ARPIN, WI (OnFocus) – Sunday August 4th, 2024 on a delightfully beautiful Wisconsin Summer morning, 71 WISports/Badger State Games highly skilled road bicycle racers stood at the base of Powers Bluff Wood County Park at Arpin, WI ready to compete in the 5th Annual “Bluff to Bluff 50 Mile Road Bicycle Race” which winds past farm fields then up and over Cary Bluff, through wild lands and small villages with a finish atop Power Bluff. The race field contained men and women possessing Passports from Spain, France, Albania, England, St Martin French West Indies and the USA with an age range of 18 to 79 years.
Starting at the base of the East entrance of Powers Bluff’s County Park, the race commenced at a modest pace of 25-28mph to the base of Cary Bluff climbs. The Cary Bluff climb cleaved the peloton into a lead group of 17 with four chase groups forming in its wake. The Cary Bluff KOM Preem was captured with a tremendous redline effort by Overall Defending Champion David Howe. An effort from which he could not successfully recover. At mile 20, in a well coordinated team effort, 13 escaped off the front remaining intact to the 1.4 mile climb to the finish atop Powers Bluff resulting in a hotly contested combative push to the finish. A new Men’s course record was set by Aitor Azkarraga of 26.0 mph/41.85 km/hr!!!
The King of the Mountain Preem was captured by David Howe of Tennessee and the Sprint Preem at mile 37 was captured by Labi Shabani of Albania in the Men’s Division while Justine Ertl of Hayward, WI captured both the Queen of the Mountain Preem and the Sprint Preem in the Women’s Division.
Award winners: Overall “Bluff to Bluff” Men Placings:
1st- Aitor Azkarraga of Spain (1:53:03, 26.0mph/41.85kph avg NEW COURSE RECORD)
2nd- Chad Cannon of Neenah, WI (1:53:21, 25.9mph/41.68kph avg)
3rd- Miles Barrage of Rochford, England UK (1:53:28, 25.9mph/ avg)
Overall “Bluff to Bluff” Women Placings:
1st- Justine Ertl of Hayward, WI (2:10:57, 22.5mph/36.21kph avg)
2nd- Aryn Smith of Amherst Junction, WI (2:11.38, 22.3mph/35.89kph ave)
3rd- Megan Zielenka of Coloma, WI (2:30:02, 19.6mph/31.54kph ave)
Four Teams competed fiercely for the Bluff to Bluff team competition award being decisively captured by the Stevens Point Cycling Club for the fifth consecutive year.
The Sportsmanship Award was presented to Alex Smith of England.
The Service of Excellence Award was presented to Denny Riedel of Marshfield, WI Director of Racer Safety.
Eleven riders completed the 25 mile “One Bluff’s Enough Race.” The Men’s Division was won by Tom AuFrance of Marquette, MI (1:20:59, 18.5mph/29.78kph ave) with the Women’s Division awarded to Isabelle Adams Gauthier of Marigot, St Martin French West Indies (1:23:44 17.9mph/28.2kph ave).
Race directors Sharon and Ralph Bredl deemed the event a smashing success and extend a sincere “Thank-you!” to all involved in the production.
Complete results can be viewed at the following link:
http://results.performancetiming.com/results.aspx?CId=16541&RId=769&EId=1&dt=0
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Author: News Desk
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