NoTubes Trans-Sylvania Epic – Enduro Stage

Enduro day at the NoTubes Trans-Sylvania Epic came earlier in the week this year, giving the downhill specialists a chance to show their stuff and possibly shake up the results. Rain-slicked trails upped the danger factor but suited many of the top riders.



Elite Men

Cody Phillips (TRP/Ibis/DVO) took the win in Friday’s enduro stage with general classification leaders Justin Lindine (Apex/NBX/Hyperthread) and Kerry Werner (Kona Factory) rounding out the top three. The overall standings remained the same with Lindine gaining 24 seconds on runner-up Werner to put the total gap at 26 seconds and Kyle Trudeau (CZ Racing) staying steady on the podium’s third step.

Overnight rains left the trails damp, conditions which many riders viewed as favorable.




Stage winner Phillips struggled with tired legs on the pedal-heavy first segment, in which he placed fourth, but he rebounded to win the next three. The fifth and final segment has proven difficult in the past for Phillips; it features a long rock garden, which has been the source of several flats and mechanicals. Today was no different, but there was a surprise at the end. “I got halfway down and flatted and thought that was it - that I went slow and a bunch of people would beat me,” said Phillips. “Then I found out that today was based on points for how you finished, not time.” He is also leading the enduro classification.

Stage runner-up Lindine also had trouble with a puncture—he flatted about halfway down the third segment, but still managed to nab fourth place on it. “It sealed with a fairly minimal amount of air in it. I was able to ride it to the bottom, but it was pretty much flat by then. I don’t think I lost a ton of time, which was good, and other than that, I felt smooth.” Lindine then put four plugs in the tire which held air with no further issues for the duration of the stage.


Werner managed to avoid any mechanical issues by riding smooth all day long. “I beat Justin on one or two enduros, but he beat me harder on the others.” Still focused on the general classification, he said, “I’m looking forward to the next three days of pedaling hard. I just want to put on the pressure and see whether I can expose some kind of weakness in Justin, but he’s riding really good right now. I think it’s gonna come down to the last day again, like it did last year.”


Trudeau retained his lead in the Under 25 classification and is keeping an eye on the rest of the week. “I lost some time on Werner and Lindine today, but one mishap from either one of them, and it could definitely shake things up.”


Stage 2 Results
1. Cody Phillips (TRP/Ibis/DVO)
2. Justin Lindine (Apex/NBX/Hyperthreads)
3. Kerry Werner (Kona Factory Team)

General Classification after Stage 2
1. Justin Lindine (Apex/NBX/Hyperthreads)
2. Kerry Werner (Kona Factory Team)
3. Kyle Trudeau (CZ Racing)

Enduro Stage 2 Results
1. Cody Phillips (TRP/Ibis/DVO)
2. Justin Lindine (Apex/NBX/Hyperthreads)
3. Kerry Werner (Kona Factory Team)

Enduro Classification after Stage 2
1. Cody Phillips (TRP/Ibis/DVO)



Elite women

The top step on the women's podium was occupied by Trans-Sylvania Epic newcomer Gloria Liu (South Mountain Cycles), who was ecstatic with her stage win.



Sonya Looney (Freakshow Scott) continued to use her newfound technical prowess to climb up the ranks, taking second on the day and jumping to the top spot in general classification. It was quite a contrast to her previous NoTubes Trans-Sylvania Epic enduro day experience in 2013. "I lost like 10 minutes in the general classification, and I had to walk a lot of the downhills because I didn't have the skills to ride," she said. "This time, I wasn't going enduro pace because I was on my cross country bike, but I was able to ride aggressively on it, and it was fun."


Jennifer Summers (Cutter’s Bike Shop) used recently rekindled downhill skills to grab third place for the day despite a couple crashes. "I did a couple enduros years ago, then got involved in endurance (racing). I just started to get back into it and have been riding some downhill. Today was my second [enduro] this year—sort of a practice to see how I would do."


Kaysee Armstrong (Liv) had a tough beginning when her chain got stuck in her crank, forcing her to run most of the first enduro segment, but she recovered enough to earn fourth on the day and keep the second spot in the general classification. "Of all the segments to have a chain issue, it had to be the one with the most pedaling. It happens. I'm so glad it wasn't worse."


All of the top women named the fourth enduro segment, the notoriously steep and rocky Wildcat Trail, as their favorite. "I love Wildcat because I hate it, too," said Liu. "It gets so built up about how gnarly it's going to be. So it feels so satisfying to clean it and make my way down, rubber side down. And it's just super ripping fun."

Stage 2 Results
1. Gloria Liu (South Mountain Cycles)
2. Sonya Looney (Freakshow Scott)
3. Jennifer Summers (Cutter’s Bike Shop)

General Classification after Stage 2
1. Sonya Looney (Freakshow Scott)
2. Kaysee Armstrong (LIV)
3. Vicki Barclay (NoTubes/Kenda)

Enduro Stage 2 Results
1. Gloria Liu (South Mountain Cycles)
2. Sonya Looney (Freakshow Scott)
3. Jennifer Summers (Cutter’s Bike Shop)

Enduro Classification after Stage 2
1. Gloria Liu (South Mountain Cycles)



The Trails

Stage 2 of the NoTubes Trans-Sylvania Epic was all about enduro. Always a popular stage among racers, everyone gets a chance to chill - untimed - on the climbs, then blast the downhills during five, timed enduro segments. Over the course of the day, racers pedalled 21.2 miles and climbed and descended 3,543 feet. Highlights included the fast and fun descents of Croyle and Greenshoot and the technical rock gardens of Old Laurel and Wildcat.


The NoTubes Trans-Sylvania Epic is made possible with the generous support of great partners Stan’s NoTubes, Maxxis, Camelbak, Gu, Julbo, TRP, Diamondback, Freeze Thaw Cycles and Dirt Rag.

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MENTIONS: @TSEpic

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