Heber City, Utah—Clif Pro Team rider Hannah Finchamp won the Elite Women’s division while Felt Assos’ Robbie Squire took top spot on the podium of the Elite men’s category at the Intermountain Cup’s Wasatch 50 endurance MTB race on June 3, 2017.
With the course starting just east of Utah Valley University’s Wasatch campus, the 21-mile loop featured approximately 1,700 of climbing per lap. With the majestic Mount Timpanogos looming to the west and the Jordanelle Reservoir to the north, the spectacular scenery was matched only by the stiff competition.
In the Elite Women’s division, Finchamp, edged out Meghan Sheridan (Bingham Cyclery, Peak Fasteners, W | Law) and KC Holley (Kuhl, Racers Cycle Service) by just over one minute after two laps and approximately 42 miles. “Hannah and I hung together over the first climb,” said Sheridan. “She kept almost 1 minute ahead of me the whole time, gaining little by little on the second climb. We were putting in a really good pace and then just hung on coming down this raging downhill—rocky, rubbly, cornering like crazy for miles. It was a great race.”
On men’s side, Squire seized the victory by almost pulling away from Justin Lindine (Targetraining, BikeReg.com/Cannondale, Joe’s Garage, Redline Factory, and most recently Apex/NBX/Trek) and Alex Grant) and Alex Grant (Cannondale/Gear Rush) by nearly 1:30 after approximately 42 miles.
“Drew Free hit it out of the gun, which was a kind of rude wake-up call,” said Squire. “I was suffering pretty good for the first 20 minutes following Drew Free (KUHL/PIVOT/Go Ride), but fortunately, we settled into a little pace, and the first lap was pretty fun. Coming into the second lap, I was like all right, this is the only hill on the course—time to go as hard as I can, lay it out there. Fortunately, it was enough because there were a few times where my legs started to seize up.”
About I-Cup
Founded in 1991, the Intermountain Cup consists of X-country and endurance MTB races throughout Utah. With seven X-country races of approximately 25 miles and one endurance races of approximately 50 miles, the series covers some of the most pristine and difficult rides in the state.
The next races in the 2017 Intermountain Cup series will be the Chris Allaire Solitude Cup on July 29 at Solitude Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah and Snowbasin in Eden, Utah on August 12.
For more information, see intermountaincup.com
