CB Devo bike team remains in top spot

“Everyone is clicking”

By Than Acuff 

Another race, another team title. That makes it three for three for the Crested Butte Devo high school bike team as they took the Division III team title at the Cloud City Challenge in Leadville on Saturday, September 23. It was their third win in as many races this season. And their success is starting to gain momentum among former CB Devo riders, former coaches and the extended bike team family with several showing up to camp with the team, help and cheer on the current team riders.

“It’s really special,” says coach Jenny Smith. “It’s happened organically and it’s really cool. It’s apparent to me how much we’ve grown over the years.”

The course itself is also a highlight of the season for the team as they all look forward to Leadville.

“Everybody loves the course because it’s got a little bit of everything,” says Smith.

As has often been the case all season long, the team is getting production from every single rider from the varsity class all the way down to the freshmen races with the varsity riders setting the tone for the team.

“The five varsity riders get ready together and everyone is helping each other,” says Smith. “It’s next level.”

Finn Veit has been leading the varsity charge all season and won his third race in a row to remain in the top spot in the overall points series.

“That’s really hard to win three races in a row,” says Smith. “The entire varsity field is legit and the top 10 are really competitive.”

Lance Lakoski and Sam Bullock generated additional team points as they placed seventh and 19th in the varsity race while Ebbet Weinberg finished in 28th and Kenny Bullock overcame a mechanical to place 32nd.

“Lance is just super consistent and Ebbet had his race of the season in Leadville,” says Smith.

Five riders per team generate team points and with three varsity riders scoring team points, the other two team point results came from freshmen Temple Robertson and Brie Bender. Robertson placed second in his race and remains as the overall points series leader while Bender, the lone girl racing for CB Devo, won her race after placing second and third in the other two races.

“She is just so strong,” says Smith.

Ben Geisler made a massive jump in the results from his previous race. After placing 29th at a race two weeks earlier, Geisler took what he learned there and brought it to Leadville where he finished seventh in the sophomore race.

After a crash left him swamped by fellow racers, Ethan Armbrecht rallied and rolled his way to a 14th place finish in the sophomore race, just his third race ever, and Conner Knight and Cy Davis placed 43rd and 54th in the JV race.

“Everyone is clicking,” says Smith. “It’s just a matter of how we get everyone to have their best race.”

The riders have another two weeks of training before their fourth and final race of the regular season in Eagle on Sunday, October 8. Following that final race, qualifiers will be announced for the state championships on Saturday and Sunday, October 21–22.