The GHS mountain bike team claimed another second-place finish at the Haymaker Classic in Eagle on Sept. 7 in the second race of the season.
Spirits were high on race morning at Eagle, a favorite venue for many teams and riders. The 6-mile loop featured 600 feet of climbing per lap, fast rollers and a steep, twisty slalom descent. More than 300 riders from 24 Colorado high schools lined up, making for a highly competitive day.
Sol Hausdoerffer led the way in the field of Freshman girls, and raced to a third-place finish in 1:03:46. Her time stacked up impressively, eight seconds ahead of the fourth-place Sophomore girl and 10-seconds faster than the fifth-place JV racer.
Laney Olmstead won the Sophomore Girls race in 1:00:16, finishing over a minute ahead of the runner-up. Teammate Judit Hausdoerffer also turned in a solid race, placing 10th in the same field.
Olmstead said the team dynamic played a big role in her race.
“Riding with the team has helped me so much — we push each other on the climbs and descents,” she said. “My coaches have worked with me on technique, skills and fitness, and that’s made a big difference.”
The JV riders added valuable points to the team total. In the boys race, senior Colin Bloomer finished 12th in 56:58, while juniors Zeke New and Kyle Mason also contributed strong rides with 18th and 34th-place finishes. On the girls side, seniors and close friends Emily Cattles and Jacey Jones finished just four seconds apart in 10th and 11th, both breaking the 1:08 mark. Senior Aya Hausdoerffer added a 20th-place time of 1:13. Together, the JV squad’s consistent performances continue to set the tone for the team’s younger racers.
For Jacey Jones, the highlight wasn’t just the result but racing alongside a longtime friend.
“Emily and I have been friends for as long as I can remember, so chasing each other in races is always a blast—it just makes everything way more fun and exciting,” she said. “Last time we raced together in Eagle, we finished four seconds apart, so finishing that close again was really cool.”
In Varsity action, junior Owen Frazier returned to racing after missing Frisco Bay. Starting at the back of the pack in 44th, he raced scrappy and strategic, surging through the field and overtaking 27 riders on a course with limited passing opportunities. His 17th-place finish puts him in a solid call-up spot heading into the next race.
In the Freshman boys race, Walker Sovick and Topher Lamar took 14th and 22nd, and overcame a course delay to secure solid finishes in a competitive field.
The team’s second podium of the season reflected contributions across every category, with riders pushing not only for themselves, but for the team. The Cowboys will next take on the Cloud City Challenge in Leadville, a high-altitude test where they will build on lessons from their first two races, on Sept. 20.
(Marlo Frazier is a GHS mountain bike team parent.)
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here