As we roll into June, the days counting down to November seem to quicken pace. With better weather in the forecast and a full slate of fun rides and races filling up the calendar, there’s plenty to be excited about as we hit peak summer.
Here in northern Michigan, we’ve had a wet and chilly May. Those cold days are finally giving way to more seasonable and comfortable temperatures, and that’s gotten us all into the woods to explore the trails. We’re really to have miles and miles of trails, only a fraction of which feature on race day. Many of those trails are twisting, turning, hand-built trails, and that’s gotten a lot of us off our Iceman Cometh hardtail and onto something with a bit more squish.
Last week, Trek Bikes unveiled the 2020 Trek Top Fuel, and we really like what we see. The long-time consensus at Iceman has been that a hardtrail 29er is the proven way to go, and that’s probably still true. The line is a bit more blurred, however, with how light and efficient full suspension bikes have gotten in the past two or three years. We consistently see bikes coming out of the stand at 23, 21, even 20 pounds with 120mm front and 115 rear suspension.
The latest offering from Trek fits that bill. What’s got us even more excited is the number of builds. Whatever your budget, there’s a bomb-proof build ready to rock. With the right set-up, you’re definitely going to have way more fun, and not just on the first Saturday in November. As huge as Iceman is, getting a new bike that’s suited to the other 364 days of the year is the smart way to go, and for where and how we’re riding these days, full suspension is turning into a very viable option.
What are you looking for in your next bike? What tips would you give a rider looking to break two-hours at Iceman with a new rig?
Last year, the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association joined our team as our go-to resource for course design and preparation. For twelve years, NMMBA has served our local mountain biking community as a dedicated, passionate steward of the trails, and for the third time, they’re bringing that experience and know-how to their very own event, the Traverse City Trails Festival.
Now in enjoying its third edition, the TCTF offers up one of the most unique trail experiences of the season. That’s because each of the forty, twenty-five, and fifteen-mile course take place almost entirely on trail that isn’t marked 364 other days of the year. Absent on a map and on any trailhead kiosk these trails exist as the notorious ‘unmarked’, with even the total mileage of these trails a somewhat vague and oscillating number in the sixty to seventy-mile range.
That’s why locals are just as eager as visitors to hop in this race or to simply tour it. Both options are available, and both use the only lightly-traveled trails marked so briefly to offer an incredibly fun day in the woods. The unique race also helps create more trail; new shortcuts, bypasses, and re-routes are often later incorporated into trail proposals submitted to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The changes and additions allow NMMBA to retire old, unsustainable bandit trails and replace them with improved routes keep vital sections connected and rideable.
The Traverse City Trails Festival takes place at Ranch Rudolf, a rustic resort and campground that serves as start, finish, and party zone throughout race day. With the Boardman River passing just yards away from the finish banner, it’s become a tradition in this neck of the woods to finish off your race or ride with a chilly dip in the river before enjoying some barbecue food, beer, and the pleasure of friendly company.
For those really looking for a race, this one is as about as challenging as it gets. After some fast miles to spread things out, the forty-mile course offers relentless mile after mile of singletrack, punctuated only at length by a few dirt roads to gulp down some water, choke down a bar, and then dive back into the high ferns of late July. The forty-mile race is certainly a test of endurance, while the twenty-five mile serves as a more traditional cross country distance on par with Mud, Sweat and Beers, another local landmark.
Newer riders often elect to round up their pals and ride the twenty-five or fifteen-mile routes as a group, stopping for snacks, snapping photos, and hurrying only to make sure they get back to Ranch Rudolf in time to grab a beer for the bar shuts down.
All proceeds from the race go to support Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association and their efforts to build and maintain world class trails like Glacial Hills, the Cadillac Pathway, and the new Palmer Woods Trail in Leelanau County. For more on the race, and to get yourself signed up, head over to the race site.
November will be here before you know it, and with a few race days circled between now and then, you’ll not only build fitness but build an appreciation for the people and trails that make northern Michigan such an incredible place to be a mountain biker.
Here at Iceman HQ, all this talk of March 1’s festivities has us itching for some riding. If getting signed up for the 30th edition of the Iceman Cometh Challenge doesn’t get you fired up to ride, then you’ve been cooped up inside for way too long!
Iceman athletes haven’t been hibernating. From Nordic skiing, fat biking, and even hopping on the trainer, our racers have been working hard to maintain and build fitness for a full season that seems to add more killer events every year. Remember the off-season? Well, that’s not really a thing anymore!
Around here, there is a fat bike race nearly every other week, and that’s a sport that’s grown to include races across the state. Some of the best Strava scores of the past two months have come from events like Fat Chance! at Crystal Mountain and the Big M Fat Bike Race near Manistee.
Activities on Zwift, TrainerRoad, and Rouvy count toward your Ice Society Strava score, and there are dozens of riders who have been raking in the points since November. New virtual events and races have made indoor racing a lot more fun and make it possible to ride with bike nerds from around the world.
Of course, some folks need to swap their pedals for skis to enjoy winter, and we’ve had a blast following the Michigan Nordic ski scene from Noque to Cote Dame Marie. This weekend, the 43rd Annual North American Vasa will start and finish in the same spot as the Iceman ends at beautiful Timber Ridge Resort. For Iceman racers, it’s got to be just a bit of a relief that they get to go down Icebreaker to start their 12, 27, or 50 km ski events, rather than finish up that short but cruel little slope.
There are also two fat bike races as a part of the Vasa’s Festival of Races, and it’s a testament to Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association that racing on their expertly groomed and simply gorgeous Winter Sports Singletrack draws so many rabid fat bikers. NMMBA also played a huge role in designing and laying out our 2018 Iceman course, and they do a great job incorporating their years of racing and riding in putting together a fun, fast, and exciting route that suits a wide range of abilities.
If you’ve had a hard time peeling yourself off the couch, we really hope that get yourself signed up for the 30th edition of the Iceman Cometh Challenge gives you the motivation to get moving, and maybe even try something new before winter fades into spring. The countdown to our 30th year starts in earnest in just a few weeks with events at 7 Monks in Traverse City and Bell’s Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo. More details to come, but make sure you’ve got a plan in place to make this year’s race your best yet!
The 30th Annual Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2019.
Online registration for ALL Bell’s Iceman and Meijer Slush Cup riders opens Monday March 4th at 9 am.
A total field limit of 4,500 Iceman riders and 400 Slush Cup riders will be accepted. The March 4th online registration opening for all riders will operate on a “first come – first served” method.
The Bell’s Iceman entry fee for 2019 is $100.00 and includes the USA Cycling One-Day License and the online registration fee. USA Cycling members with an annual license will receive a $10 rebate upon showing their license at packet pick-up in November. The $10 USA Cycling annual license rebate is not available for riders in the Pro/Category 1 races.
2019 Meijer Slush Cup entry fees are $70.00 and include a USA Cycling one-day license and the online registration fee.
The 2019 online registration system utilizes your Ice Society account on the www.iceman.com website. Thus, all registrants need to have an active account within the Ice Society. A new capability of the Ice Society is to allow parents to manage their children’s accounts with the same email address.
To eliminate confusion, tandem entries follow the one bike – one entry system. Tandem captains can enter their stoker’s name on their account page.
A free USA Cycling account number (not an annual license) is required for each rider. For riders without an account number, you can create an account with USA Cycling by looking for the “sign-up” button in the upper right-hand corner of the www.usacycling.org website.
Last year at the Bell’s Iceman Cometh you raced with us using a USA Cycling, one day event license. For many of you the Bell’s Iceman may be your only event planned in 2019 but if you are like many of returning racers, you enjoy racing all year long!
As a special thank you for your support of the Bell’s Iceman Cometh, our partners at USA Cycling would like to offer to you a DISCOUNTED 2019 Annual Race license. (a savings of $30). There are many benefits to holding an annual race license:
You have access to all USA Cycling’s member benefits including a membership with Expert Voice (up to 70% savings on high end outdoor gear)
A complimentary one hour consult with a USA Cycling Certified Coach; and
Unlimited racing at any USA Cycling sanctioned event in the country including the Mountain Bike National Championships – Winter Park, Colorado. PLEASE note this license does not waiver your entry fees ONLY your license fees. )
This offer will expire on February 28, 2019 so take advantage of it now and race all year long!
Use Coupon code (case sensitive) ICEMANRACE2019 at check out and receive your $30 off your annual license. It’s really like a $40 dollar deal too, if you already have a USA Cycling license you get $10 back on your 2019 Bell’s Iceman Cometh entry.
On Sunday, December 2nd at 2 pm EST, television viewers in northern Michigan will get a chance to see what we experience every fall. 9&10 News will repeat the special CBS Sports coverage of the Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge, celebrating 29 editions of the race and offering a great look at the final kilometers for the Pro Men and Women’s events.
This has been a project on our radar for nearly three years, and there’s a lot of optimism on how this will highlight our cycling community, our region, and our sport to a much wider audience.
Tune in Sunday and use #icemantcmi to let us know where you’re watching from. Once the show is over, it will be time to start training (and for us, planning!) for our 30th Anniversary Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge in 2019!
The 2018 Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge will be broadcast as a one-hour long television show on CBS Sports Network during Thanksgiving weekend at 1pm EST, on Sunday, November 25th.
The telecast will then be repeated later in the day on the West Coast and Mountain Time zones.*
The local CBS affiliate 9&10 News, is scheduled to re-air the Bell’s Iceman telecast on December 2, from 2-3pm EST.
*Times may vary. Please check your local lists for times in your area.
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 2nd last year. Payson races for Orange Seal Cycling. He’s a 2x Marathon National Champion for 2017, 2018 and 1st 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 4th in 2017 and 5th in the 2016 Bell’s Iceman. He rides for 9niner bikes/ Team Clif Bar Cycling. Ben got an impressive 1st 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 2nd 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 6th 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 9thth 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 11th 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 1st at the Canadian National Championships in Canmore this year. Please note his bio says he is not a vegan!
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 2nd 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.
The Pro Women’s race is anyone’s race to win! With neither 2017 1st or 2nd 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!
Kaitlyn Patterson: 4th Place for 2018. Kaitlyn has finished 2nd in 2016 and 3rd in 2017, will 2018 her chance to claim 1st 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 3rd, 2017 6th 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 2nd 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!
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.
