It’s Hagerty’s Top Banana Competition to lose, and it’s not over yet. 

Amanda Schaap took a big step forward in her Top Banana Competition quest Saturday at Battle at the Burg, hauling in seven important points that put her within touch of the overall victory. Unfortunately, the small field meant the race was only worth ten points for the women, but those were scrapped over on the slopes of Cannonsburg Ski Area.

Schaap finds herself now 19 points away from the lead of Bridgit Widrig, whose last race was a second place at the X100’s 50 Mile Gravel Road race. Both Schaap, Widrig and second placed rider Lauri Brockmiller are expected to start at the next Top Banana Competition race on October 19, Peak2Peak. If so, they’ll need to finish high up to keep Schaap in check, though Saturday’s winner Sue Stephens will enter as a big favorite alongside Mackenzie Woodring, should “Big Ring” decide to take the start.

Stephens has taken top points twice this year, making her perfect in two starts. However, she’s at just 15 points due to the size of those events. She’ll need a massive fall to break into the top ten by the end of the season, something she’ll probably achieve with her perfect knack for peaking in October.

With the Competition holding just three more races for the season, there is the potential for just 40 points left to the top finishers. However, at least six of the top twenty racers will make starts in the next two races, with the big question marking coming on Cross the Bay’s December 1st finale to the Competition. That will be worth 15 points to the winner, or 10 if less than 5 women race the A race. That could be the swing of things if Widrig loses her lead to Brockmiller at Peak2Peak and Iceman.

A big thank you again goes out to the Competition’s title sponsor, Carter’s Compost. 

Top Banana Competition Standings after Battle at the Burg.