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Sea Otter Classic Mountain Bike Races - 1

Monterey, California, USA, April 16-19, 2009

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Race 10 - April 19: Cross Country - Elite men & women

Gould and Sauser overcome heat to win Sea Otter

By Sue George in Monterey, California

The pro men's field
Photo ©: Dave McElwaine
(Click for larger image)

The Sea Otter Classic is known for its weather extremes, and this year was no exception. It was so hot and dry that organizers shortened the men's and women's races a few hours prior to the start. Instead of the tradional, two 19-mile laps, the men raced one 19-mile lap and one 10-mile lap while the women finished after just one of the long laps. The change also brought the historically lengthy cross country race more in line with the conventional durations of UCI races.

World Champion Christoph Sauser (Specialized Factory Team) spent most of the day off the front alone on his way to winning the elite men's race. Todd Wells (Specialized Factory Team) occupied much of the day in second place until a flat tire took cost him a half dozen places on the second lap. Sid Taberlay and Max Plaxton rode strongly and steadily throughout the race and finished second and third.

Georgia Gould (Luna Women's Team) also won on her own in the women's race. Behind her Lene Byberg (Specialized) and Gould's teammate Catharine Pendrel attempted to drop each other throughout the second half of the race until Byberg finally pulled a way on a climb not far from the finish. Pendrel crossed the line alone in third.

Sauser makes it look easy

Christoph Sauser (Specialized) celebrates his victory
Photo ©: Dave McElwaine
(Click for larger image)

Maybe it's the rainbow jersey factor, but even if not, Specialized's Christoph Sauser made his win look easy as others seemed to suffer more in the heat.

"It was hot at the beginning. I couldn't sweat at first and felt bad, but it's always been a goal to win the Sea Otter Classic," said Sauser. "It's a big race, no matter who is here."

"When I heard the race was shortened, I thought, 'oh it's a pity,' because the distance speaks well for me, but then in the race, when I didn't feel so good, I was happy that it was a bit shorter."

Team Specialized started the attacks early and on the first lap - the long one - Sauser got away.

"There was a steep asphalt climb, and I just went to the front and rode away. It wasn't a real attack," said Sauser. "Afterward was singletrack, and Todd Wells kept my way clear." Wells occupied second place for most of the race.

Todd Wells (Specialized) climbs while in second place.
Photo ©: Dave McElwaine
(Click for larger image)

Behind, Max Plaxton (Sho-Air / Specialized), Sid Taberlay (Sho-Air / Specialized) and Sam Schultz (Gary Fisher / Subaru) chased. Specialized's Burry Stander participated briefly, but then pulled out after the end of the first lap.

"I picked up a bit of a cold from all the travel," said Stander who came from racing at the World Cup in South Africa last weekend. "I felt better yesterday and did ok in the short track (he got second - ed.), but then this morning I could feel the cold was back, and I got out on the track and it was really hot. The heat got into my head and made my headache worse."

"Christoph made a hard break on the first lap, and I decided that if the others on the team were feeling good, I'm not going to kill myself. I hope to take a few days easy and recover for the World Cup next weekend."

Wells looked solid in second, but lost about six places when he flatted on the later part of the second lap. "I tried to hit the flat with the CO2, but that didn't work. Eventually someone dropped another C02 for me and then I was able to fill it up. Susi (Sauser - ed.) was already up the road, and I wouldn't have caught him anyway, but it would have been nice to go one-two."

Max Plaxton (Sho-Air/Specialized) climbs
Photo ©: Dave McElwaine
(Click for larger image)

Schultz was feeling great, but he was stuck in a Sho-Air sandwich in the Sauser chase group racing for second place.

"I was getting so worked over, but that's racing. It was frustrating as I had good legs. At one point, six of the top seven guys were all Specialized. I was just trying to hang. Specialized Factory and Sho-Air guys were working together. They weren't chasing each other down. It was cool to watch the tactics, but it was frustrating to be on the wrong side. I wish JHK had been up with me so we could have thrown out our own tactics back at them."

Schultz finished second last year behind former a former World Champion. "Miguel Martinez showed me how to ride a bike here last year," said the ever-improving Schultz with a smile as he recalled the previous year's race.

Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Gary Fisher/Subaru)
Photo ©: Dave McElwaine
(Click for larger image)

Taberlay didn't feel too badly about Schultz's treatment. "Sam worked me over last year so it was payback. It was my turn to sit on this year," he laughed. More seriously, he added, "I got isolated on the first lap when I dropped my chain. Christoph went off the front and I suffered to get back with the chasers. I used up a few too many cookies. Once I did catch up, it became a more tactical race."

Taberlay said he started feeling good during the last half lap and he rode his way into second.

Behind him, teammate Plaxton raced to third. "It was unbelievably hot. I hung off the back on the first lap and then felt better on the second lap, but it was good they shortened the race. We all kind of sat up after Sauser and Wells got away. It was a whole bunch of Specialized guys against a Fisher guy. We worked Sam over and I feel bad for him, but that's the advantage to having numbers."

Jeremy Horgan Kobelski (JHK / Subaru Gary Fisher) rode to fourth place. "I got droppped at the start. The shorter distance made it a faster start - at least in my opinion. I tried to hang on and made it to the first feed zone, then I fell off. I tried to minimize my losses and I started to feel better. I made a good move on the second lap and showed that if you stick with it, you never know what will happen." Kobelski improved his placing on the second, shorter lap and looked strong at the finish.

"I was by myself the whole time and picking guys off on the second lap."

Gould solos to win

Georiga Gould (Luna Women's MTB) takes another victory.
Photo ©: Dave McElwaine
(Click for larger image)

Georgia Gould (Luna Women's Team) launched an attack early on the first and only lap of the women's race. Initially teammate Katerina Nash went with her.

"I was first into the first downhill and Katerina was right on my wheel and said, 'We've got a gap," but then I blew a corner and she went by. That was great since she's an awesome downhiller. She let me by on the first singletrack and I was able to get a gap."

Within the next 15 minutes, Nash was caught by the chasers including Catharine Pendrel (Luna Women's Team), Lene Byberg (Specialized), Kelli Emmett (Giant) and Emily Batty (Trek Store) until Pendrel and Lene Byberg (Specialized) escaped the others. The pair battled each other until nearly the finish.

"I was trying to punch it on the climbs to get away from Byberg, but I didn't have what I wanted and Lene did. We traded pulls and she probably did more work than I did. I tried to sit in an feel good until the end." Pendrel was under no obligation to chase her teammate Gould.

Yet, Byberg wasn't giving Pendrel a free ride. "Georgia was in front, so I had to do more pacing. I would have liked to win here, but I couldn't follow Georgia in the beginning and she was really strong today."

Lene Byberg (Specialized)
Photo ©: Dave McElwaine
(Click for larger image)

"Racing with Pendrel, I had to a choice between waiting for the sprint and maybe taking her or ... I thought it would be good training if I attacked her since I was stronger on the climbs." Byberg did just that on one of the final climbs and rode away to a solo second place.

All the racers appeared to suffer some in the heat. "It was really hot. My hands were hot and the skin on my legs was hot," said winner Gould. "Orginally I thought that I was not that happy about the race being shortened because that's what Sea Otter is about. It's long and it's one of the few races where we get to do the same distance as the pro men. As it turns out, it was good for me. I ended up on the dehydrated side a little. When it's this hot, it's hard to drink enough."

Gould said she knew her chasers were never too far behind but kept looking foward - toward catching more guys (the men started first, 15 minutes in advance of the women - ed.) - rather than looking back.

Byberg seconded Gould's opinion. "At first I was not happy about racing just one lap, but another lap would have killed us. The length ended up being just perfect."

Race note

Krista Park crossed the finish line and stopped, got off her bike and curled up on some rather hot pavement. Supporters immediately attended to her and medics later removed her from the course by ambulance, in front of Sauser just as he was crossing the finish a few meters away to win the men's race.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Dave McElwaine/www.trailwatch.net

Results

Elite men

1 Christoph Sauser (Swi)                             2.02.54
2 Sid Taberlay (Aus)                                    4.07
3 Max Plaxton (Can) Shoair Specialized                  4.34
4 Jeremy Horgan-Kob (USA) Subaru Gary Fisher            5.08
5 Sam Schultz (USA) Subaru Gary Fisher                  5.36
6 Todd Wells (USA)                                      7.11
7 Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Monavie-Cannondale              8.02
8 Conrad Stoltz (RSA)                                       
9 Carl Decker (USA) Team Giant                         11.02
10 Ken Onodera (Jpn) Subaru Gary Fisher                11.53
11 Stefan Widmer (Can) Rocky Mountain Factor           12.26
12 Manuel Prado (USA) Sho Air Specialized              14.09
13 Dana Weber (USA) Trek World Bicycle                 14.21
14 Matthew Hadley (Can) Xprezo                         14.24
15 Derek Zandstra (Can) 3 Rox Racing                   15.40
16 Erik Tonkin (USA)                                   16.03
17 Aaron Olson (USA) Oakley/Sidi                       16.44
18 Dave Wiens (USA)                                    17.19
19 Chris Sheppard (USA)                                     
20 Brandon Stewart (RSA)                               17.46
21 T. Burke Swindlehu (USA)                            18.12
22 Tj Woodruff (USA) Adventure 212 Specialized         18.30
23 Colin Cares (USA) Kenda Tomac Hayes                      
24 Max Knox (RSA)                                      18.55
25 Drew Edsall (USA) Scott/Wtb                         19.06
26 Craig Richey (Can) Blue Competition Cycle           19.12
27 Ryan Woodall (USA) Team Dedicated Athlete           19.23
28 Travis Livermon (USA) Champion System Cannondale    19.27
29 Sean Babcock (USA)                                  21.07
30 Tad Elliott (USA) Us Nat Mtb Developmen                  
31 Chris Peariso (USA) Adventure 212 Specialized       21.32
32 Robert Marion (USA) Kenda Kmc Hayes                 21.51
33 Thomas Bender (USA) Adventure 212 Specialized       22.07
34 Bryan Alders (USA) Monavie Cannondale               22.23
35 Rob Squire (USA) Us Nat Mtb Developmen              22.31
36 Ben Thompson (USA) Cannondale Factory               22.42
37 Macky Franklin (USA) Transparent Racing             23.38
38 Daniel Sessford (Can) Blue Competition Cycle        23.51
39 Eric Batty (Can)                                    24.07
40 Scott Frederick (USA) Inland Construction           25.28
41 Charles Jenkins (USA) Cytomax Khs                   25.39
42 Spencer Paxson (USA)                                     
43 Ethan Gilmore (USA) Us Nat Mtb Development          25.42
44 Gian Dalle Angelini (USA) Red Line                       
45 Brian Asfell (USA)                                  26.00
46 Kalan Beisel (USA) Procycling CTS                   26.06
47 Thomas Skinner (Can) Specialized Oak Bay            26.08
48 Flavio De Luna (Mex) Region Aguaas Caliente         26.30
49 Sean Donovan (USA) Cytomax Khs                      26.50
50 Jan Koles (USA) Mafia Racing                             
51 Robert Anderson (USA) Specialized Racing            26.52
52 Kim Tofaute (Ger)                                        
53 Randall Jacobs (USA) Wheelworks                     28.53
54 Bart Gillespie (USA) Monavie-Cannondale             29.05
55 Brady Kappius (USA) Cliff Bar                       29.19
56 Kevin Smallman (USA)                                29.27
57 Simon Happy (Can) Rst Velo Sport                    30.04
58 Blake Harlan (USA) Jamis                            30.24
59 Jason Moeschler (USA) Wtb                           30.25
60 Mike Mooradian (USA) Spin Rr Donnelly               30.49
61 Jason Siegle (USA) Team Bear Valley Bikes           31.06
62 Aaron Elwell (USA) Crrt/T6                          31.24
63 Yuki Saito (USA) Topeak-Ergon Racing                31.34
64 James Williams (USA) Cannondale Factory                  
65 Roger Bartels (USA) Norcal Bike Sport               31.37
66 Chad Stoehr (USA) Blue Competition Cycle            33.17
67 Jason Rahlwes (USA) Family Cycling Center           33.40
68 Ryan Iddings (USA)                                  34.08
69 Ryan Clark (USA) Cynergy Cycles                     34.33
70 Adam Snyder (USA) 3D Racing                              
71 Charlie Pendry (USA) Inland Construction            34.52
72 Alex Grant (USA) Monavie-Cannondale                 35.03
73 Justin Maka (USA) Sdg/Azonic/Tekbolt                36.31
74 Bob Delp (USA) Bicycles Plus                        37.05
75 Alex Boone (USA) Subaru Gary Fisher                 37.36
76 Matt Wittler (USA) Lost Coast Brewery               37.58
77 Jacob Mcclelland (Can) Unaffiliated                 39.22
78 Brent Steinberg (USA)                               40.30
79 Wes Dickson (USA) Sycamore Cycles                   41.08
80 Jim Hewett (USA) Summit Bicycles                    41.45
81 Jason Sager (USA) Jamis                             42.11
82 Shannon Boffeli (USA) Revolution Mtb Race           42.26
83 Steve Larsen (USA) Unaffiliated                     42.57
84 Ron Castia (USA) Infovista                          44.19
85 Christopher Everis (Can) 3 Rox Racing               45.23
86 Amon Pease (USA) Lost Coast Brewery                 45.35
87 Kyle Stock (USA) Golden Chain Cyclists              45.56
88 Alex Ryan (USA) Champion System Cannondale          46.48
89 Timothy Carson (USA)                                48.42
90 Anastasio Flores J (USA) Anotherbikeshop.Com        49.21
91 Travis Mcmaster (USA) Mafia Racing                  49.35
92 Matthew Beaton (USA) Tokyo Joes                     50.38
93 Jay Richards (USA)                                  52.49
94 Minhyug Jung (USA) Gloval 7Th Cross                 52.57
95 Garnet Vertican (USA) Giant Odi                     53.12
96 Noah Holcomb (USA) Cannondale Factory               55.03
97 Lucas Livermon (USA) Inland Construction            56.22
98 Tom Sharp (USA) Contentworks                        56.37
99 Matt Connors (USA) Fisher 29Er Crew                 59.31
100 Katriel Statman (USA) Transparent Racing         1.02.31
101 Andrew Rigel (USA) Mafia                         1.04.12
102 Seamus Powell (USA) Devo Windham Mt Outfit       1.06.04
HD Zachary Griffin (USA) Finish Line                        
HD Bryan Vanvleet (USA) Khs Bicycles                        
HD Daniel Kindregan (USA) Gt Dirt Coalition                 
HD Matthew Rotroff (USA) Inland Construction                
HD Carl Hesselein (USA) Whole Athlete                       
DNF Burry Stander (RSA)                                     
DNF Benjamin Sonntag (Ger) Monavie-Cannondale               
DNF Nitish Nag (USA) Nrl Racing Developmen                  
DNF Wiley Mosley (USA) Specialized Riders Club              
DNF Jason Lowetz (USA) Bearclaw                             
DNF Mitchell Peterson (USA) Monavie/Cannondale              
DNF Cody Peterson (USA) Dedicated Athlete                   
DNF Josh Kelley (USA) Shoair                                
DNF Sam Jurekovic (USA) Sho Air Specialized                 
DNF John Nobil (USA) Bear Valley Bikes                      
DNF Marty Lazarski (Can) Rocky Mtn Bicycles                 
DNF Stephen Ettinger (USA) Arlberg/Black Diamond            
DNF Andy Schultz (USA) Kenda Tomac Hayes                    
DNF Peter Glassford (Can) Trek Store Racing                 
DNF Troy Wells (USA)                                        
DNF Alfredo Cruz (Mex) Auto Tech Ensenada                   
DNF Ryan Trebon (USA)                                       
DNF Nate Byrom (USA) North Star/Wtb                         
DNF John Bennett (USA) Whole Athlete                        
DNF Chris Brown (USA) Norcal Specialized                    
DNF Aaron Bradford (USA) On Site Racing                     
DNF Steve Carwile (USA) Capital Subaru/Dave's               
DNF Trevor Downing (USA) Fort Lewis College                 
DNF Matt Freeman (USA)                                      
DNF Paul Freiwald (USA) Pivot Cycles                        
DNF Robert Herber (USA) Dixon Art                           
DNF Mitchell Hoke (USA) Tokyo Joes                          
DNF Matt Wiebe (USA) Team Co Single Track                   
DNF Adam Parke (USA) Orange Peel Cyclery                    
DNF David Juarez (USA) Monavie-Cannondale                   
DNF Corey Ward (USA)                                        
DNF Jacques Vanrensbe (RSA)                                 
DNF Menso De Jong (USA) Santa Cruz Bicycles                 
DNS Wiens Dave (USA)                                        
DNS Ned Overend (USA) Specialized                           
DNS Greg Carpenter (USA) Devo Giant                         
DNS Eric Nelson (USA) Fox Racing Shox                       
DNS Matt Chaney (USA) Contentworks                          
DNS Adam Morka (Can) Trek Store                             
DNS Miles Neisser (USA) Artscyclery                         
DNS Danny Mcnaughton (USA) Contentworks                     
DNS Seamus Mcgrath (Can) Jamis                              
DNS Brett Luelling (USA)                                    
DNS Jason First (USA)                                       
DNS Jeff Kerkove (USA)                                      
DNS Ross Schnell (USA)                                      

Elite women

1 Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team                  1.22.45
2 Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Factory                 1.07
3 Catharine Pendrel (Can) The Luna Chix                 1.14
4 Kelli Emmett (USA)                                    3.58
5 Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru Gary Fisher               4.09
6 Pua Sawicki (USA)                                     4.15
7 Katerina Nash (USA) Luna Pro Team                     5.22
8 Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru Gary Fisher              6.17
9 Jenna Rinehart (USA) Specialized                      7.02
10 Lorenza Morfin (Mex)                                 7.37
11 Emily Batty (Can) Trek Store                         8.08
12 Amanda Sin (Can) 3 Rox Racing                        8.46
13 Catherine Vipond (Can) Norco Factory                 9.11
14 Allison Mann (USA) Shoair Specialized                9.15
15 Kathy Sherwin (USA) Kenda Tomac Hayes               10.19
16 Sue Butler (USA) Monavie-Cannondale                 10.22
17 Lindsey Bishop (USA) Mafia Racing                   10.41
18 Judy Freeman (USA) Tough Girl-Scott                 11.37
19 Sandra Walter (Can)                                 12.41
20 Alice Pennington Velaforma/Zym                      13.06
21 Natasha Hernday (USA) Amgen                         13.18
22 Melanie Mcquaid (Can) Mcquaid/Sho-Air                    
23 Amanda Carey (USA) Kenda Tomac Hayes                13.23
24 Mical Dyck (Can) Trektorontostore                   13.47
25 Aleksandra Rokita (Pol) Spin Rr Donnelly            14.20
26 Erin Huck (USA) Tokyo Joes                          14.36
27 Rebecca Rusch (USA)                                 15.16
28 Sarah Kaufmann (USA)                                15.26
29 Krista Park (USA) Incycle/Magura/Notube             16.29
30 Maureen Kunz (USA) Lost Coast Brewery               17.10
31 Sonya Looney (USA) Topeak Ergon                     17.19
32 Heather Holmes (USA) Kenda Tomac Hayes              19.23
33 Jean Ann Mckirdy (Can) Local Ride Racing            19.32
34 Athena Kraus (USA) Ellsworth Bicycles               20.03
35 Anina Aaron (USA) Kenda Kmc Hayes                   21.30
36 Shannon Holden (USA)                                24.19
37 Caitlyn Tuel (USA) Tough Girl/Scott                 25.07
38 Philicia Marion (USA) Kenda Kmc Hayes               25.47
39 Erika Krumpelman (USA)                              26.00
40 Emma Worldpeace Lost Coast Brewery                  26.25
41 Jamie Stamps (USA) Another Bike Shop                26.41
42 Abigail Strigel (USA) Mafia Racing                  30.50
43 Jennifer Hanks (USA) Revolution Peak                31.32
44 Joy Duerksen (USA) Pass Physical Therapy            43.07
45 Danae York                                          43.14
DNF Zephanie Blasi (USA) Kenda Tomac Hayes                  
DNF Chloe Forsman (USA) Luna Pro Team                       
DNF Sarah Piccolo (USA) Norcal Specialized                  
DNF Wendy Simms (USA) Kona                                  
DNS Heather Ranoa (USA)                                     
DNS Sara Bresnick-Zocc (USA)                                

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