coffee, Felix’s Mama reached out to Lutheran Community Services Northwest to ask: “Would bicycles help?”
“Yes!” was the enthusiastic response.
“Bikes are a first form of transportation for clients,” explained a case manager. Some refugees don’t speak English. Public transit can be confusing and difficult to navigate, especially with limited English skills. Many clients live a long walk to bus stops and job opportunities. They don’t arrive with an American driver’s license, or a vehicle. But, like all of us, they need a reliable way to get around.
Case workers hear many stories of refugee transportation needs and say that a bicycle can be a huge help. As an example, they told me about a client who got off work at 1:00 am, then had trouble with his bus pass. Unable to speak English, and not knowing what to do, he simply walked home–five hours! If only he had a bicycle … (or free public transit! Maybe someday.)
In any case, it’s clear bicycles are a great form of mobility for newly arrived refugees. As cycling advocates know well, bikes provide transit, independence, and greater access to work opportunities. They shorten pedestrian commute times. They provide exercise and recreation. And they are a terrific way to explore and integrate into one’s new community, especially in bike-friendly Portland.
Properly motivated, Felix and I contacted my beloved local bike shop and non-profit, WashCo Bikes, to beg for some bicycles for new refugees. I had a carefully prepared speech, but I didn’t even get to finish it before Kurmaskie interrupted, “Let me just stop you right there, because this is what we do. This is our mission. We’ll make this happen. No quid pro quos. We’ll do it.”
Wow, has Kurmaskie and WashCo made good on that promise! They have other bike giveaway events already planned for refugees with LCSNW, and if they go anything like this one, WashCo will be making sure hundreds of our newest neighbors have the bicycles they need to get them where they need to go, and Baby Felix and I are excited to be along for the adventure.
This is another turn in the road of our family biking journey–and Felix hasn’t even taken his first ride yet! That’s coming soon, but in the meantime, we are thrilled to celebrate WashCo Bikes, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, and every new refugee who just received a warm welcome into the Portland area biking community.
If you want to support WashCo’s work to get bicycles to refugees and in-need community members, please consider contributing or donating a used bicycle. See washcobikes.org
Shannon Johnson is a journalist and advocate who writes for BikePortland.com
Bike-Specific Traffic Signals Coming Soon?
By Charles Pekow — Traditionally, traffic control signals were designed for motorists and sometimes for pedestrians. Only recently, have transportation agencies started paying serious attention to traffic lights for bicyclists. So, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program has come out with a guide called Traffic Signal Control Strategies for Pedestrians and Bicyclists. It aims to help
think about cyclists from the start and “moving beyond reactionary systems where accommodations are made as issues arise.”
The guide lists factors, for instance, which can optimize safety and traffic flow for cyclists as well as motorists and pedestrians.” It aims to bridge the gap between those who know cyclist/pedestrian needs and those who don’t but understand signal operations. Find the report at:
Do Minority Cyclists Get More Traffic Tickets?
By Charles Pekow — Are minority bicyclists getting a disproportionate share of traffic citations? If so, to what degree and what is being done about it? What further can and should be done about it?
The Transportation Research Board is offering a 30-month, $500,000 contract to study the issue. The contractor for Assessing and Mitigating Racial Disparities in the Enforcement of Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Micromobility Traffic-Related Laws will come up recommendations for state and local governments on how to assess the situation and what to do about it. The project also calls for developing a framework for communities to evaluate the issue and efforts to deal with it.
Details at https://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5187
TIME Bicycles Re-enters North America, Signs with Velo Premiere for IBD Sales Management
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (May 5, 2022) — Cardinal Cycling Group, parent company of TIME Bicycles, is pleased to announce the re-entry of the brand to North American retailers.
“It has been 18 months since we acquired TIME Bicycles from Groupe Rossignol and we are finally ready to re-enter the North American markets. With the recent updates we have made to the road range, the introduction of our new ADHX fast- gravel model and complete bike availability, we are ready to expand our IBD network in North America,” says Tony Karklins, CEO of Cardinal Cycling Group.
Velo Premiere, a new venture started by Rotor Bike Components’ Lori Barrett, has been hired to manage IBD sales for North America effective May 1. Lori and her team will manage inside and outside IBD sales and fulfill TIME orders from both TIME’s European factory as well as TIME’s new USA assembly facility. Framesets are in good supply now, with complete bicycles becoming available the last week of May. Pre-orders for complete bikes begin May 6.
“We are thrilled to be working with TIME Bicycles. As one of the most prestigious brands in cycling, TIME is a perfect fit for our services at Velo Premiere. With TIME’s production being 100% in Europe, we know their quality & technology are unrivaled. And as we all know, it is a good time to have a supply chain that is unaffected by Asian factory delays. We are excited to support this legendary brand in bike shops across the country,” says Lori Barrett, Managing Director of Velo Premiere.
For further information, please contact:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (888) 912-2110
Book Review: The Midlife Cyclist Examines Training Methods for Older Riders
By John Higgins — As a low-impact form of exercise, cycling attracts and retains participants across a wide age range, and is especially appealing to those in the in the second half of their life. Much of the cycling research focuses on improving the performance of younger athletes, but this book shifts the focus to sustaining a high level of functioning for older cyclists.
Although promoted to the over-40 rider, I think it more relevant to the over-55 cyclist, and a later life cyclist rather than a midlife cyclist. I’d further rephrase the subtitle to say: “stay healthy and you can train hard, and then ride fast if you want to.” The core theme of the book is the effect of aging on the body, and what you can do to maintain a relatively high level of healthy and functional ability on the bike in the face of the inevitable. This will be a little more academic and future focused for the sub-55-year-old, but timely and relevant for us older geezers.
There are a number of cycling coaches like Joel Friel and John Hughes who have written extensively on training for older cyclists. Phil is not a coach; he is a lifelong English amateur cyclist and a professional bike fitter. Hence this is not a training manual, although the principles of training are covered. Your magazine editor possibly invited me to review this book because the author and I are the same age, and have the same profession. I also had the pleasure of meeting Phil in England at a bike fitting conference he organized and chaired several years ago. He and I undoubtedly have a few more things in common, and yet our cycling experiences and backgrounds are completely different – all of which made it an interesting read for me.
In addition to drawing on his own experiences, Phil has sought counsel from a wide range of medical and performance experts to prevent a wholistic and scientifically backed treatise for the general reader. He seems to have a lot of friends who are both cyclists and doctors or professors, and he draws heavily on their expertise for the content.
This book is not a short sharp point to point road race though. It is more of an exploratory gravel ride, taking time to diverge down various side trails, with time out for snacks and a few stories. It starts with a seemingly long grind through the valley of doom where it is made clear that we will never regain the glory of our youth, and will fully understand the effect of aging on muscle mass, strength, endurance, cardio health, and recovery. At this stage of the readers ride it is not a page turner, because who wants to turn the page to more bad news. Phil does admit to wanting to get the bad news out of the way first, and he counters with the good news that there is much benefit to continuing to exercise and be active.
Once we climb out of the valley of doom the ride gets more interesting as Phil takes us on a journey made up of multiple detours that deviate and return to the main route. As much as I think I know about bicycles there is always more to learn, and this was the case with the section on why is a bike the way it is – largely unchanged in centuries! We can either thank or curse the UCI.
There is a big loop through the territory of cardio health and risks, with some very interesting differences between male and female athletes. Bottom line: no reason not to ride hard, and you are highly unlikely to die of a heart attack riding your bike, especially if you are female. Although the health benefits of cycling are plentiful, there are some negatives. Phil does a great job of not only bringing these to our attention, but offering guidance and actions for maintaining midlife performance both on and off the bike.
Being a bike fitter, the most interesting terrain for me was the chapter on biomechanics and bike fitting. This is where Phil drew from his extensive firsthand experience rather than summarizing other professional advice. While two bike fitters will never agree on everything and I would debate some aspects of his philosophy and process, this is a very solid chapter that will appeal to those wanting a deeper understanding of the bike-body relationship and what to do about ever increasing aches and pains as the ageing body changes. You might even get an appreciation for the challenges of a bike fitter, as any particular symptom can be driven by a multiple-choice menu of causes. Additional guidance is provided on how to evaluate and select a new bike – should supply chain issues allow such indulgence. Keep in mind the English context of this book. Fenders are not likely to be high on the desired parts list of cyclists in the Intermountain West.
Any book covering topics of training and performance is going to delve into nutrition, and this book is no exception. What you are unlikely to find elsewhere are answers to questions like why it is easier to put on weight as we age – and harder to lose. As with all chapters, this one has a mix of story, anecdote, scientific expertise, and a list of recommendations and actions to make your life easier.
Before wrapping up with a series of case studies, Phil turns to the mental aspects of continuing to cycle as we age. Mindfulness of our bodies, mental state, and our decisions and actions all factor into the ability to push the exercise envelope into older age.
As with some rides, this book presents a few headwinds to battle through; familiar scenery – although approached from a different direction; and some route deviations that may reveal new, interesting, and relevant terrain for the reader. There is a lot of accumulated wisdom and experience wrapped up in the pages, as well as life lessons like why you should not mistakenly eat a pro rider’s breakfast at the team hotel. Read it – and long may you ride.
Title: The Midlife Cyclist: The Road Map for the +40 Rider Who Wants to Train Hard, Ride Fast and Stay Healthy
Author: Phil Cavell
Publisher: Bloomsbury Sport
Format: Paperback
ISBN-13: 9781472961389
John Higgins is a professional bike fitter and purveyor of unique and boutique bicycles and fit-related components and accessories in Salt Lake City. More info on bikefitr.com
Markleeville Death Ride Finally Returns Post-COVID and Wildfires
Markleeville’s Iconic Death Ride – Tour of the California Alps is slated for July 16th.
MARKLEEVILLE, California (April 5, 2022) — The 41st annual Death Ride – Tour of the California Alps in Markleeville, California returns to the roads this July. The 103-mile road cycling tour includes more than 14,000 feet of climbing on Sierra Nevada roads, traversing both sides of Monitor Pass, Ebbetts Pass, and the Pacific Grade. Nearly 90% of the course is closed to vehicles, and the ride is fully supported with aid stations, a lunch stop, SAG vehicles, medical support, and cycling expo. Cyclists have one day to complete the entire course.
Veteran rider Michael Beam says the Death Ride is different from other centuries that he has participated in. “Because of its unique location in any Alpine County, it’s just beautiful. It’s very, very challenging, and then the people here are so phenomenally friendly,” Beam says. “If you’re considering, please try to participate. Whether it’s one pass to pass or five passes, you won’t regret it.”
After cancelling the event in 2020 due to COVID, and then in 2021 due to the devastating Tamarack Fire, the 2022 tour has been a long time coming. “This year’s Death Ride is really about our community’s resilience and rebuilding,” says Alpine County Chamber of Commerce Director Becky DeForest. “The event has a long history in Alpine County. We want to show our loyal riders that we are still standing, still welcoming them with open arms, and invite new riders to experience the challenge.” DeForest added that, except for the start and finish, the current route is largely untouched by recent fires.
Due to the size and scope of the event, Highway 89 from Markleeville to the Highway 395 junction will be closed on July 16 from 5am to noon, and Highway 4 from Markleeville to Lake Alpine is closed from 5am to 4pm.
Event information, registration links, and sponsorship opportunities can be found online at www.deathride.com.
Cyclists ARE Entitled
By Peter Flax — This is a feebleminded pronouncement that I hear and read all the time. It’s typically deployed by folks who are complaining about bike riders—on social media and at dinner parties and in the comments section of news stories.
Here’s how it gets deployed. Someone sees a rider pedaling in the street and perhaps even gets delayed 15 seconds, and so cyclists are entitled. Or maybe 17 parking spaces were reapportioned to make room for a bike lane, and so cyclists are entitled. Or someone makes the quite novel observation that bike riders don’t pay registration fees or taxes on the gasoline they don’t use. Or somebody sees a rider roll through a stop sign or maybe filter past gridlocked traffic with a smile on their face. You all know the chorus: Cyclists are entitled.
Of course this is total rubbish. The people who do all this moaning about cyclists are drivers who are oblivious to all the obscene entitlements that they enjoy. We are talking about trillions of dollars and decades of subsidies. We are talking about hundreds of millions of free parking spaces. We are talking about the most lurid fantasies of the petroleum and automotive industries being transmogrified into policy. Motorists have been lavished with VIP privileges for so long that they don’t even perceive them.
It’s time for bike riders to reappropriate the truth when it comes to entitlement. To take this misinformed invective and flip it into an anthem. Let’s be blunt: Cyclists may be entitled—but not in the way these idiots suggest.
Conveniently, there are two popular definitions of entitlement. The first—the usage often hurled at riders for doing little more than existing in a legal fashion—is this idea that a group of people believe they’re inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment. The second—the one I’d urge everyone who rides to hijack—is simply the fact of having a right to do something.
The difference between these two definitions is pretty clear. There’s the kind of entitlement where people who benefit from tens of billions of dollars in fossil-fuel subsidies and eight parking spaces for every motor vehicle still complain about sharing 1 percent of the road with vulnerable people. And there’s the kind of entitlement where people who are doing something legal demand some action and accountability so they don’t get killed doing it.
With that in mind, I’d like to offer a brief declaration of our rights. These are the entitlements that are beyond reproach and quite simply statements of our right to exist. It’s a proclamation that hopefully can be used to deflect the moronic insults about entitled cyclists, as if we’re demanding tax-exempt status or discounted burritos at Chipotle rather than basic legal protection.
So let’s do this.
Cyclists are entitled to get home alive. We are not Hunger Games tributes or acceptable collateral damage or beta test fodder for Elon Musk. We are humans getting around legally and we have a right not be squashed.
Cyclists are entitled to safe places to ride. Just painting some sharrows or disconnected painted bike lanes in door zones is not nearly good enough. We have a right to an actual network of safe infrastructure. We are entitled to ride in protected lanes where they’re feasible, and otherwise painted lanes that aren’t deathtraps every time an inattentive motorist opens a car door. Also, given that cities are creating bike lanes to give riders safe places to get around, these communities should enforce rules that prohibit parking and driving in them. This is a super basic, fundamental entitlement — the right to have legal protections enforced.
It’s worth noting that cyclists are entitled to these things even if they don’t go to long community input meetings on a weekly basis. They are entitled to these things even if other people can recall seeing a random rider roll through a stop sign. They are not contingent upon other people’s complicated feelings about Lycra or the frustration of being late to work again.
Cyclists are entitled to travel to work, schools, and local businesses just like everyone else. Uniformed skeptics might presume incorrectly that all riders are recreational enthusiasts but there are millions of cyclists who use bicycles as everyday transit. It’s non-negotiable that cyclists need safe spaces to ride to these places.
Cyclists are entitled to legal protections. Riders have a right to safe passing laws — and as a nice change of pace for these laws to be vigorously enforced. The same goes for speed limits, which presently are flouted on every street in every city every day with practically no consequences. It’s awesome that smartphones exist—we like using Instagram and TikTok, too— but riders have a legal right to have existing laws banning their use while driving enforced.
Bike riders are presently sharing space with people who are driving multi-ton vehicles, and the indisputable truth is that millions of drivers are doing so while speeding, impaired, and futzing with devices or in-vehicle tech—and that this illegal behavior is killing and maiming innocent people. So to be clear, cyclists are entitled to the enforcement of existing laws intended to minimize death and destruction on our streets.
Cyclists are entitled to have lawmakers, police departments, and the judicial system acknowledge and protect people who ride bikes. Expecting that people who badly hurt or kill bike riders while driving negligently be held criminally responsible is not some fanciful request for special treatment. Another fact worth mentioning: Bikes are not cars and riders are not pedestrians. So it is an entirely reasonable right to have our movements governed by rules that reflect that.
Cyclists are entitled to ride on the road. This may seem like a frustrating inconvenience to people driving nearby but that does not change riders’ right to be there and drivers’ obligation to show duty of care. We have the right to be there and the right to do so without constant fear of death.
So let’s be clear. Cyclists are entitled. Deal with it.
No Exit Bike Cartoon: My Midlife Crisis Bike
Utah Bicycle Collective and YouTuber Oldshovel Collaborate on a Wicked Fat Chance
Restored Classic Wicked Fat Chance to be Given Away as Part of Bike Collective Fundraiser
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (May 2, 2022) — Salt Lake City-based Rob Freeze is the man behind the Oldshovel YouTube channel, and to fans and bicycle industry cognoscenti, he is widely known for his painstaking and thorough bike restoration videos, oftentimes breathing new life into vintage and/or historically significant pieces of road and mountain bike history. The Oldshovel channel currently has 182,000 subscribers, and several individual videos have morethan 1 million views each.
Rob also happens to be a big fan and supporter of Utah’s Bicycle Collective, a 501c3 nonprofit made upof 4 community bike shops with locations in Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, and St. George.
As part of a fundraiser to help the Bicycle Collective’s efforts to raise money for their NEW HUB, Rob recently restored a vintage Wicked Fat Chance mountain bike, then donated it back to the Bicycle Collective to be offered up in an opportunity drawing. Rob rescued this bike from the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective where it had an uncertain future, due to a seized seat post. No spoiler alerts here, you will have to watch the video to see how Rob stuck with the build, unstuck the seat post, and even staged a reunion with its original builder, Chris Chance at the Sea Otter Classic.
Watch the video:
From now until June 30, 2022, you can purchase opportunity drawing tickets for $10 each, with all proceeds going directly to the current capital campaign to raise money for the construction of the NEW HUB, the future center of operations for the entire Bicycle Collective that will be built in the Central Ninth district of Salt Lake City.
Enter here:
https://bicyclecollective.org/products/wicked-fat-chance-opportunity-drawing
The Bicycle Collective is a group of nonprofit bike shops that refurbish donated bicycles and put them into the hands of those in need — focusing on children, newly resettled refugees and immigrants, individuals experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, individuals recovering from substance abuse, and low-to-moderate income households.
Learn about The Bicycle Collective’s Mission and Impact:
https://bicyclecollective.org/pages/mission
The Bicycle Collective is seeking to build a new hub that will be significantly larger than our current location and specifically designed to house multiple operations simultaneously—sales, service, recycling, volunteering, bikes and parts storage, educational programming—in a sustainably-built, energy efficient space designed to be welcoming and encourage collaboration. This flagship location in the heart of Salt Lake City’s Central Ninth District will allow us to deepen our impact in the communities we serve. To date, through the generosity of supporters listed below, we have raised $2.6 of the $4.5 million needed to break ground.
Learn More about the Bicycle Collective’s New Hub:
https://bicyclecollective.org/pages/flagship-location
Wicked Fat Chance Photo Gallery by John Shafer, photo-john.net
Ten on Zen
By Lukas Brinkerhoff — Why? To rip your legs off and self-flagellate with them.
My legs are burning, my hands are tingling, and my lungs are screaming as I struggle up the climb for the third time. I’m less than 12 miles in, but these aren’t regular miles. They are punctuated with punchy climbs that on normal days are 50-50 moves and on days like these are a solid maybe on the first lap and then you walk. The downhills are fun when you are just out for a ride and only doing them once. Start lapping this stupid thing and they start to hurt as well. The chunky sandstone, loose corners and steep grunts make this a very hard sub-6-mile trail.
But as these things go, this isn’t my first rodeo, and this isn’t the first time I’ve headed up this climb for a third time. Nah, this is the third time I’ve started this climb for the third time. And this year feels different. The hurt that is creeping in is as much an old friend I’ve come to say hi to as it is a fear I’m attempting to avoid. This time, as the pain starts to settle, I already know what is in store and I’m giddy for it. I turn and look north. The sun is still relatively low in the sky casting light across Pine Valley Mountain and the layers leading up to it are as much a part of me as this trail I am heading up. I can’t help but smile, mentally wave to my mountain, and then I check back in with the hurt knowing that this is going to be good.
Ten on Zen is a personal challenge. The idea is simple, ride as many laps as you can around the Zen trail in ten hours. Why? Well, the whole self-flagellation thing mentioned above plus to enter the pain cave and go spelunking, see what you can find. To discover that unknown part of your physique or psyche that you didn’t know existed and to be ok with it. To understand that it is a pilgrimage, and you will not come out the other side the same.
Doing one lap clean is a challenge for most riders. Doing two laps is considered by some to be masochistic, but we aren’t here for mere physical pain. No, this is about getting past that and finding your place where everything else fades. The trail is just the pill you swallow to find it.
We call it Hell Hole. It’s the entrance to Lower Zen and one of the steep, grunty climbs that are characteristic of the trail. It’s my 5th time heading into this climb and as I round the sandstone boulder, I see something move. It scares me, my adrenaline goes through the roof and for a nanosecond I’m not sure what is going to happen. Then my brain returns to reality, the rock that moved did, in fact, not move and I start giggling. I have arrived.
Everyone has a pain cave. The entrance to which is found differently, but there is an entrance, and it is a journey in and of itself to get to the door. The first few times to that entrance can be terrifying. The unknown of what if, of the demons that reside within, of the possibility that you will not make it, all reasons to avoid stepping inside. However, once you learn how to get there, you can not only become comfortable with that front door, but you may start to crave crawling to that spot specifically to get inside.
Once inside, you can learn to hang out, even enjoy the euphoric break that often coincides with this place. It is not uncommon to experience minor hallucinations like rocks moving, smiley faces on the trail or animals appearing that aren’t actually there. Time travel is another piece, a complete flow state that you awake from to find you just rode the Jacker Stacker and yet, have no memory of it. Your physical location is your only clue to what you have just done.
Ten on Zen will destroy you. It’s been described as “harder than True Grit 100,” “the hardest thing I’ve ever done on a bike” and “the most challenging, yet amazing ride.” It’s certainly a harsh pill to swallow.
This past edition was the third and it was well attended. Course records have started to pop up as riders put in Homeric efforts and this year was absolutely bonkers. First, Josh Onarheim came out a day early and knocked down 11 laps besting the course record by 1 for geared bikes. On the singlespeed side, Millard Allen stomped down 9 laps putting 2 more on the previous record. Each year has shown a progression of what can be done, and we may be approaching what is physically possible.
For most, making it all ten hours isn’t realistic and the whole thing kind of unwinds around hour 7 or 8. This is when the Mooseknuckler Alliance hosts the Beer Lap. The Beer Lap is the agreed upon last lap for the “peloton” or the mid-pack group. This consists of a slow climb back to the overlook with the motivation to get back to the top being the beer in your back pocket. Once at the top, the adult recovery drinks are popped open, and everyone enjoys just sitting in the sun.
And then the devotees crawl back on their steeds. No one is looking forward to that last downhill, but it’s not a pilgrimage if you don’t finish.
There is a high level of euphoria as the group sits around the parking lot enjoying the fading sunlight sipping on whatever and laughing about what has been done. Everyone hurts. Everyone understands what has happened. It’s horrible, strange, and wonderful all at the same time. As high fives and stories are exchanged, there is a commitment from everyone to do it all again next year.
Every religion has its pilgrimage, this just happens to be ours.
Notes:
Ten on Zen – 2023
- Sunday, January 8th
- 8 am to 6 pm
- Meet at the bottom ready to roll
Zen Trail Info
- 5.8 miles
- Double Black Diamond
- Located on the West side of St. George
Directions:
- From I-15, take the Dixie Drive exit and head west.
- Turn left on Canyon View Drive.
- Follow Canyon View to the end of the pavement.
- Continue west on the dirt road and then head north to follow the dirt road to the valley.
- The trail start just south of the Gap which is the canyon that splits the mesa in half.
Tour of the Gila 2022 Stage 5: De Crescenzo and Gardner Take the Overall Wins
De Crescenzo emerges victorious in UCI Women’s Tour of the Gila; Marcolini finishes on top of Gila Monster stage
SILVER CITY, New Mexico (May 1, 2022) — Lauren De Crescenzo (CINCH Rise) left no questions on the table Sunday at the UCI Women’s Tour of the Gila when she snagged the overall red leader’s jersey, relinquishing the Gila Monster stage win to Emily Marcolini (3T/Q+M Cycling Team) from Canada.
De Crescenzo put nearly a minute into her closest competitor Krista Doebel-Hickok (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) to secure the win after a rollercoaster week of lead changes and crashes.
“Oh my god, I feel amazing; I feel so amazing,” De Crescenzo said. “Six years ago, I was in a rehab center re-learning how to walk and talk, and now I win the biggest UCI stage race in the U.S. I never thought this could happen. Learning how to walk to winning the Gila, it’s insane, it’s totally insane.”
Marcolini, who lost the overall lead at Redlands Bicycle Classic last week, said she wasn’t counting her chickens before they hatched when she rolled up to the line.
“I didn’t really have a ton of expectations,” Marcolini said. “I was just hoping to snatch up a few more QOM points and move up a bit in that competition. My hope was a top-three placing, but I never actually thought I could win it. It wasn’t until the last five kilometers that I actually started to think, ‘OK, maybe we could pull this off,’ and then we started hearing that Lauren was coming, and I was like ‘oh no, she’s gonna catch us,’ but we kept working together, and then in the last kilometer, I dug down as hard as I could to the line and hoped that I had enough of a gap to hold them off.”
After a mostly intact beginning, the peloton began to bust apart as the elevation increased on the 65.9 mile stage.
Doebel-Hickok, the Queen-of-the-Mountains leader, took maximum points on the first QOM and gained queen-of-the-mountains points on all opportunities thereafter, securing her polka-dot jersey.
At 20 miles into the race, Helen Gilbert-Snyder (Live Play Real Estate) launched a solo attack and stayed away for about 30 miles, putting three minutes and 15 seconds into the peloton.
“No one wanted to go into the headwind with me, so I did it myself for 30 miles, which was fun, and that’s what I’m good at – I can just put out the power on the flats for a long time,” Gilbert-Snyder said.
Back in the field, EF Education-TIBCO-SVB and CINCH Rise controlled the pace and eventually reeled Gilbert-Snyder back in at the base of the second queen-of-the-mountains climb.
An initial selection of 15 riders including Marcolini, Austin Killips (Amy D Foundation), Doebel-Hickok, De Crescenzo, Diana Peñuela (DNA Pro Cycling) from Colombia, Maddy Ward (InstaFund Racing), and Anet Barrera (DNA Pro Cycling) from Mexico, who wore the white Best Young Rider jersey, started the assault up to the second and steepest queen-of-the-mountains climb.
As the gradients increased, the group split with Marcolini, Killips, Doebel-Hickok, De Crescenzo and Marcela Prieto Castañeda (Pato Bike) in the lead. Marcolini drove the pace hard and soon dropped De Crescenzo. As Marcolini attacked over the QOM, Killips followed. Doebel-Hickok, Prieto and De Crescenzo formed a chase group before De Crescenzo attacked in an attempt to bridge to Killips and Marcolini.
But Marcolini and Killips gained 20 seconds on De Crescenzo and kept her at bay all the way to the line. Doebel-Hickok took fourth on the stage and Prieto fifth.
Doebel-Hickok, who was only 12 seconds away from taking the overall lead the day before, ended up exactly one minute behind De Crescenzo in the finale for the red jersey.
“We raced to try and win the overall, but we weren’t successful in that, but taking away the QOM jersey and second [on] GC and the way the team rode, we can be really happy and proud,” Doebel-Hickok said.
Out on the road, Ward hung onto her green Sprinter jersey and Barrera, who had a large lead on the Best Young Rider competition, kept the white jersey on her back.
Women’s Stage 5 Results:
- Emily Marcolini – 3T/Q+M
- Austin Killips – Amy D Foundation
- Lauren De Crescenzo – Cinch RISE
Final General Classification Standings:
- Lauren De Crescenzo – Cinch RISE: 11:26:01
- Krista Doebel-Hickok – EF Education-TIBCO-SVB: 11:27:01
- Austin Killips – Amy D Foundation: 11:28:28
Final U25 Classification Standings:
- Anet Barrera – DNA Pro Cycling: 11:34:51
- Kira Payer – DNA Pro Cycling: 11:46:56
- Kyleigh Spearing – Cinch RISE: 11:48:28
Final QOM Standings:
- Krista Doebel-Hickok – EF Education-TIBCO-SVB: 34 pts
- Emily Marcolini – 3T/Q+M: 31 pts
- Lauren De Crescenzo – Cinch RISE: 19 pts
Final Sprinter Jersey Standings:
- Maddy Ward – InstaFund Racing: 26 pts
- Lauren De Crescenzo – Cinch RISE: 23 pts
- Rylee McMullen – InstaFund Racing: 23 pts
Final Team Classification Standings:
- EF Education-TIBCO-SVB: 34:44:42
- DNA Pro Cycling: 34:50:45
- InstaFund Racing: 35:08:11
Gardner swipes overall victory at UCI Men’s Tour of the Gila; Corte Cordero and Canel’s slay Gila Monster
Sean Gardner (CS Velo) rocketed to the top step of the overall podium Sunday at the UCI Men’s Tour of the Gila in upset fashion while Eduardo Corte Cordero (Canel’s ZEROUNO) and his team slayed the Gila Monster and took the stage win.
Gardner, an Everesting world record holder, ascended from eighth into the red jersey after fending off countless attacks from three Canel’s ZEROUNO riders in the last few miles – and the last climb – of Stage 5.
“At the base of the Gila Monster, three of the Canel’s guys – I just followed their wheels – they lit it up at the bottom, and then we got a gap and we just tried to hold on until there,” Gardner said. “They were flinging some attacks on this last little rise, and I did my best to hold on.”
Gardner said he had no idea he had won the red jersey when he crossed the finish line, and most assumed Matteo Dal-Cin (Toronto Hustle), who wasn’t far behind on the climb, had retained it.
“It turns out I only got it by four seconds,” Gardner said. “The team was riding strong all day and was able to fight at the end and hold onto the Canel’s team. They were riding strong too. [We] got the overall GC …, so I’m pretty hyped.”
Attacks started flying from the gun in the 100.7-mile Stage 5 Gila Monster, which has four king-of-the-mountains climbs. A break of nine riders formed and although it broke up several times, several of its original members, none realistically in contention for the overall lead, stayed away for a total of about 75 miles.
Ethan Sittlington (Toronto Hustle) from Canada; Cyrus Monk (Meiyo CCN) from Australia; Nicholas Côté (Yoelo Test Team p/b 4MIND Project) from Canada; Brooks Wienke and Tobias Klein (Aevolo Cycling); Andrew Frank (Team California/HMS); Will Hardin and Ricky Arnopol (Project Echelon Racing); and Peter Behm (Rio Grande Elite Cycling Team) at one point had a six-minute-and-35-second lead on the main field.
But the group whittled down to three riders with about 30 miles to go – Monk, Klein and Hardin – after other riders in the break cracked, with one even getting off his bike and laying on the ground.
The peloton, which carried all of the jersey competitors, then amped it up, and the chase was on headed toward the final two climbs. Breakaway riders were swallowed up, and five riders went on the attack.
Heiner Parra Bustamante from Colombia, the king-of-the-mountains leader, Efren Santos Moreno and Corte Cordero from Mexico, all on Canel’s ZEROUNO as well as Gardner and Toby Roed (Yoelo Test Team p/b 4MIND Project) from Norway, who was sitting third on GC, got away from the main field, showcasing their endurance, climbing abilities and strategy.
Canel’s ZEROUNO put on a tactical training camp as they launched consecutive attacks and broke Roed. They tried to shed Gardner, but he fended them off until the last climb to the finish with Parra Bustamante and Corte Cordero riding away. Santos Moreno didn’t have enough in the last 500 meters for a Canel’s podium sweep, and Gardner took third on the stage with enough time to be awarded the red jersey and the overall lead.
“I’m really happy with the stage today,” Corte Cordero said in Spanish. “We knew it was the queen stage, and we knew it would be a lot of climbing. I’m really appreciative of our entire team – the job they did was impeccable. I want to especially mention Efren who did his job and Heiner and Nacho and all of my teammates. We knew we had to move on this stage because it would be the defining stage. We attacked and we found an opening, and we won the stage, and we’re happy for it.”
Meanwhile, Tyler Stites (Project Echelon Racing), who was 34 seconds down on the overall lead, couldn’t bridge up enough to make up any time and ended up in 10th overall, but still winning the green Sprinter jersey. Dal-Cin came in second for the overall, just four seconds back from Gardner. Roed took third on GC, while Landis/Trek’s Sam Gilletly finished just shy of the podium for the overall race lead in fourth.
Jared Scott (Aevolo Cycling) managed to make up the eight-second deficit he had on the white Best Young Rider jersey to finish with it on his back, and Parra Bustamante retained the polka-dot, King-of-the-Mountains jersey.
“I’m super proud of the guys – they hung it out there for me today all across the board keeping the break in check, pacing up the climbs, making sure I was fed and watered,” Dal-Cin said. “Halfway up the Monster there, I think two or three of the Canel’s guys and Sean hit out, and I was really cramping up really on the ropes so I just did my best to ride my tempo and hope I could rally at the top and maybe my legs would come around. I was nursing some pretty good cramps. I gave it everything in the chase and I was so spent in the end. No complaints, left it all on the road and the stronger man won today.”
Men’s Stage 5 results:
- Eduardo Corte Cordero – Canel’s Zerouno
- Heiner Parra Bustamante – Canel’s Zerouno
- Sean Gardner – CS Velo
Final General Classification Standings:
- Sean Gardner – CS Velo: 12:58:04
- Matteo Dal-Cin – Toronto Hustle: 12:50:08
- Toby Roed – Yoeleo Test Team p/b 4MindProject 12:58:35
Final U23 Classification Standings:
- Jared Scott – Aevolo: 13:02:30
- Xander White – CS Velo: 12:04:47
- Tobia Klein – Aevolo: 13:09:21
Final KOM Standings:
- Heiner Parra Bustamante – Canel’s Zerouno: 33 pts
- Toby Roed – Yoeleo Test Team p/b 4MindProject: 27 pts
- Ricky Arnopol – Project Echelon Racing: 22 pts
Final Sprinter Jersey Standings:
- Tyler Stites – Project Echelon Racing: 36 pts
- Nacho Prado Juarez – Canel’s Zerouno: 20 pts
- Cyrus Monk – Meiyo CCN Pro Cycling: 18 pts
Final Team Classification Standings:
- Canel’s Zerouno: 39:05:34
- CS Velo: 39:08:12
- Project Echelon Racing: 39:28:23
Study: Who are Most Seriously Injured in Bike Crashes?
By Charles Pekow — If you’re male, over 45, or not wearing a helmet, you’re more likely to be seriously injured in a single-bike crash than if you crash alone and don’t fit into one of those categories. So found a study in Sweden. Injuries were also more severe for those cycling for recreation as opposed to going to work or school, those riding weekdays as opposed to weekends, and those on roads as opposed to bike paths. And all when no other vehicle was involved.
The researchers note, however, that their findings came from police and hospital records, which don’t include unreported crashes. And a higher percentage of single-bike crashes probably don’t get reported than multi-vehicle ones. One factor that didn’t make a difference in the severity of the injury was whether snow or ice covered the road/trail.
Researchers couldn’t explain the reasons but say that their findings suggest that safety programs need more emphasis on single-vehicle crashes and protecting older riders. See https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457521005418 with further discussion at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140521003509.
And if you suffer the misfortune of crashing with a truck or bus, it’s more likely to kill you in a city than in a suburb. At least that’s what a study in China found. Therefore, safety programs need to focus more on restricting bus/truck traffic in cities, the researchers suggest. See https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35100072/
Tour of the Gila 2022 Stage 4: Ward, Stites Win Silver City Criterium; GC to be Settled on the Gila Monster
Ward sprints to victory in UCI Women’s Tour of the Gila criterium; De Crescenzo and Doebel-Hickok ready to battle on the Gila Monster
SILVER CITY, New Mexico (April 30, 2022) — Maddy Ward (InstaFund Racing) sprinted to glory Saturday after crashes and confusion marred the UCI Women’s Tour of the Gila Silver City Downtown Criterium, but one thing remained constant — the gap between the top two overall leaders.
Lauren De Crescenzo (CINCH Rise) and Krista Doebel-Hickok (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) still only have 14 seconds between them even after both went down in the mayhem.
“I crossed the line in first, and I think that was as big of a shock to me as it was to other people,” Ward said. “My team protected me all day long, and I hid from the wind and I felt comfortable and confident the whole race. My teammates were there for me every step of the way.”
The 27-mile, 25-lap crit stayed mostly tame before attacks began flying to pick up intermediate-sprint, or prime, cash prizes. About five laps into the race De Crescenzo, Doebel-Hickok, DNA Pro Cycling’s sprinter Maggie Coles-Lyster, who was a race favorite, and others hit the pavement.
De Crescenzo and Doebel-Hickok rejoined the race, but Coles-Lyster hit her head and had to abandon.
“Today was our day,” Coles-Lyster said. “We have been racing crits all last year. I was really excited about this, but unfortunately there was a crash, not too long into the race, maybe on Lap 5, and a rider hit something in the road and ended up on her top tube and crashing, and it was just unavoidable for me. I hit her as well, I went down, my body’s mostly OK, but I hit my head, and so I pulled myself from the race, mostly as precautionary.”
At 18 laps to go, a bonus sprint was up for grabs and Holly Mathews (CINCH Rise) got to the line first, picking up points and a small time bonus, but most importantly, making sure Doebel-Hickok didn’t. Mathews again picked up second-place sprint points and a bonus on the second bonus sprint.
“Kind of crazy day out there in the crit here in downtown Silver City,” Mathews said. “It seemed like it was pretty aggressive most of the day – had some people going for some sprints, mixing it up out there. It was a nice fast last corner into that false flat uphill finish with a nice little tailwind. It was kind of carnage on the road, lots of crashes, fast pace today, so [I] hope everybody’s OK and can heal up for tomorrow.”
Ward, who was down 10 points and in fifth place for the Sprinter jersey, gained one point on the second sprint and picked up 15 points at the finish line for her win, moving her into first place in that competition. She also sits in third place for the overall race lead two minutes and four seconds back.
Other crashes on the back side of the course just before a short rise threw the field into chaos as riders had to take free laps and be reinserted into the race. Diana Peñuela (DNA Pro Cycling), was erroneously inserted into the field at 14 laps to go, race officials said. They said she should have been reinserted off the back of the field with another rider who was a minute and 15 seconds off the back.
Peñuela, who continued to race without realizing what had happened, mixed it up and raced for sprint points, but later was deemed ineligible for those points by race officials and given the time of the rider with whom she would have finished, putting her at 12 minutes and seven seconds back on the overall lead, losing over seven minutes and knocking her down to 12th place.
De Crescenzo and Doebel-Hickok and their teams kept each other in check throughout the race, mostly on the front of the field.
“So we knew that there would be crashes in this race, and we knew that it would be fast and hard, and a lot of time gaps, so our goal was to stay safe and not get a time gap,” Doebel-Hickok said. “Yeah, I went down pretty hard, but fortunately nothing is broken, and I’m totally fine to race tomorrow.”
But in the end, Ward made a final push for her team’s sprinter, Rylee McMullen from New Zealand, although Ward ended up getting to the line first, with McMullen taking second and Austin Killips (Amy D Foundation) in third.
The final Stage 5 Gila Monster Road Race presented by SkyWest Media will be decisive for the general classification red leader’s jersey. The 65.9-mile course gains 5,610 feet of climbing and the steepest climb tops out at an elevation of 7,473 feet with three opportunities to gain points in the queen-of-the-mountains competition.
Although De Crescenzo and Doebel-Hickok both have over a two-minute lead on their closest competitors, anything can happen in a bike race. Big names like Ward, Killips, and current Best Young Rider Anet Barrera (DNA Pro Cycling Team) from Mexico are breathing down their necks and have the climbing abilities to make something happen.
Barrera will be looking to hang onto the Best Young Rider Jersey, Ward the Sprinter jersey, and Doebel-Hickok will be looking not only to win the overall leader’s jersey but hang onto Queen of the Mountains.
Stage 4 results:
- Maddy Ward – InstaFund Racing
- Rylee McMullen – InstaFund Racing
- Austin Killips – Amy D Foundation
GC After Stage 4:
- Lauren De Crescenzo – Cinch RISE: 8:21:45
- Krista Doebel-Hickok – EF Education-TIBCO-SVB: 8:21:59
- Maddy Ward – InstaFund Racing: 8:23:49
U25 After Stage 4:
- Anet Barrera – DNA Pro Cycling: 8:26:57
- Kira Payer – DNA Pro Cycling: 8:32:55
- Kyleigh Spearing – Cinch RISE: 8:39:27
QOM After Stage 4:
- Krista Doebel-Hickok – EF Education-TIBCO-SVB: 21 pts
- Lauren De Crescenzo – Cinch RISE: 15 pts
- Emily Marcolini – 13 pts
Sprinter Jersey After Stage 4:
- Maddy Ward – InstaFund Racing: 26 pts
- Lauren De Crescenzo – Cinch RISE: 20 pts
- Rylee McMullen – InstaFund Racing: 18 pts
Team Classification After Stage 4:
- EF Education-TIBCO–SVB: 25:21:02
- DNA Pro Cycling Team: 25:21:25
- InstaFund Racing: 25:41:55
Stites, Project Echelon Racing victorious at UCI Men’s Tour of the Gila criterium; Dal-Cin looking to defend overall lead on Gila Monster
Tyler Stites (Project Echelon Racing) and his team dominated the UCI Men’s Tour of the Gila Silver City Downtown Criterium Saturday, taking a victory and more sprint points and clawing his way closer to the overall race lead.
Stites now has a 14-point lead in the sprint competition and is 34 seconds away from the overall race lead after picking up time bonuses in the crit. His teammates, who time-trialed their way to top spots on Friday, moved to the front of the field in the crit and controlled the pace for nearly the entire race.
“I think we had a good plan today and followed it perfectly and executed that and accomplished it,” Stites said.
The 43.2-mile, 40-lap crit, began with Project Echelon moving onto the front of the field and making sure Stites picked up maximum sprint points and time on the first bonus sprint at 30 laps to go.
But Cyrus Monk (Meiyo CCN Pro Cycling) from Australia had other ideas. He launched a break with two other riders, then ended up flying solo before being joined by Landis/Trek’s Joey Bacala and Jovanni Stefani (Team California/HMS).
“It was never really the plan to try and get out there the whole race, but we knew we were going to be good in a criterium,” Monk said. “We do a lot of crits in Australia, so, we wanted to take it up to them, but we only have a small team with four riders, so we couldn’t control the race like they did, so we had to use our numbers a bit differently. We’ve struggled a bit this week with sickness and with the altitude so, it was good to get some results today.”
Monk gobbled up some primes and first-place sprint points before Stefani drifted off the train and back into the field. With just a few laps to go, Bacala and Monk also were reabsorbed, and Project Echelon Racing was back up at the control panel.
Stites launched and crossed the line first followed by Sam Volkers (Meiyo CCN Pro Cycling) from Australia and Stites’ teammate George Simpson in third.
“Yeah, it was actually the game plan going in all along,” said Stephen Vogel (Project Echelon Racing). We have a team meeting before every stage. We wanted to keep it smooth, easy for Tyler, pick up an intermediate there, and then go for the win.”
Stites, who won Redlands Bicycle Classic the previous week, has been working his way toward the overall lead at Tour of the Gila and hopes to make up 34 seconds and then some on Sunday in an attempt to beat Matteo Dal-Cin (Toronto Hustle), currently in first.
“Tomorrow will be really exciting,” said Isaiah Newkirk, Project Echelon Racing’s team director. “Tomorrow’s just a super tough course, the course kind of makes the race, so in a way, it’s kind of like holding in our cards and applying them to when it actually matters, which is the back half of the course. It’s just a freakin’ grueling race, but I think Tyler can do pretty darn well tomorrow.”
The final Stage 5 Gila Monster Road Race presented by SkyWest Media will be decisive. The 100.6-mile course gains 9,131 feet of climbing and the steepest climb tops out at an elevation of 7,493 feet with three opportunities to gain points in the king-of-the-mountains competition.
GC contenders will battle to the finish, looking to take the top step of the podium. In addition to Stites, Dal-Cin will have to deal with Toby Roed (Yoelo Test Team p/b 4MIND Project), who is one minute and three seconds back in third and will want to take back his red jersey, and Sam Gilletly (Landis/Trek), who is one minute and 28 seconds back. Gilletly would be the underdog story of the year for his Arizona-based team if he were to make it onto the podium or even win.
“Tomorrow I’m sure it’s going to be a little bit less straight forward than today,” Dal-Cin said. “[There will] be a lot more bombs being thrown, but I think that’s all right. Tyler brought back some time today, but tomorrow you can put minutes in, so anything can happen. There’s tons of guys still in the race. It’s definitely not a two-horse race by any means, so it’ll just be a hard day of slugging it out and hopefully the strongest guy comes out on top.”
Stage 4 Results:
- Tyler Stites – Project Echelon Racing
- Samuel Volkers – Meiyo CCN Pro Cycling
- George Simpson – Project Echelon Racing
GC After Stage 4:
- Matteo Dal-Cin – Toronto Hustle: 8:35:37
- Tyler Stites – Project Echelon Racing: 8:36:11
- Toby Roed – Yoeleo Test Team p/b 4MindProject: 8:36:40
U23 After Stage 4:
- Xander White – CS Velo: 8:37:09
- Caleb Classen – Team California/HMS: 8:39:40
- Ethan Overson – Cinch RISE: 8:42:18
Sprinter Jersey After Stage 4:
- Tyler Stites – Project Echelon Racing: 36 pts
- Samuel Volkers – Meiyo CCN Pro Cycling: 22 pts
- Nacho Prado Juarez – Canel’s Zerouno: 20 pts
KOM Standings After Stage 4:
- Heiner Parra Bustamante – Canel’s Zerouno: 20 pts
- Toby Roed – Yoeleo Test Team p/b 4MindProject: 15 pts
- Matteo Dal-Cin – Toronto Hustle: 15 pts
Team Classification After Stage 4:
- Project Echelon Racing: 25:54:27
- CS Velo: 35:54:30
- Toronto Hustle: 26:01:05
