Cactus Cup Stage Race - SR

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, September 19-21, 2008

Photos

Stage 4 - September 22: Cross country,

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Jonathan Devich/

Christophe Sauser (Specialized) got out front on the first lap and never looked back.
Sam Jurekovic (U23 National Team) was the only one to stay within reach of the lead today.
Riders did better to stay on the trail today and out of all the pointy and prickly bits.
Sid Taberlay (ShoAir/Niner) came in a strong fourth today after taking last night’s criterium.
Christophe Sauser (Specialized) tackles one of the many tough little climbs today.
Carl Decker (Giant) gets up close and personal on a tricky climb.
Tim Allen (Waste Management) chases down a rider on the climb.
Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mountain) does his best in the hot Las Vegas sun.
Fabio Dias (Specialized/Elite Bike) had a hard time with the long dry course.
John Milne (ShoAir/Niner) does a little running but still won the single speed class.
Yuri Hauswald (Marin) keeps his single speed rolling to take third place.
Mark Taylor leads Scott Johnson (All Mountain Cyclery) in the expert category.
Kelli Emmett (Giant) rounds a corner in the lead.
Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery) tries to chase down the leader.
Benjamin Sonntag (Fort Lewis College) felt right at home in the dry rocky terrain.
Kelli Emmett (Giant) crests a climb on the way to the finish.
Manuel Prado (ShoAir/Niner) leads Adam Snyder (3D Racing) half-way through the day.
Alex Grant (Rocky Mountain Bicycles) maneuvers through a tricky section.
Cody Peterson (Scott) fights his way through the desert brush.
Christophe Sauser (Specialized) rolls in for the win.
Christophe Sauser (Specialized) looked ready to be off his bike by the end of the day.
Sam Jurekovic (U23 National Team) comes in for second place.
Christophe Sauser (Specialized) tries to cool off after the long hot race.
Carl Decker (Giant) crosses the line third just in front of Sid Taberlay (ShoAir/Niner).
Overall podium (L-R): Sam Jurekovic (U23 National Team), Chistophe Sauser (Specialized) and Sid Taberlay (ShoAir/Niner).
Christophe Sauser (Specialized) was happy to have won the revived Cactus Cup.
Women's podium (L-R): Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery) and Kelli Emmitt (Giant).

Images by Dave McElwaine /www.trailwatch.net

World Champion Christophe Sauser (Specialized) taking the race win and overall classification at the Cactus Cup.
Kelli Emmett (Giant) won all four stages and the general classification for the Elite Women's class.
Sam Jurekovic (U-23 National Team) at the start.
Tinker Juarez (Mona Vie) ready to roll.
Sid Taberlay (Team Shoair) was the general classification leader going into Stage 4.
Manuel Prado (Team Shoair)
The professional men head out into Cottonwood Valley.
Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery)
Kelli Emmett (Giant) was looking to sweep all four races this weekend.
Riders near the bottom of 'The Hurl' climb.
Christophe Sauser (Specialized) riding in first place with a one minute lead.
Sam Jurekovic (U-23 National Team) chasing Christophe Sauser (Specialized).
Sid Taberlay (Team Shoair) riding in third place, after winning the previous day's stage.
Carl Decker (Giant) trying to stay with Sid Taberlay (Team Shoair).
Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mountain) riding in the top 10.
Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery) near the bottom of 'The Hurl'.
Semi-professional riders climbing uphill switchbacks on the final day.
Kelli Emmett (Giant) used her body to handle the steep climb.
Carl Decker (Giant) takes third place in a sprint with Sid Taberlay (Team Shoair).
Christophe Sauser (Specialized) enjoys the spoils of victory.

Stage 3 - September 21: Fat Tire criterium,

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Jonathan Devich/

Kelli Emmett (Giant) solo.
Kelli Emmett (Giant) arrives at the finish under the lights at Mountain's Edge Community to win the Fat Tire Criterium.
Sid Taberlay (Team Shoair) leads affairs.
Sid Taberlay (Team Shoair) wins the Fat Tire Criterium ahead of Carl Decker (Giant) and Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mountain).
The amateurs take off with a little light still left in the sky.
Racing was fast and furious in the mens field.
The women take to the line.
Fans watch as the women’s racing heats up.
The women’s field was split up pretty quickly.
Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery) causes another split.
Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery) tries to chase down race winner Kelli Emmett.
When the lights go down the pro men get on the line.
Christoph Sauser (Specialized) and Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mountain) have a chat on the line.
Christoph Sauser (Specialized) lays into turn 2.
Tim Allen (Waste Management) decided to stick with knobby tyres for the crit.
Specialized rider Christoph Sauser keeps the pressure on at the front.
Carl Decker (Giant) gets a little gap off the front.
Things get strung out as time runs out.
The fan were getting rowdy with two laps to go.
Sid Taberlay (ShoAir/Niner) was all smiles after his big win.
Kelli Emmett (Giant) took the win with Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery) second.
The top three in the crit: Sid Taberlay (ShoAir/Niner) first, Carl Decker (Giant) second and Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mountain) third.

Stage 2 - September 20: Super D,

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Dave McElwaine /www.trailwatch.net

Kelli Emmett (Giant) with a 22 second lead ten minutes into the race
Kelli Emmett (Giant) heads into Cottonwood Valley
Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery) chasing Emmett
Carl Decker (Giant) and Sid Taberly (Team Shoair) with a 15 second lead over the chasers
Tim Allen (Waste Management) chasing Decker and Tablerly
Sam Jurekovic (U-23 National Team) quickly closing in on the leaders
Christophe Sauser (Specialized) riding in 8th place
Adam Snyder (3-D Racing) leads a group onto the "Viagra" downhill
Cody Peterson (Scott) with Mustang Mountain in the background
Kelli Emmett (Giant) wins the Super D by about a minute
Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery) finishing a strong 2nd
Sam Jurekovic (U-23 National Team) won the sprint finish with Taberly
Sid Taberly (Team Shoair) lost his lead on the final descent but finished second
Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mountain) flatted on the final descent and had to run his bike to the finish
Tinker Jaurez (Mona Vie) did not have a chance to pre-ride the course but had a good run
Team Las Vegas Cyclery at the finish of the race
Jared Fisher's 62 pound bike (left) weighs nearly three times that of Cody Peterson's full-suspension Scott bike

Images by Jonathan Devich/

Red rocks and a bright blue sky provided the scenic backdrop for the stage 2 super D.
Kelli Emmett (Giant) comes through already in the lead.
Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery) passes by hot on the heels of Kelli Emmett.
Riders were tire to tire heading out onto the super D course.
Matt Ohran (Monavie Cannondale) hammering down the trail.
Carl Decker (Giant) leading Sid Taberlay (ShoAir/Niner) through the Vegas countryside.
Tim Allen (Waste Management) with his head down and going hard.
Fabio Dias (Specialized/Elite Bikes) enjoys the smooth singletrack.
Sam Jurekovic (U23 National Team) comes past on the way to his win.
Cody Peterson (Scott) looked good on the top part of the course.
Riders start to come through the tight and twisty course.
Rich Weis (Taser/Kenda) takes the lead in the semi-pro mens category.
Christoph Sauser (Specialized) navigating his way around some of the more delicate parts of the course.
Kelli Emmett (Giant) traverses through some of the wide open country.
Andy Rigel (Velo Bike Shop) held on for third today.
Christoph Sauser (Specialized) gets to the bottom of one of the switchbacks.
Christoph Sauser (Specialized) tries to make some time up on the leaders.
A group of riders descends the twisty single track as they get closer to the finish.

Stage 1 - September 19: Time trial,

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Jonathan Devich/

The famous Las Vegas strip provided the backdrop for stage 1 of the Cactus Cup.
Andy Schultz (Kenda-Titus-Hayes) was one of the early riders to head out on the steep and rocky course.
Christophe Sauser (Specialized) takes to the trail in his World Champions stripes.
Kelli Emmett (Giant) peeks up over a hill where things start to get steep.
Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery) closes in on the steeper section of the course.
Kelli Emmett (Giant) takes to walking after she loses traction on the loose terrain.
Cody Peterson (Scott Bicycles) rounds a turn half way up the climb.
Not only was it steep today but the trail was loose the whole way up.
Carl Decker (Giant) grits it out on his way to the top.
Fabio Dias (Specialized/Elite Bike) looking good part way up.
The Cactus Cup returned to its roots of classic desert racing.
Christophe Sauser (Specialized) looked smooth and comfortable even in the rocky terrain.
Rich Weis (Taser/Kenda) tackles the steep part of the climb under the Vegas backdrop.
Rotem Ishai (Kona-Spider CC) didn’t seem to mind the sun or the wind conditions on the way to the top.
Brandon Cunningham (Toshiba-Santo) does all he can to stay balanced on the steep section.
Christophe Sauser (Specialized) heads up towards fans and the finish at the top.

Images by Dave McElwaine /www.trailwatch.net

Pinnacle Peak Park
Cottonwood Valley makes a nice backdrop for the race
Time Trial start house
Tim Allen (Waste Management) on his way to 3rd place
Sam Jurekovic (U-23 National Team) would take 2nd place
Eric Ranson (Tamarack Resort)
Adam Snyder (3-D) Racing
Andy Schultz (Titus-Kenda) riding the switchbacks
Cody Peterson (Scott)
Carl Decker (Giant)
Many Prado (Sho Air)
Sid Taberly (Sho Air) on his way to victory
Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mountain) riding the nearly impossible
World Champion Christophe Sauser (Specialized) on the switchbacks
Christophe Sauser ((Specialized) riding the final ridge to the summit
The final climb
Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery) nearing the final climb
Kelli Emmett (Giant) on her way to first place
Kelli Emmett (Giant) dismounting in the final switchbacks