Mila Moseley on the technical climb of the Upper Bridges Trail to the start of the Enduro stage at Junior Bike Week June 25-27. Courtesy photo
BY PAULA KNEPPER
Coach
Los Alamos Mountain Bike Team
Five athletes from Los Alamos headed to Crested Butte, Colorado from June 25-27 to compete in the Junior Bike Week. All of the Los Alamos athletes competed in the Junior Wildflower Classic cross-country (XC) mountain bike race and four of those athletes competed for the Triple Crown Championship, which is a three day event made up of a challenging Enduro stage race, pump track challenge, and XC mountain bike race. Over two hundred youth athletes participated in this epic mountain biking event. Los Alamos youth showed up and gave it their all on the dirt single tracks flanked by handlebar high wildflowers.
Ian McLean under age 14 (U14), Mila Moseley U14, Cullen McLean U12, and Quanah Moseley U10, competed for the Triple Crown Championship. They were joined by Axel Niklasson who just aged into the U16 group three days prior to compete in the pump track challenge portion and the beautiful but challenging Junior Wildflower Classic.
The first day of racing kicked off with a two mile uphill and technical transfer to the Enduro event on Whetstone trail. Whetstone tested athletes with a one mile gnarly and twisty descent. During an enduro, athletes are timed on the descent but must complete the transfers which tend to be aggressive uphill biking segments.
Ian McLean, right, third place podium Enduro event finish. Courtesy photo
Day 2 of the Triple Crown Championship timed athletes over numerous laps on a pump track. Older athletes are given two pedal strokes to build up enough speed to start a challenging pump track. Athletes must use that energy to maintain enough speed to pump through the balance of their assigned laps. Ian, Cullen, and Quanah pumped their way through the finish so they could continue competing for the Triple Crown Championship. Ian rode 3 laps with only two pedal strokes allowed at the start. Mila stepped up for her first pump track event. She cranked out her two pedal stroke start but those were not enough to carry her through the finish.
Cullen McLean pumping his way to the finish at the pump track challenge.
On the final day of competition, Quanah Moseley stepped up the XC race to finish with a 3rd place spot on the podium. Mila Moseley finished the XC race with an impressive 6th place finish in a very competitive U14 female field. Ian and Cullen both finished with a 10th place result. Axel took the 12th place spot for U16 males.
Axel Niklasson sprinting to the finish line after 15 miles and over 2000 feet of technical climbs and descents of the challenging U16 course of the Junior Wildflower Classic. Courtesy photo
Ian McLean ripping to the finish line of the Junior Wildflower Classic. Courtesy photo
Quanah Moseley returned to Los Alamos with the awesome Triple Crown Trophy for a third place finish overall. Ian McLean finished the Triple Crown in 5th place.
Quanah Moseley all smiles after earning his Triple Crown Championship medal.The next Crested Butte Junior Bike Week is scheduled for June 20-26, 2022. More information and full results can be found at https://www.juniorbikeweek.com. Courtesy photo