2016 California Enduro Series Round 3: Toro Enduro - Recap
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It was another sell out crowd of participants for the third round of the California Enduro Series, run by CCCX and held at Toro Park near Monterey. The venue sits just a few miles east of the world famous Laguna Seca Raceway, home of the Sea Otter Classic. The trails were challenging and the weather warm. One unique aspect of this round was the mixed start; racers were allowed to choose which stage they wanted to start, with pros and experts choosing between stages 1 and 2 and sport and beginner choosing between stages 3 and 4. Here's a recap of how the day shook down!
The event began with open practice on Friday at 12pm. Many riders chose to come a little later in the day.
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Leticia Villareal and David Hardwick of the Path Bike Shop, came up early Thursday morning from Orange County, to get some practice time in first thing Friday.
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Packet Pick Up on Friday was full as was registration. There were no spaces left for the Toro Enduro, which is a new stop to the series for 2016.
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Essence Barton signing in for her entry to the Pro Women category. She would finish 2nd place behind teammate Amy Morrison.
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The Path Team, from left to right, Danny Mollineda, David Hardwick, Lou Mollineda (Team Manager), CES Director Steven Gemelos, Leticia Villarreal, and Zachary Graves, pose for a photo during the packet pick up hours on Friday. The Path, which was given the opportunity to do the first ever California Enduro Series Social Media Takeover for the Toro Enduro, sits in 9th place overall in the Team Competition.
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Marshall Eames doing some mods to the number plate – more aero maybe??
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Laughing: it's so enduro!
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Lauren Gregg always makes for great photos and she's such a competitor. Even though it was Lauren's first weekend back on the bike since her torn muscle injury, she finished 5th in the Pro Women's category just a few ticks behind 4th.
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Team competition is heating up. Clint Claassen (left) cheers on teammate Marshall "Enduro Jesus" Eames on Stage 3. As a team, they sit just about middle of the pack in 25 out of 62 Teams Total.
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Rabobank once again sponsored the Rabobank KOM / QOM on Stage 2 this time. Their banners were flying high, reminding riders which stage paid the $100 for the top male and female rider in each category.
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At the end of the day, many were wondering if Ryan Gardner would have back to back wins on the series. Here he is sprinting on the straight away in the trees at the bottom of Stage 2.
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Dillon Santos, on Stage 2. He would take the Rabobank KOM and the victory in the Pro Men's Category.
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3rd Place in the Pro Women category went to this lovely lady, Ali Osgood, riding for the Kona NorCal Collective team.
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The TRP Brake Zone was in full enforcement, or should we say full lack of enforcement. The objective of the TRP Brake Zone is to set the quickest trap speed (in MPH). Here a rider comes through at 25.2 mph. Not the fastest on the day, but a solid effort for sure. Top speed went to the event organizer, Keith DeFiebre, who clocked in at 33.2 MPH.
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At the top of Stage 3 it was so loose, Evan Geankopolis, unclips and drifts through one of several switchbacks on the mountain. He rides for the Marin Rabobank Enduro team which currently sits in 1st place overall in the team standings.
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Nick DiNapoli gets steezy for the camera on the first jump off the fire road on stage 3. He would finish 7th, a couple of steps off the pro podium.
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Men's Pro Podium - 1st Place: Dillon Santos 15:05.7, 2nd Place: Evan Geankopolis 15:09.8, 3rd Place: Ian Massey 15:16.5, 4th Place: Cory Sullivan 15:22.0, 5th Place Ryan Gardner 15:24.9
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Women's Pro Podium - 1st Place: Amy Morrison 17:20.8, 2nd Place: Essence Barton 17:30.1, 3rd Place: Ali Osgood 17:45.2, 4th Place: Janea Perry 17:49.8, 5th Place: Lauren Gregg 17:51.4
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Rabobank KOM/QOM
Beginner Men - Nathan Davis
Beginner Women - Hanna Fleming
Sport Men - Trenton Guthrie
Sport Women - Brittany Cavaletto
Expert Men - Keith DeFiebre
Expert Women - Madison Giger
Pro Men - Dillon Santos
Pro Women - Amy Morrison
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Men's TRP Brake Zone Speed Trap
1st - Keith DeFiebre at 33.2 mph
2nd - Tom Doran at 32.6 mph
3rd - Ashton Smith at 32.2 mph
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1st - Tracie Nelson at 27.5
2nd - Amy Morrison at 26.8
3rd - Madison Giger at 26.5
Join us at on June 25-26 for round four, the VP EnduroFest at China Peak Mountain Resort above Huntington Lake in the Sierra!
Words and photos by Called To Creation.
Video by Mitch Nuyens and Sebastian Bauer.
californiaenduroseries.com
MENTIONS: @calledtocreation / @calienduro / @vpcomponents
Author Info:
Member since Apr 28, 2014
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Riding your bike on smooth trails is better than not riding your bike at all, however!!!
It's also nice to have a new local race and venue in the CES.
Bikes are rad!
This is not entirely a CES issue, but they are obviously not offering enough to promoters of the successful series like Socal Enduro to be interested in hosting events. They had an event listed for San Diego at a great location, but they could not get an organizer on board.
It is pathetic that we have some the best riding in the world located in California and these are the best trails we can find to race on.
....
Yup, he was right.
It was a skill race not a fitness race.
And I hope the do it again next year.
You guys know it's OK to pedal up a fireroad right? Or did you put a 34T on cause you're so enduro and now can't pedal up anything steep?
$100 buys that kind of sponsorship activation and signage, really...how sad.