Mt. Biker wins Road Race on his Mt. Bike

[Robert Merivel]

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/mountain-biker-wins-road-race-on-his-hardtail-22736?CPN=RSS

I was going to post it over on the MB side, then I thought, No, this was a road race... Stick it to those roadies!

 

[ridley]

Awesome performance on a mountain bike. I would love to know more about the competitors that he competed against

 

[Robert Merivel]

Awesome performance on a mountain bike. I would love to know more about the competitors that he competed against

That is the question. I've ridden on my sub 20lb full suspension with knobbies on training "road" rides and it's brutal just staying in a fast pace line. It can be done, but to win, one has to be someone special.

I used to train in the winter in Tucson with the 50 to 80 road riders that left the campus about 6:30 in the morning. I had slick tires and they didn't like me very much in the beginning. But if one was able to stay with the main pack by the end, their attitudes usually changed for the better.

 

[Deagol]

That is the question. I've ridden on my sub 20lb full suspension with knobbies on training "road" rides and it's brutal just staying in a fast pace line. It can be done, but to win, one has to be someone special.

I used to train in the winter in Tucson with the 50 to 80 road riders that left the campus about 6:30 in the morning. I had slick tires and they didn't like me very much in the beginning. But if one was able to stay with the main pack by the end, their attitudes usually changed for the better.

Todd Wells did that to a group I was in once- not a race, but a fast road ride

 

[Milessio]

They must have been relaxed regarding the bike check!
Suspension & disc brakes aren't even allowed in cyclocross races.

His legs must have been whirring with his 46 or 48 chainring against everbody elses 53. I guess it was the only time he was on the front though, as it would have been embarrasing for him to tow the rest along. But then to lose out to him in the sprint Tsk, Tsk

 

[the vagabond]

I can't help wondering what would happen at a French or Italian road race if someone showed up with a (ahem) toy bike. I'd be surprised if fat-knobby-tired bikes are even lawful on paved roads.

 

[Velo Dude]

I too am surprised they let him in a road race. Clearly the knobby tires gave him an unfair advantage.

 

[forty four]

man to the mtb winner good job to the roadies on superior bikes and gear ratios well simply pathetic imo. im in socal and even on a very fast group ride that would be hard to pull off what rpm's would be needed to win at 35 to 40+ mph in a sprint in a flat road race on an mtb. far out this does not put the roadies in south africa in a good light that i will say. simply they got owned by a rider on an mtb on pavement lol.

 

[Old Derailleur-in-the-mist]

Odd thread. The sniping of roadie vs MTB is sophomoric.
It's ALL great sport.
Ask Ryder Hesjedal.

 

[rgmerk]

Odd thread. The sniping of roadie vs MTB is sophomoric.
It's ALL great sport.
Ask Ryder Hesjedal.

Agreed.

All this proves is if you put a pro up against a bunch of not-particularly-strong amateurs, the difference in power output is so great that it can overcome a massive equipment advantage to the amateurs.

 

[Robert Merivel]

Odd thread. The sniping of roadie vs MTB is sophomoric.
It's ALL great sport.
Ask Ryder Hesjedal.

"Sophomoric?" Not that I want or care to get into it with you, but I've done a lot of competitive cycling over the last 25 years. Started out on road and moved up the ranks fairly quickly, at least on a local level, Cat 2, but rode with some pretty heavy hitters a couple of times. Always felt that many "roadies", but not all, had an "attitude." Maybe that comes from the danger level of road racing in a pack where one is at the mercy of those intimately around oneself and the inherent desire to survive in one piece, whilst seeing other fellow riders not even blinking an eye, as competitors lie on the asphalt. I believe this is what overshadowed the joy of it all for me. I've overheard many vile and ruthless conversations between riders in a road race who seem to be on the verge of "exploding" if someone "gets in their way." Not so, at least for me, in a Mt. Bike race.

When I got into Mt Biking in the late 80's and found myself alone, in a race, in a majestic forest where the sounds of cursing fellow riders could not be heard, I new I had the best of both worlds. I was inspired and it showed. Rarely did I find myself not on the podium in my age group. But winning wasn't everything. It was always important to see others happy and more often than not, it has been my direct experience, Mt Bikers seemed to have an edge in that department. Not that there are not happy road riders, but there is an "edge" in that world and so, I am willing to acknowledge the various, contrasting life-styles of the two worlds in this post since I have found myself deeply rooted in both sides at one time or another.

I've raced some roads more recently and I've noticed in those "master" races the competitive edge is still there, but there is also a "knowingness" from experience that "winning" at the expense of another isn't the driving force, the motive to be the best. It's what goes on during the race that is the test, not what necessarily happens at the end. The "best" is he or she who is gracious in winning or losing while ultimately realizing that one can only win if everyone else wins too.

So yes, maybe my snipe was out of place, but maybe this response is not.

Competition is for the Competent!

 

[Boeing]

this doesnt belong here, no wait yest it i does. I mean no it ...err wait. ADMIN help....I don't like this take it aaway.....

maybe I just mean I am ****ed I didnt think of it first....


anyway nice post

 

[Deagol]

"Sophomoric?" Not that I want or care to get into it with you, but I've done a lot of competitive cycling over the last 25 years. Started out on road and moved up the ranks fairly quickly, at least on a local level, Cat 2, but rode with some pretty heavy hitters a couple of times. Always felt that many "roadies", but not all, had an "attitude." Maybe that comes from the danger level of road racing in a pack where one is at the mercy of those intimately around oneself and the inherent desire to survive in one piece, whilst seeing other fellow riders not even blinking an eye, as competitors lie on the asphalt. I believe this is what overshadowed the joy of it all for me. I've overheard many vile and ruthless conversations between riders in a road race who seem to be on the verge of "exploding" if someone "gets in their way." Not so, at least for me, in a Mt. Bike race.
......!

Agreed, but do you notice that the uptight attitude hs begun to creep it's way into mountain biking a bit in the last few years? As more riders cross over, some, but not all, of the attitude has followed. At least from my observations. Good luck at Leadville....

 

[egtalbot]

Man, there goes another excuse for not keeping up on my mountain bike. Of course, my mountain bike is only a US$500 bike so maybe the excuse still works.

I'm not shocked he could hang with the pack, but to win in the sprint? Impressive.

 

[Merckx11]

Floyd Landis

When Floyd was a teenager he would ride up on group rides of local amateur roadies while on his mountain bike and hang with them. They would all be surprised and expect him to drop off soon enough. He never did, he just kept riding at the front until they went wherever they were going. legendary stories.

 

[Anonymous]

Funny thing about that "article" though, it mentions the brand of bike several times. I believe that is a classic example of "Fark" being that I am willing to bet that the origin of the story was a press release from Whyte. Please note the author of the story is "Bike Radar." Fark indeed.

 

[sprinter]

Firstly the race was in Botswana not South Africa, a remote area kind of like comparing racing in Alaska to that of California or Colorado. I doubt if there was any talent in that remote area (it's in the middle of nowhere!) and double doubt any existence of Zipps of any kind.

 

[dgodave]

I dont see roadies stopping in the middle of the race to smoke a bowl like I used to in early 80's mtb races.
.

 

[beroepsrenner]

"Sophomoric?" Not that I want or care to get into it with you, but I've done a lot of competitive cycling over the last 25 years. Started out on road and moved up the ranks fairly quickly, at least on a local level, Cat 2, but rode with some pretty heavy hitters a couple of times. Always felt that many "roadies", but not all, had an "attitude." Maybe that comes from the danger level of road racing in a pack where one is at the mercy of those intimately around oneself and the inherent desire to survive in one piece, whilst seeing other fellow riders not even blinking an eye, as competitors lie on the asphalt. I believe this is what overshadowed the joy of it all for me. I've overheard many vile and ruthless conversations between riders in a road race who seem to be on the verge of "exploding" if someone "gets in their way." Not so, at least for me, in a Mt. Bike race.

When I got into Mt Biking in the late 80's and found myself alone, in a race, in a majestic forest where the sounds of cursing fellow riders could not be heard, I new I had the best of both worlds. I was inspired and it showed. Rarely did I find myself not on the podium in my age group. But winning wasn't everything. It was always important to see others happy and more often than not, it has been my direct experience, Mt Bikers seemed to have an edge in that department. Not that there are not happy road riders, but there is an "edge" in that world and so, I am willing to acknowledge the various, contrasting life-styles of the two worlds in this post since I have found myself deeply rooted in both sides at one time or another.

I've raced some roads more recently and I've noticed in those "master" races the competitive edge is still there, but there is also a "knowingness" from experience that "winning" at the expense of another isn't the driving force, the motive to be the best. It's what goes on during the race that is the test, not what necessarily happens at the end. The "best" is he or she who is gracious in winning or losing while ultimately realizing that one can only win if everyone else wins too.

So yes, maybe my snipe was out of place, but maybe this response is not.

Competition is for the Competent!

As a professional cyclist, there does exist what appears to be a certain aloofness and a kind of contempt toward riders from lower levels or even other branches of cycling but not for the reasons you may think. Whether it be racing or training, you are doing your job and the last thing you need is for some goose on a mountain bike with no clue of the group riding ettiquite that is taken for granted at the elite level, to cause a crash. The same applies to triathletes who dont have a bike racing background. they can be dangerous in a big group. In my experience once these people can demonstrate that they can ride safely they will be accepted.
Getting back to the origial thread; I know a certain apple orchardist and former pro, down in Tasmania, who on occasions, would come out on the Sunday training ride on his mountain bike (with slicks) and win the sprint at the halfway coffee stop and the final sprint just to show all the young hot shots how much more work they had to do.

 

[swiss_ironx]

Cool hand Luke, shock it to them Smith.
I dont feel as bad now being dropped on the Brenard pass two weeks before le tour by a lady on her 26incher and whicker basket.

 

[davidw]

I can't help wondering what would happen at a French or Italian road race if someone showed up with a (ahem) toy bike. I'd be surprised if fat-knobby-tired bikes are even lawful on paved roads.

Actually, there's a lot less 'attitude' here in Italy, from my experience at least. People figure out that it's just for fun fairly early on: with plenty of real big fish, there is no big fish in a little pond syndrome.

Also, since there are fewer trails than in other parts of the world, it's pretty common for even MTB races to include a few paved sections over here.

I don't know if they'd let a guy on a mountain bike in an actual race... it probably depends on who it is and what race, and the officials involved.

BTW, I completely agree that MTB racing is more fun: if you're feeling really good, you just go, and don't have to think about how to get guys off your wheel. If you're not good, well, most of the time you still get to go for a nice ride on cool trails; no worries about getting dropped from the pack. On the other hand, strategy is part of what makes road racing more fun to watch.

 

[ProTour]

One of the most amazing victories of the year, considering he was racing against at least one professional. Watch out for this kid, sounds like he has some huge potential.

 

[beroepsrenner]

Cool hand Luke, shock it to them Smith.
I dont feel as bad now being dropped on the Brenard pass two weeks before le tour by a lady on her 26incher and whicker basket.

This post just reminded me of something that happened to me in belgium in the early 80s. I had ridden 30km from Gent to Desselgem to ride the GP Briek Schotte. 150km race, finished around 30th and then rode the 30km back to Gent. I was so nailed from the race that on the outskirts of Gent I was passed by an elderly lady on an old clunker with tyres half flat and a shopping basket on the handlebars. Demoralising