Season Champs Crowned in Wisconsin Off Road Series

Published October 14, 2009 04:49PM

Nearly 700 racers and as many spectators braved crisp fall temperatures at the season finale of the 2009 Wisconsin Off Road Series, held Oct. 10-11 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Jenna Rinehart of Mankato, MN (Specialized) and Cole House of Oneida, WI (BMC Racing) took home the top honors, and substantial payouts, from the Wigwam MTB Challenge Belgioioso Pro/Cat 1 races.

The men’s field blazed off the start line to contend for a Sprint Prime that was awarded nearly a quarter mile up the road. In that first sprint, Cole House surged to a 15-second gap, collected the prize, and hit the singletrack ahead of a chase group that included Sheboygan racer Tristan Schouten (Planet Bike), Adventure 212 / Specialized teammates Mike Phillips and Darrin Braun, and Nathan Guerra (Mr. Tree Racing). House never looked back, finishing 40 seconds ahead of the chase after five laps of the course.

The ladies set a more conservative pace and stayed together on the leadout until Abigail Strigel (Mafia Racing / Pabst / Felt) and Meghan Korol (Twin Six) challenged Rinehart for the Prime near the line. Rinehart held them off and rode ahead into the singletrack, along with fellow Minnesota racer Kyia Anderson (Hidden Bay Sports). Wisconsin gave chase with Strigel, Korol, Lori Sable (Twin Six), Lisa Krayer (Wildside Velo Club) and Sheboygan racer Andrea Matter (Gear Grinder) in close pursuit. Strigel eventually gapped the rest of the Wisconsin women and caught Anderson. Anderson’s bike suffered a mechanical in the second lap, forcing her to drop out. With Rinehart out of reach, Strigel held off Lori Sable and Andrea Matter throughout the race to claim second.

Rinehart is wrapping up her greatest season to date, which includes a top 10 finish at Sea Otter, the WORS Subaru Cup stage race win, and two dominant victories at Triple Crown races Ore to Shore and the Chequamegon 40. She crossed the line over 8 minutes ahead of the chase.

WORS Series overalls contested to the finish line at Sheboygan

While WORS official point totals will appear on Wednesday, by unofficial calculations Brain Matter (Gear Grinder) and Abby Strigel had their WORS series wins on lock down before the Sheboygan race even began. In fact, both Matter and second place overall finisher Mark Lalonde (Planet Bike), missed the final WORS race of the season to represent Wisconsin in the 2009 Cincinnati Cyclocross Festival. Incidentally, Lalonde and Matter finished in the top five of a stacked professional field on Saturday, prompting VeloNews to start calling Lalonde “the season’s new revelation”.

Back in Sheboygan, Andrea Matter edged out Cat 1 newcomer and current number one ranked Cat 1 Mountain XC female in the nation, Meghan Korol in the final race of the season. Matter and Korol end the season tied for the fifth place podium spot in the women’s field, and will receive identical prize packages. Lisa Krayer retained fourth place overall despite her mechanical at Sheboygan, and Lori Sable surged into second place ahead of Holly Liske (Hayes Disc Brakes).

Mike Phillips made the biggest jump in the men’s rankings to claim the third step, beneath Mark Lalonde. Darrin Braun and Nathan Guerra completed the top five men for the 2009 season.