With heavy hitters looking at targets, John Leach took 15 points and made a big jump up the overall. 

The race went well for Einstein Racing, with two racers both snagging a healthy bag of points for the Competition. With Ryan Cross still in the lead and a slew of races on the horizon, Einstein needed to prevent anything going south and did so in style, with Leach taking a big win.

The Ithaca GP of Cyclocross on deck, followed hotly by the Battle at the Burg in the next two weeks, points are up for offer in a big way in September. If Einstein wants to keep Cross in the lead, they’ll need him on the line whenever possible, and some great performances from other riders in defense as well. Alex Vanias and Adam York certainly look threatening, and could take over the race if they put in great rides at the next two events. Between Ithaca, BATB and Peak2Peak, it may come down to a showdown of familiar foes Vanias, Mike Anderson and Jorden Wakeley as the Iceman draws near.

The Women’s race certainly got interesting, with Competition leader Lauri Brockmiller dominating the singletrack race but forgoing Top Banana Points in the gravel edition. Second place in the Competition and second on the race, Brockmiller’s teammate Bridgit Widrig moved up deftly into the lead in a very tough race. Every mile was difficult and every point invaluable, giving her 9 points (field of less than 10), leaving just one on the table to race winner Jane Van Hof.

Even with Widrig into the lead, no one gained as much ground as Van Hof. The win bumps her up into the top ten, and only five points off the podium. She’s an outstanding mountain biker and certainly on par with the Hagerty duo, and if she can put together a stellar fall, she could jump onto the podium. It’s been a season that always looked in control by Hagerty, and if anyone is to challenge, if is going to be Van Hof.

Men’s Top Banana Competition

Women’s Top Banana Competition