Iceman Cometh - Tomorrow!

Photo: Iceman.Com

MICHIGAN: Traverse City - The Iceman Cometh - Tomorrow, Saturday November 5th all the big names will be at the start line in Traverse City.  The race starts in downtown Kalkaska, Michigan and finishes twenty nine miles later on the eastern edge of Traverse City, Michigan. The course consists primarily of dirt roads, two-tracks (the majority of the course), abandoned railroad beds, and the world famous Vasa Nordic ski trail. It crosses only one paved road (Williamsburg Rd at mile 16) as it winds through the breath taking (literally) terrain of the Pere Marquette State Forest in Northern Lower Michigan.

The weather looks great - sunny with a high of 54F, morning temps just below freezing.

Will Brian Matter get the win and the triple crown challenge? In the first race of the challenge, the Ore to Shore in the U.P. on August 13th, (from Cycling News): "Matter won with a fierce attack out of a group of four with one mile to the finish. The lead group was 13 men strong almost 30 miles into the race and included, Matter, Tristan Schouten, Cole House, last year's winner TJ Woodruff, and three-time champ Mike Simonson.
With 18 miles to go, the attacks started coming fast and furious. Slowly, one by one, the lead group diminished. With eight miles to go the lead group was down to four riders and Cole House (Real Cyclists), one of the NRC's top sprinters, looked to be ready for his first win. According to Matter he launched a "suicide attack" with one mile to go and watched as House and Schouten slowly closed on him down the final straight away. House turned the final corner with 20 meters to go, but couldn't close the gap"

2011 Ore to Shore - Men

1	Brian Matter	2:25:10
2	Cole House	0:00:00
3	Tristan Schouten	0:00:01
4	Nathan Guerra	0:00:08
5	Derek Graham	0:00:55

Next up was Chequamegon, near Hayward, WI on September 16th. (Cycling News): "Brian Matter (Gear Grinder) won his fourth Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, becoming the first man to do so in the 29-year history of the race. His time of 2:00:59.9 was nearly two minutes faster than the previous record in 2010. Matter, of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, won despite strong rides from Radioshack and Garmin/Cervelo road professionals Jason McCartney and Christian Vande Velde. "

2011 Chequamegon - Men

1	Brian Matter	2:01:00
2	Michael Olheiser	0:00:02
3	Jason McCartney	0:00:22
4	Travis Woodruff	0:02:18
5	Mike Phillips	0:03:05
6	Matt Shriver	0:04:08
7	Steve Tilford	0:06:15
8	Jack Hinkens	0:06:27
9	Cam Kirkpatrick	0:06:29
10	Cole House	0:06:58
11	Patrick Lemieux	0:07:02

Expect the field in Traverse City to be filled deep with talent. Here's last year's results:

                            
2010 ICEMAN COMETH CHALLENGE
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2010
PRO MEN
Place No.   Name                    Town            St Teamname             Time     
===== ===== ========================== ===== ============== === ====================
    1     2 Brian Matter            Sheboygan       WI Gear Grinder         1:42:16 
    2    95 Todd Wells              Durango         CO Specialized          1:42:33 
    3  3973 Jeremiah Bishop         Harrisonburg    VA                      1:42:34 
    4     3 Sam Schultz             Missoula        MT Subaru-Trek          1:42:34 
    5   103 Tristan Schouten        Sheboygan       WI Mafia - Felt         1:42:35 
    6     1 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski  Boulder         CO Subaru-Trek          1:43:46 
    7   105 Cole House              Oneida          WI Bmc Racing Team      1:44:05 
    8    72 Mike Phillips           Chicago         IL Adventure 212/specia 1:44:15 
    9    33 Colin Cares             Colorado Sprin  CO Kenda                1:45:04 
   10     4 Russell Finsterwald     Colorado Sprin  CO Subaru-Trek          1:45:59 
   11    29 Derek Graham            Grand Rapids    MI Bissell/abg          1:46:09 
   12   107 Nathan Guerra           Oconomowol      WI Mr Tree/powergay     1:46:43 
   13    85 Cameron Walters         Ann Arbor       MI Cycle To Fitness     1:46:45 
   14    17 Aaron Bradford          Santa Cruz      CA Specialized/onsite U 1:47:30 
   15    56 Isaac Neff              Goshen          IN Alderfer Bergen      1:48:04

Watch more video of ICEMAN Cometh Challenge on cyclingdirt.org