Kyle Mason rounds a curve in Leadville. (Photo by David Kish)
The Gunnison High School mountain bike team battled cold rain and thin air at the Cloud City Challenge in Leadville on Saturday, Sept. 20. Racing at 10,200 feet on the Colorado Mountain College trail system, the Cowboys tackled a 6.2-mile loop with 620 feet of climbing on trails made slick by steady showers and 40-degree temperatures. Gunnison’s riders rose to the challenge with grit and composure.Sophomore Adrian Hanacek kicked off the day, competing in his first Colorado High School Cycling League race and gaining valuable experience in the cold opener.The freshman, sophomore, and JV girls followed in the chilliest conditions. Freshman Sol Hausdoerffer overcame a mechanical issue resulting in a five-minute penalty, yet still secured an impressive fifth place. Teammate Kerstyn Metcalf climbed into the top 10, finishing ninth, two spots better than her season debut at the Frisco Bay Invitational. In the sophomore girls category, Laney Olmstead continued her dominance with another first-place finish, completing the course six minutes and 44 seconds ahead of the closest competitor to remain the category’s points leader. Teammate Judit Hausdoerffer showed determination, climbing from a 10th place finish in her previous race to sixth in Leadville.The JV girls added more points, with Emily Cattles placing 14th and Aya Hausdoerffer 18th. Jacey Jones battled the course for as long as she could before being forced to withdraw, underscoring just how unforgiving the weather had become.In the JV boys race, Kyle Mason delivered one of the team’s strongest improvements, climbing from a 36th place finish in Frisco to 26th in Leadville. Against a crowded 68-rider field, the result underscored his steady progress this season.Mason summed up his ride with his trademark humor. “The biggest factor in my progress since the first race is riding every day at practice and actually trying,” he said. “As for powering through the rough weather, I figured if I just kept moving, I’d finish eventually.”Owen Frazier is making up ground after missing the season opener with an injury that left him at the back of the pack in his second race. In the varsity boys race, he raced with patience, conserving energy early and surging late, posting a negative split with his third and final lap the fastest. The effort carried him to a 15th place finish, improving on his last race by two positions.The freshman boys wrapped up the day, with Walker Sovick (12th) and Topher Lamar (18th) bringing energy and smiles despite a long day of tough conditions. Their finishes added valuable points that helped the team secure a third-place podium spot in the Division 2 category and their cheerful attitude kept the mood high to close out the day on a strong note.“Leadville was a lot of fun. The course was challenging, but everybody cheering me on helped with the hard parts,” Lamar said. “It was tough to keep positive energy the whole race, but my awesome teammates and coaches helped me stay happy and have a blast.”With resilience across every category, the Cowboys proved they can battle the elements, overcome setbacks and still bring home the hardware. (Marlo Frazier is a GHS mountain bike team parent.)
Kyle Mason rounds a curve in Leadville. (Photo by David Kish)
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