Iceman Cometh Challenge News

Welcome to our 2018 Pro Men!

It never gets old does it? It’s another great year of the men’s best mountain bike racers coming to race for the title of Champion of the 2018 Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge. It’s every man for himself out there. Check out the full sortable list of racers.

Geoff Kabush

Winner for 2018. Kabush, 41, will be defending his 2017 title. We think his nickname (k-Boom) says it all but as a refresher, Geoff was the winner in 2013, 2nd at 2014’s “Mudman” and 3rd in 2015. The three-time Canadian Olympian currently rides for Yeti Cycles & MAXXIS. Kabush has been racing in Canada since he was 15 and is a 15-time Canadian National Champion. @GeoffKabush

Payson McElveen

Payson, 25, of Durango, Co. finished 2^nd last year. Payson races for Orange Seal Cycling. He’s a 2x Marathon National Champion for 2017, 2018 and 1^st at the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival. He finished 6th in 2017 and when not riding likes writing, fly fishing and sports talk radio. @PaysonMcElveen

Brian Matter

3rd Place for 2018. Brian, 40, and will be participating in his 25th Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge. After his win in 2014, Brian holds the record for the most wins at 4! Rumor has it he is hungry for more. He recently finished 3rd at the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival. Brian is sponsored by Trek / Bontrager / Shimano / Pro Gold / JTree / Rock Shox Find him at b-matter.com/ and on Twitter @TheWiscoDisco

Ben Sonntag

5th Place for 2018. Ben, 38, grew up in Germany but lives in Durango, Co. He finished 4^th in 2017 and 5th in the 2016 Bell’s Iceman. He rides for 9niner bikes/ Team Clif Bar Cycling. Ben got an impressive 1^st at Carson City Off-Road earlier this year @ZeGermanCyclist

Troy Wells

Troy, 34, was our 2015 Pro Men’s winner. Hailing from Durango, Co., Troy races for Team Clif Bar Cycling. Wells recently got 2^nd at a cross race in West Sacramento, but we have a feeling he wants to take that Ice Trophy home again. His bio states “Favorite rest days are on a beach somewhere drinking margaritas watching the sunset.” Come back to TC in the summer @tdub255!

Cole House

Cole, 30, was 6^th last year at Bell’s Iceman and is a 2 x National Fat Bike Champion. He hails from Oneida, WI and is probably hoping for snow on Saturday. According to Peloton Magazine, “House’s mother had given him the Indian name Tekastoslunti, which roughly translates as “floating feather.”” We’ve witnessed that. It’s amazing. @Cole_House

Alexey Vermeulen

2nd Place for 2018.Alexey, 24, of Pinckney, MI finished 9th^th last year and races for Interpro – Stradalli. He recently finished first at a brutal Peak2Peak race. Great to see him off the road and in the woods! http://alexeyvermeulen.blogspot.com/

Scotty Albaugh Jr.

Scotty, 25, of Waterford, MI made it into the top 10 last year. Let’s see what he’ll do this year.

Jorden Wakeley

Jorden, 28, finished 11^th last year and is racing for Giant Bicycles/Northbound Outfitters. He finished his first ultra-marathon this year, so if he has a mechanical, he might just pick up his bike and run it in. And still beat most racers. He’s also the 2015 Arrowhead Ultra winner so you know the worse the weather, the stronger he is. @JordenWakeley

Russell Finsterwald

Finsty, 27, comes from Boulder, Colorado, and races for SRAM | Troy Lee Designs Race Team. Russell is a seasoned Bell’s Iceman veteran at only 27. He had some injuries in the last year, but we’re all glad he’s back and tough as ever. @finsty http://finsterwald.bike He’s also a darn fine photographer: Check it out! https://www.rfphoto.net/

Floyd Landis.
Do we need to say anything more? Cool. Welcome to Northern Michigan Floyd and Floyd’s of Leadville.

Scott Quiring

Scott is a 3x Bell’s Iceman winner from the late 90’s and he is still one of the fastest dudes out there. He has his own bicycle company and after completing the LumberJack 100 this year, the Bell’s Iceman is gonna feel short! @QuiringCyclesLlc

Please welcome these Bell’s Iceman newbies:

David Zabriskie, 39 from Salt Lake City, Utah. He’s a newbie to Bell’s Iceman so everyone be really nice to him on the course. Mr. DZnuts https://www.dz-nuts.com/ has done a race or two in his time and is business partners with Floyd Landis. Welcome Dave Z.

Tristan Uhl
Tristan, 30, from Smithville, TX races for Giant and Live Co-Factory Off-Road Team. Tristan has some impressive race results and they will not be overshadowed by his impressive mustache. Can’t wait to see what he can do on these cold, northern Michigan trails! @ biketuhl

Peter Disera
4th Place for 2018. Peter, 23, from Horseshoe Valley, Ontario, and races for the Norco Factory Team XC. He finished 1^st at the Canadian National Championships in Canmore this year. Please note his bio says he is not a vegan!

Ryan Steers
Ryan, 33, is from Agoura, CA, and races for GIANT. He’s a pro cyclist and a wine nerd. https://manlightning.wordpress.com

Don’t forget our top local racers who know the course and plan on giving the pro’s a run for their money:

Jeff Owens, will be racing for Keen Technical. He’s one of those really nice guys who smiles while making his friends cry from pain while riding with him.

Cody Sovis, racing for 3T Q+M, has the impressive overall rank of 2^nd for the Pro/Cat1 racers and was first last year in Ice Society. He’s fast and he’s funny. Check out his website: https://kolotc.co/

Braiden Voss, 16, returned home from the Miller School of Albemarle to race this year. That’s pretty cool. Watch out, this kid is the real deal.

Tim Pulliam, 44, made a last-minute call and stepped up to the Pro race. He’s fast and fit this year, and he’s racing for his company, Keen Technical.

Sean Kickbush, never one to register too early, is back in the Pro race and looking to break into the top 20. He races for 3T Q+M.

Is it Saturday yet?

Welcome out 2018 Pro Women!

The Pro Women’s race is anyone’s race to win! With neither 2017 1^st or 2^nd place finishers racing, the podium is wide open. Besides some of our veteran racers, we’ve got some new ladies that shouldn’t be overlooked. This is going to be good folks!

Check out the full sortable list of racers.

Kaitlyn Patterson:
4th Place for 2018. Kaitlyn has finished 2^nd in 2016 and 3^rd in 2017, will 2018 her chance to claim 1^st place? No longer the new girl, Kaitlyn comes with a reputation and she (and everyone around her) will have to work hard on Saturday to keep up.

Chloe Woodruff:
Winner for 2018. After reigning champ for 2 years, Chloe wasn’t on the podium last year, but with Katerina Nash MIA, Chloe has her sights on the top step again! She races for Team Stan’s NoTubes – PIVOT and TEAM USA. Find her at http://www.chloewoodruff.com/ or on twitter @chloewoodruff

Amy Beisel:
5th Place for 2018. Amy has been hovering near the top step for a while. In 2016 she got 3^rd, 2017 6^th and this year might be her year to be back on the podium. She races Orange Seal Off-Road Team. Amy is also the 2016 Fat Bike World Champion, she’ll be ready if it starts to snow. You can find her on Ice Society and http://rachel-scott-2ct9.squarespace.com/

Catharine Pendrel:
3rd Place for 2018. After taking a year off from Iceman and a humerus break this season, Catharine is back! She won the 2013 Pro Women’s race but even more impressive is her winning a Bronze Medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, her 2x World Champion, and 3x Canadian Olympian. She races for the Clif Pro Team. http://cpendrel.blogspot.com/

Rachel Langdon:
Rachel, 30, hails from Louisville, KY. The last two years she has been an impressive 6th and 7th. This year she won Barry Roubaix AND set a course record. She races for Gray Goat Bullseye Total Media and has a whole lot of races under her belt for 2018 with some serious results!

Mary Penta:
@mary_penta , 39, of Indiana and sponsored by Think Green/Bicycle Face. She finished 2^nd this year at the Barry Roubaix, a mere 3 seconds behind Rachel Langdon. She’s been racing quite a bit this year and we’re excited to see what she’s got.

Georgia Gould:

Georgia will face her biggest Bell’s Iceman Challenge yet. Not on course, but in the Announcer Box providing commentary to all of us! We’re pretty sure this two time Bell’s Iceman Champion and U.S. Olympian is up for the challenge and we can’t wait to hear what she has to say!

Please welcome and watch for these Bell’s Iceman Newbies:

Sofia Gomez Villafañe,

2nd Place for 2018. Sofia is 24 and was born in Argentina but hails from Park City, UT. She races for Stan’s Pivot Pro Team. While new to Bell’s Iceman, she is not new to the sport. She has an impressive resume and we can’t wait to watch her test her skills on our Northern Michigan Trails. @sofithevilla

Lindsay Knight, 34, from Chicago, IL. Known for her Cross Cycling skills and her work with youth cycling non-profit Blackstone Bicycle Works. Lindsay also has a Ph.D. in Political Science and might have a lesson or two for our ladies in the Pro field.

Also in the mix are our local Michigan favorites:

Megan Doerr, 35, races for McLain’s Race Team. This is her first year racing Pro/Cat 1. Megan was the fastest amateur woman in 2017. She’s also being inducted into the MMBA 2018 Hall of Fame for Racing!

Maddy Frank, 18. She’s from Walker, MI. She finished 1st in the Junior race last year and has stepped up to the Pros.

Susan Vigland, racing for Hagerty Cycling, is back and stronger than ever. She’s not only an amazing racer but Susan loves trails and is current board president of TART trails!

Bridget Widrig, racing for Hagerty Cycling. Bridget is the nicest, most humble person you’ll meet…until the start gun goes off!

Bell’s Iceman Entry Giveaway!

Missed your chance to enter the 2018 ICEMAN????? Our good friend Chuck Grzanka , cycling advocate, and CyclingLawyer.com are once again giving away several entries for the best race in the USA!

Already entered? No worries. Use your winning ticket in 2019. Just visit CyclingLawyer.com and at the very end complete the “Contact Us” page with your info to be eligible for the drawing. Easier than riding your bike for 30 miles through snow, mud or whatever conditions Mother Nature and ICEMAN throw our way on Saturday. Be well. Be safe. Good luck.

http://cyclinglawyer.com/

The Ten Commandments of Bell’s Iceman

Our security team, in conjunction with Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office and Metro Fire Department, works to ensure that all participants and spectators have a safe and enjoyable experience while watching the racing action at Timber Ridge Resort. They have compiled a list of some practical “Do’s and Don’ts” that are really basic social etiquette that will keep everything flowing smoothly throughout the afternoon. (All of these suggestions come with a big PLEASE and THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION from all of our staff.)

1. Thou shall race a clean, fair race.

2. Thou shall be Courteous while racing. (Announce yourself when you pass.)

3. Thou shall respect the Handicap Parking area at Timber Ridge for those who truly need it.

4. Thou shall ONLY drink Bell’s Beer in the BISSELL Celebration Zone.

5. Thou shall only pack dry clothes—no beer—in your clothing bags.

6. Thou shall keep moving on the staircases over the course.

7. Thou shall use the bike exit so you don’t have to drag your bike up the stairs.

8. Thou shall update your Ice Society profile with Emergency Contact Info

9. Thou shall support our Sponsors

But most importantly…

10. Thou shall Haul Ass and have a great race!

Post Race Reminder: Food & Bell’s Beer

Timber Ridge has 13 food vendors line up for after the race. Plan on racing hard, then using the Team Bob shower trucks, changing into dry clothes, eat some good food, grab a delicious Bell’s beer and wait for the most anticipated races all year…the SNOCONE and the Pros.

Reminder all beer proceeds go to the Timber Ridge Foundation that donates money to trail development in conjunction with TART trails. So drink for a good cause! The official beer list is:

Bell’s Porter
Christmas Ale
Amber Ale
Bell’s Lager
Hopsoulution
Oarsman Ale
Best Brown
Two Hearted Ale
Winter White
Expedition Stout

Just a reminder no outside alcohol is allowed in the Celebration Zone. Security will be inspecting bags and if alcohol is found you will have 3 choices:

Surrender the alcohol (this includes flasks!)
Take the alcohol back to your car.
Be unruly, get a ticket, and get kicked out by the police.

Sunset on the Season Party

2018 Sunset on the Season Video

The Bell’s Beer Sunset on the Season Party is where riders can finally take the gloves off. Relax and share stories with someone you’ve been battling all season or raise a glass of Two Hearted with Gary Fisher himself. You may have a 54 year old Bell’s Iceman first timer on a bar stool next to the current National Champ. Perhaps a former World Champion is sipping from the Ice Trophy or a Tour de France finisher is letting out some long season stress on the dance floor.

With the talent & energy The Orbitsuns deliver to every performance it’s impossible not to find one last late night interval in your legs. These hard working Detroit rockers are the Godfathers of MTB rock and promise to hit you with all of their ice melting anthems.

Lets be honest, any sort of competition can expose egos and a little selfishness on occasion. But, on this night, it’s all set aside. The dance floor will be open & the Bell’s Beer will be flowing as we celebrate our beautiful sport and the people, brands & bands that make the ride of life worth livin’.

Good luck racers! We’ll see YOU all at the real finish line, The Bell’s Iceman Sunset On The Season Party. (21&UP Event)

Caffeine Soul

When? Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 9 PM – 2 AM

Where? Union Street Station, 117 S. Union Street, TC

Course updates from NMMBA

As the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association works to bring you the best Iceman Cometh Challenge course possible, we’re providing updates on current conditions through race day!

What a difference a week makes! Even with some warm temperatures, we saw just enough rain over the past ten days to have a huge impact on the course. In mid-to-late September, sand was the word, as it always is in early fall. This year was no different, and perhaps a touch worse; sections from Kalkaska to Dockery Road were, in the opinions of many, some of the slowest we’ve ever seen!

Luckily, a mix of cold nights and rain have gotten the course into great shape, and aside from the infamous sand pits that you just know are coming, there’s nothing out there that will make you feel like you’re at the beach.

Tom and the crew were out putting in the finishing touches on the new Water Bottle Hill Bypass. That new section of trail is bench cut and riding faster and faster every week. While it does criss-cross the old bypass, you won’t have any trouble staying on the right trail thanks to a few blue flags places at all the pertinent intersections. While the segment is too close to the previous trail to be accurate, this should give you a good look at where the bypass is on the course.

Another big confirmation from the weekend is that we’ll stick with the same Wall Bypass used in the 2017 edition race, taking a long, lazy bend left before the Wall and hopping on a few bits of two-track and singletrack before rejoining the 25km just about a half-mile from the infamous Boonenberg climb. That one-two punch is always tough, especially after a few fast miles from Williamsburg Road and onto the 25km itself.

Finally, the finale. While it’s unmarked and very tough to follow at the moment, you can count on a serpentine, sinuous sprint through some winding singletrack from the time you enter Timber Ridge, nearly leave it entirely, then come back to the line after going over and under two shipping containers!

While plenty of people were out enjoying the course, Melissa from Michigan Mountain Biking Association was at Timber Ridge helping put on the Iceman Clinic this past Saturday. 30 riders got a little instruction and a lot of confidence ahead of race day, and were treated to hot brats, chips, and a great time by MMBA and Keen Technical Solutions.