I HAVE A DREAM....

You had to be at the Breck Epic to understand, but the racers were just outstandingly awesome when they came through EVERY aide station all week. So....instead of the week being just an endless series of Squirt Lube jobs on drivetrains three times a day for nearly every racer for 4-6 hours, it became a short visit and a time to encourage those trying to win the battle, the racers made my job absolutely the best part of the day for me, hence, I saw it only fit that at the last summit of the last climb on the last day of climbs to many to count, each racer would be rewarded with an ice cold Stella or Modelo handup compliments of Squirt Lube, below, Garth, inhales a Stella before his last descent of the week...Devon Balet took some stunning pictures all week long, this being one of my favs. You can read his story at the online Mountain Flyer site.Beer or Heed? Garth chooses a well deserved ice cold Stella

And more video sickness from the Breck Epic.

Day 4

Day 5

BRECK EPIC 2009 IS A WRAP....

In the end, it was Jeremiah Bishop outlasting Travis Brown for the inagural Epic title. But oh the rest of the stories we can tell...here's one.

And then there were the Sardine Brothers, I'm still trying to figure these guys out, but damned if they were not one of this awesome event's stories.


And it goes on and on...I'll try and get it all blogged some day, but in the mean time, we have got one hell of a party to go at! Congrats to all who participated and helped pull the first Breck Epic off, sick!

Mike Mac talks to the ront row prior to the final stage...

Mike Mac and Jeremiah Bishop..

The unsung heroes everyday breaking down the final aide station at the top of Boreas Pass.

Squirt dominated at the 2009 Breck Epic

AN INCREDIBLE ACT OF KINDNESS AND ADMIRATION FROM JEN GERSBACH..

There are some wonderful souls in this sport of mountain biking, great stories, great inspiration, great moments, great everything. At yesterday's awards ceremony, where each days podium finshers are awarded really cool medals, and then the GC leaders are awarded a sweet Breck Epic jersey for their efforts on the week, Jen Gersbach who has been leading the women's solo cat since day one, and now has a stack of the GC leader's jerseys, spoke silently to Dave who was presenting awards and then headed to the podium. When she was awarded her 5th leaders jersey, Dave Ocks (sp?) announced that Jen was giving this Jersey to Wendy Skean, who is also in the women's solo category very far back in last place, however, Wendy is 65 years old and finishes very far back on the clock everyday..it was a great moment and showed all of us what a class act and amazing competitor they both are...thanks for the moment Jen, your acknowledgment did not go unnoticed by A2B. Just an awesome display of good sportsmanship which moved all of us.

MORE BRECK EPIC PICS...

Brady and Russ Kappius had a better day with no major mechanicals and a wicked pace that gave them a bit more breathing room. Here they enter the Burro Trail.

Amy from Tough Girls all smiles even with the daunting climb over the Tenmile Range right in her face.

John Bliss was able to escape and make the podium in the 50+ cat for the first time in this year's race.

And Dewet Marais was once again the uncatchable rabbit in the 50+ solo division increasing his overall advantage to over 16 minutes. One stage to go for the overall...

A rider enters Burro's first bridge on his way to a long, painful climb.

STAGE 5 OF THE BRECK EPIC DID NOT DISSAPPOINT

Racers lined it up this morning for more severe pain on the Wheeler Trail going up and over the Ten Mile Range, what sucked for them was they first had to ascend Peak 8, then descend BACK DOWN to the base area before making their epic push to the top of the mountain. Stories were rampant today of riders walking for nearly two hours over the top.

The entry way into the Burro trail and over 2000 feet of climbing. Mark Legg Compton continues his assault on the 40+ field as he enters the day's biggest climb, Wheeler.

Bret in da houwze...

Line it up for Day 5 boyz and gulrz.

A QUICK WORD ABOUT THURSDAY'S BRECK EPIC STAGE..

DEVASTATING

37 miles, over 7000 vetical feet of climbing

This past eve I had a chance to go ride the FIRST climb of Thursday's Breck Epic stage, and if the racers have not had the opportunity to pre-ride this course, I can tell you it is going to be devastating, it was the only word I could think of as I inched up the morning's first offering. I can't imagine having to conquer this climb after what these racers have already been through, this could be the one that breaks the camel's back folks. And here is the topper, not only do the racers have to climb to the top of the Peak 8 Express chair on the ski hill, they must then descend to the bottom of the Valley before climbing BACK UP nearly 3000 more feet over the top of the Ten Mile range and dropping into the Copper Montain side before ripping back into Frisco for the tear back on the Peak to Peak trail...this one is going to bury some folks for sure...

Vijeo Highlights
Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

And day 4 was, well, epic. Stationed at Aide Station 2 on top of Georgia Pass, riders were worked upon their arrival, but then had a monster descent towards more brutalness climbing.

Brandon Dwight battles for third on the day...

Bishop Discusses strategy before stage 4. He crushed.

DAY 4 OF THE BRECK EPIC...THE EPIC OF THE EPIC

Today's circumnavigation of Mount Guyot in Summit county is a BIG, penultimate type of stage as it takes the racers into some of Colorado's most spectacular scenery. Dewet Marais, one of the owners of Squirt lube and product developer appears to be getting stronger everyday all though the others in his age classification were close yesterday. Travis Brown and Jeremiah Bishop continue to throw severe body blows at each other in the men's open class. Many Squirt Lubers lead their respective catgeories and most of the field is now convinvced that Squirt Lube can not be matched in race conditions like these. This includes Mark Legg and Katie Compton who are very impressed with how Squirt is holding up during these monster stages.

Gersbach is dominating the women's fieldBrady and Russ Kappius are setting the standard in the team comp, but not by much. A flat for Brady kept it tight yesterday.

As for me, well, I've been felled by another jacked lower back episode and relegated to lubing chains and networking with racers and crew here at the Epic, afterall, that's my job, but it sucks with Nats coming up and the State Masters road race the following week, that I can't stand, sit, sleep or put freekin socks on without excrutiating lower back pain. Frustration to say the least. I'm going to Google the phone number for the glue factory later this day and give them a call. Once the race is out on course there is not much to do, I was abe to get out for a spin yesterday to try and lossen things up, but the "base" area is pretty dead, many vendors packed up after day one and split as we are located in an area on the outskirts of town so there is virtually no exposure to the public with product...I'd iamgine this will change next year somehow. Breck's advertised "bike week" seems to have been a bust as well this year as the vendors set up down town have been dead...this has potential to be BIG, but has some learning curve to ight through...the racing however is top notch.

BRECK EPIC....EPIC STAGE TOMORROW.

This is why it is called Epic

Ahem, a while back when the Breck Epic had it's blogger contest and I got flogged to near death in the voting it was no big deal. Then when Dewet Marais hinted that we would ride solo instead of as as 50+ team I lost quite a bit of interest in doing the event and began to concentrate more on working the Squirt Lube side of things as we were a sponsor. Working the sponsor side of things has been quite interesting as I'm seeing a "different" perspective on what's up and how this first year event is taking place. So far my favorite moment of the entire Epic was when one of the racers blew a big ass fart in the middle of the "racer meeting" on Sunday night while the organizers were going over the next day's stage.The guy was sitting right in front of me, and of course everyone thought Grossman had done it, so I just rolled with it. Above that, there are some really cool people here particpating, as well ass some flat out freaks, for instance two guys are racing FUCKING FIXIES. All in all it's a great bunch of racers leaving it all out there everday....

The peleton heads off to suffer on day three..

I must be in the front row....