For most of the open women’s cyclocross race Saturday at Fort Lewis College, Ruth Holcomb had Jennifer Gersbach on her rear wheel.
At the same time, Tony Cady held a slim lead over Jacob Huber in the B-men competition.
After Cady and Huber began their last lap, Holcomb and Gersbach came sprinting through the track at Ray Dennison Memorial Field, up and down some steep grassy hills, over some wooden barricades and then out of the stadium and around the practice fields.
When the cyclists reentered the stadium, Holcomb had not only put some distance between her and Gersbach, she also passed both Cady and Huber.
The riders turned into Dirk’s field and then rode out around the soccer field before re-entering the stadium’s track. When they reappeared, Holcomb and Huber were dead even in the lead about 50 yards from the finish. Dust flew up as they stood up out of their saddles and sprinted to the finish, and Holcomb managed to cross first about a foot before Huber. With the finishing move, Holcomb not only won the open women’s competition, but was also finished first among the morning’s racers.
The open men and 35-plus men raced next.
Ivan Sippy challenged Todd Wells in the first couple laps. Wells, however, eventually started to pull away, effortlessly bunny-hopping over obstacles and smoothly pedaling through sections others had to carry their bikes through.
Wells went on to win the race, followed by Troy Wells, Kerian Eagen, Kolben Preble and Sippy in fifth.
Cooper Wells, meanwhile, was first finisher out of 11 junior 14-and-under competitors.
Joseph Shults finished first in the men’s 50-plus race, and Caleb Thompson was the first to cross in the men’s 35-plus division.
On Sunday, the cyclists competed at Fort Lewis again in the finale of the Zia Taqueria Cyclocross series, but this time they raced in the opposite direction.
The top five finishers in the open men race were the same, but in a different order. Troy Wells scored the win, followed by Todd Wells, Eagen, Sippy and Preble.
Without Holcomb competing, Gersbach won the Open Women’s race by holding off Tristen Musselman and Kathy Waage.
Cady won the B-men’s race. Orrin Bleth crossed second.
Ryan Travelstead finished first in the men’s 35-plus division, and Frank Mapel crossed second.
In the men 50-plus race, David Jordan scored the win, followed by Jonathan DeLacey and race director Dave Hagen.
Cooper Wells, meanwhile, won the junior race to go a perfect 5-for-5 in the series.
“Great last race of the series today up at FLC — courses are so different backwards,” Hagen said. “Thanks again to all the riders who came out and, again, great to see all the under-14 racers and spectators who came to watch.”
FLC Saturday cyclocross results
Open women
1. Ruth Holcomb
2. Jennifer Gersbach
3. Tristen Musselman
4. Kathy Waage
5. Elizabeth Wallentine
6. Rachel Ross
7. Martha Iverson
Open men
1. Todd Wells
2. Troy Wells
3. Keiran Eagen
4. Kolben Preble
5. Ivan Sippy
6. George Piepgras
7. Sam Vickery
8. Kobi Gyetvan
9. Luca Haines
10. James Hilyer
11. Kye Cordes
12. Colby Simmons
13. Sam Morrison
14. William Farmer
15. Henry Lord
16. Garrett Payer
17. Nick Mohan
DNF. Nicholas Narraway
B Men
1. Jacob Huber
2. Tony Cady
3. Emmett McManus
4. Eric Hjermstad
5. Ryan Simonovich
6. Cannon Hilton
Men 50-plus
1. Joseph Shults
2. Dave Hagen
3. David Strobel
4. Bob Perls
5. Jack McManus
6. Richard Bagienski
Junior (14 and under)
1. Cooper Wells
2. Ian Barton
3. Sean Fleege
4. Benjamin Andrea
5. Ellis Bates
6. Hunter Ross
7. Ethan Hilton
8. Zoey Waaage
9. Fielder LeCompte
10. Parker Ross
11. Darin Hilton
Men 35-plus
1. Caleb Thompson
2. Ryan Travelstead
3. Gene Hilton
4. Michael Carroll
5. Miles Venzara
6. Frank Mapel
7. Ethan Bates
8. Heath Garvey
9. Scott Simmons
10. Casey Roberts
11. Mike Hurst
DNF. Chad Cheeney
FLC Sunday cyclocross results
Open women
1. Jennifer Gersbach
2. Tristen Musselman
3. Kathy Waage
4. Rachel Ross
5. Ingrid Alt
Open men
1. Troy Wells
2. Todd Wells
3. Keiran Eagen
4. Ivan Sippy
5. Kolben Preble
6. George Piepgras
7. Sam Vickery
8. James Hilyer
9. Sam Morrison
10. Garrett Payer
11. Nicholas Narraway
12. Nick Mohan
DNF. Luca Haines
B men
1. Tony Cady
2. Orrin Bleth
3. Emmett McManus
4. Ryan Simonovich
5. Grant Bradow
6. Eric Hjermstad
7. Jacob Huber
Men 50-plus
1. David Jordan
2. Jonathan Delacey
3. Dave Hagen
4. David Strobel
5. Jon Suzuki
6. Bob Peris
7. Jack McManus
8. Justin Bogan
9. Breet LeCompte
Junior (14 and under)
1. Cooper Wells
2. Benjamin Andrea
3. Sean Fleege
4. Fielder LeCompte
5. Ian Barton
6. Hunter Ross
7. Zoey Waage
8. Parker Ross
9. Miles Venara
10. Makayla Bogan
11. Tatum Corley
Men 35-plus
1. Ryan Travelstead
2. Frank Mapel
3. Miles Venzara
4. Chad Cheeney
5. Heath Garvey
6. Casey Roberts
7. Mike Hurst
8. Heath Corley
DNF. Michael Carroll
DNF. Kevin Barton
