Cyclists Push for Records
Rookie Roch Rocks It
Last updated 11/5/2024 at 8:25am
Traveling to Borrego Springs were over 220 cyclists from all over the world, ready to compete in the annual 6-12-24 Hour World Time Trials Nov. 1 to Nov. 3. The WTTC are part of the qualifying events for the coveted Race cross America, which are held in June, as riders begin in Oceanside, making their way through multiple states before landing in Maryland.
As always, Borrego Springs provides the perfect setting for this race – with the picturesque beauty of the Anza-Borrego Desert and comfortable weather, it is just the place for this race. But before settling into Borrego Springs, the WTTC was held 60 miles away in Thermal.
In 10 years, this was the best weather they experienced according to WTTC representatives, noting that it never got as cold as predicted. However, Mother Nature halted that thought, bringing winds that notably increased throughout the day, causing some races to be ended early due to safety reasons.
These riders will attempt to compile as many miles as possible in 6, 12, or 24 hours, competing in a course that can be unpredictable with flat and bumpy surfaces. The main loop is about 18 miles with 347 feet of elevation change and a finishing loop of 4.8 miles with 63 feet of elevation change.
Competitors will race the 18-mile loop from their start until approximately two hours before the finish, then they will begin racing on the 4-mile loop until they finish. There are also seven age-group categories within seven event categories.
This race has become one of the most popular and highly attended events on the ultra-cycling calendar, having sold out the past few years.
Austria's Elena Roch, WTTC rookie, racing in the 30 – 39 age group, dominated the overall women's 24-hour race by 49.2 miles, clocking in 488.4 miles, and came in fifth overall.
Last year, Switzerland's Isa Pulver won the overall women's 24-hour race with 451.2 miles. Pulver did not compete in this year's trials.
She led Christy Tracy (USA), who came in second overall. Tracy is a WTTC veteran who won the 40 – 49 group with 439.2 miles.
Roch's 488.4 miles surpassed previous women's record set by Canada's Meaghan Hackinen who rode 478.9 miles in WTTC 2022.
The heavy winds caused the race to end 30 minutes early, and if that did not happen, Roch might have been the first woman to join the exclusive 500 Mile Club, an honor bestowed upon solo riders who in over 500 miles at WTTC.
Rookie Christian Murray (UK) came in third women's overall with 434.4 miles and Dorina Vaccaroni (USA/Italy) came in fourth women's overall with 421.2 miles and won her age group, 60 – 69.
Missing in action was veteran Christoph Strasser (Austria), who is the WTTC 24-hour record holder, who discussed he could possibly come to Borrego Springs, but was not able to. He said, "Unfortunately I am not able to come to Borrego Springs this year, my season was long, I am exhausted and have a full timetable in October, which does not allow the proper training. I hope to race Borrego again next year! All the best for the event!"
Strasser competed twice in the race and dominated. He held a blazing pace in his first WTTC appearance in 2016, and logged 550.8 miles for an average speed of 21.8 mph/ 35.08 kph, a new record. He returned in 2018, and startlingly, broke his own record with a tally of 567.6 miles. Since then, the closest anyone has gotten to Strasser's record was in 2022 when another Austrian, Philipp Kaider, put in 531.6 miles – 36 miles short of Strasser's best.
In this year's race, Kaider won the 24-Hour Men's Solo (age group 30 – 39) and came in first overall, logging 534 miles, renewing his membership to the 500 Club.
Ralph "Dizzy" Diseviscourt (Luxembourg) took the 40-49 win and finished second overall with 524.4 miles, which makes him the newest member of the club. The last time he competed here in 2022, he was on pace for 500+ miles before he crashed out. He held the lead earlier in the race, but had a bout with stomach issues that slowed his pace, causing unscheduled breaks. He dropped down to third overall, but made the fight to second.
Stanislav Verstovšek (Slovenia) finished third overall and took second in the 40-49 category with 506.4 miles. He'd already surpassed 500 miles last year when he was the overall winner.
In the 12-Hour Race, Chris Stevens (USA) in the solo male age 40-49 category built a sizable lead over second place Kurt Holt (USA), also in the 40-49 group. However, it was Holt who came out on top, finishing first in the 12-Hour Men's Solo race with 260.4 miles, beating out Stevens with 259.2 miles and by just five minutes.
For the women's 12-Hour race, Canada's Diane Bomans came in first with 200.4 miles, followed by USA's Maggie Nolting, 186 miles.
Horton and Wiggs came in first for the 12-Hour Men's Two-Person Team, and B4t9 for the 12-Hour Women's Two-Person Team.
24-hr Event
Men's Solo 20 – 29 – Paul Wickward
Men's Solo 30 – 39 – Philipp Kaider (First Overall in Men's Solo 24-Hour and First Overall in 24-Hour)
Men's Solo 40 – 49– Ralph Diseviscourt
Men's Solo 50 – 59 – Marco Rieder
Men's Solo 60 – 69 – Mike Chambon
Women's Solo 30 – 39 – Elena Roch (First Overall in Women's 24-Hour)
Women's Solo 40 – 49 – Christie Tracy
Women's Solo 50 – 59 – Pernille Kinnunen
Women's Solo 60 – 69 – Dorina Vaccaroni
Women's Two-Person 60 – 69 – Rustier Dogs of War
Women's Solo Handcycle 50 – 59 – Wendy Larsen
Women's Two-Person 50 – 59 – Team Infinity
12-hr Event
Men's Solo 20 – 29 – Sebastian Afshari
Men's Solo 30 – 39 – Cory Rood
Men's Solo 40 – 49 – Kurt Holt (First Overall in Men's Solo 12 hour event)
Men's Solo 50 – 59 – Shindre Næss
Men's Solo 60 – 69 – Kenneth Petersen
Men's Solo 70 – 79 – Tom Keeley
Women's Solo 30 – 39 – Maggie Nolting
Women's Solo 50 – 59 – Diane Bomans (First Overall in Women's Solo 12 hour)
Women's Solo 60 – 69 – Patty Mas
Women's Two-Person Team – B4t9
Men's Two-Person 40 – 49 – Horton/Wiggs
For full results, visit: https://www.24hrworlds.com/results-records.
Results for the six-hour event will be in the Nov. 21 issue of the Borrego Sun.