Iceman Cometh Challenge News

Welcome our 2017 Pro Women!

The Pro Women’s race is going to be a great one! With Chloe Woodruff defending her title and going for a 3rd win, she has a strong list of competitors trying to take the top step away. This is going to be good folks!

Check out the full sortable list of racers.

Chloe Woodruff: Reigning champ for 2 years, Chloe is returning to again defend her title! She races for Team Stan’s NoTubes – PIVOT and TEAM USA. She’s not going to give up her top step without a serious fight. Find her at http://www.chloewoodruff.com/ or on twitter @chloewoodruff

Kaitlyn Patterson:

After a show of pure perseverance and grit, Kaitlyn took 2nd last year. She moved to Ann Arbor and is hitting the medical books but after last year, she will not be underestimated or overlooked at the start line.

Amy Beisel:

Amy finally got her podium spot last year with 3rd and we sure she’s gunning for that Ice Trophy this year. She races Procycling/Kenda. She credits her brother, also a pro cyclist, with encouraging her to buy her first mountain bike. 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 www.amybeisel.com/.

Erin Huck:

Erin is coming from Boulder, Co. and is the 2016 US National XC & STXC Champion. Erin finished 4th in 2015 and 5th in 2016, and knows what she needs to do to get the Ice Trophy! She rides for Cannondale-3Rox. Contact her on Ice Society, http://erinhuck.com or twitter @EEHuck.

Katerina Nash:

Katerina was born in the Czech Republic but now lives in Truckee, CA. She finished 3rd in the 2015 Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge. She’s a Five-Time Olympian, 6X UCI World Cup Cyclocross winner & 7 broken ribs in one race, and maybe Saturday we’ll add Bell’s Iceman Cometh Champion! Katerina is a member of Clif Pro Cycling Team. Tweet her @KaterinaNash or find her on Ice Society.

Leia Schneeberger

Leia was the 2017 Women’s Champion of 45NRTH Fat Bike Birkie Race. She is also the overall Champion for the second year in a row in the Wisconsin Off Road Series, placed 3rd at Ore2Shore and 1st in the Copper Harbor Festival. She races for Broken Spoke Racing and Funkier Bike and placed 9th at last years race.

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

Rose Grant, from Kalispell, Montana racing for Stan’s-PIVOT Pro Team has some impressive 2017 wins. https://rose-grant.com)

Karen Jarchow racing for Team Topeak-Ergon was 2016 National Ultra Endurance Marathon Champion and 2017 Fat Bike World Champion. @KarenJarchow

Also in the mix are our local Michigan Favorites:

Katie Clayton, finished 6th in the Pro Women Peak to Peak race even after a flat tire and 2nd overall female at the MMM Gravel Grinder. She’s coached by Bell’s Iceman Veteran Mackenzie Woodrig. Katie packs a punch and we can’t wait to see what’s she got in this strong field of women.

Susan Vigland, I know we said this last year but Susan is STILL the quintessential local sweetheart. She’s fast. She’s smart. She’s more ready than ever.

Bridget Widrig, after a hiatus from the mountain bike scene, Bridget is back and we can only assumer stronger than ever.

Finally, two 2016 Bell’s Iceman Junior Women Champs are stepping into the Pro Race, Summer Gilbert and Lexxie Mapes both won their age group categories as Juniors in 2016 and are making a play for the Pro Women game in 2017!

What’s New for 2017?

It’s going to be another great year for Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge. Here’s what new this year:

Central Market Place @ Timber Ridge

We have created a “Central Market Place” for exhibitors right next to the finish line inside the BISSELL Celebration Zone on Friday from 12-6 and Saturday 9am-5pm. As an added bonus, you can purchase you’re beer tickets on Friday too! So go ride the finish, grab a Bell’s beer and shop on Friday outside.

Water Bottle Hill Re-route

Your water bottle (and fillings) are safe for 2017 as we’ve re-routed the (in)famous decent.

No Outside Booze:

Based on our liquor license and agreement, no outside alcohol is permitted. This year our security team will be searching bags and confiscating all outside alcohol before entering the celebration zone.

Parking:

All racers (even Slush Cup and SnoCone) and spectators must park at Rasho Rd. to access Timber Ridge with ONLY THREE exceptions:

Disability/Handicap Parking
Subaru owners will still have VIP parking at Timber Ridge
Paid Timber Ridge permit holders. Timber Ridge’s guests and campers have the first priority over Bell’s Beer Iceman riders. Parking at Timber Ridge will cost $25.00 pre-paid or $35.00 day of the event. The proceeds will benefit the Timber Ridge Foundation.

The FINISH Line:

It’s all new and something you won’t soon forget! But we won’t spoil it for you. Check it out Friday either before or after the Expo!

Bell’s Beer Iceman – Racer Update #1

The 2017 Bell’s Iceman and Slush Cup officially kick off nine days from today on Friday, November 3rd! Let the madness begin.

Long-time sponsor CLIF Bar has $900 bucks burning a hole in their pocket and wants to donate it to three worthy cycling-related charities. All you have to do is nominate them. Read this for more information.

And in that same spirit of generosity, an anonymous donation means that Junior Iceman categories will be competing for $5,000 in college scholarships through Michigan Youth Cycling again this year.

A reminder that the Iceman Store closes this Sunday (10/29) at 9pm. You may have caught a sneak peak at some of the 2017 Borah Teamwear jerseys available in the Iceman Store at the Peak2Peak bike race Saturday. On another store-related note, the Headsweats coupon code is good for select items at Headsweats.com not in the Iceman Store. We’re sorry about the confusion caused for more than one shopper with that ad.

Friday, Friday at Timber Ridge Resort!!

Packet Pick up and the SRAM Ice Cycle Expo both open at 10:00 am in the Michigan Ballroom at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa and run until 9:00 pm that night. Be sure to check out the newest mountain bike gear, do a little swagging, and sample a Bell’s Brewery seasonal offering all at the same time.

Friday is also a very busy day at Timber Ridge Resort as our staff prepares for the big day on Saturday, athletes are checking out the last few kilometers of the race-course, and Timber Ridge’s camping guests are arriving. We are adding to Friday’s Icemania at Timber Ridge this year with the addition of the Central Market Place. The Market Place is really an extension of the SRAM Expo; it’s just located 100 feet from the finish line. What’s an outdoor Expo without a little beer and food? Timber Ridge Resort will open up the Bell’s Beer wagon a little early this year Friday afternoon and will also have a couple of food trucks ready to serve up their specialties. Friday afternoon will also be a great opportunity to purchase beer tickets and avoid the lines on Saturday.

Mike Dega, of Velofix Detroit, will be ready to serve any and all racers who encounter a mechanical issue while scoping out the race finale. “I got a flat two years ago while pre-riding the finish line and it really put me in a jam. All the local shops were swamped with last minute tune-ups and repairs so by the time I called, it was too late for them to help me out. As a result of that experience, we’ll have our Velofix van stocked with spare parts, tires, and tubes along with mechanics standing by ready get you rolling for Saturday. We want to keep Friday night stress free”, said Dega.

Joining Velofix in the Central Market Place on Friday will be Louis Garneau, Massey Fish, Cross Country Ski Headquarters, Joshua Tree and Cannondale bikes. Others, including; Kong Coolers, 45 Nrth and LMB will join the CMP on Saturday.

“With everything going at Timber Ridge Resort Friday, parking will be non-existent within the property so we have arranged for Blue Lakes by the Bay shuttle buses to make loops between Rasho Farm and Timber Ridge from 1:00 to 5:00 pm Friday. It’s a quick 5 minute trip and we have volunteers following the shuttles with Penske trucks for the bikes. It will operate just like the shuttles on Saturday”, said Steve Brown, event director.

The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy will again partner with Iceman for the official Iceman sticker. This year we’ve mirrored the theme from the Bell’s Oarsman color scheme to create the 2017 Sticker. Look for the GTRLC booth near the Trek booth and the registration table downstairs to get your stickers this year or order online at MyRaceSticker.com Proceeds from the sale help fund GTRLC initiatives like this summer’s purchase of 160 acres in Grand Traverse County