kolo t.c.’s crack team put together an almost perfect TTT to take a bonus ten points on a wet and sandy night. 

If there were any doubts about the squad’s proficiency in the discipline after essentially riding a 100 mile TTT at Bike Benzie this past June, kolo t.c. showed that nobody rides in a line without crashing into each other likes kolo t.c. On a somewhat sparse night due to tired legs, Ore2Shore, and cloudy skies, the season’s final WorldTour event was a last chance to grab points before La Vuelta.

The kolo t.c. team of Cody and Wes Sovis, with the talismanic Dan Ellis providing some much-needed firepower, controlled the start early, nursing Wes to flatter terrain. Cam Owens was having none of it, darting away with Tim Coffey and Jeff Owens. The trio had about 15 seconds on a sizable chase group heading onto Madeleine’s, where a dropped chain forced Cam to stop and then spend the rest of the day chasing solo.

With Cody on the front, aided with a huge pull from Ellis near the end of the Power Section, the kolo t.c. train kept the leaders in sight until the Bunger Meadows, which is what we’re calling the first open field crossing after the Power Section. Tom White made his first move, but Cody slowly reeled him back in before the Boonenberg. Instead of slowing down, Wes Sovis hopped out of the saddle and leapt to lead wheel up the climb, with Cody controlling the ascent and flat section after. On Anita’s, the group exploded, with White flying away over the top.

Jon Zelinski almost made it to White’s wheel, but faded and was collected by the chase group again. Cody’s grip on the situation was slipping, but first Wes came to the front to help, teeing up Dan Ellis’ powerful move to get up the trail and sweep up a few points for the team.

With Owens and Coffey taking first and second, the chase group filled out the top ten, with one notable absentee. John O’Hearn had his rear wheel explode right at the start, forcing the WorldTour leader to ride solo and lose his healthy buffer on the season title. He and Cody Sovis are now dead even at 196 points heading into the Vuelta Competition! Incredible, after 12 nights and two grand tours, there is nothing separating them.

The night also moved Dan Ellis further ahead of fourth, which means he’s a pretty safe bet for the podium at this rate. Wes Sovis, Brad Pauly and Tim Coffey all made big jumps last night as well.

You can check out the full SOL results here.

The up to date WorldTour standings are right here.

And Now, The miniSOL and Junior SOL Recaps!

With Peter Worden gone, Heather and Chad Jordan ran miniSOL and Junior SOL, with a small but hearty field on hand. These tykes are in a great position heading into next week’s World Championships, which will be celebrated with rainbow striped jerseys and pizza. Yep, Pizza Night is a thing, thanks to the Stuart clan!

It was a night that looked to the future, too. For the second time, Calvin O’Hearn, just 4 years old, completed the miniSOL loop. Like the Baby Giro, this offers a peek at the young rider’s potential in the years to come.

Perhaps inspired by the adults’ team efforts, Liam Wierzba and Hayden Murray worked together to keep Suttons Bay Bikes up on the results sheet, fueled by a seemingly inexhaustible supply of #SNACKS. There was no catching Caden Stuart, resplendent in his trademark pajama pants. The UCI is currently reviewing the aerodynamic properties of the garment, but Norte has vowed to let Caden wear them until their proven to be an unfair advantage.

Liam Wierzba and Hayden Murray had their own Suttons Bay Bikes-flavored team time trial in pursuit of Caden, fueled by an inexhaustible supply of #SNACKS. Seriously, it’s amazing how many waffles and bloks they can fit in their tiny jersey pockets. Sander Stuart, Jack and Calvin O’Hearn rounded out the day’s finishers on a tough day in the woods.

In Junior SOL, Hunter Frank was back with a vengeance and displayed his ability to protect a lead. He took a big confidence-building win ahead of the World Championships next week ahead of Will Haapala of Norte. Team Orange was there in NUMBERS, with Drew Cummins slotting in third. Max Jordan nabbed fourth for Hagerty, then it was Resse Cummins for fifth and the youngest Junior racer at just 10 years old. Peter Worden III, “P3” had mechanical issues all day, as did his teammate Ashton Edson. Worden soldiered in for sixth, just ahead of Matt Kushman.

Next week, miniSOL and Junior SOL have their World Championships AND Pizza Night, with August 24th serving as a sort of last chance ride for the kids before school and an opportunity for those World Champions to show off their new stripes.

miniSOL Results

Junior SOL Results