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Eatough, Sawicki win 24-hour solo championships

by VeloNews.com

• August 04, 2008
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Eatough at the 24-hour solo championships

Photo: courtesy Trek

Trek/VW rider Chris Eatough came from behind to win the 24 Hours of 9-Mile solo national championships in Wausau, Wisconsin, Saturday. Pua Sawicki defended her 2007 title with 18 laps, which she completed in 24 hours and 3 minutes.

Eatough at the finish

Photo: courtesy Trek

In the men’s race, Josh Tostada led the race early on, riding 15-mile laps in under an hour.

“[Tostada] really put me into difficulty, he and I were very evenly matched,” Eatough said. “But my pit crew has our routine dialed, and the new bike let me race even faster.”

Eatough won aboard the new Trek Top Fuel 9.9 SSL, which will be available at retail for 2009.

By the 12-hour mark, Eatough was at a 3-minute deficit, and could see his competitor through the winding northern Wisconsin woods course.

“My vision started to freeze up, and I hit the wall that I always hit at the 12-hour mark,” Eatough said. “But I know how to handle those conditions. I just ride consistently through the night and save enough for the daylight.”

By lap 15, the six-time world solo champion and reigning national Ultra Endurance Series champion was 15 minutes down. But at lap 16, Tostada suffered trouble with his lights. Eatough gained three minutes. By lap 17 Eatough and Tostada were trading pulls.

“I’ve never seen such a close race,” said Trek/VW team manager Zack Vestal. “Since they were the only contenders, by 8:00 am they reached a gentlemen’s agreement that lap 20 would be the final lap. I was sure it would be a sprint finish … after 23 hours!”

Instead, Eatough solidified his win with an attack, halfway through the last lap.

“I felt awesome,” Eatough said. “I felt twice as fast as I did earlier in the day.”

It was his fourth national 24-hour solo title.

Unlike the men’s race, the women’s contest was a shut-out. Sawicki put 13 minutes on her nearest competitor in the first lap — and just opened it up from there. At race’s end, she had two laps up on Danielle Musto and Sarah Kauffman, in second and third, respectively.

Photo Gallery

Results

24 Hour Solo National Championships

1. Chris Eatough, Trek-VK, 20 15-mile laps in 23:28:51

2. Jesse Tostada, 20 laps in 23:44:24

3. Nat Ross, Subaru-Gary Fisher, 19 laps

4. Ernesto Marenchin, 19 laps

5. Scott Cole, 19 laps

6. Mark Hendershot, Santa Cruz Syndicate, 18 laps

7. Brad Majors, World Bicycle Relief, 18 laps

8. Todd Carpenter, Siren Bicycles, 18 laps

9. Dave Norton, Johnny Sprokets, 17 laps

10. Timothy Ingram, 17 laps

11. Charlie Farrow, Ski Hut, 15 laps

12. Chris Strout, World Bicycle Relief, 15 laps

13. Brandon Draugelis, 14 laps

14. Chris Maltby, Terry’s Cycle, 14 laps

15. Ronald, Stawicki, Hayes Bicycle Group, 13 laps

16. Joe Alligood, 13 laps

17. Justin Lund, Evomo-Rudy Project, 13 laps

18. Eddie O’Dea, Vassago Cycles, 12 laps

19. Matt Woodruff, 12 laps

20. Tim Wilkie, 12 laps

21. Chad Dean, 12 laps

22. Anthony Ippolito, Southern Brazil Adventures, 11 laps

23. Frank Benish, Team WAR, 11 laps

24. Aaron Snyder, Scott Bikes, 10 laps

25. Chris Schotz, Thunderdown, 10 laps

26. Rob Lichtenwainer, VisitPA.com, 9 laps

27. Jeff Miller, 9 laps

28. David Simmons, Team Brown Bear, 7 laps

29. Jim Simons, 7 laps

30. Chris Janiszewski, Panoptx-BCCFI, 6 laps

31. Tom Giese, Careerbuilder.com, 5 laps

32. Rick Mangan, 4 laps

33. Charly Tri, Velorochester, 3 laps

34. Levi Olsen, Cycleops-Saris, 3 laps

35. Sam McElmeel, 3 laps

36. Steve Schwartz, 1 lap