By Chris Scott, Steve Thorne, and Matt Ferrari Harlan Price (Independent Fabrications) has won his...
Harlan Price (Image credit: Cathy DeSanto)
By Chris Scott, Steve Thorne, and Matt Ferrari
Harlan Price (Independent Fabrications) has won his second National Ultra MTB Series race this weekend at the Wilderness 101. The win, combined with his high placings in two other series races, means the Pensylvannia native has all but assured his series win. All he needs to do is finish the finale at the Shenandoah Mountain 100 September 3rd.
Starting and finishing in Coburn Pennsylvania, the Wilderness 101 was the first east coast ultra endurance backcountry mountain bike race. Running through the hardwood forests of the Appalachian Mountains, the course follows a single 101 mile loop along fire roads, jeep track, and elegant sections of challenging single track. Also included are extended single track climbs, technical rock-strewn descents, creek crossings over narrow foot bridges, and passage through two long, very dark abandon train tunnels. Riders enjoy over 12,000 feet of elevation gain, concentrated into multiple episodes of more than 1,000 feet of sustained climbing. The Wilderness 101, the fourth event in the inaugural year of the National Ultra MTB Series is considered the most technical course of the series.
For this 2006 race, the weather was beautifully clear but for most riders, too hot and humid (high temperature for the day was reported to be 91 degrees). Many complained of insistent cramping and the ratio of DNFs was an all time high (roughly 1/3 of the 280 + starters).
