Breck Epic: Stage Four, The Aqueduct - Race Recap
Stage Four, the Aqueduct Trail, could accidentally be looked over in the lineup of stages. Being the middle-child between the king and queen stages, most riders probably shrug it off. But it’s no walk in the park.
Not quite the unassuming middle-child.
![Photo Eddie Clark www.eddieclarkmedia.com]()
Huck Hits Back
After stage three, where Nash won the day and brought the gap between herself and overall leader Erin Huck (Cannondale – 3 Rox) down to just 20-seconds, the race was looking like it might be tight for the second half of the week, but Huck made a strong move toward clinching her lead today.
Nash lost time on the climbs and was suffering from stomach issues that resulted in her having a deficit of close to nine minutes, she added, “today was a rough day for me. I had a bunch of stomach issues and just couldn’t go.”
Amy Beisel (Pro Cycling/Kenda) finished third on the day, fifteen minutes back and Evelyn Dong (Full Cycle) was just under two-minutes behind Beisel.
Overall, Huck leads Nash by almost nine minutes, with Beisel in securely in third, and Dong in fourth.
![Photo Eddie Clark www.eddieclarkmedia.com]()
Kabush Knabbs a Win, Overall Race Tightens
After riding most of the day in a group of six—with Todd Wells (SRAM/TLD/Scott), Howard Grotts (Specialized), Stephan Davoust (Giant Factory Off-Road), Jeremiah Bishop (Team Topeak Ergon) and Fernando Riveros—Geoff Kabush (Scott – Maxxis) was able use the descents to his advantage to take the stage win.
Howard Grotts made clean work of the big group on the fifteen-minute climb up Rock Island Trail, which stair-steps at the top as it hits Rock Island Road.
![Photo Eddie Clark www.eddieclarkmedia.com]()
Wells had a slightly different take on Grotts’ attack, humbly saying, “Howie nailed it up that last climb. Like full sprint. Kabush was able to follow him a little, but Bishop and I were like ‘pfff!’”
Grotts and Kabush finished 1:46 ahead of Wells, giving Grotts the overall lead again, with a gap of 25-seconds going into tomorrow’s climb over Wheeler Pass and the technical descent that follows. Kabush took some time back from Bishop in the race for third, but there is still a gap of 1:25 between Kabush and podium.
Full Results
MENTIONS: @UncommonCommunications
Not quite the unassuming middle-child.
 | It seemed like a lot of climbing today. Like, that’s all we did. |
Huck Hits Back
After stage three, where Nash won the day and brought the gap between herself and overall leader Erin Huck (Cannondale – 3 Rox) down to just 20-seconds, the race was looking like it might be tight for the second half of the week, but Huck made a strong move toward clinching her lead today.
| I was just hoping to survive today. It was not pretty yesterday. I was in a deep, dark place. I think I got a little bit of a gap on vomit hill, but I could still see her behind me, so I just tried to keep it steady. |
Nash lost time on the climbs and was suffering from stomach issues that resulted in her having a deficit of close to nine minutes, she added, “today was a rough day for me. I had a bunch of stomach issues and just couldn’t go.”
Amy Beisel (Pro Cycling/Kenda) finished third on the day, fifteen minutes back and Evelyn Dong (Full Cycle) was just under two-minutes behind Beisel.
| I think every day has gotten better since the second day. I had a pity-party [on the second day]. I tried to invite some other people to it, but no one took me up on it. Just trying to take it day by day. I’d like to have a really good day, but just trying to take it steady. |
Overall, Huck leads Nash by almost nine minutes, with Beisel in securely in third, and Dong in fourth.
Kabush Knabbs a Win, Overall Race Tightens
After riding most of the day in a group of six—with Todd Wells (SRAM/TLD/Scott), Howard Grotts (Specialized), Stephan Davoust (Giant Factory Off-Road), Jeremiah Bishop (Team Topeak Ergon) and Fernando Riveros—Geoff Kabush (Scott – Maxxis) was able use the descents to his advantage to take the stage win.
| The first half of the race we had a group of six and on the smaller hills, there was some yo-yo-ing going on. On the really big climb up to the Colorado Trail, I kept getting dropped over and over again. I was lucky enough to use my descending skills to fly down the Colorado trail and get back[with the group. |
Howard Grotts made clean work of the big group on the fifteen-minute climb up Rock Island Trail, which stair-steps at the top as it hits Rock Island Road.
| I knew that was just about the only chance I had to make up some time. I got a gap, but Kabush was able to follow pretty close and he got back to me near the bottom of this descent. He’s so quick [on the descents], it’s a good wheel to follow. |
Wells had a slightly different take on Grotts’ attack, humbly saying, “Howie nailed it up that last climb. Like full sprint. Kabush was able to follow him a little, but Bishop and I were like ‘pfff!’”
Grotts and Kabush finished 1:46 ahead of Wells, giving Grotts the overall lead again, with a gap of 25-seconds going into tomorrow’s climb over Wheeler Pass and the technical descent that follows. Kabush took some time back from Bishop in the race for third, but there is still a gap of 1:25 between Kabush and podium.
Full Results
MENTIONS: @UncommonCommunications
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