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The 40-mile, mass-start, point-topoint off-road bike event starts in Hayward, WI and travels over the famous American Birkebeiner Ski Trail. It also includes forest roads, snowmobile trails, and other wooded lanes, to Cable, WI. This legendary marathon of fat tires attracted 1700 participants this year.
It is not an easy task to win the Chequamegon40. It is impossible to win the Chequamegon 40 on one speed. Jesse Lalonde, a former champion, powered up the final climbs and reached Telemark Resort solo.
Lalonde rode a 36/16 speed on a 29er and became the first rider who won the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival at a single speed. Lalonde stated that it was only a matter time for him to win the single speed race. Marko Lalonde (Jesses younger brother, and teammate), finished fourth on a single-speed. The incredible rides they did at the 25th Annual Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival show just how competitive one can be riding with only one gear.
Susan Haywood, in the women’s race, looked poised to win her second Chequamegon40 when she took off on the Seeley Firetower Hill. She built a gap of 30 seconds. Jenna Zander caught her and passed her in the final miles. Lea Davison was also on the tandem with 457.2 m remaining in the race but finished third.
The race was a hard, fast course that kept everyone together. Travis Brown, who rode a Cyclocross bike, stated that it was a very strategic race. It would run in a string, then regroup like a road race.
Matter, the 2004 race winner, said that the course was fast which allowed riders to stay together until Lalonde’s decisive move. Jesses should have been on my back. He was the man to beat.
The women’s race was close as well, with the top three finishing within fifteen seconds of each other.
CHEQUAMEGON RESULT
1. Jesse LalondeGary Fisher 29 – BKB 2. Brian MatterPCW Cycling Steve TilfordHRRC-Trek 4. Marko LalondeGary Fisher 29 – BKB 5. Jeff HallSalsa 6. Travis BrownTrek – VW 7. Cole HouseEndeavor Cycles 8. Ian StanfordA&F Pro Development 9. Mike PhillipsAlterra-Specialized 10. Chris Peariso WOMEN
1. Jenna ZanderBear Naked-Cannondale 2. Susan HaywoodTrek – VW 3. Lea DavisonTrek – VW 4. Kyia MalenkovichHeadmethod-Cannondale 5. Sara Kylander-JohnsonTrek-VW
