Lakeshore drops in the XC, this and others captured by Dad
The Laddies Loppet stage race experience at Maplelag Resort was second to none. My dad and I made the six hour trek across state line and Minnesota’s vastness for a weekend of bike racing and relaxing. Staying at Maplelag for a race weekend is the most ‘pro’ experience I’ve ever lived. The comfy accommodations are trailside and you get to bunk with your best friends. The meals are incredibly tasty and nutritious at the same time, plus the dinner hall makes for a real ‘team dinner’ experience. We didn’t have to drive anywhere for food or supplies all weekend. The experience couldn’t have been any better. All of this said with the racing part of the weekend aside.
Fast STXC action, probably chasing down Doug here…
The stage race format is always a fun one and the tight competition didn’t disappoint. After the TT I was sitting second place, within five seconds of Brendan who took the win. At just ten minutes and some change this was a full-on dash that didn’t allow any chance for recovery. I honestly felt as if I gave it 100% and doubt that I could have found a spare five seconds anywhere on the course.
That evening’s Short Track was hotly contested with many of us trying our turns at the front. In the end it was Dan Swanson who outsmarted us all with his last lap attack and convincingly held three of us off in the final sprint for the line. Forth place on the stage and I kept my second spot on the GC, gaining some time back to Brendan. The overall would surely come down to the XC results as four laps of the rough and rugged steep course would be enough to string out field and the time gaps.
the W.
The XC was relentless, with several riders taking hard charges at the front of the race. I kept myself in good position and endured to take a hard fought win. I led from the start, but by the end of lap one, Paul was on the throttle going full speed. Into lap two Brendan was attacking while I flailed in the singletrack, losing time and getting off the bike a couple of times due to mess ups. Somehow I clawed back up to Brendan and Paul. By the end of lap two Brendan had popped a bit as Paul and I kept charging hard. Sam bridged up riding super smoothly and took the reigns at the front. The two of us gapped Paul by the end of lap three and rode together for the entire fourth and final lap. I was hanging on for dear life at times and at others the pace was alright. I led through the final singletrack section and opened just a small gap that I held on the ski trail all the way to the finish. We had put over two and a half minutes on everyone else, thus securing our one and two spots not only for the stage results, but for the overall as well.
Stage Race overall podium. Me, Sam Oftedahl, Brendan Moore, Chris Fisher, Paul Hanson
This was my first win of the season and it couldn’t have been any more dramatic from start to end. I crashed a couple times, led quite a bit, but also had to chase hard to keep myself in contention when things got really stressed. I’m really happy that my dad was there to enjoy the weekend and to help me out with the bottle feeds. Honestly, it’s the support that makes fast bike racing possible and I couldn’t do it without a lot of help from a lot folks along the way. Thanks for making it happen,
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