2007 ALASKA COFFEE ROASTERS MOUNTAIN BIKE STAGE RACE MTB stage race -- June 1, 2 -- six stages Text written for Daily News-Miner by Craig Malloy "The annual running of the Alaska Coffee Roasters Mountain Bike Stage Race hosted by Rocky Reifenstuhl was run this weekend. The race has six stages to test all of the skills required for mountain biking. Mountain biking skills were not the only thing tested during the race; individual perseverance and mettle was also put to the test. In fine Fairbanks fashion, six of the toughest cyclists in town proved they were up to the challenge! The first stage was held at 7 pm Friday and was a five mile climb up Ester Dome, following the Equinox marathon trail most of the way. Nineteen riders participated in the hill climb event. One of Fairbanks finest young riders, Reese Hanneman, was able to hold off veteran rider Jeff Oatley in an exciting sprint to the finish. His winning time of 33:47 was followed by Oatley.s 33:49. Saturday morning brought stage two of the race, which was a tough 12.3-mile cross-country race. The route starts and ends at Moose Mountain ski area and includes incredibly painful steep climbs, muddy trails, and narrow .rabbit trail. riding. With only seven riders on a tough route, the field spread out. Rocky Reifenstuhl proved that old age, treachery and skill will always beat youth and strength. With an impressive 1:08:47 finishing time, Rocky was a couple minutes ahead of Toby Viavant who finished with an impressive ride time of 1:11:31. The observed trials course and predicted time course proved to be a welcome and needed distraction from the pain in the rider.s legs. It was also an entertaining event to watch as the riders demonstrated some of the finer skills of bike handling required to successfully negotiate the course. The last-man-out sprint was painful ride around a marked course where each lap the rider in last place was pulled from the race. The race had several exciting and surprising sprints to the finish line. Young Toby Viavant persevered to win the stage! The final stage was a cross country route that started at Moose Mountain and ended just behind the Vallata restaurant. The first 4 ½ miles of the route was the same climb up Moose Mountain. From there it proceeded east on Old Murphy Dome road until it cut into the woods and followed a seriously bumpy and wet trail to the finish. This stage was unanimously determined to be the most difficult, and at times, miserable stage ever. All contestants were all so very happy that it was over. Rocky dominated this stage (go figure) with a finish time of 1:48:12 with Toby finishing with a strong 1:57:22. Steve Clautice also had a very strong finish at 2:11:30! The race brought out a diverse group of Fairbanks riders. The common link among them was the completion of an arduous and tough stage race. With the youngest rider, Iver Evanger, at 13 to Steve Clautice at 58 the riders were a true demonstration of the diversity and tenacity that exists in Fairbanks cycling community." Hill Cross Trials Pred. Miss & Cross Climb Country Time Out Country PLACE NAME #1 #2 TOTAL ======================================================================================= 1 Rocky Reifenstuhl 0:35:43 1:08:47 0:00:00 0:00:05 0:00:45 1:48:12 3:33:32 2 Toby Viavant 0:35:34 1:11:31 0:00:30 0:00:29 0:00:00 1:57:22 3:45:26 3 Steve Clautice 0:43:08 1:27:56 0:01:00 0:02:11 0:01:15 2:11:30 4:27:00 4 Sergey Streltsov 0:40:33 1:25:21 0:01:00 0:00:38 0:01:00 2:27:15 4:35:47 5 Todd Redinius 0:54:29 1:48:07 0:00:00 0:00:12 0:01:30 2:57:49 5:42:07 6 Craig Malloy 0:53:59 1:57:32 0:00:00 0:00:18 0:00:30 3:15:25 6:07:44 Iver Evanger -- -- -- -- 0:00:15 2:37:54 -- Paul Gregory 0:40:11 -- -- -- -- -- -- Reese Hanneman 0:33:47 -- -- -- -- -- -- Terry Honeysett 0:44:17 -- -- -- -- -- -- Henry Irving 0:37:58 -- -- -- -- -- -- Jeff Oatley 0:33:49 -- -- -- -- -- -- Jacob Remington 0:38:32 -- -- -- -- -- -- David Norris 0:34:21 -- -- -- -- -- -- Steven Norris 0:42:42 -- -- -- -- -- -- Jacob Remington 0:38:32 -- -- -- -- -- -- John Shook 0:39:31 -- -- -- -- -- -- Melissa Lewis 0:37:53 1:19:02 -- -- -- -- -- Gail Koepf 0:47:43 -- -- -- -- -- --