Justin Lindine and Joey Lythgoe Take the Inaugural Thaw Massacre
written by: Shannon Boffeli
The Thaw Massacre, Utah’s newest mountain bike race, launched yesterday in Moab, Utah. Starting at the Bar M trailhead, just north of town, riders tested their early-season fitness on a technically challenging and sometimes bone-rattling 40-mile course.
The ride included trails that tested every rider’s bike handling skills including Deadman’s Ridge and Long Branch and others like Rockin’ A and Circle O determined who had been doing their core workouts over the winter. Each 20-mile lap sprinkled in just enough fast, flowing singletrack to keep racers smiling.
Justin Lindine solos his way to a win in Moab – photo by Angie Harker
Despite the difficult terrain riders still turned in crazy-fast lap times with Competitive Cyclist rider Justin Lindine throwing down the fastest time of the day at just 3 hours 7 minutes.
Lindine powered away from the Colorado duo of Bryan Alders (Training Peaks/Yeti) and Chris Baddick (Boulder Cycle Sport).
Together for most of the race, Alders and Baddick were finally separated on their second trip through the unrelenting slickrock of Circle O. Baddick inched just far enough out front that Alders was unable to make contact before the finish.
The slickrock also determined the final podium spots for the men as fifth-placed rider John Osguthorpe (Endurance 360) surged past Drew Free (Revolution/Peak Fasteners) on the unforgiving bumps and drops of Circle O.
The top pro men, women, and semi-pros took home stacks of cash – photo by Shannon Boffeli
The women’s race featured an impressive group of Utah’s toughest female riders. Each one experienced at hammering tough desert racecourses.
Off the start it was Joey Lythgoe (Kuhl) moving off the front in typical fashion. Unlike previous races she wasn’t alone as Jen Hanks (Pivot/Epic Brewing) stayed close behind finally making contact in the rock-crawling sections of Deadman’s Ridge.
The gap stayed small throughout the opening lap as Lythgoe held just a 90-second advantage at the end of lap one.
The Kuhl rider’s elite-level fitness took over at this point as Lythgoe continued to power through her second 20-mile lap increasing her advantage with every mile.
She crossed the line with just over 6 minutes advantage on an exhausted Jen Hanks. Lythgoe was the only women to finish the race under 4 hours at 3 hours 56 minutes.
Hanks took second, tired but happy with her performance.
KC Holley (Kuhl) finished third turning in a strong performance in her favorite riding environment. Debbie Mortensen (Diamond Peak) finished fourth.
Thaw Massacre represented the opening round of the 4-race endurance series hosted by the Intermountain Cup. The next race on the endurance calendar is a two-day stage race, the Stan Crane Memorial, in Draper, Utah, May 23rd and 25th. Click here for more information or the entire Intermountain Cup schedule
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- Joey Lythgoe crushed the Thaw Massacre course- photo by Angie Harker
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- Pro women’s start at the Bar M trailhead- photo by Angie Harker
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- Justin Lindine solos his way to a win in Moab – photo by Angie Harker
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- Ryan Blaney leads on the bone-rattling slickrock
Results
Pro Men
| 1, | Justin Lindine | Competitive Cyclist | 3.07.02 |
| 2, | Chris Baddick | Boulder Cycle Sport | 3.13.19 |
| 3, | Bryan Alders | Training Peaks/Yeti | 3.18.00 |
| 4, | John Osguthorpe | Endurance 360 | 3.26.11 |
| 5, | Drew Free | Revolution/Peak Fasteners | 3.26.45 |
| 6, | Justin Desilets | Revolution/Peak Fasteners | 3.32.03 |
| 7, | Dan Sturm | 3.33.30 | |
| 8, | Samuel Dolzani | 3.37.08 | |
| 9, | Kris Ochs | 3.40.25 | |
| 10, | Jason Hilimire | FasCat | 3.48.07 |
| 11, | Ty Hansen | Revolution/Peak Fasteners | 3.50.28 |
| 12, | Matthew Turner | Summit Bike Club |
Pro Women
| 1, | Joey Lythgoe | Kuhl | 3.56.15 |
| 2, | Jen Hanks | Pivot/Epic Brewing | 4.03.45 |
| 3, | KC Holley | Kuhl | 4.07.15 |
| 4, | Debbie Mortensen | Diamond Peak |
Semi-Pro Men
| 1, | Dennis Barrett | Bountiful Bicycles | 3.33.40 |
| 2, | Ryan Blaney | Kuhl | 3.37.54 |
| 3, | Stewart Goodwin | Kuhl | 3.38.21 |
| 4, | Bob Saffell | Revolution/Peak Fasteners | 3.53.50 |
| 5, | Justin Healy | 3.57.33 | |
| 6, | Mitt Stewart | UtahMountainBiking.com | 3.58.44 |
| 7, | Josh Mortensen | Diamond Peak | 4.07.25 |
