3rd Saturn Cycling Classic - NE
Boulder, USA, August 10, 2002
Main page Results Photos Map Live report
Remarkable Wherry pays tribute to his father
By Rob Karman, Cyclingnews correspondent
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An emotional win for Chris Wherry (Mercury) capped off an even more emotional week for the Boulder, CO native. On Wednesday, Wherry's father died after battling Leukaemia for three years. His mother and brother were there to greet him at the finish for a very memorable moment as the young rider was cheered on by thousands of screaming fans.
Third at each of the two previous editions of this race, Wherry has always been there, he just hasn't been able to close the deal. This year was different though as Wherry put it "I had a puncture on the mtn bike last year. This time luck was on my side." Luck indeed, as well as a perfect execution of team tactics on the part of Mercury who sent three riders up the road in the obligatory early break to ensure that there would be help when it was needed for their two mountain goats, Wherry and Scott Moninger. One of those three Mercury riders, Jesus Zarate, was in the front long enough to capture the KOM prize to add to the Mercury treasure chest.
Another member of the early break who was riding for the Handle Bar and Grill Composite team of defending champion Jonathan Vaughters was Mike Carter, a top masters rider from Denver who has competed in the Tour de France. He attacked off the front of the 16 rider break to take the KOM points in on the Cat 1 Wondervu climb and stayed away to capture the "Gamblers Prime" in Black Hawk. This Prime is unique in that the win carries enough points in the sprint competition to guarantee a win with a $5,000 cash purse. There was one catch to that guarantee though, he had to finish. Luck was not on his side today though as he failed to finish the brutal 140 mile course through the Colorado Rockies. Soren Petersen (Saturn) was second through the gambling town on Black Hawk and happily accepted the $5k after he crossed the line in Breckenridge.
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After Black Hawk, the riders tackled Oh My God Road, a steep mixture of rough pavement, dirt and gravel without guardrails and without mercy up, over and down into the town of Idaho Springs, the starting point for the famous race up Mt. Evans. It was here that eventual 2nd place finisher Burke Swindlehurst (Navigators) went on the offensive. "There was a group of about 5 or 6 of us that made a little attack in Idaho Springs, I actually initiated that. I did the same thing last year just because I don't like to try and match guys like Vaughters up the climb so if I can have a minute in hand and have him ride up to me it's a lot better for me."
Included in that group were a number of strong riders including Michael Creed (Prime Alliance), former Cyclo-Cross National Champ Tim Johnson (Saturn), MTB Pros Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Tokyo Joe's/RLX Polo Sport) and Jose Adrian Bonilla (Handle Bar and Grill) and a guy named Wherry. The eventual race winner had the same idea as Swindlehurst, "Vaughters is one of the best climbers in the world, so to just go over the top with him or right in front of him, that was the plan. I definitely wanted a head start."
And they grew that head start along the frontage road of Interstate 70 on the relatively gradual climb to Georgetown where the daunting Hors Categorie climb of Guanella pass awaited them. Climbing over rough road conditions that deteriorated toward the top until it is only a dirt road (and a bad dirt road at that), Guanella pass tops out above tree line at 11,671 ft before descending 3,000 feet to Grant on a dirt road so rough many riders switch to mountain bikes in an effort to conserve energy and reduce mechanical failure and flat tires. Race rules only allow a bike to come from the rider's team vehicle within the race caravan so only the very front riders from each team can have this advantage as the team vehicles must have time to negotiate past the riders down the pass in order to be ready to switch bikes back when the race reaches the relief of pavement once again.
It is on the climb and descent of Guanella that the outcome of the race has taken shape every year since its inception. As the grade steepened Wherry began to drop his chase group companions while simultaneously blowing by the remnants of the break until only one rider remained with him, - Swindlehurst. This duo was preceded over the top of Guanella Pass by only two other riders, Jesus Zarate and Phil Zajicek, both of whom donned the same colours as Wherry. Close behind came last year's winner Jonathan Vaughters (Handle Bar and Grill) who lived up to his competitors fears by storming up the mountain at a ferocious pace.
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By the bottom of the descent into Grant things had shaken down to the three Mercury's (Zarate, Zajicek, Wherry), Vaughters and Swindlehurst who were soon joined by Costa Rican MTB standout Jose Adrian Bonilla, flying the same colours as Vaughters, and 2000 race winner Scott Moninger (Mercury). This group was content to ride tempo over the Cat 2 Kenosha Pass and across the windy high plains of central Colorado where the were joined by Soren Petersen (Saturn), Michael Creed (Prime Alliance) and former Jr. MTB World Champ Walker Ferguson (Tokyo Joe's).
Next up came Red Hill Pass. A tiny bump on the scale of the course elevation profile, but after 112 miles over 5 passes, two of which were dirt, it could still do some damage as Phil Zajicek and Soren Petersen came off the back. Petersen however managed to catch back on just in time to go with Wherry as he made his race winning move through the town of South Park, made famous by the cartoon of the same name.
So after 120 miles there stood only one climb between Chris Wherry and the finish line in Breckenridge. A cat 2 grunt to 11,547 ft. called Hoosier Pass and Wherry had some extra help. He thought about his father and dug deep. "It's totally a tribute to him. I asked him a thousand times on the last climb to help me, help me, and he was always there. It was the most amazing thing I ever felt. I love him and I wore his ring all day long. He was there. He wanted a better view of the race and I gave it to him."
Petersen and Wherry discussed things and Petersen knew he was spent, so Chris put his head down and pulled while Soren tried to hang on as long as he could. It didn't prove to be long at all as Petersen blew up spectacularly as the road steepened and had to watch Wherry shrink from view in front of him.
Behind, Swindlehurst went on the attack again to come over the top of Hoosier Pass with Moninger a minute down on Wherry and then out sprint Moninger to the line.
Post race quotes
Chris Wherry (Mercury) - race winner
on his win: "You can't say anything about it. It's like the most amazing thing in the entire world."
"I just wanted to ride today. I just wanted to have a good time. I wanted to get my family out and give them a good, you know some positive energy and the only way to cap off a day like that is to pull off the most amazing win of my career so far. I can't ask for any more."
On the race: "I had an extra set of legs today. Actually I had four extra sets with my teammates. The more guys you get over the top of Guanella Pass safely, the more you have riding to the finish. You always need numbers. This race the last two years is played out in numbers, and we had it today.
I had bad legs ever since the bottom of Guanella all the way through to... I just put in an attack in South Park and all the sudden I just had legs. I just never gave up. I just drove it and drove it and I was totally amazed that I got over the top of Hoosier Pass. When they said I had a minute going over the top I thought OK I've got a good chance. Keep the bike upright. At 5k to go I got the call that I was puttin' time on the next two guys and then I was like, overwhelmed.
I've been so tired the last three days just emotionally and physically. I don't know how I got the energy to finish today. Just to finish this race is the most amazing feat and to win it, I definitely had something extra.
On his father: "It was pretty quick. He came down with pneumonia two weeks ago and of course the last 72 hours things took an extreme turn for the worse. It was very quick. He had been battling leukaemia for the past three years and his immune system was just a little spent."
"It's totally a tribute to him. I asked him a thousand times on the last climb to help me, help me, and he was always there. It was the most amazing thing I ever felt. I love him and I wore his ring all day long. He was there. He wanted a better view of the race and I gave it to him."
On thinking about not competing today after his father passed away: "Only for about 2 seconds and then I knew he would have kicked my butt if I didn't do it."
Burke Swindlehurst (Navigators) - 2nd
With about 5k to go it was myself, Vaughters and Moninger and Vaughters was leading and I was behind Moninger and I noticed it looked kinda like he was maybe having trouble and he motioned me to get on Jonathan's wheel so I thought maybe he's having a hard time so I figured I'd just go for it and see what happened. I think obviously he was bluffing since he came back up to me. I thought I might make it over the top on my own but about a mile from the top my legs just cramped like crazy so luckily there was a long descent to loosen things up.
Photography
Images by Rob Karman/www.roadbikephotos.com
- Bonilla, Vaughers, and Wherry helped form the final selection
- The early breakaway takes shape
- The leaders tackle the Kenosha Pass
- Mike Carter (Handle Bar and Grill) escaped alone early, but later abandoned
- The peloton remained fairly large for such a selective event
- Riders of the Saturn Cycling Classic rarely get to enjoy the scenery
- The peloton cruises in the Saturn Cycling Classic
- Tinker Juarez (Handle Bar and Grill) descends the Guanella on his familiar mountain machine
- Chris Wherry (Mercury) climbs on the rough roads of the Guanella
- Chris Wherry (Mercury) switches to his mountain bike for the descent of the Guanella
- Chris Wherry's victory salute was particularly symbolic
- Jesus Zarate (Mercury) takes the mountain points on Red Hill Pass
- Jesus Zarate (Mercury) claimed the King of the Mountains prize
Images by Beth Seliga
- The racers head out of Boulder on Rt. 93.
- Mercury and Handlebar & Grill head up RT 93
- Mike Carter wins the Blackhawk Sprint!! However, since he did not finish the race, the prize money is awarded to Soren Petersen who arrived in Blackhawk 30 seconds behind Carter.
- Riders start the ascent up Guanella Pass
- Jonathon Vaughters (Team Handlebar and Grill) ascending Guanella Pass.
- The breakaway, including Chris Wherry (Mercury) and Burke Swindlehurst (Navigators) heads up Guanella Pass.
- Wherry (Mercury) reaches the top of Guanella Pass and prepares to switch to a mountain bike for the dangerous decent.
- Fans, some costumed, gather to cheer for the racers as they begin their decent
- Mercury riders, Wherry, Zarate, Zajicek and Moninger, at the bottom of Guanella Pass.
- "The Mercury riders - Wherry, Zarate and Zajicek - eased up, perhaps waiting for teammate Scott Moninger who wasn't too far behind." (From Cycling News live report)
- The Handlebar & Grill support vehicle had difficulty reaching Vaughters. It was some time after reaching the bottom of Guanella Pass before he could transition back to his road bike.
- Burke Swindlehurst is slightly off the front as Mercury regroups and Vaughters transitions to his road bike.
- A group of racers head up Kenosha Pass.
- Wherry (Mercury) and Petersen (Saturn) work together to maintain a lead of 1'30" as they head into Alma. Wherry will eventually pull away from Petersen as they head up Hoosier Pass.
- The sound of bells is deafening as Chris Wherry (Mercury) arrives in Breckenridge!!! He is only minutes from winning the 2002 Saturn Classic.
- Wherry is overwhelmed with emotion as he is surrounded by friends, fans and family shortly after winning the 2002 Saturn Classic.
- Moninger and Wherry celebrate Chris's win.
- Petersen (Saturn) is awarded the cash prize for the Blackhawk Sprint.
- Moninger, Swindlehurst and Wherry take the podium.
- Wherry waves to the crowd from the sunroof of his new 2003 Saturn Vue.
Images by Calvin Gauss
- Patrick Sullivan climbs alone up Guanella Pass
- Frank Overton suffering up the steeper pitches of the Guanella Pass
- Tom Danielson (Mercury) leads Patrick Sullivan and Frank Overton (Al's Barber Shop/Hind) and Mark Southard (Trek-VW) down Oh My God Road
Images by Jack Dempsey
- More than 5,000 people ringing cow-bells lined the streets of Breckenridge, Colorado
- Chris Wherry celebrates victory as he crosses the line
Results
1 Chris Wherry (USA) Mercury 7.09.28 2 Burke Swindelhurst (USA) Navigators 2.00 3 Scott Moninger (USA) Mercury 2.02 4 Soren Petersen (Den) Saturn 2.46 5 Walker Ferguson (USA) Tokyo Joe's 4.58 6 Jonathan Vaughters (USA) Handle Bar & Grill 4.57 7 Jesus Zarate (Mex) Mercury 6.49 8 Jose Adrian Bonilla (CRc) Handle Bar & Grill 8.41 9 Michael Creed (USA) Prime Alliance 10 Phil Zajicek (USA) Mercury 10.23 11 Andrew Miller (USA) Trek/VW-New Belgium 19.11 12 Tim Johnson (USA) Saturn 13 Marc Gullickson (USA) Tokyo Joe's 22.30 14 Todd Wells (USA) Tokyo Joe's 15 Tinker Juarez (USA) Handle Bar & Grill 24.42 16 Cameron Hughes (Aus) Schwab Cycles/Torelli 25.32 17 Mark Southard (USA) Trek/VW-New Belgium 29.51 18 Chris Baldwin (USA) Navigators 29.51 19 Andy Jaques-Mayer (USA) Siera Nevada 32.44 20 Andrew Bajadali (USA) Excel Sports 33.47
