Seventh day is a day of (almost) rest for TSE riders
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Kenda/Felt's Amanda Carey takes a victory in the TSEpic home with her to Idaho(Image credit: A.E.Landes Photography/TSE 2011 - www.aelandesphotography.com)
Lawrence Plug's week was interrupted early on but he finished strongly at the final stage of the Trans-Sylvania Epic.(Image credit: A.E.Landes Photography/TSE 2011 - www.aelandesphotography.com)
Morgan Miller (WV Night Club) finished his week at the Trans-Sylvania Epic by taking another stage win and moving up to second on SS GC.(Image credit: A.E.Landes Photography/TSE 2011 - www.aelandesphotography.com)
Rich Dillen (Team Dicky) contemplates his week long effort in which he finished third overall in SS.(Image credit: A.E.Landes Photography/TSE 2011 - www.aelandesphotography.com)
Today's final stage of the Trans-Sylvania Epic cemented the GC with agreements on the trail and a festive last ride with beer hand ups under tepid skies on picture perfect singletrack.
The open men's class raced to secure their overall spot on some of the best trail conditions the world has to offer. Kona's Barry Wicks took an early flyer on the initial technical sections but was caught early by GC leader Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale), second place GC Jason Sager (Jamis) and Justin Lindine (BikeReg.com/Joe's Garage/Scott.) The trio worked together and in the end it was Lindine who took the final stage victory as Bishop, who rolled across in second, claimed his second overall TSE title with Sager in second and Kona's Kris Sneddon in third overall.
The women's class rode a parade loop today with the top five taking a trail ride together and enjoying a perfect day in the sun. Amanda Carey (Kenda/Felt) is the 2011 TSE champion followed by Selene Yeager (Team CF) and Vicki Barclay (NoTubes/FTC/Performance Labs), who won the final day's contest.
In an odd twist, the singlespeed class was all business when Morgan Miller (West Virginia Night Club) said no deal to a singlespeed parade lap. As fate would have it, Miller, who won the stage, took advantage of a flat tire by second place GC rider Rich Dillen (Team Dickey) and moved into second overall despite a frantic chase by Dillen all the way to the line. Rich Straub (Freeze Thaw/BikeFlights/NoTubes) rode a conservative race and secured his overall TSE title.