Hanks and Grant Win 2016 Red Rock Rampage MTB Race – Report, Photos, Results

2017 Red Rock Rampage Results coming Soon!

In the mean-time, check out last year’s rampage.

 

First Intermountain Cup of 2016 Draws Over 300 Racers

March 23, 2016 –

On Saturday, March 5, 2016 the first round of the 2016 Intermountain Cup Race Series, The Red Rock Rampage, take took place in St. George UT under partly cloudy skies and dusty trail conditions.

In the men’s pro race, Utah powerhouse and Olympic Long Team pick Alex Grant (Cannondale 360 FLY p/b Sugoi) took the win over Justin Lindine (Hyperthreads) and Chris Holley.

In the women’s pro event, Jen Hanks (Pivot Cycles/DNA Cycling) topped the podium with youngster Rachel Anders in second and Meghan Sheridan in third.

Complete Photo Gallery by Selective Vision- Click here!

Cycling Utah caught up with Alex and Jen to ask them about their races and the upcoming season:

Alex Grant Interview:

Name, Age, Team/sponsors
Alex Grant, 35, Cannondale 360 FLY p/b Sugoi

Cycling Utah: How did your race develop?

Alex: On the start line the race organizers placed a $50 prime on the first lap, which changed a lot of race strategies on the fly. I had wanted to ride a good first lap, and this just gave the extra motivation. I made my way to the front pretty early and forced a separation that drew out Justin Lindine. He came around and set the pace once we were away, and I followed until the top of the last downhill. I wanted to get in to the singletrack first, and barely held the lead through the end of the lap to take the prime. From there we rode a little more conservative pace for the next two laps. On the last lap I managed to get away on the first climb and was happy to stay clear until the finish. Big props to Justin for a great race, he pushed me out there and we had a good pace going.

Cycling Utah: What did you think of the course? Can you describe the course?

Alex: The course is a mix of desert doubletrack, singletrack, and a little dirt road. The course has changed quite a bit over the years, and I noticed that side by side use on the trails has turned almost all the old singletrack trails in to doubletrack. The course is still super fun though, and while it has some extended pedaling sections it does have lots of short punchy rollers and climbs that favor the momentum game and using all aspects of the terrain to gain little bits of speed here and there. This race always puts the hurt on everyone’s back, and mine was no exception. It is always a bit tight at this race, being early season and somewhat rough and pedally.

Cycling Utah: What do you think of new ICup?

Alex: I thought it was great. Hats off to Brady with Bountiful and the whole crew who took it on. The turnout was awesome, the vibe was great, and everyone I talked to was stoked. Podiums and results were super fast and the whole experience was top notch. I wish my schedule allowed me to get to more ICUPS but I will make it to as many as I can.

Cycling Utah: What’s coming up on your race schedule?

Alex: I have the first round of the Pro XCT on March 12 in Bonelli Park, CA. Then I have some bigger XC’s down in Fontana, Bonelli, and Sea Otter ahead of the first World Cup in Cairns, Australia.

Cycling Utah: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Alex: Racing bikes is fun, it’s always great to get out and see the whole crew after the winter. The first ICUP of the year always seems like a social event as much as a race!

Jen Hanks Interview:

Name, Age, Team/sponsors

Jen Hanks, 40

Sponsors:

Team: Pivot Cycles/DNA Cycling – sponsors: Pivot, DNA Cycling, MTBRaceNews.com, Stan’s NoTubes, Xpedo, CEP, Carborocket, Honeystinger, Continental tire, Go-Ride, Ergon, Bliz Eyewear

Cycling Utah: How did your race develop?

Jen: Meghan Sheridan, Rachel Anders, and I were glued to each other through the starting stretch and rollers. Once the real climbing began Rachel and I were able to pull away from Meghan. I was mentally preparing myself for an attack on Rachel toward the top of the first climb, however I was able to ride her off my wheel just enough to have a small gap before the first descent. I maintained my gap through the first lap and won the first lap $50 prime donated by DNACycling. Rachel remained in sight through the 2nd lap however I kept the pressure on and my gap grew to almost 4 minutes by the end of the 3-lap race.

Cycling Utah: What did you think of the course? Can you describe the course?

Jen: The Desert Rampage course is a 7-mile loop with about 800 feet of climbing divided between 2 climbs each lap. While it is not an overly technically challenging course, I enjoy it because it is a great test of early season fitness as the descents are fast with very little time to coast and the majority of the race is spent pedaling. The Green Valley venue is surrounded by breathtaking red cliffs and if you’re lucky you may catch a glimpse of a rare desert tortoise or Gila Monster. Plus there is nothing better than an excuse to escape to the desert while Northern Utah is still recovering from winter!

Cycling Utah: What do you think of new ICup?

Jen: I thought the new ICup folks put on a fantastic event. They seemed very concerned with providing participants an enjoyable experience and were receptive to feedback. I appreciated the post-race food and timely awards ceremony. Additionally, the first lap prime was a novel and fun idea!

Cycling Utah: What’s coming up on your race schedule?

Jen: My main focus this year is marathon distance races. I’m racing True Grit 50 followed by the ICUP Thaw Massacre in Moab in April. Other early season races include Epic Ride’s Grand Junction Off Road and Carson City Off Road with ICUP XC races sprinkled in between. I’m still working on a late season race schedule, however I know that the Park City Point to Point will be a main event.

Cycling Utah: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Jen: It is super fun see some of the junior girls racing and contending in the Pro category. And while we’re all business on the race course, I especially enjoyed racing with Rachel from Summit Bike Club as I have first hand seen her progress from an intermediate rider to a Pro level racer over the past few years. Go Rachel 🙂

As Utah’s premiere cross-country and endurance mountain bike series, the Intermountain Cup, or I-Cup as it’s known, draws riders from all over the state as well as the surrounding Western region. The calendar of events begins with The Red Rock Rampage as the first round and runs monthly all the way through September with venues throughout the state. For 2016, the I-Cup series was purchased by Threshold Events who have expressed a desire to see this long-standing series not only continue, but also grow and evolve to be even more prominent.

Things seem to be off to a good start for the new management as this first race saw a significant jump in participation from 2015 with nearly 300 racers taking to the challenging seven-mile course. The Rampage utilizes the trail system at Green Valley to offer racers a classic desert mountain bike course. Featuring numerous rocky washes and technical trail sections in addition to some straight-forward doubletrack climbing, the race is a challenge from both an aerobic and bike handling standpoint. For these reasons, as well as the early season timing of this round of the series, the Rampage is considered by many to be the testing ground for their early season race form. It’s also often an excellent chance to escape the not so welcoming temps of other areas for the summer-like warmth of St. George. In that respect, the race certainly didn’t disappoint, as temperatures in the low-to-mid seventies offered up the perfect setting for some furious racing.

This year’s edition saw some especially loose and dusty course conditions, the result of St. George’s lack of recent precipitation in the weeks leading up to the event. This added an additional level of difficulty to the race with corners slicked with dust, and rocks working themselves loose with each passing lap. Riders didn’t seem to be phased by the conditions however, as early morning waves began at 9am and expert and elite categories started a little later in the day at 11am, most seemed to finish having enjoyed the course and the weather. It was especially exciting to everyone, promoters included, to see such large turnouts for some of the junior categories, with thirty-two racers taking part in the 13-15 year age bracket alone.

The pleasant weather and ample post-race snacks and drinks helped create a festive atmosphere around the finish line as riders and their families waited for awards, or to cheer on later category races. A few flat tires and other mechanical disappointments aside, it seemed clear that through the fatigue written on everyone’s dusty smiles that this had been a good first outing for the I-Cup series.

For full race results see below and for more information about the I-Cup Series, visit:

http://intermountaincup.com

Results: