Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race Sunday at Chapman Hill. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
Rain scared a lot of spectators away at the beginning of the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic’s dual slalom competition Sunday at Chapman Hill.
Near the end of the event, the rain scared the competitors too.
“The course was super fun,” said the men’s winner, Collin Hudson, “but the finals were a little scary after that torrential downpour.”
McKenna Merten competes wins the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom women’s race Sunday at Chapman Hill. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
It rained off and on at the event, but the hardest rain fell during the finals. Hudson said in his first finals run, he went 100%. After the rain began pouring, however, he backed off to about 60%.
“It definitely changed the race a little bit,” he said.
The women’s champion, McKenna Merten, said she was wary after watching the junior finalists slide out in their run.
“The last run was super technical – the corners were super slippery,” Merten said. “I was happy to stay upright.”
Collin Hudson wins the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race Sunday at Chapman Hill. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
The competition began with a field of 32 men, eight women and eight juniors. The bikers went head to head, racing each other down the blue and red lanes with the winners advancing.
In the men’s semifinals, Hudson squared off with former Colorado Mesa teammate Cameron Joye. Joye won the first heat by 0.23 seconds, but Hudson came back and won the second heat by a bigger margin to advance to the finals against Layne Gainer.
Gainer beat Shane Ellis by 0.05 seconds in his first semifinal heat, and by half a tire in the second heat to advance.
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race Sunday at Chapman Hill. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
Both men’s finals heats were close, but Hudson edged Gainer in both to claim first.
“It feels good,” Hudson said, adding. “It was super fast, and that’s what I loved most.”
In the small final for third, Joye and Ellis each won one heat, but Joye won his by 0.14 seconds, and Ellis won by 0.04, so Joye claimed third place.
Merten, meanwhile, beat Sophie Allen in the women’s semifinals while Elle Runyan beat Saddie Schafer in the other semi.
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
In the final, Merten took the first heat by 0.8 seconds. Runyan then won a photo finish by 0.23 seconds in Heat 2, but it wasn’t enough to catch Merten.
“I’m so happy,” Merten said. “I just had a ton of fun.” Her favorite part of the event, she said, was everybody giving her high-fives as she walked her bike up the hill after each race.
Elle Runyan competes places second the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom women’s race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
Allen, meanwhile, beat Schafer in the small final to place third.
In the junior division, Bradley Lamoreaux beat Ethan Bergdolt in one semi. In the other, Bryan Hastey won the first heat, but Kahlil Kem battled back and won the second heat to advance to the finals.
Lamoreaux and Kem flew down the course neck and neck in the first heat, and Kem crossed first 0.06 ahead of Lamoreaux. In their second heat, with the rain falling hard, both riders crashed early on. Kem got back on his bike first and took the lead but missed one of the flags on a flat-land turn at the bottom, and Lamoreaux flew by to win the heat and take first.
Hastey, meanwhile, beat Bergdolt to place third in the junior division.
Despite the rain at the end, Hudson said he was “stoked” to have dual slalom back as part of the Iron Horse this year.
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Cameron Joye competes and claims third place in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
A couple deer interrupt the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race, but make a smooth escape on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Dylan Stucki competes in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Layne Gainer competes and place second in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Collin Hudson competes and wins the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Riders compete in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom men's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Elle Runyun competes in and places second the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom women's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
McKenna Merten competes in and wins the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom women's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Sophie Allen competes and places third in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom women's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jerry McBride
Riders compete and in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic dual slalom women's race on Sunday at Chapman Hill. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
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