With a race as important as the Leadville 100 it’s hard to predict what will happen and who will do what when the shotgun fires at 6:30am. In anticipation, the Cannondale Factory Team of Jeremiah Bishop, Alex Grant, Tinker Juarez and Tim Johnson laid out a solid plan of tactics the night before. What was unique about the collection of four pros was that, though they each come from distinctly different backgrounds, the foursome worked like a finely tuned engine to secure the best possible finish for Cannondale and got along like old friends throughout, important when everyone is staying in the same house for a few days.
While an accomplished endurance racer, Jeremiah is primarily a World Cup XC star working on a 2012 Olympic berth. The unassuming Alex is a well-established endurance racer who came to Leadville as a favorite. Tinker, at 50 years old, is the current marathon master World Champion, multi-time national cross-country champion, 24-hour national champion and a former Olympian. Tim, who comes as part of the Cannondale prepared by Cyclocrossworld.com team is a national champion cross racer competing at the World Cup level. Though an accomplished road pro as well Tim chose to skip the road season and use mountain bike racing to prepare for his upcoming national and World Cup cyclocross campaign. “Leadville and the Breck Epic is my Tour of Utah and Colorado,” he joked.
As predicted under sunny skies and picture perfect 70-degree weather, two riders attacked just five miles in on the very first climb while an alert Alex bridged up. This proved to be the key move for the team and it happened just a mere half hour into the race. Ironically, it was just the situation that was heatedly discussed the night before. If a group went early Alex would follow.
But that wasn't the only drama. In that same spot Jeremiah burped his tire so in a selfless move Tinker traded him his rear wheel and Tim paced him back to the main bunch so Jeremiah could rejoin the fight. With Jeremiah behind in the main field this relieved Alex of any pace setting duties so he could conserve energy (which he would later need) as the three leaders sped off the front for 45 miles to the base of the infamous Columbine climb. Though he lost a little time to the two leaders as the climb progressed Alex maintained his third place all the way up and for the mammoth 52 miles back to the finish he put in an unheard of solo effort in the wind to take an amazing third overall on the day for his best Leadville placing yet while JB powered all the way back up to the front to roll across the line for his second straight fifth place Leadville finish. A bit farther back Tinker and Tim worked together all the way to the red carpet for 14th and 15th respectively.
“It was great day for Cannondale,” said Jeremiah. “We got a third and a fifth and the team worked great together to make it happen.”
Outside of the slight tire issue the collection Flash and Scalpel 29’ers worked flawlessly. In fact, the Flash that both Alex and Jeremiah rode was a Bicycling magazine Editor’s Choice for Best Race Hardtail this year. An honorable selection proved many times over at this year's Leadville on a course that Jeremiah described as slower and rougher compared to last year due to heavy rains early in the year that exposed a lot of rocks and created more sand sections throughout the 103 miles.
One major point that’s been a topic of discussion among the riders is the new 29’er XLR Carbon Lefty. The inherent design allows us to make the lightest and stiffest 29’er fork on the market. Not only does it reduce overall weight, it also produces a bettering handling, straighter tracking bike when the terrain is rough and choppy. Match the fork to our System Integrated stem with a negative 15-degree rise and not only do you get even further weight reduction but also a better, more precise handling 29’er compared to the competition
While Alex, Jeremiah and Tinker relaxed and enjoyed post race festivities in Leadville, Tim, Mountain Bike Product Manager Johs Huseby (who earned himself a Gold belt buckle on a Scalpel 29’er) and team mechanic Troy Laffey were busy packing up, tuning bikes and driving the 10 miles over to Breckenridge to start the Breck Epic stage race the following morning at 8 am. This will indeed the ultimate test for both bikes and bodies.
