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Nash and Kabush win Moab Rocks!

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The final stage of Moab Rocks was a close one for the pro women and men. In today’s stage racers do a lollipop course that hits some of the best riding in Moab – the Mag 7 trail system. 

For the first half of the race, riders are climbing up road and single track for 14 miles.  After a challenging climb, then the fun begins as they descend the rocky and fast Bull Run Trail.  This is a rip-roaring descent that takes in some breath-taking views all the way to the La Sal Mountains.  After a long descent, there is one final road climb out and then it’s a fast coast to the finish line. 

Photo Credit @liketheglew

For the pro women, Katerina Nash (Clif Pro Team) won the women’s race by 3 minutes while second through sixth place all finished within 3 minutes of each other. 

Lauren Cantwell (Orbea/ Velocio) and Karen Jarchow (Revel Bikes) were climbing together in 2nd & 3rd position before Jarchow sent it on the Bull Run descent; gapping Cantwell.  Lauren Aggeler (Team Segment 28) caught Cantwell at the bottom of Bull Run but Cantwell fought back on the road and caught both her and Jarchow. 

Aggeler put the hammer down on the final climb out of the Gemini Bridges riding area and caught a draft on the final flat, catching Cantwell just 200 yards from the finish. Cantwell and Aggeler sprinted finish for second place with Aggeler crossing the line (2:23:49) and Cantwell 2 seconds behind at 2:23:51.

For the overall, Nash dominated the 3 days finishing over 20 minutes ahead of second place.

Jennifer Gersbach finished fifth on two of the stages but her strong race on stage 2 at Klondike Bluffs placed her runner-up overall.

Karen Jarchow finished fourth on stage 3 by less than a minute and solidified third overall for the stage race.  It was a strong women’s pro field with new women on the podium each stage.  

Photo Credit @liketheglew

For the pro men, Stephan Davoust (Giant-Maxxis-Fox) pushed hard trying to take on the reigning Moab Rocks champion, Geoff Kabush (Yeti-Maxxis-Shimano-Fox).  Davoust won today’s stage in a time of 1:56:55.  His time however, was not enough to win the GC with Kabush finishing in second only 16 seconds behind him.   Bradyn Lange (Cycle Progression) finished in third (1:59:01). 

For the GC, Kabush remains the Moab Rocks Champion winning the overall by a mere 15 seconds.  Davoust finished right behind him with Lange 2 minutes back in third place. 

The 2022 Moab Rocks race featured another year of strong competition, a great race atmosphere by TransRockies and epic Moab single track that keeps racers coming back year after year. 

Full Results: https://zone4.ca/event/2022/29F4F1AE/

Photo Credit @liketheglew

Moab Rocks – Stage 2- Katerina Nash Widens Her Lead While Geoff Kabush Moves Into 1st Place 

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Early this morning racers shuttled to the Klondike Bluffs trail system 20 minutes north of Moab where they battled through 25 miles of vast rocky trail system racing with a combination of slickrock trails and fast flowy single track.

Peter Stetina leads the pro men’s field onto the slickrock. Photo by: Noah Sears

Today’s course, on the Klondike Bluffs trail system, had over 2200’ of elevation gain in the most XC stage of the race.  Racers mentioned their favorite parts being the incredible views on Alaska Ridge and the awesome Moab experience of climbing and descending grippy slickrock!

For the pro women, Katerina Nash (Clif Pro Team) increased her overall lead finishing 6 minutes ahead of the women’s pro field (2:12:56).  Jennifer Gersbach finished a strong race today in 2nd place (2:18:06) only 13 seconds ahead of Lauren Cantwell (Orbea/Velocio) (2:18:19).

Jen Gersbach crushed stage 2 moving up 3 spots in the GC. Photo by: Noah Sears

Nash took off from the start with Cantwell in 2nd place.  Cantwell was in 2nd place for most of the race but at the end of the last descent she made a technical miscue that let Gersbach flash by. She lost the group she was riding with and with a strong headwind heading to the finish, Cantwell wasn’t able to catch back on finishing 3rd.

 For the GC, Nash leads by 16 minutes while Gersbach moves from 5th into 2nd place. Karen Jarchow (Revel Bikes) rounds out the top three women’s podium only 1 minute 20 seconds back from 2nd place.   

Bradyn Lange looks to shake things up in stage 2. Photo by Noah Sears

For the pro men, Geoff Kabush (Yeti-Maxxis-Shimano-Fox) won today’s stage by over 40 seconds. Starting off the race Kabush was in a large lead group in the early slickrock sections.  Bradyn Lange (Cycle Progression) and Carter Nieuwesteeg (Santa Cruz) were leading on Baby Steps trail followed by Kabush then GC leader Stephan Davoust (Giant-Maxxis-Fox)  and Ivan Sippy (Team Durango). 

In the middle sectors of the race Kabush pushed ahead taking a huge lead and finishing solo in 1st place. A multi-time Moab Rocks winner, it’s not surprising to see Kabush on the top step of the podium as he holds off his younger challengers for the GC.  Lange finished close behind in 2nd place (1:54:08) with Stephan Davoust less than a minute back in third place (1:54:12).

Geoff Kabush going solo to win stage 2 and jump into the lead on GC. Photo by: Noah Sears

 Kabush moves into 1st overall leading the pro men’s field by 30 seconds (3:35:01).  Davoust is in 2nd (3:35:32) with Lange only 4 seconds back in 3rd place (3:35:36).

Tomorrow is the final day of Moab Rocks as racers compete on the Mag 7 trail system.  With shake ups in both the men’s and women’s field, it will be exciting final race.

Full results at: https://zone4.ca/event/2022/29F4F1AE/

Carter Nieuwesteeg rallies on the Klondike Bluffs trails. Photo by: Noah Sears