Cactus Cup Stage Race - SR

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

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Stage 1 - September 19: Time trial

Pinnacle Peak Time Trial kicks off the Cactus Cup

By Dave McElwaine in Las Vegas

Sid Taberly (Sho Air) on his way to victory
Photo ©: Dave McElwaine

Many of the riders agreed that the uphill Pinacle Peak Time Trial was the most difficult two minutes on a bike they had ever faced. Sid Taberly (Team Shoair) who took the win in 2:03.82 was very fast on the steep middle section of the course, but was forced off the bike on the upper section by fierce winds and had to run his bike.

Sam Jurekovic (U-23 National Team) finished only 1/10 of a second behind Taberly, and Tim Allen (Waste Management) was third. Before the race Allen had lamented that he was going to have to start first and not have anyone to chase, but as it turned out many riders had trouble getting around racers who were off their bikes.

Kelli Emmett (Giant) easily won the Elite Women's race in 3:07.88 in a smaller than normal field. Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery) took second place, about 8 seconds behind Emmett. Both women were forced to dismount due to the loose surface and high winds near the top.

Pinnacle Peak Park is a luscious, green, 80 acre park in the desert constructed for the residents of the 6,000 home Mountain's Edge Master Planned Community. Towering over the park is Pinnacle Peak itself, on which they have constructed the many hiking paths that were used in tonight's race.

Racers started with a slightly rolling section of trail that allowed for some fairly high speeds. However, as they turned onto the middle section of the course, they faced steep switchbacks and an extremely loose stone surface. Many of the top riders were using between 20 and 24 pounds of tire pressure after experimenting for much of the afternoon.

The top third of the course followed a steep ridgeline to the summit. It was near the top that almost half of the racers had to dismount and push their bikes. For many, it was actually faster.

Sid Taberly commented after the race "It's definitely one of those things where it was pure luck. You came around a big switchback right into the face of the wind and it was really loose. In practice you had some good times and you had some bad times."

He added "I was nearly up to my teammate Manny Prado and the wind blew me off the line and then I'm stepping off my bike and had to run. Everyone said I was just as fast running as I was riding."

Christophe Sauser (Specialized) heads up towards fans
Photo ©: Jon Devich

The crowd watching the race was excited to see World Champion Christophe Sauser (Specialized) in the field sporting an honorary #1 racing plate. While he had a conservative run and did not crack the top three, he is expected to be a force to be reckoned with this weekend.

When asked about the course, Sauser replied "I love it . It's spectacular when you are on the top. You see the Vegas skyline but before you can enjoy that you have to work your way up. It's so short that you don't even feel it, but after 30 seconds your lungs are burning with the dry air....and again, I was very happy that these two minutes were over."

Sam Jurekovic, who appears to be fully recovered from his injuries at the U.S.A. National Championships seemed to have a perfect ride. He was out of the saddle a couple times in the switchbacks, and managed to stay on his bike in the most troublesome spots. He was also one of the riders using only 20 psi of tire pressure.

Kelli Emmett (Giant) peeks up over a hill
Photo ©: Jon Devich

"It was real steep, real loose, and really windy up top.....I started real slow on purpose and then kept the same speed and the same gear to the top" commented Jurekovic after the race.

Tomorrow the racers with face what may be the longest Super D of their careers, an 8.1 mile run down Cottonwood Valley, ending in the old mining town of Blue Diamond.

Stay tuned to cyclingnews.com for complete Cactus Cup race coverage from Las Vegas this weekend.

Photography

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

Results

Elite men
 
1 Sid Taberlay (Team Shoal)                             2.03.8
2 Sam Jurekovic (U23 National Team)                     0.00.1
3 Tim Allen (Waste Management)                          0.07.1
4 Benjamin Sonntag (Fort Lewis College)                 0.07.7
5 Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mountain)                      0.08.5
6 Carl Decker (giant bicycles)                          0.08.9
7 Christoph Sauser (Specialized)                        0.09.3
8 Adam Snyder (3-D racing)                              0.11.4
9 Rotem Ishai (Kona - Spider C.C.)                      0.11.8
10 Sean Donovan (Cytomax/KHS)                           0.13.8
11 Blake Zumbrunnen (Revolution / Peak Fasteners)       0.13.9
12 Alex Grant (Rocky Mountain Bicycles)                 0.18.2
13 Manuel Prado (Team Shoal)                            0.21.0
14 Nicholas Stevens (Waltworks/Fuentesdesign)           0.21.1
15 Eric Ransom (Tamarack Resort)                              
16 Cody Peterson (Scott Bicycles)                       0.21.3
17 Yuki Saito (WALTWORKS/FUENTESDESIGN)                 0.22.8
18 Drew Edsall (Endurance Factor / Scott / Sram /)      0.26.6
19 Eric Salstrand                                       0.28.5
20 Andy Schultz (Kenda-Titus-Hayes)                     0.31.0
21 Dave Harrison (Reddrox.com)                          0.36.1
22 Fabio Dias (SPECIALIZED/ELITE BIKE)                  0.45.0
 
Elite women 
 
1 Kelli Emmett (Giant Bicycles)                         3.07.9
2 Maureen Kunz (Lost Coast Brewery)                     0.10.2

Semi-pro men
 
1 Brandon Firth (Rocky Mountain)                        2.29.5
2 Rich Weis (Taser/KENDA)                               0.18.5
3 Andy Rigel (Velo Bike Shop)                           0.23.0
DNF Leonardo Cocholice (SPECIALIZED/ELITE BIKE)               
 
Expert men 
 
1 Mike Hileman (eye gear sport optics)                  2.28.1
2 Brandon Cunningham (TOSHIBA-Santo presented by He)    0.19.1
3 Bob McCall (Allegiant Airlines)                       0.41.1
4 Todd Sims                                             0.53.0
5 Mark Jackson (Xtreme Couture)                         1.06.4
6 Jared Fischer                                         1.07.5
7 Mike Pastore (Ibis)                                   1.07.6
8 Mark Roberts (Team Extreme Couture)                   1.08.8
DNS Scott Leland (team easty/unr cycling)                     
 
Sport men 
 
1 Jon Horenziak (McGhies Bike Shop)                     1.15.6
2 Jeffrey Johnson (Allegiant Airlines)                  0.00.9
3 Shawn Tyrone (Cannondale-Mona Vie)                    0.01.5
4 Cason Smith                                           0.06.1
5 Tony Gonzalez (Team CES)                              0.10.9
6 Paul Ferrarc (team Lazy)                              0.11.5
7 John Langton (Las Vegas Velo / PENTA)                 0.13.7
8 Nando Ateho (CES)                                     0.13.9
9 Robert Stanley (Endura Factory Team)                  0.20.5
10 Harold Uttke                                         0.25.6
11 Eric Neuhaus (JT's Bicycle)                          0.30.2
 
Sport women
 
1 Julie Conner (McGhie's/Whoohagear)                    1.49.6
2 Michele Bliss (Rocky Mounts-Izze Racing)              0.01.2
3 Heather Fischer                                       0.16.8
4 Jeanne Starling (Pro Cyclery)                         0.33.2
 
Beginner men 
 
1 Tim Moody (CES/Southwest Bikes)                       1.35.7
2 Mike Olsen (Vegas Velo)                               0.00.4
3 Thomas Pisillo (Gore Bike Wear)                       0.00.9
4 Doug Murphy (New Ground)                              0.10.6
5 Albert Vasquez (unattached)                           0.33.8
6 Jeff Zebarth                                          0.45.3

Clydesdale 
 
1 Pretner Ryan (Team Pro Cyclery)                       1.34.3
2 Victor Miera (Luv2Bike)                               0.14.8

Singlespeed 1
 
1 Mylne John (Team Shoal)                               2.41.2
2 Hauswald Yuri (Marin Bikes)                           0.07.5
3 Deay Birtch (Niner Bikes)                             8.04.2

Singlespeed 2
 
1 Marshall Evans (Luv2bike)                             1.21.4
2 John Day (JTs Bicycle)                                0.03.6
3 Jason Landberg (Nu Vision Cyclery)                    0.25.4

General classification after stage 1

Same as above.