The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Lisa Cramton returns to race circuit
With Crested Butte trails still under a blanket of snow and Hartman Rocks just opening, local riders are finding ways to get in some trail time at the array of endurance races throughout the southwest.
Six local riders chose the 12 Hours of Mesa Verde as an opportunity for time in the saddle on Saturday, May 10.
While several team categories were available, the local contingent decided to all ride solo, getting the most bang for their buck.
The race was held outside of Cortez, Colo. on a 16-mile-long single-track course, complete with technical sections and mandatory air.
A contingent of riders representing the Alpineer opted to ride single-speed bikes for the entire 12 hours, posting some strong finishes.
Becky Reimann joined Team Alpineer from Ophir and won the women’s single-speed class, completing six laps.
Lisa Cramton came out of a 13-year racing hiatus to represent the Alpineer—proving she hasn’t missed a beat—to finish in second place in the women’s single-speed category, riding five laps and covering a total of 82 miles.
Travis Underwood, Alpineer owner and single-speed enthusiast, took 11th place in the highly competitive men’s single-speed category, riding 98 miles total to complete six laps.
Alison Gannett, representing Clif Bar/Specialized, jumped into the fray with only three rides under her belt this season to finish in fifth place in the women’s solo category, with five laps.
Brick Oven/Crested Butte Builders rider and team stokester Dave Ochs led the local charge in the men’s solo class, completing eight laps, 130 miles total, to take fourth place out of 32 riders.
After the first four laps, Ochs was in fifth place and feeling strong. Lap five and six proved troublesome as Ochs suffered from a bout of electrolyte-induced gastrointestinal distress syndrome.
After falling back from fifth place, Ochs rallied to regain his spot on his seventh lap and added an eighth lap to finish in fourth place.
Jason Trimm, riding for Bicycle Sport Shop, finished with seven laps over the course of 12 hours on his bike to take seventh place in the men’s class, and Tim Poppe rode six laps for a 16th-place finish.
