Wells scores short track win at Sea Otter
Halfway through the short track, it was a three-way race for the podium. And all three men were riding for Specialized: Todd Wells, Burry Stander and world champion Christoph Sauser. Sauser burped his tire and did not finish, but Wells charged on for the win, with Stander taking second and Giant’s Carl Decker outsprinting Jeremiah Bishop (Monavie-Cannondale) for third. Kona’s Ryan Trebon and Subaru-Gary Fisher’s Sam Schultz and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski were also in the hunt.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
By Ben Delaney
Photo: Brad Kaminski
Halfway through the short track, it was a three-way race for the podium. And all three men were riding for Specialized: Todd Wells, Burry Stander and world champion Christoph Sauser.
Sauser burped his tire and did not finish, but Wells charged on for the win, with Stander taking second and Giant’s Carl Decker outsprinting Jeremiah Bishop (Monavie-Cannondale) for third. Kona’s Ryan Trebon and Subaru-Gary Fisher’s Sam Schultz and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski were also in the hunt.
“Burry and Susi got off initially, and I was just sitting on JHK and Trebon, seeing how strong they were,” Wells said. “They didn’t have much gas today, so I was able to punch it across to Burry and Susi. There was an off-camber corner where Susi rolled his tire, so then it was just Burry and I.”
Photo: Kurt Hoy
For a short track race, where hardtails are the rule, bike selection was interesting. A number of riders raced full-suspension rigs. Wells raced Specialized’s new 29-inch bike, the Stumperjumper S-Workers 29er Hardtail.
“A lot of guys are riding full suspension,” Wells said. “It was pretty bumpy and rough. But it’s fast. The 29er I feel is like an-between bike — not quite a hardtail, not quite a full. This new Specialized 29er is rad. It’s like 20 pounds.”
Decker was also on a full-suspension Giant Anthem.
“Riding the Anthem was kinda like cheating on that course; it was so rough,” Decker said. “You come off the steepest part of the course into this really bumpy course.”
Like a number of elite men, Stander and Sauser had just traveled from the South Africa World Cup last weekend. Both raced full-suspension Specialized Epics.
“I’ve been running this all year in every single race,” Stander said. “With the Brain (shock lockout), the rear is locked out on the smooth stuff, then opens on the rough stuff. On a course like this it’s perfect.”
Stander said the plan from the beginning was to get him, Sauser and Wells clear off the front. When Sauser flatted out, Stander kept drilling it with Wells.
“We both had awesome legs today,” Stander said. “We put the hammer down on the pavement and recovered toward to the top. The plan was to get all three of us away, it didn’t matter which one of us won. Todd’s been super motivated for today, it’s an American race, so good for him.”
Photo Gallery
Results
Men’s Short Track
01. Todd Wells (CA)
02. Burry Stander (CA)
03. Carl Decker (OR) Team Giant
04. Jeremiah Bishop (VA) Monavie-Cannondale
05. Sam Schultz (MT) Subaru Gary Fisher
06. Ryan Trebon (OR)
07. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (CO) Subaru Gary Fisher
08. Robert Marion (NC) Kenda Kmc Hayes
09. Seamus Mcgrath (BC) Jamis
10. Colin Cares (CO) Kenda Tomac Hayes
11. Ken Onodera () Subaru Gary Fisher
12. Troy Wells (CO)
13. Benjamin Sonntag (CO) Monavie-Cannondale
14. Andy Schultz (MT) Kenda Tomac Hayes
15. Tad Elliott (CO) Us Nat Mtb Development
16. Conrad Stoltz (CA)
17. Ethan Gilmore (VT) Us Nat Mtb Development
18. Rob Squire (UT) Us Nat Mtb Development
19. Eric Batty (ON)
20. Cody Peterson (OR) Dedicated Athlete
21. Adam Morka (ON) Trek Store
22. Drew Edsall (CO)
23. Matthew Hadley (NB) Xprezo
24. Dana Weber (CA) Trek World Bicycle Relief
25. Macky Franklin (NM) Transparent Racing
26. Daniel Sessford (BC) Blue Competition Cycles
27. Erik Tonkin (OR)
28. Nate Byrom (CA)
29. Mitchell Hoke (CO) Tokyo Joes
30. Brandon Stewart ()
31. Stefan Widmer (BC) Rocky Mountain Factory
32. Bryan Alders (CO) Monavie Cannondale
33. Simon Happy (QC) Rst Velo Sport
34. Craig Richey (BC) Blue Competition Cycles
35. Charlie Pendry (NC) Inland Construction
36. Max Knox ()
37. Scott Frederick (NC) Inland Construction
38. Kalan Beisel (CO) Procycling Cts
39. Stephen Ettinger (WA) Arlberg
40. Trevor Downing (CO)
41. Travis Livermon (NC) Champion System Cannondale
42. Jason Sager (UT) Jamis
43. Thomas Skinner (BC) Specialized Oak Bay
44. Chris Peariso (WI) Adventure 212 Specialized
45. Marty Lazarski (BC)
46. Brian Asfell (CA)
47. Ryan Iddings (WA)
48. Brady Kappius (CO)
49. Alex Ryan (NC) Champion System Cannondale
50. Wiley Mosley (TX) Specialized Riders Club
51. Blake Harlan (CO) Jamis
52. Timothy Carson (PA)
53. Gian Dalle Angelini (WA)
54. Steve Carwile (OR)
55. Aaron Elwell (KS)
56. Roger Bartels (CA) Norcal Bike Sport
57. Matthew Rotroff (NC) Inland Construction
58. Lucas Livermon (NC) Inland Construction
59. Jay Richards (MN)
60. Jason Lowetz (CA) Bearclaw
61. Adam Parke (CO) Orange Peel Cyclery
62. Matthew Beaton (CO) Tokyo Joes
63. Matt Freeman (CA)
64. Christopher Everist (ON) 3 Rox Racing
65. Kevin Smallman (CA)
66. Yuki Saito (CO) Topeak-Ergon
67. Peter Glassford (ON) Trek Store Racing
68. Matt Connors (AZ)
69. Kim Tofaute ()
70. Carl Hesselein (CA)
71. Noah Holcomb (CA)
72. Kyle Stock (CA) Golden Chain Cyclists
73. Katriel Statman (CO) Transparent Racing
74. Paul Trinkkeller (CA)