As we move into the heart of summer, rides are longer and temperatures are higher. With drop bar gravel riding as one of the fastest growing categories of cycling, comfort on long mixed terrain rides becomes a concern, unlike an hour long cyclocross race. Paramount to that comfort in the saddle (considering you have a saddle that fits and is properly adjusted) is the short liner pad and the fit of the shorts.

In recent months, we have had four top-end bib shorts from prominent cycling clothing companies under review. We evaluated shorts from these companies because they have historically introduced new technologies to cycling shorts that others have copied.

The innovations start at the high end with input from sponsored racers, and that technology trickles down to the other products in their lines. The companies sent bib shorts, the most popular style among enthusiasts since the design offers more comfort by removing pressure around the waist.

The shorts are: Assos XC Bib Shorts, Castelli Premio 2, Rapha Classic Bib Shorts II and SQ Lab One12 Racing Bib Shorts.

Getting a pair of bibs with the proper fit is essential. For reference, all shorts were size M. I am an off-the-shelf medium, size 38, European 3, 5’10”, 31-inch waist, 155 pounds. Each pair was ridden several times on different saddles. Washing the shorts over the evaluation period in a top load washer according to instructions gave me an idea whether the characteristics change with a wash.

One true test of short padding was my road tandem test. We have a tendency to stand less when on the tandem, often choosing to spin up in the saddle. That places significantly more time actually sitting in the saddle, leading to discomfort of many types.

To read about each of the four bib shorts, scroll through using the next button.

Assos XC Bib Shorts

Assos of Switzerland has the claim to fame of producing the first lycra cycling shorts in the late 1970s. Since then, Assos has had a reputation of being at the highest end for innovation, fit and finish. Assos started to produce mountain bike specific clothing in 2014 and most recently sponsored the BMC MTB Racing Team to aid the further development of off-road specific product.

The Assos XC bibshorts are unique, with a tear and abrasion resistant fabric Assos calls dynaRope. The textile has a stiff hand with four-way stretch and a rip-stop weave and texture. The rest of the shorts have a lycra construction with a low front panel—lower than other examples in this review.

The Assos shorts are made with a tear-proof fabric the company calls dynaRope. Assos XC Bib Shorts. © C. Lee / Cyclocross Magazine

The suspenders are rather simple 4.5cm-wide elastic straps mounted out towards your hip bones, further than the other shorts in this review. There is no mesh back panel, rather the elastic suspenders simply cross in the middle of your back, like farmer’s suspenders. The inseam is 28cm, but there is no actual inseam—Assos designed a seamless inner thigh panel. The leg opening has a wide elastic band with a mildly rubbery inner texture.

The straps criss cross in the back. Assos XC Bib Shorts. © C. Lee / Cyclocross Magazine

Assos designed a mountain bike specific pad considering performance. Off-road riders sit more upright than most performance road riders. The pad is 11mm thick, including a perforated foam lined surface fabric laminated to a thicker pad that Assos says is a type of memory foam.

There are actually two separate thick pads offering a groove in the center. Uniquely, the pad is only attached to the shorts along the front and back of the pad—the rest “floats” free. The purpose of this is to reduce friction to allow the pad with its elastic interface to stay with the rider as the shorts move.

The Assos Trail Pad is attached at the front and back ends, creating a “floating” liner of sorts. Assos XC Bib Shorts. © C. Lee / Cyclocross Magazine

The Assos XC Bib Shorts have a snug “European medium” fit that is not quite as snug as the Castelli Premio 2 but similar. Again, if you tend to the larger side of medium or like a less tight fit, size up one.

They don’t feel quite as seamless as the Castelli Premio 2 since the pad shape makes it bulkier despite being thinner, and the dynaRope side panels are stiffer and textured. The side panels are good in theory to prevent an abrasive tear should you crash or graze a tree or rock (ouch).

The fabric’s stiffness is noticeable and bothersome initially; it binds at the hip flexion point and feels scratchy. I quickly became accustomed to the odd feel and mostly did not notice over the long term. Certainly the BMC MTB Racing Team would ask for alterations if it was a universal problem.

The widely spaced suspenders with the simple criss-cross suspenders are remarkably comfortable. The wide positioning means the straps avoid running over your nipples. This, along with the low cut front makes your front torso feel more open or free.

The pad that Assos says is memory foam does not have the feel of a Posturpedic mattress, and I am not convinced it had any memory at all. Regardless the pad is quite comfortable and fared well against pressure and friction ills on long rides in the saddle.

Price: $239 USD
More Info: assos.com

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After a successful first run in 2018, the “Cross the Mitten” Michigan Coast to Coast Gravel Grinder returned with 210-mile gravel grind from the east coast to the west coast. It was not quite the Race Across America from ocean to ocean, but it did traverse the Mitten State from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan in one day.

Last year the event took place in May and served as a DK200 warm-up for some. This year, organizers moved the event to the weekend of the summer solstice to help give riders the maximum amount possible daylight to make the trip from Au Gres to Ludington.

Inspiration for the Coast to Coast race came from a now-defunct Coast to Coast adventure race that crossed the state on bikes, foot (orienteering) and canoe many years ago. Race promoter Mark VanTongeren of the Grand Rapids area decided to bring the trans-Michigan race back as a gravel grinder to capitalize on the sport’s growing popularity.

The Coast to Coast route crosses the Mitten State from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. photo: RideWithGPS

Helping VanTongeren with the route was Michigan native and Mr. Michigan Gravel Matt Acker. The route was primarily gravel, with Acker finding forest roads, snowmobile tracks and doubletrack to help keep things off-road and fun during the 210-mile trek.

Race Results

Amanda Nauman (SDG – Muscle Monster) returned to defend her title and seek a bit of redemption for a tough go at the Dirty Kanza 200. It was mission accomplished for the Panda, as she won the Women’s race and finished sixth overall.

Kae Takeshita (Panaracer / Factor p/b Bicycle X-Change) followed up her fourth-place finish in the DK200 with a second at the Coast to Coast race. Lois Smith (Egencia) took third, Angela Graziosi (Trailer Park Racing) fourth and Elise Coon (Broken Spoke) fifth.

In the Men’s race, Adam Hill (AWI Racing) was the fastest across the mitten. Scott Meyers (Sea Sports Cyclery and Outdoors) finished second and Nicholas Stanko third. Brandon Baker (Monster Hydro / SDG) and John Whipple rounded out the wide-angle podium.

The co-ed relay team of Misty and Mark (154 Thousand Revolutions to the Coast) took top honors in the co-ed relay category.

Full results for the 210-mile race are below. Results for the 100-mile distance are also available online.

Featured image: Michigan Adventure Racing

Women's Results: 2019 Michigan Coast to Coast

Men's Results: 2019 Michigan Coast to Coast

Coed Relay Results: 2019 Michigan Coast to Coast

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[caption id="attachment_136697" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Don’t get too close to the edge of some of these roads. 2019 Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder. © Adam Lapierre[/caption]

The event started and finished in the town of Sisters, located west of Bend, and used gravel roads, doubletrack and even historic wagon roads to wind its way counterclockwise into the Cascades.

The event offered the best in off-road riding that area has to offer. Day 1 was highlighted by “The Sandbox,” which was a deep, sandy section of an old wagon road. Stage 3 was the climby Queen Stage, and Stages 4 and 5 were a bit of a slog thanks to thick and dusty conditions.

[caption id="attachment_136685" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Day 4’s route kicked up quite a bit of dust. 2019 Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder. © Adam Lapierre[/caption]

We recently posted results from each stage and the five-day GC, but the best way to experience the beauty of west-central Oregon is to soak in the views. Adam Lapierre provided the gallery of images below from across the five days of gravel racing, camping and revelry.

You can see more from Adam on Instagram at @the_lapierre.

Photo Gallery: 2019 Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder

Riders wind through the pines on Day 1. 2019 Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder. © Adam Lapierre

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Ever wondered what it would look like if a professional cyclist put on a bike race? Well, Utah’s annual Crusher in the Tushar gravel race is one example of what might transpire.

First held in 2011, the Crusher in the Tushar was founded by former road professional Burke Swindlehurst because hey, putting on a bike race is way more fun than getting a real post-retirement job.

“I had this idea of an event for years, and when I quit racing professionally in 2010, I was like, ‘Now what? What am I going to do?’ I decided I would put on that race I’ve always dreamed about and see what happens,” Swindlehurst recalled.

Former road pro Burke Swindlehurst is the driving force behind the Crusher in the Tushar. © Cathy Fegan-Kim

Obviously, since we are here writing about the Crusher, Swindlehurst’s post-retirement dream was one that came true.

But to say the event has been a success is a bit of an understatement. The first Crusher drew 130 riders, and since then, every single edition has sold out. On Saturday, the 2019 field of 600 riders descends on Beaver, Utah for the chance to crush gravel and maybe a bit of themselves in the Tushar Mountains.

The route those riders take will be one the event found and race director knows well. If they’re lucky, it will have the same good vibes for them, it did for Swindlehurst.

“The idea came from a ride I did way back in like 1996 when I was preparing for the Tour of the Gila,” Swindlehurst said. “I wanted to get in some big climbs with a lot of elevation change at high altitude, but I was living in Northern Utah going to school in Logan. That area didn’t have the really big climbs I wanted, so I took a trip down to Beaver where I grew up, and since I knew all the roads there, I basically came up with the route that is the Crusher loop we use today.”

There was something special about the Crusher loop. Swindlehurst went on to win that edition of the Tour of the Gila, a result that helped open doors for him in the sport.

What was once a training route became the Crusher in the Tushar. 2018 Crusher in the Tushar. © Cathy Fegan-Kim

Another race, the three-day Boulder-to-Breckenridge stage race, helped keep the idea of a mixed-terrain race alive in Swindlehurst’s head. That race featured segments on mountain pass dirt roads and even allowed riders to switch to a mountain bike for the gnarliest spots.

When it came time to start the Crusher, the vision of what it would be had taken its mature shape.

“My thinking when I was dreaming up the Crusher was I liked the format of mixing pavement and dirt, but I think the bike change thing was not that attractive,” Swindlehurst said. “I figured I would do a race that covers the same kind of terrain, but you have to be on one bike the whole time.”

Evolution of the Crusher

While we have seen examples of big-time gravel races changing it up this year, the Crusher has kept its route largely the same over the years. This Saturday, the race starts in Beaver as it always has before heading up and over the Tushar Mountains before climbing up to the mountain-top finish at the Eagle Point Resort.

The highlight of the race is the famed Col d’ Crush, which is the second dirt road climb up to the Eagle Point Resort. The Col d’ Crush KOM is located at Mile 56, and unfortunately for riders, there is still another good 1,000 feet of climbing to go after the KOM before they reach the finish.

The route starts at 6,000 feet and finishes above 10,000 feet of elevation, all the while packing over 10,000 total feet of climbing into the race’s 69 miles. Wondering how hard the Crusher is? Both Josh Berry and Alison Tetrick picked it as the most challenging gravel race they have ever done in our Gravel Superlatives Ask the Pros.

In a gravel world where the roads less traveled are constantly changing, Swindlehurst is sanguine about the decision to keep the Crusher route the same.

“Let’s be honest, of the 600 people we have registered, maybe 10% of those people have legitimate aspirations of getting a podium placing,” he said. “The rest of the people are out there testing themselves. When you have the same course, it allows people to compare their performances to each other from year to year. They might say, my goal is to take 5 minutes off my time this year.”

He continued, “I think that’s one of the draws for people. From year to year, they can take a different approach to their training or their nutrition or whatever it happens to be and see how that pans out on the road.”

With the route the same each year, riders can push themselves and take on what Mother Nature has to dish out. 2018 Crusher in the Tushar. © Cathy Fegan-Kim

In professional road racing, things are done a certain way, and one could likely forgive the pro-turned-race-director if he insisted that things need to be done a certain way. However, for Swindlehurst, that is really not the case.

“Another thing I really enjoy about the race is instead me trying to curate the race and the experience, I think it’s fun to just let the participants be the ones who decide what the experience is going to be like and let it evolve that way,” he said.

One aspect of the organic nature of the Crusher experience Swindlehurst pointed to was the “Crushstache” contest that takes place during each race. “A number of guys early on in the race were talking about growing the best Crushstache, so now we have guys who grow these ridiculous mustaches, and we usually have prizes for the best ones,” he said with a smile.

Crushstache time is upon us #crushstache2019 pic.twitter.com/yFJgtDjQ0P

— The Crusher (@tusharcrusher) June 27, 2019

While the Crusher route has remained largely unchanged throughout the race history, bike choices among the participants have marked the continuing evolution of the gravel discipline.

When Swindlehurst first did his training in the Tushar Mountains in 1996, he did it the old-school way. “The first time I rode it in 1996, I was on a road bike with 23c tires and a 39-tooth chain ring and a 25t cog in the back. Obviously not the right equipment for the course,” he laughed.

By the time the first Crusher took place in 2011, a lot had changed on the mixed-terrain bike scene. Disc brakes were slowly making their way to drop bar bikes and early tubeless technology was also becoming a thing. Bike choice was such a thing at that first event, the race has a “Which Bike?” section to help you choose between mountain bike and cyclocross bike.

Dedicated gravel bikes have obviously flattened out the bike choice decision, but with a sentiment likely shared by many OG Tushar crushers, Swindlehurst looks back fondly on those early days.

“There were a number of what I call ‘Frankenbikes,'” he said. “People who had just kind of pieced together bits and pieces of a mountain bike and ’cross bike or whatever. People were riding 29-inch wheels with drop bars and that kind of thing. Looking back, those first few years were a super fun time because everything was so fun and exciting.”

The Crusher has a “Wild West” approach to bike requirements. 2017 Crusher in the Tushar © C. Fegan-Kim

What Works

When Swindlehurst started the Crusher in the Tushar, he was just a former pro road racer with a dream of putting on a cool bike race. Although the race’s success seems kind of inevitable in retrospect—beautiful, challenging course, participant-focused vibe, discipline of cycling on the verge of explosive growth—there was no guarantee of that in 2011.

“If I could look into a crystal ball and see what not just this race has become, but what has happened in gravel in such a short amount of time, I wouldn’t have believed it. It’s still kind of hard to believe what’s going on,” Swindlehurst.

Coming from a racing background where winning is everything, there is no doubt the experience of watching all the finishers at the first Crusher make it to the mountain-top finish helped shaped his understanding of what the event could be.

“I cried when I saw the very last person come across the finish line [in 2011],” Swindlehurst remembered. “That brought tears to my eyes because the guy was out on the course for 9 hours. It was a long day, and I’m sure he had to walk up some hills. I’m pretty sure he was on a fat bike. I kind of heard about his back story dealing with some health issues, and the Crusher was how he was motivating himself to hang onto his health. When he crossed the line, I kind of lost it.”

The experiences of all riders are important to the event’s success. 2018 Crusher in the Tushar. © Cathy Fegan-Kim

Like every gravel race, the experience of every participant at the Crusher is important to the event’s success. However, there is at least one way Swindlehurst lets his professional experience shine through.

Since its inception, the Crusher has offered payouts to the top Open Women and Open Men finishers. The payouts are equal, with a top prize of $1,000 going to the top finishers for each gender. There are also $250 prizes for the first to the Col d’ Crush KOM line.

“Having been a racer myself, when you go to events, I know you’re usually just scraping by, so any bit of cash you can get helps,” Swindlehurst said. “I kind of wanted to pay it forward to this generation of rider, because I know it helped me a lot when I was racing.”

2018 winners Lauren De Crescenzo and Zach Calton took home nice checks. 2018 Crusher in the Tushar. © Cathy Fegan-Kim

Although the event downplays the payouts, the combination of the prize and the challenge has drawn increasingly impressive fields for the event. Last year, however, there were two registrants who turned Swindlehurst into a bit of a fanboy.

“The very last transfer to come in last year was from Ned Overend, and I like lost it,” he said. “I called my wife and was like, ‘You’ll never guess what happened!’ She was concerned and said, ‘Oh no, what happened?’ ‘Ned Overend just bought the last entry!’ It was like the coolest thing ever to have Ned show up.”

“Then we had Rebecca Rusch last year too. I have a photo of those two at the finish line, and that’s definitely one of my proudest moments as an event promoter to have two legends like them come race and see smiles on their faces. That’s what keeps you going.”

Thus far, this story has focused quite a bit on Swindlehurst and his shepherding of the Crusher in the Tushar into Year 9. That is because by-and-large, Swindlehurst is the impetus behind much of what happens with the event. He gets some help from his wife and a small group of volunteers, but at the end of the day, he is course designer, race director, press secretary and sponsor relations director, all wrapped into one.

So how has he made it work so well for so long? The event’s success has totally taken me by surprise,” he initially responded.

After a few seconds, he offered this, “I basically jumped into this thing with both feet not really knowing what I was doing. I think that maybe I didn’t have an education in events might have played a role in our success. I’ve relied on my gut instincts on a lot of things like course design, looking at it from a racer’s perspective. Taking it from the ground up instead of like a race operations person who doesn’t have as much experience riding bikes.”

Whatever it is about the director and the race, together, it all works. On Saturday, the Tushar Mountains will be calling for riders to challenge themselves, enjoy a beautiful route and probably get crushed just a little bit in the process.

Featured image: Cathy Fegan-Kim

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On Saturday, the world of groad racing re-centers itself again, this time focusing on the remote Tushar Mountains of western Utah.

Located about midway between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, the 9th-annual Crusher in the Tushar—you can read out race preview—provides a challenge the combines technical descending with climbing at elevation to create one of the toughest gravel races out there.

How tough? In our Gravel Superlatives Ask the Pros, the Crusher was selected by more than one rider as their choice for hardest race out there.

“Crusher in the Tushar,” Josh Berry said “It’s the shortest one too. But the climb just keeps coming and coming, It will rain, it will be hot, it will be windy, and that is just on the first climb. I did well once, that might be all I have.”

This year’s 69-mile race will feature the same course set in the clouds that packs in over 10,000 feet of climbing in the Tushar Mountains. It will not be any easier than any previous year.

Signs point to the Crusher being just as hard as it always is. 2018 Crusher in the Tushar. © Cathy Fegan-Kim

Adding to the difficulty of the course will the quality of the fields. Like the Land Run 100 and Dirty Kanza 200, the fields for the Crusher have only gotten stronger over the years.

Our latest gravel preview takes a look at some riders to watch this Saturday in the Tushars. Riders are in no particular order, but perhaps with a bias toward recent performances at big races and past Crusher results.

As always, this preview is likely incomplete, and any riders who feel omitted are more than welcome to use it as locker room bulletin board material.

Race History

The 2019 Crusher will be the 9th edition of what has become an annual race. As we wrote in our preview, that first edition had 130 riders and since then, space in the field has been at a premium, as it has sold out for 8-straight years.

The defending champions are Lauren De Crescenzo for the Women and Zach Calton for the Men. Unfotunately, De Crescenzo will be unable to defend her title after suffering a broken collarbone at the Dirty Kanza 200. Calton will return looking for win number two.

Crusher in the Tushar Winners: 2011 to 2018

A quick look at the event’s past winners shows that everyone at the race will be chasing three-time champion Rob Squire. Squire won 3-straight from 2015 to 2017 and sits in front of Gretchen Reeves, Levi Leipheimer and Tyler Wren, all of whom have won the race twice.

Interestingly, according to my (perhaps flawed) notes there will be no defending female champions in this year’s field.

Special Eternal Second, Crusher-Edition mention goes to Jamey Driscoll, who finished 2nd in 2018, 2015 and 2014 and took 4th twice.

Open Women

With the defending champion out due to injury and no past Open Women winner on the start list, a new Crusher Queen will be crowned at the Eagle Point Resort on Sunday.

One interesting aspect of the Crusher for the Open Women is they get a dedicated start time. Most gravel events are mass start, with women and men starting together. As opposed to a race like the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder where Rebecca Fahringer was able to run away with the win by sticking with the men up the climbs, the women will be racing each other when they hit the first climb about 10 miles into the race.

Heading up the 2019 start list is the reigning Queen of Kanza Amity Rockwell (Easton Overland Gravel Team). Rockwell put a tough 2018 DK200 behind her and bounced back to win the 2019 edition with a steady, consistent ride. Hailing from the Bay Area, Rockwell is most at home when there is climbing and descending to be done, and she seems well-situated to improve on her 4th-place finish at the 2018 Crusher.

Amity Rockwell after her DK200 win. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

One of this year’s breakout groad stars has been Oregon’s Sarah Max (Argonaut – ENVE) Max first put her name on the map with a silver at May’s Belgian Waffle Ride, and then she followed it up with a third at the DK200 and a third at the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder. Max has shown she can be successful at gravel events of all shapes and sizes, so she seems poised to handle the unique challenges of the Crusher.

Sarah Max started strong at the DK200 and overcame flats to finish 3rd. 2019 Women’s Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Back when we previewed the Land Run 100, we identified Lauren Stephens (Team TIBCO / Silicon Valley Bank) as a rider to watch. Stephens then got called up by her Team TIBCO / Silicon Valley Bank team to race in Europe, so the call-out was for naught.

Stephens finished 2nd overall in the Dirty Kanza 100, bested only by a gone-from-the-gun Ashton Lambie. I still have faith in Stephens’ gravel potential, so she gets a shout-out. Hopefully I will not be jilted once again.

While Kae Takeshita (Panaracer / Factor p/b Bicycle X-Change) has done literally every big gravel race out there, one she has not competed in yet is the Crusher. That changes on Saturday. After her 4th-place finish in the Dirty Kanza 200, Takeshita headed to Michigan and finished 2nd while riding across the mitten. Although neither of those races a Crusher make, Takeshita brings extensive experience with her to take on the challenges of the Crusher in the Tushar.

Kae Takeshita and her husband Dan take the van to Utah for the Crusher this week. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

One of the top returning Crusher vets is Karen Jarchow (Topeak – Ergon) of Colorado. Jarchow took second behind De Crescenzo at last year’s Crusher and finished second at the 2018 Rebecca’s Private Idaho. If one wants to argue that the unique nature of the Crusher makes it difficult to find a comp, then Jarchow could be considered the top favorite heading into this year’s race.

Karen Jarchow returns looking to improve on her 2018 Crusher silver. © Cathy Fegan-Kim

Gravel cyling has been known to deal riders a heap of crap to deal with, and someone who has definitely dealt with a lot recently is Amy Charity (DNA Pro Cycling). After a strong start to the groad season where she finished third at the Land Run 100, Charity suffered a torn ACL about a month before the Dirty Kanza 200. A consummate competitor, Charity did the DK200 but suffered upwards of 8 flats that derailed her strong start to the race.

Charity is back hoping to turn things around in the Tushars and take some good vibes with her into August and her own Steamboat Gravel race she is helping promote about a month from now.

Amy Charity is hoping the Crusher is all smiles, at least at the end. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Another rider with extensive Crusher experience is Mindy Caruso (Nero Veloce). Caruso finished on 3-straight podiums from 2014 to 2016, coming in as high as 2nd in 2015. She raced in 2017 before taking 2018 off, so she is likely to return to Beaver experienced but hungry to take a shot at that top podium step.

Injuries have forced the DNA Pro Cycling team to find a new gravel for its gravel roster after injuries to team riders. When Charity hurt her knee, Hanna Muegge (DNA Pro Cycling) stepped in to race the Belgian Waffle Ride for her and responded with a fourth-place finish. This weekend, Muegge is filling in for the injured De Crescenzo. Her teammate won last year in her first-ever gravel race, so do not be surprised if lightning strikes twice for the DNA Cycling team again this year.

Hanna Muegge enjoyed her experience at the BWR. 2019 Belgian Waffle Ride Spring Classic. © BWR Photo Pool

Last year, it was a mountain biker in Men’s winner Zach Calton who helped steal the show at the Crusher. This year, Evelyn Dong (Spry Cycles / Stan’s NoTubes) is one of the riders looking to step into that role. Dong won the 2018 Missoula UCI XC race and has finished on the podium at U.S. XC Nationals.

Scotti Lechuga (Fearless Femme Racing) is a former road pro with the Hagens Berman Supermint team who is currently putting in her time on the Fearless Femme crit team. A mother of twins when she is not racing, Lechuga is a rider to watch in one of her first tries at the groad discipline.

Rounding out our women’s watch list is Turner Ramsay (Alpha Bicycle / Groove Subaru). Usually the busiest during cyclocross season, Ramsay has been racing some gravel this summer and will be making the trip over from Colorado for the Crusher.

Turner Ramsay is among the many cyclocrossers racing the Crusher. 2018 Pan-American Cyclocross Championships, Midland, Ontario. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Open Men

Any discussion of the Open Men’s race at the Crusher starts with three-time winner Rob Squire (Hangar 15 Bicycles). Squire won the race from 2015 to 2017 before having an off year in 2018 where he finished 10th. The Crusher is an annual tradition for the Utah native, and there is no question he will be looking to bounce back and get his fourth title at the race.

Rob Squire took the KOM after an impressive ride up the Col d’Crush. 2017 Crusher in the Tushar © C. See

The returning champion is fellow Utahan Zach Calton. We learned last year that Calton is a product of the NICA program for Junior mountain bikers, and this year he has been racing the UCI XCO scene. He also finished fifth at Elite Marathon Mountain Bike Nationals earlier this year. He has a few more Crusher titles to go to reach Squire’s level, but number 2 in 2018 would not hurt his effort in getting there.

Zach Calton wins the 2018 Crusher in the Tushar. © Steven L. Sheffield

Joining the Utahhan parade is the abovementioned Jamey Driscoll (DNA Cycling / Mavic). Driscoll has had a lot of success at the Crusher, finished second three times and fourth twice. Last month, he finished eighth against the tough Lost and Found Gravel Grinder field, which might be somewhat of an appropriate comp for the Crusher. As a totally biased cyclocross person, I would be totally okay doing a winner’s interview with Driscoll. I think he deserves it.

Jamey Driscoll raced the DK200 in 2018, Lost and Found in 2019. 2018 Dirty Kanza 200. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Joining the parade of Utahans is Alex Grant. Grant took third in last year’s Crusher. He is also the defending Utah State Cyclocross Champion, which has to count for something extra, right?

The last two times we saw Alex Howes (EF Education First), he was finishing on the podium at the Dirty Kanza 200 and then winning his first-career U.S. Road National Championship in dramatic fashion in Knoxville. Howes has shown he has adapted quite well to the “alternative racing” thing—groad, if you will—so he heads to Beaver as a definite podium hopeful.

The big question is if he will be able to wear his new hard-earned Stars-and-Stripes jersey. Do you get to wear the road jersey at a groad race?

Alex Howes (right, obviously) had a strong DK200, finishing third.. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Speaking of National Champs, 2019 Crit National Champion Travis McCabe (Floyd’s Pro Cycling) will be trying his hand at the Crusher. McCabe has a long history of success, including wins at the Tour of California and Tour of Utah, and he is definitely a guy you do not want to be with after the climb up the Col d’ Crush.

Still speaking of National Champs, 2019 U23 Road National Champion Lance Haidet (Aevolo Cycling) returns to the groad after his top 20 at the Dirty Kanza 200. Haidet had a June to Remember, and the Crusher provides him a chance to continue his summer of success into July.

Lance Haidet and his flow are headed to the Crusher. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

One of the new names on the groad scene for the men is that of Eddie Anderson (Hagens Berman Axeon). Anderson was the animator at the front of the Belgian Waffle Ride, putting Peter Stetina and Ted King in a bad way before ultimately finishing second. Anderson heads to Utha looking to show that BWR ride was no fluke.

McCabe’s teammate Noah Granigan (Floyd’s Pro Cycling) is another rider who had a strong ride at the granddaddy of all gravel races. Granigan finished 9th in the DK200, and he is a defending National Champion as well after winning the Individual Pursuit at the 2018 Collegiate Track Nats.

The Panaracer / Factor p/b Bicycle X-Change team is known for putting the grinder in gravel grinder and using their aero bars to power over gravel roads. It’s no aero bars allowed at the Crusher, but the team will be out in full force on Saturday. John Borstelman (11th at DK200), Michael Sencenbaugh (12th at DK200), Mat Stephens (15th at DK200), Rob Bell and Scott Moninger will be representing the gravel-dedicated team.

Mat Stephens helps lead the Panaracer team to the Crusher. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Colorado cyclocross will also be well-repped in the Men’s field. Gage Hecht (Aevolo Cycling), Brannan Fix (Alpha Bicycle – Groove Subaru) and Ross Ellwood (Alpha Bicycle – Groove Subaru) are all hoping to experience ’crossover success. Hecht mixed it up with the Elites at Pro Road Nationals, but he has some unfinished business on the groad scene after not finishing the Dirty Kanza 200 at the beginning of June.

Gage Hecht has some unfinished business at the Crusher after pulling the plug at the DK200. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

TJ Eisenhart (Arapahoe – Hincapie Racing) is another Utahan hoping to make a Crusher splash in his home state. Eisenhart brings impressive road palmares to the race, including a GC win at the 2017 Redlands Classic and top 10 GC finishes at Tour of Utah, the Colorado Classic and Tour of the Gila.

Neil Shirley (ENVE Composites) is another home-state hero who also has years of gravel experience. Shirley has won the Belgian Waffle Ride, Gravel Worlds and Rock Cobbler, and he has finished as high as second as second at the Crusher.

Neil Shirley is a long-time gravel vet. 2017 Dirty Kanza gravel race. © Ian Matteson / ENVE

Eric Marcotte is a former road pro who won 2014 Pro Road Nationals and 2015 Crit Nationals. Marcotte was in small group chasing Colin Strickland at Mile 120 of the Dirty Kanza 200 before dropping out. Sounds like another rider headed to the Crusher with something to prove on the groad.

Rounding out our watch list are two cyclocrossers in Allen Krughoff (Chocolove) and Tyler Cloutier (TCCX).

The 2019 Crusher in the Tushar takes place on Saturday. Start lists for the Open fields are below. Check back this weekend for results.

Featured image: Cathy Fegan-Kim

Open Women Start List: 2019 Crusher in the Tushar

Open Men Start List: 2019 Crusher in the Tushar

The post Gravel Grinders to Watch at the 2019 Crusher in the Tushar appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

In 2018 at Dirty Kanza, we saw none other than Sven Nys unveil prototype Bontrager gravel tires after starting on Challenge Gravel Grinders and suffering multiple flat tires.

That prototype tire, the Bontrager GR1 TLR Team Issue, is now available, and we’re rolling on a set. Today, we take a first look at both the 35mm and 40mm versions. Could the GR1 be the right choice for your next gravel adventure or perfect tire for your next dry conditions cyclocross race?

The GR1 is a blunt point file tread tire, with three different knob shapes. There’s a row of arrow-shaped center knobs, three rows of six-sided parallelogram-type knobs on each side, and a slightly larger, better-supported side knob of similar shape.

Bontrager’s new GR1 TLR Team Issue 700 x 40mm gravel tire features small, tightly-spaced blunt edge knobs. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

The small, tightly spaced, squared-off knobs offer a similar knob height and size as the excellent Panaracer Gravel King SK, with a bit more of a directional suggestion and tighter density. Compared to the pointed knobs of the lightweight Challenge Gravel Grinder TLR, the Bontrager GR1 should be longer-wearing, and similar to a Gravel King SK. Knob heights measure just over 1mm tall.

The tire comes in two widths, and two colors. There’s a 40mm wide version, and a 35mm version. Trek’s website lists the 40mm as available in black and brown sidewalls, while the 35mm version is only available in black. Lucky us, we also landed a version of 35mm in brown sidewall, so you know it’s coming. Currently it’s just in a 700c diameter. No 650b/27.5″ version yet.

Bontrager’s new GR1 TLR Team Issue gravel tire also comes in a brown sidewall option. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Bontrager GR1 TLR Team Issue Gravel Tire Specs

First, as we’ve long maintained, you can’t trust labeled widths from any brand, so we’ve measured the tires bead-to-bead (read why here). The 40mm version is 103mm bead-to-bead, which matches the versatile Teravail Rutland 700x42mm gravel tire, but is a whopping 10mm smaller than the 42mm Challenge Gravel Grinder TLR. The 30mm version measures out at 89mm bead-to-bead, which is 5mm narrower than a 38mm Gravel Grinder (3mm in bead-to-bead equates to about 1mm inflated).

Bontrager’s new GR1 TLR Team Issue 700 x 35mm gravel tire tips the scales at 381 grams. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Our pair of Bontrager’s new GR1 TLR Team Issue 700 x 40mm averaged 444 grams. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

The 120 tpi tires are relatively light. Our pair of 40mm tires averaged 444 grams (nearly identical to the Rutland 700×42), while the 35mm version averaged 381 grams.

Bontrager’s new GR1 TLR Team Issue 700 x 40mm gravel tire measures 103mm bead-to-bead and just over 39mm on a 19.2mm wide rim at 30 psi. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Inflated at 30 psi, the 40mm tire on a 19.2mm internal width rim measured out at just over 39mm wide. By our calculations, on a 22mm rim, you’d be right at 40mm wide.

Bontrager GR1 TLR Team Issue Gravel Tire Installation

If your fingers and ears are guides, the GR1 Team Issue tires aren’t the tightest fitting tires in the world. Any rim with a decent channel will make for tool-free installation. With a compressor pump on a Vision Team 30 tubeless disc rim, it only took one try to inflate the tire, but it didn’t happen with the satisfying audible snap typical of tight-fitting tubeless tires.

Perhaps in part due to the looser bead, our first inflation didn’t hold long, but with a bit of shaking and spinning, a second inflation up to 60 psi did the trick.

Bontrager GR1 TLR Team Issue Gravel Tire First Impressions

The tight, small knobs of the GR1 create a fast-rolling tire with consistent grip on hardpack dirt and fine gravel. Unlike some tires with a smooth center ridge, the GR1 isn’t so bipolar in terms of traction. You don’t need low pressure or to lean the tire over to get more bite.

Bontrager’s new GR1 TLR Team Issue gravel tire comes in two widths (40mm and 35mm) and two sidewall colors (black, brown). © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

If you’re used to bigger side knobs, cornering on really loose surfaces, or on anything damp will require more attention. Of course, as a gravel tire, it’s not really designed for mud, and most typical gravel tires slip in really loose, steep conditions. (In loose, dry conditions, we’re often counter-intuitively reaching for mud tires or gravel tires with more aggressive tread.)

While our initial rides haven’t been in areas filled with sharp, sidewall-cutting rocks, so far we’ve enjoyed flat-free and burp-free riding. Only a long-term test will reveal long-term durability. However, once the bead seated and sealed, the tire did not leak air or sealant, suggesting a well-sealed sidewall with plenty of butyl protection.

Stay tuned for a report on durability.

Bontrager GR1 TLR Team Issue Gravel Tire Specs

Tire Tested: 700c x 40mm, 700 x 35mm
Casing: 120 tpi, black or brown
Price: $64.99 (40mm), $54.99 (35mm)
Weight: 444g (actual, 40mm), 381g (actual, 35mm)
Width: 103mm bead-to-bead (700c x 40mm), 89mm bead to bead (700c x 35mm)
More Info: bontrager.com

The post In Review: Bontrager GR1 Team Issue Gravel Tire appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Utah-based mountain bike racers Evelyn Dong (Pivot Stan’s NoTubes) and Alex Grant (Gear Rush) climbed to crushing victories at the 2019 Crusher in the Tushar gravel race in Utah.

Dong won by over eight minutes over Lauren Stephens (TIBCO / Silicon Valley Bank), while Grant had over three minutes to spare over Eddie Anderson (Hagens Berman Axeon).

A number of top cyclocrossers and UCI road racers took part and finished in the top ten.

See the full results below, and stay tuned for more.

2019 Crusher in the Tushar Results - Pro / Open Women

2019 Crusher in the Tushar Results - Pro / Open Men

Featured photo: Cathy Fegan-Kim

The post Evelyn Dong and Alex Grant Win 2019 Crusher in the Tushar – Full Results appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

A few years ago, it left an oversized impression on us with its steel Jaroon + monster cross bike, complete with 3” tires. That bike remains in our review Hall of Fame due to its ride-everything spirit and massive tire volume.

Way back in 2016, it was the infamous brand that Femke Van den Driessche used to spark controversy with a pedal-assist motor at the 2016 UCI Cyclocross World Championships. We also saw salden.nl selling Wiler cyclocross bikes pre-equipped with a hidden Vivax motor. Wilier had no role in either of these electric situations but did supply up-and-coming pro Laura Verdonschot with a sleek cyclocross bike for CrossVegas that was not available in the States.

Now the company is out to make another big impression in the hot cycling segment of gravel, both with the battery-powered eADVENTURE bikes and the wildly shaped Jena carbon gravel bike. We opted to avoid e-bike controversy and picked a Wilier Triestina Jena to review.

[caption id="attachment_137053" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Wilier Triestina Jena carbon gravel bike comes in five sizes and six builds. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Is the Italian brand’s unique-looking gravel bike the right choice for your next escape from your desk and the masses? Read on for my review.

The Wilier Trestina Jena Frame:

The Jena’s large, shaped tubes certainly don’t offer visual hints of a lightweight bike, but Wilier Triestina reports that a size medium painted frame weighs just 995 grams, with a companion fork tipping the scales at 450 grams. That’s a lightweight package that shouldn’t hold back any gravel racer, even Crusher or Lost and Found contenders.

Wilier describes the Jena as “designed to satisfy any of your needs, whether it is performance on dirt roads and single track, or adventure, exploration, and bikepacking.” To that end, there are a plethora of mounts, including two-bolt mounts on the fork legs, lowrider mounts, fender mounts and the standard two bottle mounts inside the main triangle. There’s also a good chance it will meet your needs because it comes in five different frame sizes, spanning a range in reach from 363mm to 401mm.

[caption id="attachment_137059" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Wilier Triestina Jena carbon gravel bike has room for a bottle mount on each fork leg, with a lowrider rack option. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Ready for adventure? The bike is advertised to have clearance for 700c x 44mm tires or 1.95” wide tires in the 650b/27.5” diameter. Without big side knobs or mud, I suspect you could get away with even bigger.

[caption id="attachment_137054" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Wilier Triestina Jena carbon gravel bike has lots of clearance around a 38mm tire. 44mm is the stated max. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Ready to race? The Jena carbon frameset still has speed in mind. The frame incorporates Wilier’s Kamm Tail Design downtube, an airfoil-shaped downtube with a blunt tail that is said to offer an aerodynamic edge.

Our size large Jena paired relatively short chainstays (42.3cm) with relatively standard angles (71.5 head angle, 73.1 seat angle) and a tall head tube (17.5cm). The end result created a configuration with a 391mm reach and 608mm stack. With a big front tire, there’s a little bit of toe overlap (with a size 45.5 shoe and rearward cleat position). Thanks to a sloping, kinked top tube and relatively low bottom bracket (7.5cm drop), standover clearance is generous.

The test bike came with an uncut steerer, allowing for an even more upright position if the generous head tube doesn’t put you in a comfortable position. Slammed stem racers might seek a negative rise stem to find their aerodynamic sweet spot.

[caption id="attachment_137061" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Wilier Triestina Jena carbon gravel bike pairs a long stem with a generous head tube length and riser drop bar. The steerer came uncut, but we left some extra for the next rider. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

The 2019 model comes in the blue/red color scheme of our test bike (looks more like teal/red-orange) and also a grey/blue design. For 2020, a black color scheme is also coming.

The Wilier Trestina Jena Build:

The Jena is available in a whopping six different variants. One is based on SRAM Rival 1, two on Shimano 105 and three on Shimano Ultegra (one Di2, two mechanical). Wilier Triestina offers the mechanical Ultegra and 105 builds in both 700c and 650b wheel options.

Our test build, the $5,499 top-spec Shimano Ultegra 8070 Di2 version, came with compact 50/34t gearing and an 11-30t cassette and Shimano’s RD-R8050-SS short cage Ultegra Di2 rear derailleur (more on that later). The entire package weighed 19.7 pounds without pedals.

[caption id="attachment_137057" align="aligncenter" width="1196"] Flat mount and 12mm thru axle of course. The Wilier Triestina Jena carbon gravel bike. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Handling duties were given to a Ritchey Comp cockpit with the Ergomax handlebar, 4 Axis stem and Comp 2 seat post. The supplied Ritchey Comp stem, at 120mm long, felt and looked decidedly old-school in this day and age, while the swoopy bar felt quite modern. The bar has 1cm of rise, a 5-degree rearward sweep at the tops and a 12-degree flare at the drops. The rise, paired with the generous head tube length (17.5cm, size Large) offers plenty of room for an upright, see-the-sights position, especially once you reign in the stem length.

[caption id="attachment_137055" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Our Wilier Triestina Jena carbon gravel bike came with non-tubeless CST Pika wire bead tires. The tread was grippy in loose conditions, but the Shimano wheels are not tubeless compatible. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

The package rolled on Shimano’s RS170 disc wheels. The disc clincher wheels are 105-level components and are quite heavy at just under 2,100 grams. Surprisingly, they’re not tubeless-ready. Consistent with the choice in wheelset is the non-tubeless, wire bead 38mm CST Pika gravel tires on our test bike. The official spec calls for Vittoria 700c x 37mm Terreno Zero rubber.

Without the heavy wheels, the package weighs a respectable 11.2 pounds (a CXM trademark measurement for wheel swappers). So with a wheel swap and lighter tires, an 18-pound bike is achievable.

Altogether, it feels either like a relatively budget build with a surprisingly high-end drivetrain or top-shelf bike with some cost-cutting measures.

The Wilier Trestina Jena Ride:

What do you want out of a gravel bike? A road bike feel with fatter tire? A stable ride for all-day riding and scenery oggling?

Out of the box, the Jena is set up to stretch you out and have you chasing roadies. It’s ready to be pushed like a road bike on gravel roads and pavement. It’s not the slack, mountain-bike inspired geometry we’ve seen on Kona and Cannondale recently. Short chainstays, a moderate head angle and relatively big bottom bracket drop make the bike feel more road bike-like than an adventure or bikepacking rig, with one exception.

[caption id="attachment_137056" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Wilier Triestina Jena carbon gravel bike features internal routing for wires, cables and hoses in the frame and fork. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

The Jena feels at home on the road but likes going straight. Thanks to its 120mm-long Ritchey 4-Axis stem, the Wilier Trestina Jena feels stable, but slow, when steering. Yes, I remember days when 120mm stems were the norm on a 57cm bike, but paired with today’s geometry and reach numbers that we’re used to, the steering feels noticeably slow.

That’s a positive attribute if the reach to the bars fits and you ride long, straight gravel or dirt roads. It’s a bit sluggish for threading tight, twisty singletrack. Since most gravel rides and events are more of the former, Wilier likely hit its target market. But if you’re like us and like to ride one bike on trails, gravel and cyclocross, pick the size based on reach and slap on a shorter stem. For a brief period, I did exactly that, with a Redshift Sports 100mm ShockStop stem.

How do all those shaped carbon tubes translate into ride quality? First, with its heavy wheelset and wire bead CST tires, it’d be hard to claim a supple, comfortable ride out of the box. Swap to high-quality tubeless tires and wheels and the ride comes alive. It’s plenty stiff up front and out back, but big bumps aren’t jarring—there’s a hint of compliance in the rear triangle.

Power up steep climbs and the short chainstays are your friend. The CST Pika tires have a good, versatile tread that offer good grip on more than groomed gravel roads. You still have a chance of avoiding tire spin or sliding out on loose dirt and gravel. I just wish the whole setup was tubeless.

[caption id="attachment_137058" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Wilier Triestina Jena carbon gravel bike features radically shaped and curved tubes, and is ready for your rack or fenders. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Wilier says its Kamm tail downtube shape adds an aero advantage, but it’d be just hot air if I said I noticed any speed gains in my normal riding.

Regarding the build, the Ultegra Di2 drivetrain is the shining star. The quick, light action shifting swaps gears with predictable speed regardless of your energy level and is configurable with different shift modes. I rode most of the time in Semi-Synchro (S1) mode, meaning the small two cogs were blocked in the small chainring, but the rear derailleur would compensate with each front shift.

Some will love and some will hate the Ritchey Ergomax bar. I grew to like it. The top sweep and drop flare were comfortable.

The Wilier Trestina Jena Limitations:

The Jena frame, geometry and ride quality offer versatility and compatibility with today’s high-volume tires, electronic drivetrains and riding styles. If the frame’s lines and color scheme agree with you, the Jena frameset is a fine foundation for a gravel racer or do-it-all bike. Briefly, it was my intended ride for the Lost and Found race. It’s the part selection that left me longing for some upgrades.

While the Shimano Ultegra Di2 drivetrain didn’t miss a shift, I still missed shifts at the low end of the gear range. The 50/34t compact crankset offers enough low gear potential, but the 11-30t cassette is quite tall for most of us non-pros with hilly terrain. I’ll admit it. I’ve grown accustomed to a 1:1 gear or lower on gravel bikes, and if I’m going to enter a gravel event or tackle the local trails in the hills, I want something lower than a 34×30.

[caption id="attachment_137062" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Wilier Triestina Jena carbon gravel bike with the Ultegra Di2 build would have been more capable with a GS cage rear derailleur, instead of the stock short cage. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Going lower requires just a cassette swap and a few more chain links, right? It’s not that easy. Sadly, the RD-R8050 derailleur is the SS variant, which maxes out at a 30t cog. To use the excellent 11-34t 11-speed cassette from Shimano, you need a GS (medium cage) derailleur. That’s an expensive upgrade with Di2. Wilier says the short cage derailleur was necessary for the stock 11-30 cassette, but Shimano states the medium cage would work fine with something as tight as 11-28t.

A short cage derailleur as the default spec is an unnecessary gearing limitation and prevented the Jena from being my bike of choice for the 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. The clutch-based RD-RX805 would have a been a better choice for gravel gearing and off-road terrain. Wilier says a customer can request a GS cage Ultegra R8050 rear derailleur with a bigger cassette, but I believe that should be the default option for a bike that is described as “designed to give you more freedom of choice when you go out for a ride.” It’s worth noting the Shimano mechanical builds have the same gearing limitations.

The heavy non-tubeless wheels, and wire bead non-tubeless CST tires on our test bike also feel like an unwelcomed area of cost-cutting just to hit a price point. We complain when companies offer bikes with tubeless wheels without tubeless tires but serving up top-shelf build without an easy way to shed inner tubes feels inexcusable.

The production bike is spec’d with Vittoria Terreno Zero 37mm tires, which are tubeless-ready, but sadly the Shimano RS170 wheelset is not. Thankfully the more affordable Ultegra mechanical options, featuring Mavic Allroad 700c and Miche 988RR 650b hoops, come with tubeless-ready wheels and tires.

I’d expect the $5,499 Di2 model to have the lightest wheels of all builds and be ready for tubeless use, but it does not. If this was a road “endurance” model, I might give this a pass, but for a dedicated gravel bike? That’s a deal-breaker.

As a result, most of my miles on the Jena were spent rolling on other wheels. The $3k Fuji Jari 1.1, in comparison, forgoes electronic shifting but adds a clutch RX800 rear derailleur, WTB i23 tubeless wheels and Panaracer GravelKing tires, all for $2,500 less.

The Verdict:

Wilier Triestina did a nice job building a unique-looking lightweight frame that’s quite capable of handling a variety of terrain and riding. The frame itself checks most of the boxes of what we look for in a gravel bike, and it can also pull duty as a road, cyclocross or bikepacking bike while not looking like a cookie-cutter open mold machine. I’d love to build a frameset up with an eTap AXS or GRX group and the parts of my choice to create a dream gravel ride.

[caption id="attachment_137060" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Wilier Triestina Jena carbon gravel bike has quite a bit of standover clearance. It uses a 27.2mm seat post, offering some comfort. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Unfortunately, the build kit of the flagship Di2 model cuts too many corners and results in a parts package that doesn’t match the level of the drivetrain. While I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the frame as a basis for a fun, versatile gravel ride, other build variants or Wilier’s expected future GRX model may be better choices if you don’t want to instantly upgrade wheels, a rear derailleur, cassette and stem to end up with a lower gear and lower pressure.

Thankfully Wilier offers plenty of build choices for the Jena, and to be clear, I picked the Di2 build without studying the full specs. Although we haven’t ridden it, the SRAM Rival 1 model, which could be as much as $1,500 less, might actually be more gravel-ready if you welcome a single-chain-ring drivetrain. It arrives with a 38×42 low gear, Mavic Allroad tubeless wheels and Yksion XL 40mm tubeless tires and should be more ready for more rugged adventure out of the box.

See the specs and photo gallery below.

More info: wilier.com

Wilier Triestina Jena Ultegra Di2 Gravel Bike Photo Gallery:

The Wilier Triestina Jena carbon gravel bike comes in five sizes and six builds. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

The post Reviewed: Wilier Triestina Jena Carbon Gravel Bike appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

After one of the fastest races to date, it was professional mountain bikers Alex Grant (Gear Rush) and Evelyn Dong (Pivot-Stan’s No Tubes) who crossed the finish line first ahead of their respective Pro/Open fields that were particularly stacked this year with notable road cycling talent.

Those fields included recently crowned U.S. national road champions Alex Howes (Education First Pro Cycling), Travis McCabe (Floyd’s Pro Cycling) and Lance Haidet (Aevolo Cycling); along with Team Tibco’s Lauren Stephens and reigning “Queen of Kanza,” Amity Rockwell.

[caption id="attachment_137123" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] A relaxed start line vibe. Crusher is not a mass start race. 600 plus riders start with their categories only. Photo: Catherine Fegan-Kim[/caption]

The Women’s race took shape when Lauren Stephens, who set a blistering early pace, was caught by Evelyn Dong with 10 miles to go, just after cresting the race’s notorious QOM up the Col d’ Crush. From there, Dong cruised to the win, opening up an 8-minute gap over the course’s final miles. Stephens had done enough to secure 2nd with Sarah Max (Argonaut-ENVE) following in third, 3 minutes later.

“I definitely didn’t expect to win coming into this, having never ridden this course before,” said Dong. “It’s my first time. A lot of my training is like this, high altitude riding, this is what I love to do. In that sense, this pretty much feels like home.”

[caption id="attachment_137133" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Evelyn Dong is the 2019 Crusher Queen. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Cathy Fegan-Kim / Cottonsox Photo[/caption]

On the Men’s side, the race once again came down to the aptly dubbed “Col d’ Crush,” where Grant launched the decisive attack about halfway up the 2,500-foot climb, dropping fellow leaders Howes and Eddie Anderson (Axeon-Hagens Berman).

[caption id="attachment_137118" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Alex Grant attacks Alex Howes halfway up the Col d’ Crush. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Catherine Fegan-Kim / Cottonsox Photo[/caption]

The 39-year-old Grant, a stalwart of the U.S. professional mountain bike scene, sealed the deal on the Col’s steep upper switchbacks, opening up a lead of more than a minute and a half at the KOM line. Still 13 miles and several climbs from the finish line, Grant continued to twist the knife, coming across 3 minutes before Eddie Anderson with Howes a further minute adrift.

“Two years I’ve done it I’ve had flats, two years I’ve had catastrophic bonks, and last year I had a pretty good year,” said Grant. “This is my sixth time racing, and I finally got the win. Honestly, this was like a dream, like ‘Maybe I’ll win the Crusher someday, maybe not.’ I’m so pumped to win it, it was a super-fast day out there, tons of strong riders.”

“Oh man, it was tough,” said freshly-crowned U.S. road champion Howes. “I was down at sea level before this, so coming back [to altitude], at the bottom of the Col d’ Crush, I was feeling like a real champion, and then we hit a certain altitude and I just detonated. I’m actually pretty surprised I held on for third. It’s a funny thing at altitude, it’s like a bad dream. You just watch people ride away, and there’s just nothing you can do. Hats off to Eddie and Alex, both of them rode great.”

[caption id="attachment_137135" align="aligncenter" width="1257"] Men’s podium: Alex Grant, Eddie Anderson, Alex Howes, Jamey Driscoll and Zach Calton. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Cathy Fegan-Kim / Cottonsox Photo[/caption]

“It’s an absolute honor and thrill to have some of the country’s top pro riders add the Crusher to their schedules,” said race founder and director Burke Swindlehurst. “But what really fills me with pride and gets me emotional is seeing the weekend warriors–some of whom walked many of the climbs–come across the line hours after the pros have finished. I have crazy respect for anyone who crosses that finish line, and it’s seeing those folks achieve their goals that is the most rewarding part of this job.”

[caption id="attachment_137113" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Riders descend the Col d’ Crush. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Cathy Fegan-Kim / Cottonsox Photo[/caption]

Full race results can be seen here.

For more from the Crusher, including the beautiful vistas of the Tushar Mountains, check out the photo gallery from Cathy Fegan-Kim below.

Photo Gallery: 2019 Crusher in the Tushar

A relaxed start line vibe. Crusher is not a mass start race. 600 plus riders start with their categories only. Photo: Catherine Fegan-Kim

The post Photo Gallery and Report: 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Mountain biker Evelyn Dong (Pivot – Stan’s NoTubes) knows the state of Utah well, but gravel racing, that was a bit new for her when she took the line at the 2019 Crusher in the Tushar.

Although Dong received plenty of advice that included riding her full squish mountain bike, Dong opted to go with the modern trend and ride a bike made for gravel. The only problem? She did not really have one.

Fortunately, Dong is roommates with Sofia Gomez Villafane, and more importantly, rides the same size frame. “Sofia rides the same brand I do, and she’s gotten some ‘cross bikes from them. She let me borrow one of her Pivot Vaults,” Dong said.

Evelyn Dong borrowed a Pivot Vault and won the Crusher. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Cathy Fegan-Kim / Cottonsox Photo

Armed with a bike and some classic Maxxis Ramblers, Dong got off to a good start in the Crusher, sitting in second place behind Lauren Stephens (Team TIBCO / Silicon Valley Bank) after the first of two big climbs.

As she chased Stephens up the Col d’ Crush, Dong continued her chase. “I knew we had about 15 miles left at that point, mostly uphill. I decided to go a little bit harder and see if I could at least see her,” Dong said.

Evelyn Dong and Lauren Stephens ride together early in the Crusher. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Hyperthreads

Stephens suffered cramps near the top of the climb, allowing Dong to eventually make the catch and pass the road racer who was the strongest to that point on the day. “After that I just kept pushing it to the finish because I figured she’d be back on her bike trying to chase me down,” Dong said.

Dong held her advantage to take home the win in her first try at the Crusher.

Evelyn Dong smiles after winning the Crusher in her first try. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Cathy Fegan-Kim / Cottonsox Photo

We chatted with Dong about her Crusher win. Read on for a transcript of our conversation.

Interview: Evelyn Dong, 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Women’s Winner

Cyclocross Magazine: Your background is primarily in mountain biking?

Evelyn Dong: Yep. That’s mostly what I do.

CXM: Was this year your first time at Crusher?

ED: Yeah, it was my first time.

CXM: Why did you decide you wanted to do the race this year?

ED: I live fairly close, it’s only a couple hours from where I live, so it’s always been on my list of races to do, but it never fit into my schedule. This year, there was a big open block from racing for me, and Burke [Swindlehurst] actually got me in pretty last minute. I borrowed a bike and hopped in the race.

CXM: You borrowed a bike for it, wow. What bike did you end up riding?

ED: Fortunately my roommate, Sofia [Gomez Villafane] rides the same brand I do, and she’s gotten some ‘cross bikes from them. She let me borrow one of her Pivot Vaults.

CXM: Oh wow, we know Sofia pretty well. You literally won the race on one of Sofia’s bikes?

ED: Yep. Just because it was so last minute. Pivot just released its new Vault, but since I didn’t give them any heads up I was doing this race, it was kind of hard to get something from them. Sofia stepped in and it worked out great.

Dong borrowed a bike from friend Sofia Gomez Villafane and won the Crusher. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Cathy Fegan-Kim / Cottonsox Photo

CXM: I take it you really haven’t done very many gravel races before?

ED: Technically, I guess the Crusher was my first gravel race.

CXM: What are your thoughts on the experience?

ED: It was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. I think that was in part because it was a nice climby course. I’m not sure if I’d be into something that has a bunch of flat gravel roads. Since it was up and over mountains, it made it pretty interesting and a little more fun. The whole vibe was really laid-back and there was no pressure at all. I enjoyed that part as well.

CXM: I’m sure you’ve heard the hype about gravel. Did it live up to your expectations? Was there anything surprising about it?

ED: I guess I didn’t really have any idea of what to expect, so everything was kind of new. I thought the organization was great. I was a little nervous because in mountain biking we always have a support crew out there handing out bottles in the pit, but at this event, they didn’t allow any support crew. I liked that because it put everyone on the same playing field. They had kids out there handing out water bottles, and they did awesomely. Best hand-ups I’ve ever gotten.

CXM: Do you think your background in mountain biking was an advantage for the way the Crusher is set up?

ED: In mountain biking, you find yourself alone a lot of the time, so you learn to keep pushing even if you don’t see anyone ahead of you because you never know. That definitely helped out mentally. Lauren [Stephens] was definitely ahead of me for most of the race, so I just keep plugging along.

CXM: Speaking of the race, how did your race play out and where did you end up getting past Lauren Stephens?

ED: As I said, Lauren had a fair gap on me for most of the race, and I think my buddies at the SRAM neutral support tent gave me a time split of a minute, minute and a half on the way up, and then when I came back over it was still about the same. I knew we had about 15 miles left at that point, mostly uphill. I decided to go a little bit harder and see if I could at least see her.

I think she had some cramping issues, so it wasn’t all me going harder. I actually think she had to stop and stretch out some cramps. Then after that I just kept pushing it to the finish because I figured she’d be back on her bike trying to chase me down.

Evelyn Dong chases Lauren Stephens. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Cathy Fegan-Kim / Cottonsox Photo

CXM: Other athletes I’ve talked to have said the Crusher is the hardest gravel race they have ever done. Do you think that’s a fair assessment after finishing it?

ED: It was definitely challenging. I think what’s more challenging for me is flat races where I have to stay focused. I like climbing. Any race is going to be pretty hard. I line up with women who are racing World Cup mountain bike races, and sure, anytime you line up with them, the race is going to be really hard.

But as far as you against the course, the Crusher is definitely one of the toughest I have done.

CXM: How did you feel coming into the race. You know, looking at a pretty impressive field that included a number of women who have done well on the gravel scene, did you have any expectations?

ED: I didn’t really have any expectations. I used to ski with my friend Sarah Max, we were both nordic skiers years and years ago, and I saw she hopped onto the gravel scene in a big way this year. She texted me from Bend saying she was going to be there, so I was excited to see her.

Other than her, I didn’t really know who was racing. I kind of purposely didn’t look at any start list or look up who was going to be there. I kind of wanted to go into it blind and see how it played out.

CXM: That sounds like a not bad strategy.

ED: Everyone is different. Some people really like to research their competition and make a strategy. I race the best when I have no idea what’s going to happen.

CXM: With the bike you borrowed from Sofia, did you get some advice on how to set it up for gravel?

ED: Oh yeah. She and her boyfriend Keegan gave me some good tips. Keegan helped me figure out the gearing. I had to put a mountain bike cassette on there with a road derailleur. It was a franken-creation for sure. I was doing some very last-minute chain ring and cassette swaps.

I work in a bike shop, so there were all kinds of people coming into the shop and giving me advice. There were people who were telling me I had to ride a dualie mountain bike. There are all kinds of people who do the race and have their 2 cents. It was great getting so much advice.

CXM: Did you end up running a single or a double up front?

ED: I had a single ring, 40-tooth. Then I had an 11-40t mountain bike cassette on the back.

CXM: That sounds pretty climby for when it gets steep.

ED: I would probably run that again. It seemed like a good ratio.

CXM: What tires did you end up going with?

ED: The Maxxis Ramblers. We are all sponsored by Maxxis, so it worked out well.

CXM: The Rambler is a pretty popular choice for gravel.

ED: Keegan was telling me Alex Grant ran some much smoother tires. I’m glad that paid off for him, but I was a little scared to run something that smooth.

CXM: Now that you’ve got one gravel race under your belt, and plans on doing more? Besides obviously defending your Crusher title next year.

ED: I didn’t know I signed up for that already!

CXM: Well you won, you should defend your title!

ED: No plans right now. I’ve heard there are some really fun ones out there. People have definitely been telling me Rebecca’s Private Idaho has really good feedback. I’ve looked at that one and was thinking of maybe trying to get in there.

CXM: So we probably shouldn’t put you down for one of those long Midwest grinds like Land Run or the Dirty Kanza?

ED: Those look way too hard. I’m not sure I’ve ever ridden 100 miles, so I’m not sure if I could do those.

CXM: Wow, you are a true mountain biker.

ED: I mean I might have ridden 100 miles at some point, but not that I can recall.

CXM: What’s next on your schedule? Mountain Bike Nats?

ED: I am going to do Nationals. That’s next week in Winter Park. Then Breck Epic, which is always a fun time. I kind of have a blank spot in the calendar after that. I’m not really sure what I’m going to do.

CXM: Good luck at Nationals. I know there are some U.S. women who are racing quite well on the cross-country scene. That will be a tough race.

ED: It’s pretty cool to line up with a World Champion and other legit women. If you can rub elbows with them for at least one lap, it’s pretty good.

CXM: Well cool, thanks for your time and taking the time to chat with me. It’s always fun to see different people doing gravel.

ED: I really enjoyed it. Thank you.

The post Interview: Evelyn Dong Conquers the 2019 Crusher on a Borrowed Bike appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Although he is from Utah, the Crusher in the Tushar gravel race had been anything but kind to Beehive Stater Alex Grant (Gear Rush).

The first time he did the race, he busted a spoke on his mountain bike—back when Crusher bike choices were a bit more like the Wild West—and punctured his tire. The next try, he suffered one of the worst bonks he had ever experienced. 2015? Another flat. 2017? Health issues.

“It was one of the hardest days on the bike I’ve ever had,” Grant said about that 2017 race. “That’s what I mean when I say it’s broken me down. I was on my knees after that one in 2017. I was like, ‘This race, I can’t figure this thing out.'”

There is something to be said for perseverance in the face of extreme adversity, and Grant’s resilience (or perhaps stubbornness) paid off in 2018 when he finally had a clean ride and finished third. With a little lesson learned, he was ready to really go for it in 2019.

“I knew what I did wrong last year. It was just a nutritional error,” Grant said. “I finished the race last year and just ran out of energy. I probably needed 200, 300 more calories out there. I just bonked with a half-hour to go. So this year I made sure I had plenty of food, and I didn’t bonk.”

Alex Grant was ready to go at the start of the 2019 Crusher in the Tushar. © Hyperthreads

However, getting all the way to the top step of the podium on top of the Tushar Mountains would not come easy. Now 39, Grant describes himself as a “washed-up professional mountain biker.” Joining him on the line were the current Road Race National Champion, pros across disciplines and former Crusher winners, including one who is nearly half his age.

Tough crowd? NBD for Grant. “I tried not to let that get in my head,” he explained. “That might have held me back if I was like, ‘Oh man, this is the current Road Race National Champion, I should just try to stay on his wheel.’ Not having the confidence to go because of thoughts like that, I tried not to let those in my head. I was like, I’m feeling good, I’m going to go. I think that was key.”

Feeling strong last Saturday afternoon, Grant and Alex Howes (EF Education First) worked together to force a split around the Sarlacc Pit and reduced the group to a handful of riders at the base of the climb up the Col d’ Crush. After the two Alexes went solo, Grant held nothing back and attacked midway up the massive climb.

“Halfway up, I could sense he was coming off a little bit, and I was like, ‘This is the time to go. That’s a gap.’ It might have been suicide that far from the finish, because we still had an hour to the finish, but I decided to go all-in and see what I could do.”

Alex Grant attackes Alex Howes halfway up the Col d’ Crush. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Catherine Fegan-Kim / Cottonsox Photo

Grant held the gap and got the Crusher win he has been chasing for nearly a decade.

“On a long ride doing some hard efforts and I’m just dragging, I’ve thought about what it must be like to solo in and win the Crusher,” Grant said. “It was happening, and I didn’t quite believe it. I was getting some time splits, but you don’t actually know you’re going to win until you cross the line. That was an amazing feeling to unclip and give Burke a high five. It was a big goal of mine, and it felt awesome to make it happen.”

Alex Grant celebrates his first Crusher win in six tries. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Angie Harker

I chatted with Grant about his much-deserved win at the 2019 Crusher in the Tushar. You can read a transcript of our conversation below. I also spoke with Women’s winner Evelyn Dong.

Interview: 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Winner Alex Grant

Cyclocross Magazine: First off, congrats on your win at the Crusher.

Alex Grant: Thanks. Really psyched about that one.

CXM: What’s your background, what’s your deal in cycling? How did you end up at the Crusher for several years now?

AG: I’m an old washed-up mountain bike pro. Father of two, working guy now. This was my sixth time doing the Crusher. It’s one of those events where the first time I did it, I was blown away by how cool it was. I think the first time I did it was back in 2011.

It was quite an experience. It was one of those races that just breaks you down, but you vow to come back stronger and conquer the thing one day. I guess it took me five more times to do it.

In my career, I’m mainly a cross-country mountain biker with an endurance focus as well. That’s been my main focus, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve retired from the intensive week-in, week-out travel on the cross country and endurance circuits. Now I pick and choose a few events here and there to really focus on because I don’t have the time to travel as much.

The Crusher was one of those I’ve really been eyeing because I live here in Utah and it’s only a 3-hour drive. I have always loved that race and wanted to put one together one year.

CXM: I’ve heard you’ve kind of had some bad luck with the race. Is that the case?

AG: Yeah man, that thing has broken me in many ways. The first year I did it, I didn’t quite know what I was getting into. That was the second year of the race. Everyone was saying, ‘Oh, you should ride a mountain bike, that’s the best bike,’ so I think I rode a mountain bike that year. I broke a spoke and the spoke punctured my rim tape. I had a bad flat tire. Honestly, the mountain bike was not the best bike for the race. That was a rough one.

Then the next time I did it was 2013. That’s the first time Levi Leipheimer won for the first time. I remember Jamey Driscoll, Rob Squire and I kind of went away early to see if we could make a break away from Levi, and it didn’t work out. He caught us, and I cracked. It’s still probably one of the worst bonks I’ve ever had.

I think the next time I came back was 2015. I was feeling good and flatted again. Then 2017, I had had a health problem before and was on antibiotics when the race rolled around. It was one of the hardest days on the bike I’ve ever had. That’s what I mean when I say it’s broken me down. I was on my knees after that one in 2017. I was like, ‘This race, I can’t figure this thing out.’

Then I came back last year and finished third. I knew what I did wrong last year. It was just a nutritional error. I finished the race last year and just ran out of energy. I probably needed 200, 300 more calories out there. I just bonked with a half-hour to go. So this year I made sure I had plenty of food, and I didn’t bonk. It made a big difference. I nailed the nutrition, I nailed the bike set up, I had a really good June of training, a lot of things went right.

Alex Grant finished 3rd in 2018. 2018 Crusher in the Tushar. © Cathy Fegan-Kim

CXM: Last year we saw two first-timers [Zach Calton and Lauren De Crescenzo] win the Crusher, but yours is kind of a story of perseverance, huh?

AG: Yeah, last year Zach Calton came out and won it in his first try. I was like, that must be nice because I’m definitely not having that experience here. Hats off to Zach last year. That was an amazing ride. I think he was like 21 years old and put in an impressive effort for a long time and held it to the line. We were all blown away by how strong he was. That was awesome to see. That was inspiring for me this year. I made a move in a similar spot that he did last year and then soloed in.

CXM: Given you have a history at this race, what was that feeling of winning like?

AG: It felt amazing. I’ve dreamt of winning this one. It’s one of those things where when you’re on a ride and you need something to motivate you, so you kind of dream about some scenario where you’re winning something. This is one where, yeah, on a long ride doing some hard efforts and I’m just dragging, I’ve thought about what it must be like to solo in and win the Crusher.

It was happening, and I didn’t quite believe it. I was getting some time splits, but you don’t actually know you’re going to win until you cross the line. That was an amazing feeling to unclip and give Burke a high five. It was a big goal of mine, and it felt awesome to make it happen.

CXM: Can you give us the quick version of how it went down and how you got your win?

AG: The Crusher, to me, is the closet thing to a road race I’ve ever done. I’m a mountain biker and a cyclocross racer. Normally when they say ‘Go,’ it’s full gas. You just pin it until you’re blown. Yeah, some of the endurance mountain bike races start a little slower, but they still start harder than the Crusher. This thing starts out pretty slowly, and a group of three went away. It was a pretty leisurely pace. That’s one thing I’ve had to work on; that road race patience to wait until it really counts to make an effort.

I kind of sat in the group. The first climb starts, and it’s a long climb. Normally the bottom half is pretty hard to get a selection. There’s always someone who is going to make a move there. This year it was Eddie Anderson. He started setting a pretty hard tempo as soon as we turned off the pavement. He broke the group down, and I just tried to stay second or third wheel for the whole first climb. I did take a few turns at the front just to keep the group rolling. We got a group of maybe 10 or so going over the top.

Coming into the feed zone before the main descent, more guys caught on, and we had a pretty big group. Going down the Col d’ Crush is pretty infamous with switchbacks and washboards and all that. It was kind of chaos going down that, and it caused things to break up a bit. Then it’s a long, flat pavement stretch at the bottom, so it came back together again. We had a big group after 2 and a half hours going into the last main climb and run to the finish. We had about 15 guys.

There’s this section, it’s called the Sarlacc Pit. It’s this gnarly, sandy, loose section down in the hot valley that just saps people’s energy. I know that’s when it starts to get hard, so I kind of went to the front and started setting a little tempo there to see if I could get anyone to come out and start riding to break the group up a bit. And sure enough, Alex Howes came right to the front after me. He put in a really good effort that ended up breaking the group down to about five of us. TJ Eisenhart was there, Eddie Anderson and one of Gage Hecht or Lance Haidet, one of those guys made it.

We rolled through some rolling terrain over to the main climb of the Col d’ Crush. It is just a gnarly climb. It starts paved, but then it gets to this steep, washboarded dirt road. I was feeling really good. Alex Howes set a great tempo going into it, and then I took over at the dirt. Then before we knew it, it was just us two.

Alex and I were trading some turns up the climb, and then halfway up, I could sense he was coming off a little bit, and I was like, ‘This is the time to go. That’s a gap.’ It might have been suicide that far from the finish, because we still had an hour to the finish, but I decided to go all-in and see what I could do.

I think I crested the climb with about a minute and 40 seconds on Alex. I didn’t know the time gaps after that, I just knew it was about 45 minutes of rolling terrain all at high altitude. I was dying. It was agony, but I kept pushing and thought, ‘Well, if I can keep rolling at this pace, they’re going to have to go faster to catch me.’ I tried not to look back too much and just kept my head down. I was eating and drinking a lot. I was stuffing my face because I knew the one thing that could get me would be a bonk. That would have erased my gap right away.

I held on to the line, and it felt great.

Alex Grant pushes up the Col d’ Crush after taking a solo lead. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Catherine Fegan-Kim / Cottonsox Photo

CXM: Being where you’re at in your career and looking at some of the guys in that field who are in their primes, what was going through your head seeing the talent you were racing against?

AG: I tried not to let that get in my head. That might have held me back if I was like, ‘Oh man, this is the current Road Race National Champion, I should just try to stay on his wheel.’ Not having the confidence to go because of thoughts like that, I tried not to let those in my head. I was like, I’m feeling good, I’m going to go. I think that was key.

And also knowing those guys had never done the Crusher was an ace up my sleeve. I’ve done the race. I know how hard that Col d’ Crush climb is, I knew how hard that finish is. I knew what we were getting into. I was like, ‘These guys don’t know what’s coming.’ The first time I did the race, I was like, ‘You’ve gotta be kidding, we’re still climbing?!’ Being mentally prepared for all that and knowing exactly what I was getting into was an advantage.

Part of the beauty of bike racing is you are what you are on any given day. There are no ‘shoulds.’ No one should be winning, no one should be up there. You have to earn it every time. It’s whatever you can do on that day.

“Part of the beauty of bike racing is you are what you are on any given day. There are no ‘shoulds.’ No one should be winning, no one should be up there. You have to earn it every time.”

CXM: This year we saw two mountain bikers who took the men and women’s wins. Do you think the race favors mountain bikers with the climbing and the descending and all that?

AG: To me, it’s so far from mountain biking. It feels like a road race in the way it rolls. Yeah, there’s a lot of climbing, but there are also a lot of flat sections with tactical group riding.

I think what maybe what it comes down to is that Col d’ Crush climb is just so steep. As mountain bikers, we climb steep stuff. We do that all the time, so that might be a little bit steeper and bumpier than your average road climb. That might play to the mountain bikers’ favor.

But then after the Col, it’s all rolling road race stuff. It’s at high altitude though, and that’s another thing mountain bikers are comfortable with. We’re up in the mountains and no stranger to that. I think that also plays into the favor of mountain bikers.

Alex Grant was exhausted but happy at the end of the 2019 Crusher. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar. © Hyperthreads

CXM: When I was doing the preview, it seemed like there were a lot of Utahans who were expected to compete for the podium. Do you do a lot of training in that area at altitude?

AG: Honestly, the only time I’ve ridden in that area is for the race, but I ride at similar elevations. From my house, I can climb up to 9,000 feet and back to the house in 3 hours. I can get up there and ride at those elevations with no problem. I would love to ride those roads in the Tushars more often, but it’s just a little too far to drive.

CXM: I saw you were riding the new Topstone Carbon this year?

AG: Yeah.

CXM: How did that go?

AG: That thing is awesome. Cannondale just launched that bike about a month ago, and it was perfect timing for the Crusher. I got a hold of my friend who’s a Cannondale rep and was like, ‘I’m going to customize this and make it a Crusher bike.’ That thing was amazing. I wasn’t sure at first with the suspension because you can’t feel it too much in the parking lot, but when you get rolling on some high-speed, small bumps, it just feels amazing pedaling through them. It’s really smooth and it really shined in that stuff. That’s what the Crusher is all about; pedaling through the bumps and saving energy.

Alex Grant rode a Topstone Carbon to the win. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Catherine Fegan-Kim / Cottonsox Photo

CXM: What were the customizations you made to make it Crusher Send-It-Certified?

AG: I changed it to a 1x with a mountain bike derailleur with a 10-42t cassette. I ran an 11-speed XX1 cassette. Then I put on a 42t front chain ring. I ran a 1x with a chain guide. In order to run that mountain bike derailleur, I had to run a Wolf Tooth Tanpan adapter to change the cable pull. I ran an XDR clutch derailleur, which was nice because it kept my chain from slapping around.

CXM: I can imagine that was nice on the Col d’ Crush descent.

AG: Totally. And to have that insurance with the chain guide and everything was nice. For the gearing, I knew I’d be fine with that 1x setup. I was also running ENVE Composites G23 gravel wheels. I had 40mm Maxxis slicks. I ran the Velocita AR tires with the EXO protection. I’ve found for gravel a big-volume slick works well. It all about volume and pressure and not as much tread for me. It was a bit of a roll of the dice with the tires, for sure, but it paid off.

I’ll quote Geoff Kabush, he said, “Sometimes you’ve got to risk it for the biscuit.” I did that with the tires, and it paid off. It easily could have gone bad. I definitely had a couple of two-wheel drifts out there.

I had that new bike, and that thing was awesome. I had a fresh kit from Hyperthreads. There was a lot of white on it, so it kept me cool out there. Those guys were awesome setting us up with fresh kits out there.

CXM: Was that the first year you’ve run slicks at the Crusher?

AG: You know, in 2015, I ran a Cannondale Slate with slicks on it. 1.5-inch slicks. The other years I’ve run like a file tread. The WTB Riddler is what I ran last year.

“I’ll quote Geoff Kabush, he said, ‘Sometimes you’ve got to risk it for the biscuit.'”

CXM: In our preview, I was joking you were the Utah State Cyclocross Champion last year. How long have you been racing ’cross? Has that always been a part of your offseason training?

AG: Cyclocross is something for me to keep it rolling in the fall. We have a really awesome local series here called UTCX. A good friend of mine used to run the series, and I’ve been doing those since maybe 2011 or 2012. I just started to get my feet wet in them back then, but now I do them all the time. It’s a great way to keep some intensity in the fall for any fall races I do.

Another thing is ’cross racing so much fun. It’s a blast. It’s head-to-head racing. It’s a lot more tactical and head-to-head battles than mountain bike racing has sometimes. The courses aren’t quite as hilly and selective. You get some great battles out there. My girls come out. My oldest daughter did kiddie cross last year. It’s really about the whole experience, and it helps me keep things going in the fall. I don’t like to just hang the bike up, especially since our fall weather is great.

Some of the late fall events I’ve done in the past include La Ruta de loci Conquistadors, so keeping going and racing ‘cross is a great way to keep training and stay sharp for an event like that.

I was really happy to win ’Cross States this year. It was a good battle with some of the local legends here. I had a good time.

CXM: Do you ever get to race against Jamey [Driscoll]?

AG: I do get to race against Jamey. Those days when he shows up, it’s like, ‘Okay, this one is going to be a little bit harder.’ Jamey doesn’t come out to as many of the local ones as I do because he’s traveling for a full schedule. I don’t really travel; I just do the local stuff. He crushes me when he does come out.

CXM: You beat him in the Crusher though!

AG: That’s different!

CXM: Any chance we’ll see you at Masters Cyclocross Nats this year?

AG: I’ve actually been thinking about that one. I don’t know. I think I’ll do Masters Nationals one of these years, but I might need to wait until I stop racing all summer on the mountain bike. Once I really retire, maybe when I’m over 40. I’m 39 right now, and I think I’m going to wait until I crack 40 to jump in the Masters races. For me, that’s when Masters racing start.

But I do have that in the back of my head. As I phase out of professional racing, I think the Masters ’cross scene could be exciting for me.

CXM: What’s coming up for you between now and the cyclocross season?

AG: Mountain Bike Nationals are coming up in Winter Park, Colorado. I can drive over and do Cross Country Nationals. Then I have the Leadville 100 in August. Then the Park City Point-to-Point is a big mountain bike race here in Park City that I’ve actually won seven times. It’s a big goal to see if I can make that happen again. I know my luck is going to run out one of these years, but I’m going to do what I can to keep the streak going. That one is on Labor Day weekend.

Then it’s kind of a reset to see what I want to do this fall. Whether it’s just local cyclocross or if I want to make any bike mountain bike trips this fall.

CXM: I saw you finished as high as second at Leadville?

AG: Third at Leadville. I’ve finished second at La Ruta.

CXM: Now that you have that Crusher monkey off your back, maybe this is the year to win Leadville?

AG: Man, I would love to, but it’s a different game over there. There are a lot of hitters who come out for that one. There’s something about Leadville where once it gets up to 12,000 feet, something changes for me and the lights start to go out. Ten-thousand is one thing, 12,000 feet is another thing. I’m definitely gunning for it though.

CXM: Awesome. Congrats again on your accomplishment. I think it’s really cool that you got it after everything you’ve been through.

AG: Thanks. I didn’t mention it, but I’ve had two major injuries as well. In 2016, I was on the Long Team for the Rio Olympics, and I crashed at the Cairns World Cup in Australia and broke the calcaneus in my foot and had to have surgery that took me out for the rest of that year. That was really hard to come back from, and then I separated my shoulder in 2017 and had another surgery. I feel like I’ve finally come back from these injuries by getting a big win like that after all those setbacks.

CXM: Totally man. I know how much injuries like that suck. Thanks again for your time.

AG: You bet. Thank you.

The post Interview: Alex Grant Perseveres, Gets Crusher Win He has Dreamed About appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

While Shimano is credited by many as inventing the mountain bike version of the clipless pedal with its timeless M737 pedal unveiled in 1990, Look brought its single-sided offroad pedal to market well before Shimano.

Since then, the two companies have taken dramatically different approaches to off-road pedals. Shimano has kept its cleat and retention mechanism basically the same, save for infamous Shimano M858 pedals. You can buy an SH-51 cleat that works with both the original M737 as well as with today’s M9100 XTR SPD pedal.

Meanwhile, Look has, by our count, gone through eight major designs, the last six with cleats not compatible with its predecessor. Last season, it unveiled the dual-sided X-Track pedal, the 8th variant over the last 30 years.

[caption id="attachment_137320" align="aligncenter" width="928"] The Look X-Track mountain bike / cyclocross SPD-compatible clipless pedal. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Here’s a brief history of Look offroad pedals, based on our memory.

1. the Look ATB, a 1985 version of the road clipless pedal with a grippy backside
2. the MP90/TP93, a more aggressive version of the ATB still available on eBay
3. a Shimano-like dual-sided pedal compatible with two-bolt “SPD” style cleats with a large platform (the S2R Moab and S2 Nevada models, a favorite of Tinker Juarez)
4. the slimmer elastomer-based SL3 dual-sided pedal, perhaps inspired by Onza
5. a licensed Crankbrothers “Eggbeater” design 4×4 pedal
6. the light and mud-clearing Quartz
7. the curvy, Time ATAC-like two-bar-based S-Track
8. the latest Shimano SPD-compatible X-Track

The latest pedal, the X-Track, is aimed at mountain bike racers, cyclocross racers and gravel cyclists, and Look had none other than Wout van Aert prove that the pedal was up for world-class racing and mud.

We’ve been clipping in and out of the X-Track and X-Track Race Carbon pedals since last cyclocross season, and have our full review for readers today.

Why a New Design?

With such a diverse collection of pedal iterations, I had to ask Look Cycle representatives why stray from the S-Track pedal design? Look stopped production of the S-Track pedal, explaining, “It was a really good product but we didn’t meet the success we expected.”

We found the S-Track to be stable, but the shims and lack of spring tension adjustment kept it from being perfect. Look seems to agree, telling Cyclocross Magazine that “the reasons were diverse” behind the S-Track’s demise. “It was a high technical product—maybe a little too much—which matches mainly expert riders requirements.”

So after creating its first two-sided offroad pedal in the style of Shimano, and then offering designs similar to Onza, Time and Crankbrothers and then two proprietary designs, the French company is back to a Shimano SPD design. This time it’s not only similar, but completely compatible.

[caption id="attachment_137324" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Look X-Track mountain bike / cyclocross SPD-compatible clipless pedal. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

“We defined the X-Track to fit every kind of rider,” Look said. That rider includes current Shimano SPD pedal users.

Inspecting Four Levels of X-Track:

Look appears genuine in its hope to attract every kind of rider, offering the cross country version of its pedal in four levels and price points:

1. The $60 X-Track
2. The $90 X-Track Race
3. The $130 X-Track Race Carbon
4. The $270 X-Track Race Carbon Ti

As you might have already guessed, as the price goes up, the materials change and the weight comes down. I tested a set of X-Track and X-Track Race Carbon pedals. For $70 more, you get about 41 grams of weight savings. The flagship model pairs a titanium axle for another 41 grams of weight savings, at a $140 premium.

[caption id="attachment_137358" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The most affordable Look X-Track mountain bike / cyclocross SPD-compatible clipless pedal tips the scales just shy of 392 grams. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Our X-Track model weighed 392 grams, while the X-Track Race Carbon was 351 grams.

[caption id="attachment_137322" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Look X-Track Race mountain bike / cyclocross SPD-compatible clipless pedal sheds 41 grams over the standard X-Track. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

For the weight weenies, that’s 43 grams heavier than the $149 Ritchey WCS XC pedal and 44 grams heavier than the steel axle $110 Xpedo CXR pedal, both of which are also Shimano SPD compatible. They’re also about 30 grams heavier than the latest $179 M9100 XTR pedal from Shimano.

All models of the X-Track offer the same surface area, spring tension range and contact points. Look boasts the X-Track’s 515 mm² of surface area is the best in its class.

[caption id="attachment_137315" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Look X-Track mountain bike / cyclocross SPD-compatible clipless pedal offers a wide stance and texture for grip. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

If the X-Track Race’s contact points aren’t enough, Look offers the X-Track EnRage, its answer to Shimano’s larger trail SPD pedals. That body comes in three levels, the EnRage, EnRage Plus and EnRage Plus Ti.

For the fashion-conscious, the entry-level X-Track comes in both a dark grey and a red that reminds us of Look’s old SL3 model.

The stack height with cleats is listed at 16.8mm.

What about the guts? There are inboard bushings and two outboard cartridge bearings. If you unscrew the (sadly plastic, perhaps inherited from the S-Track) cap and 8mm bolt, you can pull the axle out. It’s not the durable loose ball setup used by Shimano that you can repack, but it’s easier to service. Although the pedal was unveiled in late 2017, as of March 2019, Look said axles and bearings are “in the pipe and should be [available] in the next few months.” So they should be available now, or soon.

[caption id="attachment_137319" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Look X-Track mountain bike / cyclocross SPD-compatible clipless pedal has two bearings and a bushing behind the plastic cover. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

While pulling out the pedal spindle is easy, swapping it out for another length is not. Unlike with Shimano’s M9100 pedal, just one spindle length is available.

One small detail that goes unnoticed by many is that Look advertises the X-Track as offering 6 degrees of float, while Shimano SPD pedals list just 4 degrees of float. Look says it ends up with more float due to subtle changes in the its cleat compared to a Shimano SH-51 cleat, as well as in the “nose” (or claw) of the pedal.

[caption id="attachment_137294" align="aligncenter" width="549"] Except for the widest area, which does not impact clipping in/out, the X-Track cleats are nearly identical to a Shimano SPD cleat but offer more float. The Shimano cleats work fine with the X-Track pedal.[/caption]

Look also offers an alternative cleat. Just as Shimano offers its SH-56 multi-release cleat, Look has an Easy X-Track cleat that does what its name suggests, and allows release by rolling your foot off the pedal. I did not test this cleat.

[caption id="attachment_137359" align="aligncenter" width="1016"] Look offers an “Easy Cleat” just as it did with the S-Track. Consider it the equivalent of the SH-56 Multi-Release cleat.[/caption]

The X-Track Pedals in Use:

First things first. Clipping in with your old shoes and cleats is a no-brainer. Shimano SH-51 (single release cleats) are completely compatible, and the clip-in motion is exactly what any Shimano SPD user is familiar with. I mixed shoes with X-Track cleats and Shimano cleats in my testing, and never really thought twice.

[caption id="attachment_137313" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Just as with Shimano SPD pedals, there isn’t any scale to determine spring tension. You can count the # of visible threads however. The Look X-Track mountain bike / cyclocross SPD-compatible clipless pedal. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

If you like a stable platform, especially with shoes that aren’t the stiffest carbon sole kicks, you’ll like the X-Track pedals. There is plenty of surface area on the pedal, yet it doesn’t interfere with any of the three pairs of shoes I tested the pedals with (Shimano, Lake, Giro). Miss a pedal on a remount and there’s still enough surface area to get you accelerating away while you clip in.

[caption id="attachment_137314" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Look X-Track mountain bike / cyclocross SPD-compatible clipless pedal offers a wide stance and texture for grip. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Like Shimano’s SPD pedals, the spring tension is adjustable, and the range of tension seems both wider and higher than what Shimano offers. I’m used to cranking down the spring tension screw on Shimano pedals to avoid accidental unclips, but on the X-Track, max tension is too much. I’ll see if that remains true on really worn cleats or as the pedals wear, but five months in, they’re still secure and positive, whether it’s with Look X-Track or Shimano SH-51 cleats.

[caption id="attachment_137318" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] A 3mm Allen key adjusts tension. The Look X-Track mountain bike / cyclocross SPD-compatible clipless pedal. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

It’s worth noting that at least with the X-Track cleats, I did notice a small increase in float. I welcome that increase in most situations, but in a silly stair-riding attempt, I think the increased angle caught me off-guard, and then on-the-ground. Even with Shimano cleats, I feel there’s a slight increase in float compared to a Shimano pedal, and may pick up a protractor or angle finder to really verify the difference (if any).

After trying to clarify whether the cleat or pedal determines the degree of float, Look said the cleat determines it, suggesting its X-Track cleats offer more float, and just might be an option to add more float to your existing Shimano SPD pedals. Yet another thing to actually measure in further testing.

However, whether it’s because of a small increase in release angle and float, increased spring tension or slightly tweaked claws, I have appreciated a secure pedaling experience, without accidental releases. This applies to both the X-Track and the X-Track Race Carbon models.

The X-Track in the Mud

Mother Nature gifted the West Coast with a wet winter and spring, and I was fortunate to have ample testing opportunity to verify the X-Track’s ability in the mud.

[caption id="attachment_137353" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Look X-Track Race pedals have performed well in the heaviest mud, in the USA, and under Wout van Aert, in Europe.[/caption]

In two mud-heavy races, I didn’t experience any trouble clipping in or out due to mud. The pedal itself has quite a bit of surface area, which offers more of a platform for organic material to collect, yet it didn’t stop me from clipping in, and performed as well if not better as the M8000 Deore XT pedal from Shimano.

[caption id="attachment_137355" align="aligncenter" width="1232"] The Look X-Track Race pedals have performed well in the heaviest mud, in the USA, and under Wout van Aert, in Europe.[/caption]

How can I be so sure? I used one of each during one muddy race. Immediately after the race, I compared the two pedals.

[caption id="attachment_137354" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Look X-Track Race Carbon mountain bike / cyclocross SPD-compatible clipless pedal compared to a Shimano M8000 XT SPD Pedal. Similar surface area, but the X-Track might have better mud clearance around the rear claw. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Although I can’t say I noticed it while racing, it looks like the XT pedal retained a bit more organic material and mud around the rearward claws. The X-Track’s metal claw looks to be lower in profile in this spot, and tapers more dramatically by the spring tension screw. Could that be why? We are of course talking about a data sample of one.

Look and fans can also point to Wout van Aert’s success in the heaviest of conditions in European cyclocross racing, but he has the luxury of swapping bikes as frequently as twice a lap. I didn’t swap once, in an hour of racing.

I did not test the pedals in peanut butter-type mud or frozen slush, conditions that are often the downfall of most offroad pedals.

The X-Track Verdict:

I’ve been known to buy Shimano M520 pedals when I need new cleats, because it’s almost like getting spare free pedals with cleats, and those pedals inevitably find their way onto my bikes. I’ve also got bikes with M535, M959, M520, M540, M505 and various iterations of XT and XTR pedals, with a Ritchey XC thrown in, and rarely think about it unless it gets muddy. All have been relatively bombproof.

When it gets muddy, I’ve preferred the Xpedo CXR and older M959 and M970 pedals. Both Shimano models were prior to Shimano’s emphasis on stability and surface area, and the Xpedo is even smaller, but with stiff shoes, I’d pick mud clearing over surface area on sloppy days.

Look’s new X-Track pedals, especially its $60 entry-level model, might throw a wrench in my pedal hierarchy. With a bit more wiggle room (literally), impressive mud clearance and a stable platform, there’s less compromise in picking one pedal.

With its new X-Track, Look appears on track to finally have a winning off-road pedal with staying power.

I’m sure over time I’ll need a rebuild kit to keep the X-Track spinning, but given Look’s offroad pedal history, there wasn’t much demand for such items.

I’m optimistic with the fully-Shimano-compatible X-Track, that will change.

Look X-Track MTB / Cyclocross Clipless Pedal Specs:

MSRP: $60 X-Track; $130 X-Track Race Carbon ($90 Race, $270 Race Carbon Ti)
Float: 6 degrees total
Bearings: Two cartridge ball bearings, one bushing
Weight: 392 grams actual, X-Track, 351 grams actual, X-Track Race Carbon
More info: LookCycles.com

Look X-Track SPD-Compatible Pedal Photo Gallery:

The Look X-Track Race pedals have performed well in the heaviest mud, in the USA, and under Wout van Aert, in Europe.

The post Stomped and Reviewed: Look X-Track SPD-Compatible Clipless Pedals appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

A month ago, Cannondale launched its follow-up to its alloy Topstone gravel bike in the new Topstone Carbon with the Kingpin suspension system. When Grant had the opportunity to ride the new gravel bike for the Crusher, he got a hold of one and customized it for the challenges of the climby, descendy race in the mountains.

[caption id="attachment_137347" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Alex Grant and his Cannondale Topstone Carbon after his Crusher win. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Catherine Fegan-Kim / Cottonsox Photo[/caption]

Race performance is not all about the bike, but after Grant’s 2019 Crusher in the Tushar win, he will likely consider riding the Topstone Carbon again next year. Grant made the final selection and then dropped Road Race National Champion Alex Howes (EF Education First) on the climb up the Col d’ Crush to solo to the win, finally getting the winning ride he had been chasing since 2012.

“It was happening, and I didn’t quite believe it,” Grant said about his winning move. “I was getting some time splits, but you don’t actually know you’re going to win until you cross the line. That was an amazing feeling to unclip and give Burke a high five. It was a big goal of mine, and it felt awesome to make it happen.”

This bike profile takes a closer look at Grant’s Crusher-winning Cannondale Topstone Carbon.

[caption id="attachment_137334" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Alex Grant’s 2019 Crusher Cannondale Topstone Carbon. © Brandon Cross / Gear Rush[/caption]

Alex Grant’s Crusher-Winning Cannondale Topstone Carbon

In recent years, Cannondale has followed the gravel trend by greatly expanding its line of drop-bar, mixed-terrain bikes. The company has offered the alloy Slate with front suspension, and the SuperX cyclocross bike has proven DK200-worthy for a number of riders.

New last year was the alloy Topstone bike with gravel-gravel geometry, and last month, the company launched the new carbon version of the Topstone.

The new Topstone Carbon frameset uses Cannondale’s BallisTec carbon and has tubes shaped based on their loads and expected performance.

[caption id="attachment_137349" align="aligncenter" width="1074"] Tubes on the Topstone Carbon are shaped based on their loads and amount of flex needed. Alex Grant’s 2019 Crusher Cannondale Topstone Carbon. © Brandon Cross / Gear Rush[/caption]

The most notable aspect of the Topstone Carbon, however, is the pivot-based Kingpin suspension system.

[caption id="attachment_137329" align="aligncenter" width="1182"] The Kingpin suspension system uses a thru-axle pivot to provide 30mm of flex at the saddle. Alex Grant’s 2019 Crusher Cannondale Topstone Carbon. © Brandon Cross / Gear Rush[/caption]

Located at the junction of the seat tube and seat stays, the Kingpin uses a thru-axle to allow up to 30mm of travel at the saddle. With the Col d’ Crush notorious for its long, washboard descent, it seems like some rear compliance would be perfect for that descent.

“I wasn’t sure at first with the suspension because you can’t feel it too much in the parking lot, but when you get rolling on some high-speed, small bumps, it just feels amazing pedaling through them. It’s really smooth and it really shined in that stuff,” Grant said about the bike.

[caption id="attachment_137113" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Col d’ Crush descent is long and bumpy, perfect for some rear compliances. 2019 Crusher in the Tushar Gravel Race. © Cathy Fegan-Kim / Cottonsox Photo[/caption]

Grant’s Topstone Carbon has the blue and green colorway of the Ultegra RX model with a 2x drivetrain, but Grant wanted to make some changes to make it a true “Crusher Bike.”

First up was going 1x in the front. He used a Cannondale SiSL HollowGram crankset with built-in SRM power meter and a 42t RaceFace narrow wide chain ring. He added a WolfTooth GnarWolf Chainguide for extra security on the bumpy sections.

[caption id="attachment_137341" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Grant 1x using a 42t Race Face narrow wide ring on a Cannondale SiSL crankset with a built-in SRM power meter. Alex Grant’s 2019 Crusher Cannondale Topstone Carbon. © Brandon Cross / Gear Rush[/caption]

In the rear, Grant traded the Ultegra derailleur for a Shimano XTR M9000 mechanical mountain bike derailleur with a clutch. “[It] was nice because it kept my chain from slapping around,” he said about having a clutch for the Crusher. He paired the derailleur with a 10-42t SRAM XX1 cassette.

[caption id="attachment_137342" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Grant built his Crusher Bike by using a Shimano XTR mountain derailleur and attaching a WolfTooth Tanpan adapter. Alex Grant’s 2019 Crusher Cannondale Topstone Carbon. © Brandon Cross / Gear Rush[/caption]

To pair the Uletgra R8020 shift lever with the XTR rear derailleur, Grant added a WolfTooth Tanpan adapter to change the cable pull.

[caption id="attachment_137343" align="aligncenter" width="1042"] Grant used a WolfTooth Tanpan adapter to pair the mountain derailleur with road shifters. Alex Grant’s 2019 Crusher Cannondale Topstone Carbon. © Brandon Cross / Gear Rush[/caption]

The biggest decision Grant made about his 2019 Crusher bike was tire choice. Grant tried a slick when he raced on a Slate in 2015 and has typically run file-tread-style tires the other years.

This year he rolled the dice a bit with Maxxis Velocita AR slicks. “I’ve found for gravel a big-volume slick works well. It all about volume and pressure and not as much tread for me. It was a bit of a roll of the dice with the tires, for sure, but it paid off,” Grant said.

Or to be more poetic, “I’ll quote Geoff Kabush, he said, ‘Sometimes you’ve got to risk it for the biscuit.'”

Grant’s Velocitas were 700c x 40mm with Maxxis’ EXO protection providing extra puncture resistance. He mounted the tires to ENVE G23 carbon gravel wheels that have a high-volume-friendly 23mm internal width.

[caption id="attachment_137345" align="aligncenter" width="887"] Grant rolled the dice with Maxxis Velocita AR slicks. It worked for him. Alex Grant’s 2019 Crusher Cannondale Topstone Carbon. © Brandon Cross / Gear Rush[/caption]

Grant stuck with the Ultegra R8020 mechanical shift/brake levers in the front and kept them paired with the Ultegra R8070 flat mount disc calipers.

[caption id="attachment_137338" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Grant ran Ultegra R8020 shift/brake levers with an ENVE road handlebar. Alex Grant’s 2019 Crusher Cannondale Topstone Carbon. © Brandon Cross / Gear Rush[/caption]

His cockpit included an ENVE carbon road handlebar and a carbon ENVE road stem. His seat post was a narrow 27.2mm carbon Cannondale SAVE model, and his saddle was a WTB Volt with carbon rails.

[caption id="attachment_137339" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Grant used a carbon Cannondale SAVE seatpost and WTB Volt saddle with carbon rails. Alex Grant’s 2019 Crusher Cannondale Topstone Carbon. © Brandon Cross / Gear Rush[/caption]

Interestingly, Grant, a mountain biker by trade, ran Shimano Dura-Ace PD-R9100 road pedals—we have seen most gravel riders opt for SPD pedals in recent years.

Grant finished third at last year’s Crusher, but he said the one chink in his armor was a lack of food during the last 30 or so minutes of the race. To make sure he did not run out of gas during his final solo push to the line, Grant attached an XLab Stealth Pocket 200 top tube bag to hold plenty of food to get him to the line.

“This year I made sure I had plenty of food, and I didn’t bonk. It made a big difference,” he said. “I nailed the nutrition, I nailed the bike set up, I had a really good June of training, a lot of things went right.”

[caption id="attachment_137336" align="aligncenter" width="1166"] Grant attached an XLab Stealth Pocket 200 to make sure he was well-fueled. Alex Grant’s 2019 Crusher Cannondale Topstone Carbon. © Brandon Cross / Gear Rush[/caption]

For a closer look at Grant’s Topstone Carbon, see the photo gallery and specs below.

Photo Gallery: Alex Grant’s 2019 Crusher Cannondale Topstone Carbon

Alex Grant’s 2019 Crusher Cannondale Topstone Carbon. © Brandon Cross / Gear Rush

The post Gravel Bike: Alex Grant’s Cannondale Topstone Carbon “Crusher Bike” appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Michigan might be known as the “Mitten State,” but there is another part of the state tucked in between Lakes Superior and Michigan north of Wisconsin called the Upper Peninsula. The U.P., as folks call it, was long known for its copper and iron deposits, and not surprisingly, has a rugged and hilly terrain different from surrounding parts of the Upper Midwest.

It is on that terrain and against that backdrop that The Crusher gravel race took place last weekend. The 225-mile race is not to be confused with the Crusher in the Tushar, although the brave souls who completed the U.P. version of the Crusher would likely argue they had the more difficult task.

While the Lower Peninsula has put itself on the gravel map with the Barry-Roubaix and Coast-to-Coast Gravel Grinder, ultra-endurance events are endemic to da U.P. thanks to the 906 Adventure Team. The Team also hosts the Polar Roll fat bike race in the winter and the brutal Marji Gesick mountain bike race in the fall.

“I look at ultra-ultra events as being super effective life-training events,” 906 Adventure Team’s Todd Poquette said. “906 Adventure Team is a 501c3 Non-Profit, and we have this crazy formula featuring ultra butt-kicking events for adults and adventure bike club for kids. We empower people to discover the best version of themselves through outdoor adventure.”

The Crusher provided a beautiful route and tough challenge. © Ryan Stephens

The 2019 Crusher started at the northern end of the Keweenah Peninsula in Copper Harbor and wound its way south to the Lake Superior city of Marquette. Along the way, riders rode an actual distance of 232 miles and climbed nearly 10,000 feet.

“I love point-to-point events. They’re hard. Logistics are a pain in the ass,” Poquette said. “You have to be prepared. You gotta bring your eh-game. Marquette is a mountain bike capital, so is Copper Harbor, that’s how I decided the beginning and end this year.”

The Crusher bills itself as “Enhanced Gravel.” Marquette, Houghton and Copper Harbor are home to impressive mountain bike trail networks, and with 906 Adventure’s hosting of the Marji, Enhanced Gravel seemed like it could go a lot of ways.

“We use gravel, ORV trails, old railroad beds, rivers, Michigan’s highest point, logging roads, jeep trails, sand and Mosquito gulch,” Poquette said. “Eighty percent of the course is devoid of cell service and highly remote. Racers reported seeing a bear, bobcat, coyote, badger, fox, moose and porcupine. Roll it all up and you have yourself some enhanced gravel, as found in the UP.”

The 2019 Crusher rolled from Copper Harbor early Saturday morning. With a 36-hour cutoff, you know the route is challenging, and Poquette said most riders were expected to finish sometime after sunset. The challenge of the enhanced gravel route is not unintentional.

“We create journeys—and experiences—intended to push people to their limits, riddled with intentional obstacles, tempting participants to crack,” he said. “The hardest stuff is always at the end when you’ll be at your weakest and darkest place, both figuratively and literally, because you’re hurting and it’s the middle of the night.”

The Crusher is a challenging race for all categories. © Ryan Stephens

The Crusher route is not necessarily the most direct route from Copper to Marquette, hugging the west side of the Keweenaw Peninsula for most of its length, so to help keep folks honest and on track, each was required to carry a “passport” that they filled out at each of five checkpoints with activities such as taking a selfie.

Waiting at the end of the ride was a Ti Crusher Cup for each rider who finished by the time cutoff. That approach is a bit different than the Marji Gesick, which famously awards handmade belt buckles to each sub-12-hour finisher. The Marji has a 60% DNF rate, so those buckles are hard-earned.

The Crusher could have been a 300+ mile trans-U.P. trek from Copper Harbor to Mackinac Island, but Poquette said that is not the goal for the event. At least not yet.

“For some, Marji is about the buckle but the everyday man and woman will never claim one, it’s out of reach. I think that’s ok, but Jim from Indiana needs something to hang his hat on too. He has a family, works too many hours a week, doesn’t take good care of himself, and needs a kick in the ass. Crusher is that kick in the ass. It’s sorta like a Marji for the everyday man and woman.”

The goal of The Crusher is to be hard but finishable. © Ryan Stephens

Could a Cross the U.P. route be coming as an even bigger kick in the butt? Maybe!

“I’m leaning toward changing the route every year, running it backward or making it end-to-end as you mentioned,” Poquette said. “We like to mix things up, keep the events fresh and present new challenges. We don’t want people getting comfortable and weak.”

Although the 225-mile Crusher is an overnight ultra-endurance challenge, the event also offers all-inclusive distance options, with 100 and 30-mile solo rides, a 50-mile team ride and a 50-mile ultra run.

2019 Results

Thanks to a bit of a fluke of geography, riders had a little help in chasing the sun on Saturday. Marquette is more or less straight north of Milwaukee, but since it is on Eastern time, sunset was around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. Despite the help, the challenging route forced most riders to finish after dark or even the next morning.

Sandy Marshall (Midtown Cycling) finished a bit after 1 a.m. Sunday to take the Women’s win. Carey Lowery (Rescue Racing / Scott’s Bikes) and Lisa Randall (Mountain Goat Adventures) finished second and third, with Tara Laase-McKinney (Twin Six METAL) and Alexandera Houchin (Chumba USA // Broken Spoke Bike Studio) rounding out the wide-angle podium.

The top finisher for the Men was Mark Kransz (KONA Bicycles/QSBS/CFA), who finished just before the sunset with a time of 15:15. Tinker Juarez and Nick Stanko rolled in together to take second and third. Mitchell DeYoung (Hammer Nutrition, Rudy Project, ESI Grips, Wolf Tooth Components) and Tyler Weston (TITAN/ICW/M22) rounded out the wide-angle podium.

Full results for the 225-mile race are below.

The Crusher returns in 2020 on July 18. Registration opens on August 9 (more info).

Women's Results: 2019 Crusher Enhanced Gravel

Men's Results: 2019 Crusher Enhanced Gravel

The post Gravel Race: Riders Bring Eh Game to The Crusher in Michigan’s U.P. appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Gravel Worlds is still a few weeks away, but last weekend, the Bohemian Alps of Nebraska were alive with the sound of gravel grinding and revelry at the 2019 Bohemian Sto Mill.

Based in, aptly, Prague, the name of the event also draws on Czech heritage—”Sto Mil” stands for 100 miles in Czech.

“We definitely wanted the name to harken to the Bohemian tradition of the area,” even co-director Russell Parde said. “We tossed around names like the Tour de Bohemian Alps and Bohemian Alps 100. Those names all sounded a little too generic, so we decided to translate 100 miles to Czech.”

Gravel Worlds turns 10 this year, but the Bohemian Sto Mil is a relatively new addition to the Nebraska gravel calendar. Ryan Albertson and Gina Kovanda are the other members of the team behind the race.

The idea for the event actually came from a bikepacking trip Albertson and Parde did a few years ago. Starting in Lincoln, they headed north to Czechland Lake, where the Sto Mil now starts.

“We loved the gravel and dirt roads we rode during the trip and on our way back to Lincoln, we started talking about hosting a ride that started from there,” Parde said. “It started to feel like a really special place to us and after enjoying the benefits of local races like Gravel Worlds for years, we saw this as a new way to give something back to the gravel community.”

Riders and tractors could be seen at the 2019 Bohemian Sto Mil. © Rebecca Wright

In our gravel superlatives, Corey Godfrey cited the Sto Mil as a favorite event. The Sto Mil team returned the favor, pointing to the Pirate Cycling League that Godfrey is a part of as one of the inspirations for hosting a race of their own.

“What really makes Nebraska special is the community we’ve built. The Pirate Cycling League has been hosting rides like Gravel worlds for over a decade. They have been supportive of new riders and events. They have fostered a DIY spirit in the area,” Parde explained.

Organizers have changed the route for the Sto Mill every year, and this year’s route totaled exactly 100 miles. Riders rode south from Prague in a counterclockwise direction, heading back north after reaching Valparaiso, which was part of the 2018 Gravel Worlds route. Along the way, the total climbing checked in at around 6,000 feet.

“The Bohemian Alps are known for the never-ending rolling hills, and the relatively sparse population means the area has a lot of dirt roads as well,” Parde said. “We love rides that challenge us and the Bohemian Alps is the perfect setting for a challenging gravel ride.”

Many challenges awaited riders at the Bohemian Sto Mil. © Rebecca Wright

At this point in the gravel season, we have seen plenty of races embrace their names when it comes to podium prizes and giveaways. The Sto Mil is no different, going the route of the Belgian Waffle Ride in offering an on-brand breakfast. In the case of the Sto Mil, it was Czech kolaches.

“A kolache is a breakfast pastry similar to the more familiar Danish pastry with a fruit filling center surrounded by a sweet dough. It’s a specialty of the area and every small town seems to have a little bakery that sells them. We eat them all weekend and make sure to have some at support stops along the course,” Parde explained.

This year’s winners’ trophies were race-branded champagne bottles, and there was also a DFL prize similar to races such as the Land Run 100. This year’s DFL finisher was someone new to gravel who had only done one century before tackling the Sto Mil. You can bet there is a good chance that person will be back again for his 3rd century in 2020.

Organizers also focused on the under-represented community of women cyclists by offering a free 6-inch cake from Goldenrod Pastries to all female finishers.

Encouraging new riders and fostering a welcoming vibe is so important to the Bo Sto Mil team that they continue to make race entries free while raising money via the sale of race merch. They also keep the vibe fun with a short rule book just seven entries long. A few of those rules stand out as the most important.

“The two rules we take very seriously are do not litter and be a decent human being. If we found anyone throwing their trash on the road or not being kind to their fellow riders, volunteers or locals, they would be immediately disqualified and not welcomed back,” Parde said. “Thankfully we have not had to do that yet.”

2019 Bohemian Sto Mil Results

The 2019 Bohemian Sto Mil took place on Saturday, July 20.

The Women’s winner was Hailey Moore. Carly Thompson finished second and Carol Stauffer third.

Top Men’s honors went to Robb Finegan. Anton Krupicka took second and Josh Shear third.

Full results for the Open Women and Open Men races are below.

Open Women Results: 2019 Bohemian Sto Mil

Open Men Results: 2019 Bohemian Sto Mil

The post Gravel Race: Graveleurs Czech Out Nebraska’s Bohemian Alps at Bo Sto Mil appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Laura and Ted King have been across the country and the world riding in gravel events, and this weekend, they are returning the favor by inviting graveleurs to their own backyard and the first-ever Rooted Vermont.

The Kings have billed the event as a “Return to Gravel,” which has a deeper meaning for the couple after they moved back to Vermont from California last June. Back home, the Kings’ posts about riding in Vermont quickly brought requests for them to host their own gravel race started coming in.

“We started receiving messages through social media asking us if we planned on hosting a gravel event or camp in our new home,” Laura said. “I think it was quickly apparent through our posts that Vermont was a special place, as well as a place fitting for a gravel event as a state with more dirt roads than paved.”

Ted agreed, “Laura and I want to show off this amazing community that has been so welcoming to us as regular people to the greater cycling community that we’ve built and that has been an honor to be part of.”

Before long, Rooted Vermont was born. With Ted taking a bigger role at his company UnTapped and undertaking his Groad to Kanza, Laura stepped in as the race director and force behind making the event happen. “We also knew that if we were to make this happen, we were ‘all-in’ and were going to make this the best kind of event we could envision,” Laura said.

Laura and Ted King are set to welcome gravel friends at Rooted Vermont. photo: Rooted Vermont

The Mullet Protocol

When I spoke with Ted before the Dirty Kanza 200, he recalled the inclusive, community vibe of his first gravel race that made him want to come back again and again. “We want to put a great deal of importance on the fun aspect because at the end of the day, that’s the greatest attribute gravel has going for it,” Ted said about the team’s goal for Rooted Vermont.

“Having spent the last couple of years attending many Fondos and gravel races across the country, we had a united sense of what identity we wanted our event to have,” Laura added. “There was no question that we wanted to maintain the grassroots feel of gravel that we’ve found to be a large part of what makes the growing category so special.”

Central to the atmosphere of fun and inclusiveness is what Team King is calling the “Mullet Protocol.” There will be plenty of strong riders at Rooted Vermont to hammer, but once they go do their thing, then it is time to party. “It will be business up front with people riding hard, but we want the party to be at the back. We want people to be having a good time before, during and after the ride,” Ted said.

A unique aspect of the Mullet Protocol will be the Mullet Protocol podium. Laura explained what that is.

“[The Mullet Protocol] podium will be a text-to-vote all weekend for riders or volunteers who best upheld the spirit of gravel— maybe it was their great attitude or the fact that they sacrificed their ride to stop and aid another rider—whatever it may be, this is the spirit we want to celebrate and uphold and we’re excited to award a Cannondale Topstone to the winner.”

No matter where you finish, the Mullet Protocol should ensure a good time at Rooted Vermont. 2019 Men’s Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Vermont Flavor

The Rooted Vermont race will be based at Cochran’s Ski Area in Richmond. The event is offering distances of 82 and 48 miles that are both 70+ percent gravel and dirt. The surfaces vary from “silky smooth gravel” to “Vermont pavé.” If the Rasputitsa event held earlier this year is any indication, the latter could get interesting.

Rider safety was a key design factor in the route, as was making sure the two routes intersected to maintain a communal feel. With the Kings only back home for about a year, they did their homework to help create a worthy route.

“We met with locals who know the backroads and were willing to lend their advice and knowledge, we studied maps, we went out for a lot of recon to see if roads went through and experienced hike-a-bikes up creek beds, being surrounded by a pack of dogs, strange reclusive individuals on hidden dirt roads, but also some real gems that provided a great challenge,” Laura said.

Laura continued, “When it came to the course, we had to include barns, of course, but we wanted a course that was enough of a challenge that you want to come back year after year to improve upon your race and where you roll into the finish wanting to laugh with your friends about the tough elements you faced.”

Rooted Vermont will have plenty of Vermont flavor. photo: Rooted Vermont

Both routes finish with a steep climb to the top of the ski area. Fortunately, the Kings are both fans of food and will plan accordingly. “We felt the finish line festival was as important as the ride—good food always elevates a ride,” Laura explained.

“In gravel events, no matter your talent level or category, you’re able to celebrate at the finish in a communal atmosphere. We wanted our friends to taste the very best of Vermont—Maple Creemees, the best IPA and locally sourced farm-fresh food made by a cyclist and chef friend, Justin Walker, were a few of the ways we felt we could showcase Vermont and what it is all about.”

Challenges of “The Other Side”

Leaving their bikes and hopping into race director roles has been a new experience for the Kings. As mentioned in the intro, Laura has taken on the role of lead race director, with some help from her friend Kristin Motley, who has taken on some of the detail-oriented aspects of putting on the race.

Laura King described some of the skills she has had to call on as race director—”You have to have great diversity in skillset. Marketing, digital marketing, social media and community connections are all incredibly important, but then on the execution side of the event, organization, logistics, operations and constant communication are all just as important.”

She continued, “I have to thank the community of race organizers in Vermont who all reached out to lend their experience and knowledge and gave me an open line to ask them questions. I took copious notes and soaked up their advice, all the while thinking about how we could put our unique stamp on our event.”

In addition to all the work required to make an event happen, putting on a first-year event has the added stress of worrying about no one actually showing up. Fortunately for Rooted Vermont, 2019’s field has been full for some time now.

“It’s awesome to see we’ve sold out,” Ted said. “We really want to showcase this area to people from across the country. We have registrants from across the country. It’s cool to see the back end of registration because you see where everybody lives. Very diverse geographical registration list.”

And if everything is a success, from the perspective of the Kings, participants from Vermont and places farther afield will fall in love with the state they have quickly come to love after returning home. “We are hoping the take away is the beauty of Vermont and what makes it so special,” Laura said. “We’re proud to be becoming Vermonters!”

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Iceland’s Lauf has been getting involved in gravel in a big way in recent years. The company launched its spring-leaf Lauf Grit fork and then added the fork to its True Grit gravel bike. Lauf employees have also been traveling the U.S. attending gravel events from Utah to Florida and other places in between.

After making a big investment in building its gravel brand in the States, Lauf invited folks to come ride some gravel in its backyard at The Rift gravel race in Iceland.

Lauf invited graveleurs to experience Iceland’s brand of gravel at The Rift. © Snorri Thor

Named for the continental rift that runs through Iceland, the race billed itself as an event to bring the continents together to share gravel, the beauty of Iceland and of course, beer. The True Grit comes with a bottle opener, after all.

The inaugural Rift was a 200km (125-mile) race that started and finished in Hvolsvöllur, which is located southeast of Reykjavik. The route looped around the active Hekla volcano and included sections organizers called the Serpent of Midgard and Gate to Valhalla.

The Rift featured a challenging route that went around an active volcano. © Snorri Thor

2019 Results

To help make the inaugural Rift an international event, Lauf invited a number of North Americans to come to Iceland to race.

Taking the 200km win for the Women was American Alison Tetrick (Specialized). Maria Ögn Guðmundsdóttir (Hvolsvöllur) finished second and Sami Suri (ENVE Racing) third. Ágústa Björnsdóttir (Kriakeppnis) and Peta Takai (La Grange) rounded out the Women’s wide-angle podium.

The Men’s top five featured several names familar to U.S. gravel fans. 2019 King of Kanza Colin Strickland (Meteor x Giordana x Allied) took the win, with rider cum race promoter Ted King (Cannondale / SRAM / Velocio / Vittoria) coming in second. Ingvar Ómarsson (Novator) took third and Christian Meier and Neil Shirley (ENVE) rounded out the wide-angle podium.

Results for the 200km Rift are below.

Women Results: 2019 The Rift Gravel Race

Men Results: 2019 The Rift Gravel Race

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This weekend, gravel riders have descended on northern Vermont for the inaugural Rooted Vermont hosted by Laura and Ted King, but last weekend, there was another, dare we say, more cheeky gravel ride based out of Cochran’s Ski Area that was likely a bit tougher to finish.

The Irreverent Road Ride 8.0 celebrated its latest reboot with 137 miles of gravel and dirt roads and 15,000 feet (!) of total climbing. “I would now classify it as ‘The country’s single most challenging dirt road ride,’ race director Adam St. Germain said.

The Irreverent Road Ride did not necessarily start as an ultra-challenging slog. Vermont is known for its unpaved roads, so dirt and gravel were inevitably on weekly group ride routes. “We started to get a little adventurous on where we went, hitting some local dirt roads, then some off-shoot trails, some mountain bike trails and just linking together different areas in uncommon ways. We were laughing, riding silly stuff, walking some stuff and just having a blast.”

Vermont’s famed Class IV unmaintained roads first made an appearance this gravel season during Rasputitsa, where they inevitably turned into the icy, muddy mess known as Cyberia. Those roads are still gnarly in late July, but perhaps a bit less Cyberia-y. When St. Germain and his friends discovered their first Class IV road, the Irreverent Road Ride was almost inevitable.

“I rode a little Class IV called Leavensworth Road in Hinesburg and started thinking that there were other fun off-the-map-style roads in the area and started exploring and looking at maps. A lot of time has been spent poring over maps,” St. Germain explained.

The group rides eventually turned into the first IRR 1.0 in 2012. That ride was a 110-mile ride that participants expected to “get weird,” and then it grew to have a formal registration process in Year 3. “There was no original intention of making it this far, but here we are,” St. Germain admitted.

The IRR8.0 started where the blacktop ended. 2019 Irreverent Road Ride 8.0. © Mitch McArtor / Still Life Designs

A Vermont Challenge

In a gravel landscape where we have seen rides such as Iowa Wind and Rock, the DKXL and The Crusher, why can the Irreverent Road Ride make a claim as one of most challenging out there? That definition is certainly subjective, but St. Germain said he strives to push the limits each year.

“I pour every ounce of energy into making the route as exciting, rewarding and demanding as possible,” he said. “As riders continue to finish the route, it will get harder every year, which is a subjective assessment on my behalf. I stand by the fact that it’s the single most challenging ride in the country.”

There are no prizes for finishing the IRR, but it has gained enough cred about the gravel crowd that finishing is a sign of badassedry among those in the know. With an emphasis on those in the know. “No results, but everyone’s a winner,” St. Germain said. “There are no rewards for finishing, other than being able to claim you finished IRR, which in some circles is a pretty big deal—but in others they’ll have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The Irreverent Road Ride is called a road ride, but as St. Germain explained, “road ride” means something a bit different in Vermont. He views the ride route as a sampling of the ground transportation routes Vermont has to offer.

“For those not familiar with what we have going on in Vermont, the route always includes—smooth pavement, older cracked pavement, smooth, well-traveled dirt roads (we don’t truly have gravel roads in VT), single-lane, lightly traveled dirt roads, doubletrack, singletrack and finally Class IV roads. The Class IV sections are the wild card, some people will call them Vermont Pavé, but the truth is, it completely depends,” he explained.

Bridge out? Go around. 2019 Irreverent Road Ride 8.0. © Mitch McArtor / Still Life Designs

With the event in Year 8, the Irreverent Road Ride has been around for the full evolution of gravel in the U.S. The event started as a group of friends going for a ride before turning into an organized thing, and it has observed the changes in what a “gravel bike” is. Road bikes were the bikes of choice in the first editions, but over the years, more and more wide-tire bikes have been making appearances, with gravel-gravel bikes now the popular choice.

“I like to tell people that every bike is the wrong bike. And, I feel like that is mostly true,” St. Germain said. “The most important thing is that it has low gearing and you’ll be comfortable being on it for 8-plus hours.”

However, perhaps in a sign of how challenging the IRR is, there has been a noticeable trend toward even more squish and more volume in recent years. “These last couple of years more folks have opted for a mountain bike. There was a crew of 3 or 4 guys this year all riding steel fully rigid mountain bikes, a couple full suspension mountain bikes and another guy on a fully rigid carbon 29er but with narrow tires.”

The Irreverent Road Ride takes its name seriously. 2019 Irreverent Road Ride 8.0. © Mitch McArtor / Still Life Designs

This year’s self-supported IRR 8.0 took place on Saturday, July 27. Roughly 80 brave souls toed the start line with a goal of finishing the 137-mile route by midnight that evening. Twenty-five or so of the starters finished that task, earning them the only prize the IRR offers. “I tell riders there is a dusty notebook in my basement where I pencil in the finishers each year,” St. Germain said with a smile.

With this year’s route certifiably finishable, there is little doubt next year’s Irreverent Road Ride 9.0 will be even tougher. Although the route is challenging, St. Germain thinks the most important part of the process is just getting to the start line and believing you can take on such a challenge.

“Everyone is welcome, and I aim to as inclusive and supportive of everyone that shows up, all you have to do is show up,” he said. “No one cares if you finish or not, but it’s really important to just show up.”

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On Sunday, Laura and Ted King welcomed 450 of their closest gravel-riding friends to their new home state for the inaugural Rooted Vermont gravel race. On Friday, we previewed the new event and the Kings’ experience as race directors, not race racers.

Rooted Vermont offered routes of 82 and 45 miles, and it was based out of the Cochran’s Ski Area in Richmond.

The Kings implemented a “Mullet Protocol” for the race. Business at the front, party at the back. We have a look at the business end here, but knowing a gravel event, the real winners were likely those in the party part.

Race participants also have the chance to vote for the Mullet Protocol Podium rider based on who best embodied the gravel spirit during the weekend.

Fresh off a cyclocross season where she finished 6th at the 2018 Louisville Nationals, Regina Legge took the Rooted Vermont win. She narrowly beat out Carla Williams. Jessica Cerra, Rachel Cohen and Olivia Dillon made up the rest of the wide-angle podium.

The Men’s long-course win went to Lane Maher. Mike Barton finished second and Daniel Donahue third, with Tim Mitchell and Kai Wiggins rounding out the wide-angle podium.

Full results for the Women and Men’s long course are below. Full results are available here.

Women Long Course Results: 2019 Rooted Vermont

Men Long Course Results: 2019 Rooted Vermont