Midwest MTB Report: Chequamegon Recap Edition
Another mighty Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival is in the books! A great day of racing made even more "real" with wet like conditions. This weeks report includes exclusive interviews from the 40 winners, Jeff Hall and Chloe Woodruff and two first hand race recaps from top ten finishers in the 40, both male and female. Plus, a look ahead to a couple events coming up including the fast approaching October tops things off.
Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival
The 33rd annual Chequamegon went down as another great weekend. Rain leading up to Saturday's event made for a factor for some riders, mainly on the final climbs which can be the difference in making a break and or hanging on to a group. Both 40 winners, Chloe Woodfuff and Jeff Hall, took their second wins. Chloe win came just two years after her win in 2013 and Jeff's coming 20 years later after he won in 1995! I touched base with both Jeff and Chloe on their race and interviews follow below. I also reached out to two top 10 riders, Jorden Wakely who finished 6th in the 40 and Corey Coogan Cisek who finished in 9th, that I missed in last week's preview so I wanted to give them a chance to share their race and thanks to both of them for the great recaps.
Jeff Hall Interview
Before I get in to the interviews and race recaps, I have to say I was very stoked to see Jeff pull the win off this year. I was in a hockey arena watching a game when the race was going on but keeping track of the live results on my phone. When I saw that he had won, I texted a few folks, saw his Dad post some updates on social media and had a first hand report from Bruce of skinnyski who was on the course capturing the action and took time to call me which I appreciate very much. When I first started racing in 1990, I was toeing the line with Jeff. One of my greatest memories was battling with him for the top step in the Short and Fat in 1991. It was one of the years the conditions were super muddy, like hub deep mud! Throughout the years Jeff has proven himself to be one of the top mountain bikers in the Midwest if not the best of our era. He has won numerous local races but most impressively he hit the world cup scene hard in effort to make an Olympic team that had few spots and political influence. Whenever someone would ask me who I thought would win the 40 since his win in 1995, I would say"if it is muddy, Jeff Hall". Jeff is as strong mentally as they come and any change in course conditions or weather is simply a change in equipment. With all that said, a huge congrats to Jeff pulling off another in 20 years later. Truly impressive and awe inspiring. :-) What an honor to be able to watch him achieve a goal he's been after since that win in '95. So much to be proud of!
Another Chequamegon win! Nicely done. This time 20 years later with a family of three kids! Did you ever think you would get another win after that first one?
I always thought I'd win another but I didn't think it would take me so long! But the longer the wait the sweeter the win.
Tell us how the race played out. You spent more time "solo". Did you have plans to ride this tactic or is it how it just played out?
I go in every year planning to just let the race play out...but this year I wanted to avoid the big group finish so I decided to take off by myself. I spent a little time in the front during the first ten miles and was feeling pretty good. A few miles after the first gravel road section I decided to take off. I pushed it pretty hard for a mile or two and saw I had a good gap so I just kept going. Knowing I still had over 25 miles left I rode smart but left it all out there. I was alone until mile 38 when I saw a couple of guys coming but I had enough left in the tank to take it home.
Did you feel your form was a little better this year compared to last year? I know you do a lot of commuting but anything different in your training or preparation for this year?
At this point in my life, I'm never sure how I'm going to feel from race to race. I don't know that my form was any better, I just happened to feel strong this year. I did take an extra day off of work so I was able to get some extra rest and sleep before the race.
I know when I talked to you at Seeley you weren't sure what bike set up you would race. What did you end up riding -- anything special, new, different or unique?
I decided to ride the LaMere rigid hard-tail 29er. It was different from the semi-fat I used all season but knew it was the right choice for a course like the Chequamegon. How can you go wrong with a 19 pound bike? It played a huge role in my win this year. All of the LaMeres I have raced have been game changers.
Did the course condition (wet/mud etc.) play any factor in the race?
I love racing in the mud. I knew I could use the mud and sitting water to my advantage while it might slow some guys down. Being alone, I was able to pick my lines through the pot holes and the mud.
You had a lot of family at the race this year including your dad who has the opportunity to watch most of the race on a dirt bike. How is it having his unique support?
I wouldn't want it any other way. It's so cool to have my Dad all over the course handing up bottles and seeing the whole race and then coming across the line to see my wife and our three kids. The Halls are a close family so I have had this kind of support my whole racing career. They are the best and make it possible for me to be at my best.
Any more racing plans the rest of the season?
The summer season is over. I will start up again in December for another winter fat bike season.
Chloe Woodruff Interview
Coming in to the race, Chloe was definitely the clear favorite after having an fantastic season including a National Championship. As we all know, having the best form and set up doesn't mean a sure victory as course conditions, riding in a massive group of riders and having a little bit of luck all play a factor on getting to the finish line first.
Did you feel pretty confident yourself?
Yes, I guess I did. But I'm usually cautiously optimistic and try not to think about the outcome of any race much. There are a lot of different elements that come into play and with competition like Jenna Reinhart and Evelyn Dong--it could be anyone's day out there.
Did you have a specific race plan going in to the race?
The race plays out in a pretty tactical way for the women each year and it's all about having a solid start, getting in a fast group, and hanging in there. I actually started a little bit too hard, and had to drop off my group just before the "OO" crossing. The next group of guys that came along were a better fit for my pace. This race is really fast and a bit longer than the races I train for so I was pretty wrecked for the final few miles. Those rollers are tough!! Kaitlyn had a really impressive ride and wasn't far behind.
Although the women's field was very strong this year, there aren't the groups like in the men's race. How does play a role or factor in the race? Did you red with a male group or solo?
Racing the Chequamegon solo is a truly impressive feat (well done Jeff Hall!) but not something I'd want to do. Racing with the guys makes gives this race a really unique dynamic and drafting behind riders is key to putting in a fast race. There aren't many other races (except maybe Ore to Shore) where that kind of racing is okay and a part of the race.
What was your bike set up for this year? Anything special or unique?
While I notice a lot of rigid forks and singlespeeds at the Chequamegon, I personally like my suspension fork and gears! I was racing a Niner Air 9 RDO with my Stan's Valor wheels with the new Neo hubs. For tires, I went with the EXC Maxxis Aspens as they are fast-rolling but handle some soupy mud and slick terrain well. We hit some corners at pretty high speeds on the Birkie Trail so you want a tire you're 100% comfortable cornering on and the Stan's rim and tubeless systems allow me to run low pressures. Overall, it was a great set up for this race.
Did course conditions play any factor in the race?
The race times were a bit slower than previous years but the mud just made things a little more exciting at times. I thought the conditions were great!
Anything unusual happen during the race, deer crossing, bear hunters etc.?
Well I thought I was racing with David Flaten and Tilford for the second half of the race. Turns out I was wrong. They both have some look-a-likes out there! And I did see some pirates out on course somewhere...
What is your favorite part of Chequamegon?
The people that come out to race, watch, and volunteer for this event are some of my favorites. My husband grew up in Spooner, WI so he's kind of a hometown boy and I definitely feel like a part of the local community. My in-laws always come out to do bottle hand-ups and watch the finish. I love it as I always get the loudest cheering section at the finish!
What are your plans for the rest of the season?
TJ and I are looking forward to some much needed time at home in Prescott, Arizona after a long season of racing and traveling. I'm looking forward to harvesting my apple tree and making lots of delicious apple-things. Our dog Maja is expecting lots of hikes and runs and we'll get busy planning for the 2016 race season. For racing, we always look forward to some local events--like the Tour of the White Mountains--and I'm racing at an Olympic test event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in October with four other women. Then there's always Iceman which is another one of my favorite events. So we have a lot to look forward to this fall (but right now the most exciting thing are the apples on my tree at home!).
Anything else you wish to add?
Huge thanks to all the volunteers and Gary Crandall for keeping the Chequamegon Fat Tire as awesome as ever. A big goal of mine for the '16 Chequamegon is to get some of my family signed up and ready for the Short & Fat (the 15-mile version of the Chequamegon 40). After years of spectating, there was some talk among my in-laws of giving it a try for next year...so I need to keep that dialogue going. Maybe you can help with an article on racing the Short & Fat as a beginner? I'll keep my eyes open for that one. :)
Jorden Wakely was one of the riders I missed in last weeks report. I still have as much passion about mountain bike racing as ever but not racing as much myself I know I miss riders that fly a bit under the radar when among race inner race circles, people know who might be an possible contender. Jordan is one of those riders brought to my attention before the race and he delivered posting a solid 6th place finish. Jordan provides a great recap on how the race went down (and thanks to Facebook for making it easy to reach out to people).
I've only been to Cheq one other time, in 2011, on a SS. I won the SS class and placed 19th overall. After winning the SS class at Ore2Shore and Iceman and also placing in the top 15 overall I ditched the SS and got on gears.
The Midwest Triple Crown races really suit my style, they require a lot of power and speed. I was confident that I had a chance to win Cheq this year. I've put in the right type of training (lots of looooong intervals and moto pacing) and have had a lot of great results in the month leading up to it. I knew there was a stacked field, but I've beat almost all of the guys that also had the chance of winning in the last few seasons at other races.
I opted to ride my titanium Quiring Cycles 30-30 with a rigid fork. Usually I race on a 29+ setup, but I knew there wasn't much sand and the course would be blazing fast so I threw on 2.35 Racing Ralph tires instead of my normal 3" tires.
The rollout was pretty sketchy, but I managed to go to the front and set the pace for the last mile before Rosies Field. Once we hit Rosies, the pack swarmed and Jeff Hall went to the front and started drilling it. He let up after about 10 miniutes and Cory and I went and took some pulls up front. Eventually Hall attacked again and just kinda rode away, nobody chased. I figured eventually someone would try to hunt him down. It wasn't long until a spectator told us he had one minute on us. Steve Tilford looked at me and said "Were in trouble." I tried a few times to attack, I would get a few bike lengths off the front and hope that someone would come with and help to chase down but no one wanted to work. Brain Matter and Jesse Lalonde also put in a few digs but still no one wanted to chase. There was a large pack at the bottom of Firetower, 15ish guys. Corey and David got a gap on the rest of us by the top. I attacked and tried bridging up to them but was swallowed up by the pack again on the descent. Once over Firetower it was Matter, Tristan, Jesse, myself and David. We would see Corey and David just ahead of us on the Birkie every now and then but just couldn't seem to close the gap. At that point I decided to save what was left in my tank and finish as high as I could (4th-9th) The last 3 climbs before the long downhill to Telemark is where our group exploded. Matter attacked and only Tristan could match. I passed Lalonde who was struggling on the steep climb (I think he had a road cassette?) and I kept the hammer down and got around David just before the grassy downhill to the finish. He caught me with 200 meters to go and we were sprinting all out. I managed to get him.
We were getting reports on the course that Hall had 2-3 miniutes on us, when really he only had 35 seconds at the top of Firetower. If you read Tilfords latest blog post you can see where things went wrong here. WE SHOULD HAVE STAYED ON THE GAS AND CHASED HALL DOWN! lol
All in all it was a great time at one of my favorite races in the US. Huge congrats to Jeff Hall for down and making a superman move to pull out a huge win -- I'm still in awe.
When I did last week's preview, I went off of last years results and also looked at few results from previous years. I did have a start list but one rider I missed that I would of listed as a top 15 favorite would of been Corey Coogan Cisek. I have gotten to know Corey over the years when she raced mtb on the Maplelag squad and visiting at some of the races including here at Mapleag. Corey is a fierce competitor and her top 10 result is not a surprise. Corey provides a recap with some insight on how she got to the level she is at today.
Despite racing bikes since 2006, this was my first Cheq. Crazy, I know, but the circumstances were never right. Cheq is at the beginning of CX season, and with CX travel looming, I've always chosen one more weekend at home. However, this year, opportunity knocked in the form of my team, PowerFix CX, making the trip.
My team has been a game changer in my life. We are a tight-knit, motivated, well-trained group of riders. I've capitalized on the energy and the momentum of training and racing together. Also, having spent my life being a little (too) serious, travel with our team is a blast for me.
As a first-year Cheq racer, I started from gate 2, fourth row or so. I had to use my road skills on the roll out to move up and stay safe. After some hard work and saavy tactics, I eventually caught and then worked with each of my teammates. The fact that we found each other in the huge field was a surprise and a success.
I have to say, I loved the race. It was such a great mix of persistent suffering and riding smart: bridging from group to group, and then sitting in to rest...jumping on the wheel of someone coming by...good times!
I raced on a borrowed bike, my coach's Focus Raven 650B. That, in and of itself, made the race. With my money dedicated to CX and road, my mtb purchases have languished. I still ride an old 26-inch on the rare occasions I get to mtb. The bike handled beautifully, and there's few things more enjoyable than rocking a sweet, new bike.
I did have a self-induced mechanical at mile 30, when I attempted to shift from big ring to little under tension. The resulting disentanglement lost me two places and a couple of minutes, but that's bike racing.
Our team placed 3 ladies in the top-15 in the 40 and 1 on the podium in the short. I'm looking forward to returning next year and starting in the same gate as my teammates!
Great job to all participants whether competing in the 40 or Short and Fat 16 mile event.
Looking ahead
WORS action resumes with racers heading to Hixon for the Forest Epic. Hixon Forest is nestled in 800 acres in the bluffs on the east side of the City of La Crosse. In the early 1900s, a group of citizens including members of the Hixon family, raised funds to purchase area blufflands to save them from additional quarrying and logging. Soon after deeds were exchanged, the lands were donated to the City of La Crosse for preservation and recreation. In modern times, the City of La Crosse Parks and Recreation Department works alongside local organizations to build and maintain trails for hiking, snowshoeing, and of course, mountain biking.
Deer Fly Chase"Everyone's favorite" the Deer Fly Chase is coming up on Saturday October 3rd featuring to main races, a 17 and 28 mile event. in it's 5th year. Organizers continue building on our previous successes offering great trails, challenging course, and beautiful country, in a friendly atmosphere.
Keep the wheels moving!
 | About the author... Jay Richards maintains a very active lifestyle. He somehow finds time between managing a full-time resort (Maplelag) and bringing up a family of four boys with his wife Jonell, to compete in both mountain bike and a few cross-country ski races. Jay rides for Maplelag Resort, manages the Maplelag/Paramount/Podiumwear mountain bike team and enters his 25th year of racing and promoting mountain bike races. |