The 100-mile race was the only 100-mile mountain bike race in Michigan. It also served as the third stop for the National Ultra-Endurance Mountain Bike 100 Series. The course is challenging on 95% singletrack and has a total elevation gain of over 13,0.0m. Following is a report off www.lumberjack100.com and Manistee News:
By MATT WENZEL
Sports Editor
WELLSTON
Jeff Schalk held a trophy for first place that consisted of a piece of wood with a hand-axe stuck in the top. It was an unusual place, but it was exactly where he wanted to be.
Trek-Volkswagen sponsored Schalk, a professional cyclist who won first place in Saturday’s Lumberjack 100. In just seven hours and seven minutes, he completed the 100-mile race at Big M (Manistee National Forest).
Schalk stated that I live the life of a pro-racer nomad. It’s about going to places you have never been before.
This path led him to Big M, where he won his first race. Schalks prize for winning first was a rather unusual trophy and a few beers at the awards ceremony at Norman Township Hall, which was filled with around 200 racers.
One of eight races in the National Ultra Endurance Race Series, which includes races all over the United States, is the Lumberjack 100. Schalk, originally from San Francisco, moved to Washington DC, and now resides in Virginia. He has won the first three races.
He said that he had been enjoying a great year. The Lumberjack 100 had almost 250 riders this year. This is its fourth year. Despite having some nationally-recognized riders, the event remains low key.
Rick Plite, race organizer, stated that while it’s still a grassroots campaign, it’s the laid-back nature of the awards party which makes it an enjoyable event.
This atmosphere was apparent on Saturday night when Plite presented trophies and also gave away a variety of prizes. The race was anything but easy, even though the awards ceremony was simple.
The 25-mile course at Big M is a tough one. Four laps are required for competitors.
Plite stated that one of the most difficult things about our course, and the reason some pros claim it is more challenging than Colorado or West Virginia, is that we don’t have the same elevation, rocks, or nastiness as them. However, there is no recovery on the Big M course. You must always pedal. It is impossible to coast down a steep hill for 10 minutes without pedaling. It requires constant pedaling and steering. It is a horrible vehicle.
race.
Although Schalk was crowned overall Cheryl Sornson’s winner, another Trek-VW sponsor racer won the women’s race with a time:
Only 58 percent of the 244 racers who began the event finished it, which was complicated by the severe storms that hit the region on Thursday night.
Three sections of approximately 300 yards each were used, with 38 cm of water.
Plite said. It was too much so we left.
This caused some difficulty for the entire field. Schalk stated that the first lap was not so difficult. The holes got more and more difficult each lap. Because the hole was so deep, I ended up falling over his bike. It was a great day.
LUMBERJACK 100 RESULT
(age)
1. JEFF SCHALK OPENTREK – VW 2. EVAN PLEWS OPENSUBARU SCOTT 3. HARLAN PRICE OPENIFRACING CHRIS EATOUGH OPENTREK – VW 5. CHRISTIAN TANGGUY OPENAM CYCLE & FINS 6. GERRY PFLUG OPENSPEEDGOAT-SPK-SALSA 7. MICHAEL SIMONSON OPENTREK ACTORY 8. RONALD SANBORN SPDMCLAIN CYC&FIT 9. JOHN FUZZY MYLINE SNG SPDSHOAIR/ROCKNROAD/NINER 10. GARTH PROSSER OPENSOBE CANONDALE 14. NATE VERSLUIS SPDFOUNDERS ALES – ALGER RACING 15. DEJAY BIRTC SNG SPD 18. CHIP MEEK SPDSPIN-DIERINGER21. DAN JANSEN SNG SPDSPIN-DIERINGER 26. JOHN SNG SPDUN BETWEEN LEGS 28. JOE KUCHARSKI SNG SPDACTIVE 31. ROBERT KRANZ SPDSPIN-RR DONELLEY 34. JOCHEN FABER SNG SPD 42. HUGH MELLING 50+ FOR WOMEN
1. CHERYL SORNSON OPENTREK – VW EAST 2. KAREN POTER OPENMTB – MIND 3. DANIELLE MUSTO OPENKENDA-TITUS-HAYES 4. ANEE GROFVERT 50+BICILIBRE-FOUNDERS1 5. LAUREEN COFFELT OPENRBS 1 6. TARA TASMA OPENGIANT1 NOREEN GREENE SPDBLESSOCONSULTING1 SHARI VERSLUIS OPENFOUNDERS ALE–ALGER1 9. SHELLY WILSON OPENPEDAL AND TOUR1 10. CRICKET BUTLER OPENBICYCLE PORT1
