Category: 2008
I knew I had my 4th XTERRA World title in the bag. I knew it.
I felt the strongest I have felt in years. Tore up the bike course and had between 2min30 and 3min lead with only 6k to go on the bike- and then the P word happened again- on the smoothest road on the course. I quickly fixed the slow puncture with foam- and still in the lead- carried on. The P thing slowly came back, and then I had to stop and put in a lime tube. The change went quick, but I resumed in 4th and of course the tube couldnt resist the P. So I rode the last 5k on the rim. Thankfully its an Edge wheel and it had no damage, smallish crack in the bead hook. Riding the rim on the lava was really dangerous, the rear wheel slid out in every turn, but a deep determination coupled with deep denial kept me mashing the pedals.
I started the run 5 minutes behind. It was all gone. I didnt come here to race for 10th. I enjoyed the run. The views, fellow athletes and people. I finished with a smile and enjoyed the Halloween party. People say” what a gentleman you are”.
But today I’m totally gutted. I dont feel the gentleman. I put so much into this World champs, no, I put everything I had- the whole year- into this and now I have nothing but a big empty feeling inside me. Never mind the big empty place in my bank account. Money cant but a World title.
I have won 3 World titles here and I have lost 2, maybe 3 to mechanicals. This is a humbling, cruel sport.
I qoute from the XTERRA race report:
“Early on, this race showed all the signs of a Stoltz world championship run. The “Caveman” was out of the water with the leaders, passed everyone by the fourth mile of the bike where he had already put 30 seconds on Marceau, Dan Hugo, Batelier, and Eneko Llanos. From there he extended the gap, and was up 1:30 by mile 10 and with less than two miles left of heavy climbing before “The Plunge” steep downhill section where Stoltz’ is at his best, it looked like he was well on his way to a 4th World Title.
“I felt really good today, best I’ve felt in a long time. I was relaxed and riding really fast on the technical stuff, and even had quite a bit in the tank for the run, but then it came down to luck,” said Stoltz, who got a slow-leak somewhere around mile 13 or so that forced him to stop, repair, and watch as Ruzafa went by.
To compound matters, at mile 17 Stoltz’ back tire was completely gone, and he was dangerously riding on the rim coming down the lava fields. “It’s the last race of the season and I wanted to see what I could salvage,” said Stoltz.
By the time he entered T2 and was five minutes and 10 places back, best he could do was a) enjoy the ocean views, b) drop words of encouragement and some energy gel to a friend, and c) cross the line graciously in 12th place giving high-fives to the spectators that lined the finish chute.
Those Edge Wheels
I have been riding Edge Composites wheels this summer.
What a pleasure.
The product is amazing – just about bomb proof wheels but also quite light. What I really appreciate is the joy and pride going into these hand crafted wheels. 340g per rim for the Edge XC MTB. The AM (All Mountain is more of a free ride rim- a bit wider, (36mm) but only 400g. What really blew my mind was the 280g tubular rim. The complete wheel set was a full 400g lighter than my Edge XC race wheel set. But then I did shred the 460g Tufo tubular on the 1st lava rock I hit. Shopping for durable tubulars…
Good 29er news: the clincher weighs only 380g and these wheels are so strong I’ll bet my life on them. a 29inch tubular is “easy” to make- all we are waiting for it tire technology to catch up…
Jasons’ friend and test rider is a 260 lbs Samoan on the 26″ clincher All Mountains and no worries with the wheels brah.
You just have to love the Edge logo. It depicts the Wasatch mountains (where Edge is based in Ogden) and the logo can be be read upside down too.
Ironman Kona 2008
photo by Rich Cruse
Chrissie Wellington had a flat, spent 10 mins fixing it and still won by 15 min. Amazing – she caught many of the pro men on the run including my Pilot Butte Burger eating buddy Matt Lieto.
XTERRA USA Champs. Plumbed the deapths of empty legs, but won 6th XTERRA USA Series title
photos by Rich Cruse photography
by Rich Cruse
