Written by: Matthew Williams

 The 2010 NUE Series resumed again with the Mohican 100 in Loudonville, OH last weekend. The race, which has grown in size every year, attracted over 600 participants for the 100k and 100-mile races this year, a new race record for participation. Racers were greeted at registration Friday evening with golf-ball sized hail, lightning and thunder—creating a scramble for mud tires and new brake pads. And while a double rainbow briefly graced the sky Friday evening, the rain was back by Saturday, ensuring a long day in the saddle for racers.

 In the men’s 100-mile race, Trek Mountain Co-Op Rider Jeff Schalk cruised (if that can be said of a 100-mile race) to victory by 35 minutes over a talented field. Schalk was the only 100-mile rider to come in under eight hours, a testament to the brutal course conditions. Behind Schalk, Gary Fisher rider Michael Simonson continued his steady rise at the Mohican 100, finishing second. Rounding out the top three was Josh Tostado, who, despite being better know for his high altitude finishes in Breckenridge and Leadville, has been steadily climbing through the Mohican ranks over the last few years as well.

 Behind the men’s leaders an exhausted field did it’s best to make it to the finish line, and the post-race beer garden and food that came with it. Riders struggled through mile upon mile of muddy, technical single track featuring rock gardens, off camber water bars, drops, and high-speed sections. Also on tap were plenty of steep leg-flogging climbs, a hundred foot suspension bridge, eight miles of big ring suffering on the buggy path, and a waist-deep stream crossing (with spotters) within sight of the finish at mile 99. As MTBRaceNews.com rider Matt Williams put it, "it was the hardest race I’ve ever done. With the conditions the way they were, it was really more about survival than racing.”  In what became a race of attrition, close to half of the 100 mile racers did not make it to the finish.

 In the women’s race, it was Kenda/Felt’s Amanda Carey who confirmed her Cohutta 100 victory earlier this season with a solid win at Mohican. Carey rode a steady race to gradually pull away from Cheryl Sorenson (Team CF). By Aid Station #1, Carey’s lead was established, but by Aid Station #4 it was still at only about five minutes. Sorenson had hopes of making that up in the final twenty miles of racing, but by the finish Carey’s gap had grown to fifteen minutes. Sorenson hung on for second, followed by Vicki Barclay in third, Brenda Simril in fourth, and 2009 NUE Series champion Betsy Shogren in fifth.

 In the Singlespeed race it was a new face taking the win. Mike Montalbano, riding, perhaps appropriately, for Dark Horse Cycles, started easy and gradually caught and passed Harlan Price (Team CF). Montalbano ultimately took the singlespeed win by just over five minutes, finishing an impressive fourth overall. Price took the second spot on the podium to add to his win at Cohutta. Gerry Pflug, Ron Sanborn, Jason Pruitt rounded out the podium.

 Also on tap for the day was the 100k race, an option that was surely tempting due to the conditions. Brad Wilhelm (Gary Fisher) took the win in the men’s race, ten minutes up on second place finisher Stephen Cummings (Indiana Regional Medical Center). Mike Naughten (Guinness) brought home third. Also racing was Peter Joyal, who at age 15 was the youngest 100k finisher. In the women’s race Amanda McKay won the 100k for the third straight year over Heidi Schilling and Bridget Donovan.

 The next stop on the NUE Series is the sold out Lumberjack 100 on June 19^th.