Originally published at: From the Ground at the Sea Otter Classic Gravel Race - Slowtwitch News
Haley Batten crushes the field in her first gravel race. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
The 35th anniversary of the Sea Otter Classic ran yesterday with a new twist – for years a mountain bike race, this year’s event was changed to a gravel race, with the riders taking on a challenging three-loop, 90-mile course in the first race of the Life Time Grand Prix. In a seemingly appropriate spin to the change, Haley Batten, the American Olympic silver medalist from last year’s mountain bike race in Paris, competing in her first gravel race, dominated the women’s race. For the men it was a patient Keegan Swenson (USA) who would make the winning move on the final climb up the Laguna Seca Racetrack’s infamous “corkscrew” climb.
Things start with a bang thanks to a challenging climb off the start. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
Aggressive Riding From Simon Pellaud
Simon Pellaud managed to break clear, but was reeled in before the end of the second lap. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
Through the end of the first lap in the men’s race there was a group of six together that included Swenson, his countrymen Alex Wild, Alexey Vermuelen, Cole Paton and Matthew Wilson, along with South African Matthew Beers and Switzerland’s Simon Pellaud. About halfway through the second lap the Swiss rider took a flyer, eventually opening a gap of 1:24 before getting reeled in by the end of the second lap by Vemuelen, Swenson and Wild.
The group would grow to eight as Czech Republic rider Petr Vakoc and Aussie Brendan Johnson joined the mix, but it wasn’t long before Pellaud was riding aggressively at the front again, trying to break things up. He was never able to open up another big gap, though, setting up Swenson’s surge to the front at the key point of the race.
Swenson made his move on the final climb and was able to break clear for the descent into the finish. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
“It was a fast and really tactical day,” Swenson said after the race. “he said. “Ultimately every lap, the last climb was really hard – I knew that was where the race was going to be won or lost. So, I was just trying to play my cards right and come into that with relatively good legs and try and sneak away there.”
An exhausted Swenson (who threw up at the finish line thanks to his huge effort) recovers after the race. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
“There were a lot of attacks, so the key was for me to be really patient and save the legs,” Swenson continued.
Matthew Beers would take second. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
Alexey Vermeulen would round out the top three. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
Men’s Top 5
No Touching Batten
Batten was all by herself for the second two ascents of the corkscrew. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
The American Olympic medalist did have some company at the end of the first lap of the race, with reigning LifeTime Grand Prix champ Sofia Gomez Villafane (USA) and two other Americans, Cecily Decker and Lauren Stephens, along with South African Haley Preen staying close. It wasn’t long after that, though, that Batten decided to make her move.
The women’s lead pack at the end of the first lap. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
“I had no race plans coming in to this,” Batten said after the race. “This is my first gravel race, so I wanted to see how the riders were riding and working together. I felt like they were hesitating a lot and not really in sync as a group, so I thought that maybe if I surprised everybody no one would be expecting it. I hoped when I went – I attacked on the single track on lap two – that maybe a rider or two would come with me to help keep it away, but I just pushed really hard and I knew if they hesitated at all I could probably hold it.”
Batten is all smiles after the race. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
“I will say on the last lap I regretted my decision,” she continued. “I was deep in the pain cave for sure.”
She might have been hurting, but she wasn’t even remotely challenged as the other women racing for the medals would end up over five minutes down. Decker and Villafane were able to break clear of the rest of the chasers, setting up a battle for the final two spots on the podium.
Decker tried to keep the pressure on Villafane …
But wasn’t able to hold off Villafane for second. Photos: Kevin Mackinnon
Women’s Top 5
Tough … But Beautiful Course
While the racers weren’t spending much time enjoying the incredible scenery, those of us watching sure were. We’ll leave you with a few remaining shots from the day:
Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
