Cyclists endure a brutal trek

HATCHER PASS — Shortly after arriving at the finish line, competitors in Saturday’s Hatcher Pass Hill Climb bicycle race had nothing but scorn for the brutal 10-mile odyssey they’d just completed.

“It was miserable,” women’s division winner Gina Taylor said, catching her breath after spending nearly 50 minutes riding straight uphill.

Men’s winner Matt Jordan agreed.

“I don’t like this at all,” Jordan said.

And that’s just what the winners had to say.

Approximately 40 cyclists braved the trip up Hatcher Pass road from the Little Susitna River bridge to the Independence Mine State Historical Park — an elevation gain of approximately 2,300 feet — for this year’s race.

Jordan, 30, of Anchorage, said he broke away from the pack with about a half-mile to go and was able to hold onto the lead despite running out of steam over the final couple hundred yards.

“I thought I was gonna get caught,” Jordan said. “I started to hurt.”

Jordan won the race in a time of 40 minutes, 14 seconds, beating James Stull to the finish line by 20 seconds. Seth Downs was third in 40:45, while last year’s winner Matt Novakovich finished fourth.

Jordan said his decision to break away could very well have had dire consequences.

“I always say I’m not gonna do anything stupid, and then I did something stupid,” he said.

Part of Jordan’s decision to make a break for it had to do with his fear of Novakovich, who edged Jordan and Josh Yeaton at the finish line last year.

“I knew I didn’t want Matt to be with me at the finish line,” Jordan said.

Taylor’s route to the top was a bit less stressful. The 27-year-old Anchorage rider said she led the women’s field throughout the race, and didn’t even realize second-place finisher Melissa DeVaughn was close on her back tire until she glanced backward coming into the home stretch.

“She had a really good race,” Taylor said.

Taylor’s winning time of 49:38 was good enough to hold off DeVaughn by 16 seconds. Tiffany Novakovich was third in 51:21.

Taylor said the Hatcher Pass race is among the most difficult of the cycling season for racers. Despite the cool, cloudy conditions Saturday, she said she had trouble keeping cool as she labored her way into the mountains.

“It was really hot,” she said. “I wanted to take my helmet off.”

Steeper at the top than the bottom, she said the picturesque course can break riders mentally as they push toward the top.

“No matter how many times you ride the course, you think you’re done and then you turn the corner and there’s another climb,” she said.

She said riders who look to the road ahead can find themselves hopelessly demoralized by the steep slopes in front.

“It feels like it will never end,” she said.

Matt Jordan said that, even for cyclists used to putting in hundreds of miles a week, the course can be a drain.

“Even if you’re pretty strong, it still hurts,” Jordan said.

Jordan and Taylor were the big winners, but both may have to keep a close watch on their back tire in the years to come. Anchorage 14-year-old Macky Frank, who attends Central Middle School, beat many of the expert class men and women he rode alongside.

“I was afraid he was gonna beat me today,” Taylor said of Frank, whose time of 50:11 was good enough for 20th place overall.

An avid cyclist and speed skater, Frank said he wants to continue in the sport as far as it will take him, though he acknowledged he’s still got some work to do before he’s leading the pack.

“I’ve still got plenty to catch,” he said.

Lighter riders typically dominate hill climbing events, but Frank said he doesn’t think his strong showing was due — as many of his adult competitors claimed — to his small stature.

“That’s what they say,” he said with a laugh.

Frank regularly races with the expert-level men’s division, and his mother, Colleen, said the adult riders have helped to nurture her son’s love of cycling.

“This is a great community,” she said. “From the time he was little they’ve all cheered him on and given him advice.”

All that advice, however, could come back to haunt Frank’s older competitors. After finishing Saturday’s ride less than 10 minutes behind the winner, Frank said he’d love to one day be the first to arrive at the top of the mountain.

“I’d like that,” he said. “That would be okay.”

Contact Matt Tunseth at 352-2265 or matt.tunseth@

frontiersman.com

Hatcher Pass Hill Climb

Saturday

Expert Men

1. Matt Jordan, 40 minutes, 14 seconds; 2. James Stull, 40:34; 3. Seth Downs, 40:45; 4. Matt Novakovich, 41:32; 5. Daniel Folmar, 42:10; 6. Brian Bonney, 42:22; 7. Phil Hunter, 42:51; 8. Andy Liebner, 43:10; 9. Tony Turrini, 43:25; 10. Mark Lickingteller, 43:51; 11. Mike Vania, 44:46; 12. Jeff Kase, 45:35; 13. Ron Williams, 45:35; 14. Steve Klosiewski, 45:45; 15. Ed Sniffen, 46:31; 16. Luke Kiskaddon, 48:46; 17. Jim Peot, 49:19; 18. Brad Cruz, 49:20.

Expert women

1. Gina Taylor, 49:38; 2. Melissa DeVaughn, 49:54; 3. Tiffany Novakovich, 51:21

Junior boys

1. Macky Frank, 50:11

Master men

1. Brad Cruz, 49:20; 2. Jim Cardwell, 49:30; 3. Pete Johnson, 51:59; 4. Chris Waythomas, 52:19; 5. Jeff Dusenbury, 53:17; 6. Steve Davis, 1:12:07

Master women

1. Lisa Keller, 1:01:11

Sport men

1. Mark Williams, 52:00; 2. Tim Gravel, 53:19

Sport women

1. Stacy Steinberg, 1:00:57; 2. Jennifer Williams, 1:05:51

Beginner men

1. Jim Mayers, 1:04:56; 2. Tim Burke, 1:07:37

Beginner women

1. Erika Downs, 1:03:13; 2. Pam Tittle, 1:06:06; 3. Karen Oakley, 1:15:44; 4. Gloria Hunter, 1:16:49