There are two ways to win the Grand Junction Offroad; “be a natural born climber or have bigger balls than anybody else.” And that pretty aptly fits the course description of the Grand Junction Epic course. With the Albstadt World Cup taking many of the regular competitors and previous winners away from the 2nd round of the Epic Rides series race there was blood in the water and the sharks were circling!
Previous second place contender and American hero Howard Grotts would put the prior method for winning to the test. 130 lbs soaking wet Grotts would be pushing the pace on every uphill grade to try and sneak away from his competitors. With both 4 of the 5 women from the Whiskey Offroad podium racing in Germany a fresh row of females were also lined up looking for their paydays. Technicality and toughness would reign supreme as heat descended on the rocks of Grand Junction.
The trademark Epic Rides fat tire criteriums started the weekend off with a BANG as riders bounced off of each other and the ground vying for position and to make their mark on the weekend. The women’s crit saw notable absences of Erin Huck, Chloe Woodruff, Kate Courtney, and others away. Throwing down in the 30 minute format the field was immediately strung out and snaked along the 8 corner double diamond crit course. Riders would overwhelmingly choose their full suspension machines over the hardtails they had used at the Whiskey Offroad due to the rockier and more technical Lunch Loops and surrounding trails in Grand Junction. And so full suspensions with the minimum 1.5 rubber was a normal sight in the pits and warmup laps.
Women’s Criterium
NoTubes/Pivot riders Sofia Gomez Villafane was eager to take up the torch of her team lead Chloe Woodruff and would battle in the crit alongside Larissa Connors (RideBiker/Felt) and NoTubes’ Evelyn Dong. The three riders would hold the pace but eventually it was Veteran Katerina Nash who would surge to the front and match every acceleration before finally breaking free of the pack for a win at the El Yucateco Hotsauce Fat Tire criterium.
The lead women take off from downtown Grand Junction, Photo Kenny Wehn
Katerina Nash leads Liv’s Crystal Anthony into the finish; Kenny Wehnn
1st Katerina Nash (Clif), 2nd Crystal Anthony (LIV), 3rd Alexis Skarda (Cannondale/NoTubes), Amy Biesel (Orange Seal), Sofia Gomez-Villafane (Pivot)
Men’s Criterium
The Men’s field saw the unusual presence of Howard Grotts but contender Keegan Swenson away. Many other professional men joined the fray as the Epic Rides series steered towards Colorado. Adding to the firepower was Cyclocross National Champion Stephen Hyde (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) racer aboard the Scalpel SI and newly released Lefty Ocho single crown fork. The men’s race would be haunted by crashes in nearly every corner throughout the night. Making creative line choice as crucial as an open throttle. As the watt bombs dropped on Grand Junction it was clear that Hyde had the accelerations to spare and was the rider to match. Always wily and ever present Geoff Kabush (Yeti proved nearly proved that two fork legs are as good as one taking Hyde to the line in a sprint.
Filling out the lineup was Howard Grotts (Specialized), CZ Racing’s Fernando Riveros Paez, and Texan Tristan Uhl (Giant Co-Factory). If the ever thrashing and crashing of the men’s crit was any indication of the drama that would unfold during the Epic Backcountry race then there would be blood!
Sharks, every one of them- Photo Kenny Wehn
Howard Grotts (Specialized) always in the fray- K Wehn
Professional Cyclocross racer Stephen Hyde takes Geoff Kabush in the sprint as the remaining riders hunt for scraps- K Wehn
Cross is Boss? Not during the back country it isnt! -Kenny Wehn
Mens Back Country “Epic”
With a day’s rest between the criterium and the back country Epic across the famed Lunch Loops, Butterknife, and Gunny trails riders were once again sharp and ready to face off on the start line. Smaller fields in the Mens and Womens fields than at the Whiskey offroad meant closer racing for riders. A more casual lead out of Grand Junction before riders were greeted quickly by the high desert heat. Many riders opted for Camelbak hydration systems like the highly praised Chase bike vest to combat the heat and desert climate. The rollout was largely safe but once across the Colorado River things got serious. The Tabeguache trail saw the first shots fired with Grotts eventually riding away from the group leaving solo chase efforts of Kabush (Yeti), Russel Finsterwald (Clif), Fernando Paez (CZ Racing), and ex Cannondale teammates Alex Grant (Cannondale-Enve Composites) and Jeremiah Bishop (Topeak-Ergon). Each rider would come into the finish line a handful of moments after the other but Grotts matched near his record time from 2017 for an Epic win on the gutsy course.
Grotts leading the group- K Wehn
After the break, Kabush and Paez chase Grotts- K Wehn
Russel Finsterwald and Fernando Riveras Paez chasing- K Wehn
Bishop and Grant working together again after years on different teams- K Wehn
“Anybody seen a Giant Bank for these Giant Checks?” – Photo Kenny Wehn
Women’s Back Country Epic
It was a one-woman show as Clif Bar’s Katerina Nash defended her Grand Junction title; showing all challengers that she was on top of her game. Diving and climbing as well as ever to lead early into the desert. The chase group however was no meager group. Recently crowned Marathon national champion Amy Biesel (Orange-Seal) joined forces with Evelyn Dong (Spry cycles/ NoTubes), and a hungry Sofia Gomez Villafane (Stan’s/ Pivot) to put in a series of incredible efforts before Dong blew the group apart in the later stage of the singletrack.
Katerina Nash attacks early to run her race from the front. Her singletrack and climbing skills combined for a double of the weekends events- K Wehn
Chase Group rolls through the high desert trails in search of Nash- K Wehn
Nash finishing in downtown Grand Junction- K Wehn
1st Katerina Nash (Clif Bar), 2nd Evelyn Dong (Spry Cycles, Notubes), 3rd Crystal Anthony (LIV), 4th Amy Biesel (Orange Seal), 5th Alexis Skarda (Cannondale Kenda)
Wrapup
Nash’s double in the criterium and back country Epic put her on all riders radar. Grotts’ overall placing and consistent performance at both the Whiskey Offroad and now the Grand Junction Offroad make him a force to be reckoned with. As the Epic Rides series moves to Carson City NV for a dose of lights and magic the series moves past the half way mark. Its anyone’s ballgame with a few favorites to pick from.
Final Results:
El Yucateco Fat Tire Criterium Winners:
Mens: #37 – Stephen Hyde
Cannondale P/B
Cyclocrossworld.com ,
Cannondale Bicycles, Julbo Eyewear
Womens: #31 – Kateřina Nash
Clif Pro Team
Back Country Epic:
Mens:
1st Place#1 -Howard Grotts – 03:11:16
Specialized Racing2nd Place
#3 – Russell Finsterwald – 03:13:54
Team CLIF, Groove Subaru,
ODI Grips, Union Sport
3rd Place
#6 – Fernando Riveros – 03:15:57
CZ Racing
4th Place
#7 – Alex Grant – 03:16:30
Cannondale, ENVE Composites,
Gear Rush
5th Place
#81 – Jeremiah Bishop – 03:16:41
Canyon Topeak Factory Racing
Womens:
1st Place#31 – Kateřina Nash – 03:56:20
Clif Pro Team2nd Place
#3 – Evelyn Dong – 03:57:39
Spry Cycles, Stan’s NoTubes, POC, Maxxis
Tires, SR Suntour, Carbo Rocket
3rd Place
#5 – Crystal Anthony – 04:01:58
LIV Cycling, Maxxis Tires, Shimano, Parlee,
Smith
4th Place
#4 – Amy Beisel – 04:01:59
Orange Seal, Kenda, Voler
5th Place
#30 – Alexis Skarda – 04:05:12
Stan’s-Kenda Women’s Elite Team