Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic: Day 5- RB Winter State Park

Written by Tim Darwick
Photos by Devon Balet


Sam Koerber (Progold) edged out Justin Lindine (Redline) for a victory while Andrea Wilson (Brickhouse Racing) took her first win of the week on Stage 5 of the Trans-Sylvania Epic. The day’s stage featured a substantial amount of climbing condensed into only 26 miles. Lindine described the stage as having “almost as much climbing as the longer days, but all in a two hour package.”


Though some riders experience confusion with course markings, most racers thoroughly enjoyed the challenge presented by R.B. Winter State Park. Sonya Looney (Topeak/Ergon) described the trails as “a good combination of flow, rocky stuff, and everything else.”

The tough stage resulted in numerous changes in both anticipated stage results and overall GC standings.

Open Men

After enjoying yesterday’s enduro specific format, riders came into the R.B. Winter stage well rested for the aggressive 26-mile course featuring over 4400 feet of elevation gain. Justine Lindine seemed comfortable at the beginning of the stage, riding in second position through the first segment of single track behind Drew Edsall (Kenda/Felt).


Lindine developed the strategy early on to “play it cautious and not take too many chances” due to the numerous rocky stretches that presented a high probability of flat tires. Brian Matter (RACC/Trek/Progold) would succumb to this fate early in the race, causing him to chase the leaders for almost the entire stage and finish in fourth place behind Drew Edsall in third.

Early in the race, Sam Koerber and Justin Lindine broke away from the main pack and grew a substantial lead that persisted to the finish line. Koerber and Lindine raced tactically, with each making numerous attempts to break down their opponent. The two riders appeared evenly matched in today’s stage.

“I didn’t want to bury it too hard,” commented Lindine. “I have a pretty good time cushion, so I don’t need to kill myself to get a little bit more.”


Lindine pushed the pace leading into the aid station “hoping [Koerber] would pop.” But Keorber kept on Lindine’s wheel despite the aggressive speed. Of Lindine’s efforts, Koerber says, “He just maxes me out every time we hit a climb, puts me right on the edge.” According to Lindine, each had their own strengths in today’s course. “I was a little faster when it was smoother and a little up hill and he was faster in the rough stuff.” The two riders went back and forth in the stage and crossed the finish line on each other’s wheel, with Koerber taking the stage win.

Koerber’s strong finish boosted him into second in the GC competition, with Matter dropping to third place. Lindine retains the NoTubes leader’s jersey with a twelve-minute gap over second place.


Open Women

In a surprise upset, Andrea Wilson took first place in a key stage while Sonya Looney (Topeak/Ergon) rode strong into second.

Wilson initially planned to stay with NoTube’s rider Sarah Kaufmann, who remains ten minutes ahead of Wilson in the GC. Wilson said, “I wanted to stay near her and if she had a bad day just be able to capitalize on it.” In the early stages of the race, Wilson was unable to stick to her plan and would watch Kaufmann ride away to a growing gap.

Looney caught Wilson about half-way through the course and the two would ride together for the remainder of the race. “Andrea and I were riding about the same pace all day, so we just rode together and had a lot of fun,” said Looney.


Due to some confusion on a tricky section of trail that caused the Stan’s NoTubes riders—including race leader Amanda Carey—to take a wrong turn, stage leaders Wilson and Looney were unaware of their strong finishes at the end of the day. “I had no clue!” exclaimed Wilson, her face gleaming with a shocked smile as she learned of her first place finish.

Wilson’s extraordinary result rockets her from fifth the second in the GC competition, only ten minutes behind race leader Amanda Carey. Sue Haywood takes over the third place spot, while Sarah Kaufmann remains in fourth.

Single Speed

With a fourteen-minute lead in the GC, Matt Ferrari (FreezeThaw/Hubcap Cycles) went into Stage 5 in a strong position to defend his leader’s jersey. However, for second place Dax Massey (Breck Epic/Honey Stinger/Light and Motion) time was limited to close the gap and unseat the lead single speed rider.

“I tried to get into the single track first and put the pressure on him,” Massey said. Coming into the race in substantially better form than last year, Massey successfully opened up a small gap between himself and Ferrari coming into the aid station halfway through the course.

Ferrari remained close enough to Massey to keep him in his sights. “I could just barely see him on the longer climb sections leading up to the aid station,” Ferrari commented. The pair would rejoin shortly after the aid station and would remain together through the end of the race. In the second half of the race, Massey dropped his chain but was able to chase back to Ferrari quickly.


Coming into the final section of the course, Ferrari mentions he “wasn’t sure whether we had a ‘gentleman’s agreement’” for ending the race without a full-on sprint. Massey cleared the confusion by reminding Ferrari of the road gap jump at the end of the trail segment, thus commencing a long sprint finish. “We started going into it like a BMX race,” Ferrari commented.

Massey crossed the line just ahead of Ferrari to take the stage win. David Yacobelli (Corning/NoTubes) placed third. Today’s finishes did not result in any changes to the GC, with Ferrari still leading Massey by fourteen minutes and Yacobelli sitting comfortably in third.