New York's Whiteface Mountain lived up to its billing as a wild ride this past weekend. The Whiteface 5K featured a lot of rocks and even more roll as 202 competitors in 19 classes attempted to become one of the few to crack the eight-minute barrier racing down the mountain. With the downhill portion of the Gravity East weekend also counted as the final event of USA Cycling's new Pro Gravity Tour national series, an east vs. the nation was expected but never materialized as the home field advantage saw Gravity East regulars on top of the podium.
On Sunday, things got more serious as both the speed and the consequences for failure increased significantly. Whiteface served as the eighth round of the 11-race Gravity East Series. It's also the longest downhill course in the east, and one of the longest and fastest in North America. With the inaugural Pro Gravity Tour title also on the line, it was 'game on' from the start of the day. The pro seeding runs saw New York veteran World Legend Jurgen Beneke (unattached) run an 8:18 to take the first seed ahead of Dave Trumpore (Evil Bikes) and Neko Mulally (Specialized Team America).
It was a beautiful day with sunshine and cool, autumn-like, temperatures. Throughout open practice, it was clear that the track was getting consistently better, and faster. Giant Bicycles had planned to give a bonus to fastest rider through Whiteface's infamous speed trap. Unfortunately, the speed gun broke down, causing officials to change plans and award the $200 to the best amateur time - and make just about everybody ask the question, "Why don't speed guns ever break down when they’re pointed at my car?"
Compounding the ignominy was that the bonus was won by a rider who isn't even close to being old enough to get a speeding ticket. Fourteen-year old Gravity East regular Richard Rude Jr. (Santa Cruz Allride) had people shaking their heads in disbelief when he came down the mountain with a time of 8:17.80, two-tenths quicker than Jurgen Beneke's pole-winning pro seeding run. When the dust had settled at the end of the day, it was realized that Rude's time would have placed Richard in 10th in the men's pro field and was quick enough to win his class by over 48 seconds.
First in the hot seat for the pros was none other than the consummate Pro Gavin Vaughan (Sinister Snowfire) with a time of 8:19. Vaughn sat in the hot seat awhile before some astounding times sent him back to the pits. First to break the eight-minute mark was Jason Memmelaar (Hayes/Manitou/SunRig) with a 7:58. Memmelaar's time was quickly smashed by Jurgen Beneke's 7:52.
Then Gerrit Beytagh (Morewood Bikes) clocked an amazing time of 7:50. Finally, as all eyes watched the mountain, Neko Mulally came in with a record time of 7:48.15 to win the US$2,000 dollar first-place portion of the men's pro purse.
Series leader Chris Heath(Manitou/Hayes) from Colorado was the fastest of the visiting ProGRT riders. He grabbed sixth to clinch the overall for the men's ProGRT champion's.
Women's race
In the pro women's race, the first to sit in the hot seat was Massachusetts native and well-known northeast pro Karen Eagan (Sam Adams Brewery). Eagan held on to the hot seat as rider after rider was unable to eclipse her time of 10:05.50.
She stayed there until top seed Dawn Bourque (Rhino BikeWorks) of New Hampshire blew away the competition with a 9:41.29 to capture the win and the US$500 women's first prize. Jennifer Wolf (Vixen Racing) was the only ProGRT series regular to show for the women's race. Unofficially, Wolf scored enough points to take over the runner-up position in the final ProGRT standings as Darian Harvey had already clinched the season title following her win at Windham Mountain. Final points are still being calculated for the ProGRT women's series.
Going chainless
Following the official race, 39 riders got "pumped" and went back to the top for the chainless race. Some took the race more seriously than others; Richie Rude showed up at the start with two none-drive side crankarms, eliminating his chainring and bashguard. For the second year in a row, the win was grabbed by none other than Moorewood Bikes own Gerrit Beytagh. Beytagh grabbed the win with a time of 8:03.73, smashing second place finisher Jurgen Beneke's time of 8:24.72. Rounding out the top three was Heikki Hall with an 8:30.03.
Next Gravity East round
The next Gravity East weekend will take place at Blue Mountain Resort in Danielsville, Pennsylvania, on September 26 and 27. The double-header weekend will feature not only the Gravity East Downhill, but also a round of the Gravity East Dual Slalom series on the Neko Mulally-designed slalom course at Blue Mountain.
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Elite women
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Dawn Bourque (Rhino Bike Works)
0:09:41.29
2
Karen Eagan (Sam Adams)
0:00:24.21
3
Alexandra Lacroix (MTB)
0:02:54.21
4
Jennifer Wolf (Vixen Racing)
0:02:54.96
5
Stephanie Gobernat (Cutters Bike Shop)
0:02:55.24
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Elite men
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Neko Mulally
0:07:48.15
2
Geritt Beytagh (Morewood Bikes)
0:00:02.70
3
Jurgen Beneke
0:00:03.95
4
Jason Memmelaar (Hayes/Manitou)
0:00:10.13
5
Heikki Hall (e13)
0:00:15.26
6
Chris Heath (Manitou/Hayes)
0:00:15.61
7
Ivan Alejandro (Morpheus Cycles)
0:00:20.79
8
Benjamin Moody (Rhino BIke Works)
0:00:25.58
9
Gavin Vaughan (Sinister Snowfire)
0:00:26.51
10
Yann Gauvin (MTB)
0:00:31.52
11
Logan Binggeli (KHS Bicylces)
0:00:34.45
12
Naish Ulmer (KHS Factory Spyoptic)
0:00:35.20
13
Lars Tribus (Chumba/RockShox)
0:00:36.78
14
Zachary Faulkner (Drummer/Evil)
0:00:39.09
15
Samuel Mellen (Live Free or Die)
0:00:48.35
16
Daniel Sims (Team E-Brake)
0:00:50.39
17
Kyle Sangers (J & J)
0:00:51.07
18
Tim Howland (Cannondale Factory)
0:00:51.97
19
Vincent Tremblay (Divinci/Lessard Bike)
0:01:00.68
20
Matty Komar (Morewood Bikes)
0:01:05.13
21
James Jeannet-Chipman (Transcend Orange)
0:01:18.58
22
Chris Higgerson (Voncoopery)
0:01:18.96
23
Kevin Green
0:01:33.37
24
Bryan Willis (Wachusett Brewery)
0:01:36.84
25
Erik Gosselin (Team Drop)
0:01:39.55
26
Sam Adams
0:02:00.18
27
Justin Beers
0:02:00.37
28
Taylor Rowlands
0:02:12.52
29
Thomas Bubier
0:02:36.55
30
Andrew Bressem (New England Bikes)
0:02:43.43
31
Tom Kakamousias (Silent Divinci Racin)
0:03:29.75
32
Paul Adams (Team Drop)
0:05:50.05
DNF
Quinton Spaulding (KHS Bicycles)
Row 32 - Cell 2
DNF
Maxime Fortin Faubert (FH Racing)
Row 33 - Cell 2
DNF
Bert Boyce (Sam Adams)
Row 34 - Cell 2
DNF
Brian Piper (e13)
Row 35 - Cell 2
DNF
Jeffrey Cayley
Row 36 - Cell 2
DNF
Luke Snyder (Scott/Voncooper)
Row 37 - Cell 2
DNF
James Rennie (Team E-Brake)
Row 38 - Cell 2
DNF
Matt Zdriluk
Row 39 - Cell 2
DNF
David Trumpore (Evil Bikes)
Row 40 - Cell 2
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Open men
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Joshua Miller
0:16:50.21
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Cat. 1 Women
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Becky Gardner (Beacon Bombers)
0:14:29.73
2
Susan Del Pino (iRide/Oakley)
0:00:18.79
3
Stacy Beneke (Old Worl Plastic)
0:03:13.51
4
Kristine Koch (661/Spy/Fluid/SDG)
0:31:43.52
DNF
Vicki Koch
Row 4 - Cell 2
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Cat. 1 Junior men 14 & under
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Ben Bodycoat
0:14:45.30
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Cat. 1 Junior men 15-18
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Richard Rude (Santacruz Allride Ac)
0:08:17.80
2
Logan James (Pedal the Peak/e13)
0:00:48.34
3
Proft Luen (Sinister Bikes)
0:00:57.38
4
Alistair Pimlott (Silent Divinci Racin)
0:01:08.19
5
Logan Mulally (Specialized Team)
0:01:10.14
6
David Milkiewicz (Team Plattekill)
0:01:27.70
7
Simon Poirier Giroux (Sports aux puces)
0:01:34.27
8
Marc Rousseau (Wachusett Brewery)
0:01:34.36
9
Max Syron (Sinister/United Free)
0:01:42.90
10
Peter Mcnulty (Team Drop)
0:02:25.71
11
Max Hautaniemi
0:03:31.05
12
Michael Gross (Team Drop)
0:15:50.11
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Cat. 1 Men 19-29
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Mike Carpentier (Wentworth)
0:09:14.87
2
Alex Moschitti (Morpheus Cycles)
0:00:14.07
3
Geoff Ayr (Make Snow Not War)
0:00:20.66
4
David Penn (Wachusett Brewery)
0:00:28.11
5
Peter John Mihalick (2wheelfreaks.com)
0:00:35.65
6
Ryan Gardner (Beacon Bombers)
0:00:45.29
7
Sky Nicholson (Sinister Snowfire)
0:00:51.39
8
Sam Chipkin (Drummer Racing)
0:01:06.98
9
David Klaver (Norco Grassroots)
0:01:08.30
10
Brewster Kanis (Wachusett Brewery)
0:01:10.92
11
John (Jack) Williams (Drummer Racing)
0:01:12.50
12
Ryan Strang
0:01:29.88
13
David Eypper (Wachusett Brewery)
0:01:41.56
14
Frederic Mignault
0:01:44.90
15
Eric Allocco
0:03:18.55
DNF
David Schoon (Wachusett Brewery)
Row 15 - Cell 2
DNF
Chris Brown (Oakley)
Row 16 - Cell 2
DNF
Oliver Levick (Drummer Racing)
Row 17 - Cell 2
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Cat. 1 Men 30-39
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Thomas Schueler (Racers Edge)
0:09:00.90
2
Marc Patrick Benoit (FH Racing)
0:00:14.17
3
Donald Roberts (Voncooper DHD)
0:00:22.19
4
Dominic Picotte (Passion Velo)
0:00:28.19
5
David Bershefsky (Drummer Racing)
0:00:40.71
6
Neil Snyder (Factory Voncooper)
0:01:06.90
7
John Pentecost
0:01:34.67
8
Hernane Alves (Team Brazil)
0:01:37.57
9
Thomas Shomper
0:02:04.02
DNF
Todd Nicholas (Gretna Bikes)
Row 9 - Cell 2
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Cat. 1 Men 40+
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Jacob Dallegro (Sinical Racing)
0:09:57.56
2
Dennis Laclair (Wachusett Brewery)
0:00:15.37
3
Thomas Anderson (NEMA/Bike Loft)
0:00:53.90
4
Douglass Wilson (Drummer Racing)
0:01:06.30
5
George Ulmer (OMR)
0:01:19.86
6
Reid Kiniry (Michelin)
0:02:13.04
7
Paul Makowski
0:02:48.70
8
Richard Rude (Cycle Center)
0:05:33.11
9
Scott Sinclair (Cycle Solutions)
0:05:41.05
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Cat. 2-3 Women
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Candace Ellicott (Tall Tree Cycles)
0:12:40.59
3
Mel Frazier
0:20:46.30
4
Anne Minor
0:20:46.64
5
Jennel Ortiz (Team Martys)
0:25:08.92
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Cat. 2 Junior men 18 & under
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Damon Morin (Team Drop)
0:09:37.37
2
Nugent Colby (Make Snow Not War)
0:00:15.27
3
Dylan Conte (Team I-Ride)
0:00:32.91
4
Sam Halton
0:01:29.71
5
Michael Rousseau (Wachusett Brewery)
0:01:53.36
6
Zack Taylor
0:02:54.89
7
Nick Richer
0:09:19.50
DNF
Nicolas Konow
Row 7 - Cell 2
DNF
Curtis Kellogg
Row 8 - Cell 2
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Cat. 2 Men 19-29
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Mathieu Bouthillier (FH Racing)
0:10:01.92
2
Ryan Conroy (GGGG-Unit)
0:00:32.04
3
Alexander Kliesh (Knapps Cyclery/Oakley)
0:00:40.22
4
Jake Goss
0:00:56.32
5
Alex Mcandrew (Chucles Bikes)
0:01:00.86
6
Kevin Cockerham (Sinical Racing)
0:01:15.68
7
Eric Miller (Delta House)
0:01:24.54
8
Joshua Kehs
0:01:48.72
9
Kris Seipp (Team Martys)
0:02:07.52
10
Steven Czaplicki (Knapps Cyclery)
0:02:07.75
11
Roger Murphy
0:02:23.52
12
Michael Gavagan (Brandywine)
0:03:37.66
DNF
Zach Dorfman (Team Vivid)
Row 12 - Cell 2
DNF
Nicolas Poirier
Row 13 - Cell 2
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Cat. 2 Men 30-39
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Mike Eastman (Iride)
0:09:50.25
2
Adrian Cieri (Rogue Racing)
0:00:18.96
3
Luke Wenschhof
0:00:35.47
4
Bill Frazer
0:01:30.07
5
Jason Knecht (Iride)
0:01:34.87
6
Ryan Thibault (Chi Bank Master Card)
0:01:44.29
7
Etienne Tremblay
0:02:57.09
8
Justin Breault
0:06:32.77
DNF
Benjamin Weaver (Allied Milk)
Row 8 - Cell 2
DNF
Jamie Pold (Phat Moose Cycles)
Row 9 - Cell 2
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Cat. 2 Men 40+
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Greg Cosgrove (Tall Tree Cycles)
0:10:56.94
2
Frank Endreson (Team Town Cycle)
0:01:47.21
3
Mark Nassan (Leep Off Cycle)
0:02:00.56
4
Keith Mckeever (Leep Off Cycle)
0:02:31.90
5
George Bodycoat
0:02:46.25
6
Patrick Driscoll
0:02:54.70
7
Charles Morin (MMI)
0:03:04.33
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Cat. 3 Junior men 18 & under
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Louis-Philippe Mclean
0:10:03.75
2
Nick Gray
Row 1 - Cell 2
2
Gregory Ciraulo
Row 2 - Cell 2
3
Declan O'brien
Row 3 - Cell 2
4
Jason Wissler
Row 4 - Cell 2
5
Johnny Egan (Sugarbush)
Row 5 - Cell 2
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Cat. 3 Men 19-29
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Jon Obrien
0:13:50.45
2
Jarris Goldeisen (Race Pace Bicycles)
0:04:36.29
DNF
Alex Colby
Row 2 - Cell 2
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Cat. 3 Men 30-39
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
William Bazzano (Beacon Bombers)
0:15:07.99
2
David Gray
0:00:00.90
3
Joaquin Canizales (Team Martys)
0:02:37.84
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Cat. 3 Men 40+
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Alan Daum
0:14:23.53
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