2001 24 Hours of Moab

Complete Results from the 2001 24 Hours of Moab

Press Releases from the 2001 24 Hours of Moab

5:00pm MST 10/13/2001
The 7th Annual 24 Hours of Moab is underway and, as expected, the competition is fierce. Five hours into the race and the SoBe/Headshok team is leading the Coed Pro/Am class and leading overall, with the Trek/VW team not far behind in second place. Beaver Creek II is hanging in third. All three teams have 5 laps under their belts with several sub-one hour laps being turned in by both teams and only 5 minutes between 1st and 3rd places. In the Men's Expert class, Juiciest Hogs is leading the pack, with 5 laps and a second place overall to boot. In fourth overall, the Duo Pro team of Ride the Beav is scorching the course--currently riding in fifth overall. It's still early in the race and anything can happen. The weather at the site is beautiful but the temps are sure to drop with the sun. The last several nights have seen sub-freezing temps with frost on the trails.
8:30pm MST With over 25,000 cummulative miles under their belts, the racers at the 24 Hours of Moab head into the night with their lights blazin'. Slowly but surely the Sobe/Headshok team is putting some time on their rivals. Trek/VW has lost several minutes since the last report while Beaver Creek II is holding a strong third. Ride the Beav is still atop the Duo Pro class with Britney Returns and Must be the Money in second and third, respectively--within 10 minutes of the lead. In the Men's Solo class, Rishi Grewal (6 laps) holds a ten minute advantage over Nat Ross while David Herbold is running in third. For the Women, Nancy Busching is out on her 6th lap while Jenna Woodbury and Sandra Musgrave give chase.

1:30 a.m. MST
Whew! It's getting a bit chilly out on the mesas and everyone is bundling up against the cold. Helmets come off at the end of a lap and clouds of steam rise from the riders head. Those not on the course huddle near campfires or lay bundled in their sleeping bags. Ole' Gary Fisher himself decides that it may be better to finish off two laps in a row to build up some rack time. It's still a long way to the sunrise.

As for competition, it hasn't diminished at all. The Sobe/Headshok team continues to dominate the race--having turned in 12 laps along with Men's Expert team Juiciest Hogs. Beaver Creek II has moved into second place in the Coed Pro/Am class ahead of Trek/VW. It looks as though Travis Brown had a rough night lap, turning in a 1:20 lap. Ride the Beav continues to hold its lead in the Duo Pro class and Rishi Grewal has extended his lead to over 1/2 hour in the Men's Solo class.

Out on the horizon pinpricks of light sparkle from the glowing headlamps of riders circling the course. It's a long way from over and a lot can change over the remainder of the race. Only time will tell.

7:30 a.m. MST
Yes, anything can happen in a 24 hour race. For Travis Brown it was a failed set of lights that led to a sub-par performance. Even so, the Trek/VW team improved its performance in the wee hours--pulling to within 3 minutes of second place team Beaver Creek II while Sobe/HeadShok maintains a 4-minute margin at the top of the Coed Pro/Am class. Juiciest Hogs have maintained their lead in the Men's Expert and moved into 1st overall--completing 17 laps (so far). The racers as a whole have logged more than 50,000 miles on their bikes so far with more frantic ones to come as the race enters its last quarter. Time to check out the standings and re-evaluate strategy. Even with the cold and weariness, Beth Housman of "Eat My Grout" observed to her teammate, "It's pretty out there." For many, the arrival of the sun will be a sight they have longed for all night long.

Team Ride the Beav leads Must Be The Money by 45 minutes in the Duo/Pro class. Both teams have continued their back-and-forth assault with no doubling up on laps over the night. In the Women's Expert class, Hubs of Aspen I has worked to a one-hour lead over Poison Spirit, who were hurt by several longer than usual laps. Nancy Busching holds a solid lead in the Women's Solo class where individual lap times slowly rose over the night. In the Men's solo, Rishi Grewal has extended his lead to a whopping 75 minutes, consistently turning in 1:45 minute laps over the night.

It should be a beautiful Sunday morning in Moab and the warmth of the sun will be a welcome thing. It will be a competitive morning though for most as they try to squeeze everything out of their brains, bodies and bikes as we head toward high noon.

8:42 a.m. MST
Quite the meeting of the greats just occured at log table two. Trek/VW and Subaru/Gary Fisher were handing off at the same time. It just so happened that Sue Haywood and Allison Sydor were handing over the baton at the same time as Mary Griggson and Chrissy Redden. A meeting of more than a few World, Olympic, National and 24 Hour titles on the course at Moab.

Beaver Creek II just moved into the lead in the Coed Pro/Am class--3 minutes up on Sobe/Headshok while Trek/VW is only 30 seconds out of second place. It's going to be a barn burner.

9:40 a.m. MST
The sun is up and things are warming up. With only 2 1/2 hours left in the race it's do or die time for those wanting to move up. Whomever has to head out on their lap, they will be pumped up by friends, support staff and team members. Standing in the log tent, chomping at the bit as they look to the horizon for a glimpse of their incoming teammate. For those on the lonely solo journey, another several hours of enduring the lack of sleep, dust from the trail and general body fatigue.

If you have been around mountain biking for a while, you'll recognize the accomplishments of one Jimmy Killen. This is the last pro race for Killen as he heads to retirement. What a treat it would be if he could help propel his team (Sobe/Headshok) to a win. At last check they were only 3 minutes back from the leading Beaver Creek II team. He's in the on deck circle now--warming up for what looks to be his final lap.....and he's off. Killen's teammate Eric Jones gave him a lift as he posted a 64 minute lap--moving his team into first place. Killen has proven to be the rider of the weekend--posting the fastest lap so far at 56:46 but its been almost 24 hours since that feat. Does he have enough fuel in the tank? We shall see.

9:52 a.m. MST
Beaver Creek II has dropped from 1st to 3rd as Sobe/Headshok took the lead and Trek/VW moved into second. Looking at average lap times will tell you that this will turn into a frantic finish--all three team possibly getting in two more riders prior to the noon deadline. Men's Expert team Juiciest Hogs continue to lead the overall with an amazing 19 laps--well on their way to 22 laps which would shatter last years mark of 20 laps set by the Sobe/Headshok team.

12:42 p.m. MST
It's up to the girls this afternoon. Trek/VW sent out Allison Sydor 30 seconds ahead of Beaver Creek II's Gretchen Reeves while Kerry Barnholt hit the course 3 1/2 minutes back. It is a race ya'll.

1:04 p.m. MST
It's official--Allison Sydor put the hammer down on her last lap, turning in a time of 1:08 (her second fastest of the race) to lead the Trek/VW team to a Coed Pro/Am win. Gretchen Reeves, of the second place Beaver Creek II team, caught sight of Sydor several times but couldn't manage to close the gap. Travis Brown and Allison Sydor stated that the experience of their teammates Chris Eatough and Sue Haywood, veterans of 24 hour racing, was invaluable in their performance. "It was the hardest thing I have ever done" said Sydor while Eatough said it was the most competitive race he's been in..period.

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