Dirty Chain Podcast: Alex TenElshof - Mohican 100 Mountain Bike Race Recap
Race recap (that's right, racing is BACK) of the Mohican 100 from 5th place overall finisher and local Michigander, Alex Tenelshof!
Mohican 100 talk starts at 4.5 minutes in.
Trevor Gibney:
Absolutely. And Sheldon, another thing, as things are kind of getting more and more normal, racing is back.
Sheldon Little:
Yeah. Mohican just happened. Mohican 100.
Trevor Gibney:
Yeah. Yeah. We just saw a couple weekends ago, or a weekend ago that the Mohican 100 actually occurred. It was probably one of the first cycling race-
Sheldon Little:
The first.
Trevor Gibney:
Well, cycling race since-
Sheldon Little:
Land Run.
Trevor Gibney:
The Mid South Land Run.
Sheldon Little:
Yeah.
Trevor Gibney:
And since then, of course, nothing has happened. And then last weekend, we had Mohican 100 which was a little different of course, because of the details needed to change a little bit. But to get a little more info about this race, and a few more of the details, we reached out to Alex Tenelshof, fifth place overall at Mohican 100. But not only that, I think the story of Mohican 100 is not only that it's one of the first races, but the fact that three of the top five were Michigan representatives. We had Jorden Wakeley, Alex Tenelshof, and Scott Albaugh.
Sheldon Little:
Yep. So in fourth place, Tinker Juarez, who I think should be an honorary Michigander because he spent so much of his race season here in Michigan doing some of the most epic events here that we have. So I think we can safely say that there's four Michiganders.
Trevor Gibney:
Sure, we'll call him a Michigander. I'm not sure if he would appreciate that, but we'll accept it. But no, let's get more details about the Mohican 100 from Alex Tenelshof.
Trevor Gibney:
Well, first of all, Alex, thank you for being on the podcast. I have to say, man, congrats on one hell of a race.
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah, thank you. I'm excited to give you the recap, because it was a pretty exciting race to be in, especially with the company I was in.
Trevor Gibney:
Yeah, definitely. Before we hear more about the specifics of the actual race, can we get just a few details about how logistically the race actually went on? I know because there hasn't been any racing lately and because this has been one of the first races of the season, maybe even the first mountain bike race of the season. I'm not even sure about that. But I know they had to do some last minute changes. So we just quickly explained some of the things that were changed so the race could occur.
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I think it's one of the first races. Obviously the out West, the tour and Phoenix went down this year, and then Mid South gravel went down. But yeah, I think this is the first one like in the Midwest. So basically, yeah, they did a great job on giving you the plan and emailing you and keeping you up to date. I think they've gotten some good press for how they did things, now that it's over. But basically, when you get there, they did drive up packet pickup. So they hand you your packet through the window, and then that's really it for as far as the race goes for that part.
Alex TenElshof:
And then so the day of, we would start in groups. We had it broken out into about six people per group. It would go off every minute. They did it where they seated it based on your finishing time within the last three years. So anyone that has done it in the last three years, sort of like kind of how Iceman does.
Trevor Gibney:
Sure.
Alex TenElshof:
You get the preference. And then if you're a known like pro mountain biker, or I think they threw in like the Cat. 1 road guys, because I had asked if I could start in the more competitive field. So they kind of grouped me into that, and so that's how my wave kind of came to be. They say, let's start you under social distancing kind of guidelines, six feet apart. So the six of us kind of six feet apart, as soon as the gun goes off, we're going to be on each other's wheel within 10 seconds.
Trevor Gibney:
Of course.
Alex TenElshof:
But at least they tried. So yeah, so that's how it started. And then it was interesting, because there's no police. So the whole race, we had to cross some semi busy roads, and we just as a group had to just like you would in a group ride. All right, look both ways, clear. Let's go, and it's very civil from that standpoint. Safety was more important than racing. It's four and a half hour race, so I don't think getting across the street is going to make or break the race.
Alex TenElshof:
So yeah, that was interesting. There's no like advertised EMS or like emergency services there because they all decided they didn't want to be a part of that. They had some kind of off the books or whatever doctors or EMTs that were there, just in case and they were at each aid station as well. And then the aid stations was all prepackaged food. So you had like Sour Patch Kids or Reese's, bananas that weren't peeled. They were fully together, cokes that weren't opened yet.
Alex TenElshof:
So it was all on you to grab what you wanted. It's all like self-serve type stuff, which was good. Not a ton of volunteers at each station either, just enough to help out if you had an issue. I think they had bike mechanics at each one as well, in case you needed help there and some stands and some like chain lube if you needed that real quick. So yeah, very minimal from a volunteer standpoint this year.
Trevor Gibney:
What about the finish and the post ride? I mean, I'm assuming there wasn't like a big party celebration afterward? Or was there anything like that?
Alex TenElshof:
Now, so you finish and then yeah, people I mean, did a good job of social distancing. I think that ... I can't remember if it was like the local state health representatives were there, or the police were kind of there too just making sure that they were doing it right. So we were trying to make them look good.
Trevor Gibney:
Sure.
Alex TenElshof:
I don't know if you saw that podium picture. They put the podium, like six feet apart, which was, it was kind of funny, but good for them for doing that. And then yeah, no real party afterwards, we just did ... They had awards at one, like a hour. So after the race, the top guys finished, and everyone was kind of very spread out for that. There was like the local brewery had two options, and you got a growler that they filled up for you. But other than that, yeah, no food, no real like party or anything like that.
Trevor Gibney:
But the overall vibe of the event, did it still feel like you were racing and in an event and kind of felt like the old days ish?
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah, no, the stoke level was very high, because everyone that was there was so ready to race because I'm sure they had several races canceled. So everyone was just so happy to be there. The only thing missing was the mass start. But honestly looking at the times, I think it would have came down to the same four or five people really anyways in a group after the first couple climbs. I like the races where there's a lot of people. But I think for this race it really for who showed up, it would have came down to the same group anyways. So it fully felt like a race.
Trevor Gibney:
Good.
Alex TenElshof:
Even though most of the guys in the race I know, and race regularly in Michigan, it still was definitely the race feel.
Trevor Gibney:
Well, yeah. I mean, there was definitely a great Michigan representation in the top five for sure. Let's get into it a little bit. Let's talk about the race itself. So Mohican 100, which was actually 100K this year, correct, or something around that?
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah, so they said they only took out like 20, 25 miles of mostly the state land single track. So we were all expecting roughly 75 to 80 miles.
Trevor Gibney:
Okay.
Alex TenElshof:
And then it ended up being only 65 for us. It was like 30 for the 100K guys, which they were kind of disappointed about. Everyone should have just done the hundred and they would have got their full 60 miles, because we came back into the park, and we were at like 64 miles, and we were all looking at each other. We're like, should we attack? Or do we go back out for 10 more miles or? We weren't quite sure. And so yeah, ended up being a lot shorter than we thought. But I think we were all happy to be done to be honest.
Trevor Gibney:
Yeah, I'm sure. What part of Ohio is ... I mean, it's the Mohican. Is it a state park or national park?
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah, yeah. Mohican State Park. It's in Loudonville, Ohio, which is about an hour north of Columbus.
Trevor Gibney:
Okay. It's pretty rolling, right? You got some good climbs and hills for sure?
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah, so in the 65 miles, I had 7,000 feet, but it all comes at once it seems like. It's not necessarily rolling as much as it is just a huge hill in the middle of nowhere. You'd be going down on a flat and see this farm, and you have the left turn coming up. And then it's just this massive hill and you're like, oh, we're going all the way up there? I mean, we're talking 10 to 20% grades on most of these climbs.
Trevor Gibney:
Oh, goodness.
Alex TenElshof:
On gravel, just straight up in the middle of nowhere. It's crazy. The single track was hard too, because you don't have as much room to go anywhere and it was muddy. It had rained the night before. So it was just muddy single track, like seven, 8% climb. So you're in your biggest gear trying not ... As soon as that tire slips, you're done. You're off the bike running up it. So they were challenging. I think our group only ran or walked up two climbs. It was because they were kind of rutty, and you just can't get up those rutty climbs. Your back tire hits it and slides immediately.
Trevor Gibney:
What kind of just general percentage of like gravel roads versus single track do you think there is for this?
Alex TenElshof:
So there was a good bit of pavement too. So I'll break it up into three different, because there was a rail trail that we hit for about eight miles straight, which me being more of the road bike guy, I was totally happy with it. So I'd say single track was probably about 15%.
Trevor Gibney:
Okay.
Alex TenElshof:
There wasn't a ton. We did hit some and it was super technical these rock gardens, and it was slick, too. It was fun and tough at the same time. I'd say the gravel was the majority of it, for at 15% there then gravel was probably 75%, and then another, yeah, maybe 10% single track and 20% road, and then the rest was gravel.
Trevor Gibney:
Okay. So you were in a group of six guys or five guys from the very beginning?
Alex TenElshof:
So, only five guys showed up. So we started with five, when one was actually in the 100K.
Trevor Gibney:
Okay.
Alex TenElshof:
So we started off kind of getting out of the park, and then hit the roads and then eventually got to some of the big climbs right off the bat, and we lost him pretty early. I remember Scotty showing me his computer, and the power that we were at in the first few miles. I remember my heart rate was high. It was like a 165 average heart rate in the beginning because of these climbs, and we were pushing the ... I mean, Jorden was pushing the pace early on, I would say.
Trevor Gibney:
Sure.
Alex TenElshof:
So yeah, the beginning was tough. And then I think we finally all were like, all right, we're not going to break each other. Let's work together from there.
Trevor Gibney:
So in the beginning, in your group it was yourself, Jorden Wakeley, Scotty Albaugh, and Tinker, right?
Alex TenElshof:
Yes.
Trevor Gibney:
Did you guys basically stick together the majority of the time?
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah, I'd say the majority. We did come apart mostly in the single track, but not by a lot. I would hit a bad line on the rocks. I'm just not a technical mountain biker. So I would even be leading going into it and I'd see a single track. And honestly, I just let the guys go in front of me, because I just didn't want to screw them up or ...
Trevor Gibney:
Sure.
Alex TenElshof:
More towards the end, I was like, "Man, I'm getting dropped hard on the single tracks." So then I started to lead through the single tracks. I was like, "Let me lead the pace so that I don't get dropped. We're so close to the finish."
Trevor Gibney:
Yeah.
Alex TenElshof:
But thankfully, the end single track was easier than the beginning, because those rock gardens I was just not expecting them. So Jorden and Scotty got through the first main section of the rock garden stuff before we came up to the aid station, the first one. That'd actually be the second, we didn't stop at the first. It was 10 miles in. They were ahead, Tinker was by himself. And then I was in fourth by myself. But they were so close, and we had talked about stopping at aid stations to get like our ... We had drop bags at each one with like new bottles.
Alex TenElshof:
So they were just kind of rolling out as I was rolling into the aid station, I just grabbed my bottle super quick. And then I didn't grab any food. I got right back on their wheel. And so the four of us went back out again together. So that was the close ... That was almost going to be a long day for me because of a single track but got back on. There was another section a single track, and we got spaced out just a little bit but it wasn't as technical this time. So we hit the next dirt road, just a few seconds apart and then came right back together.
Alex TenElshof:
And then the middle section was all like just gravel or that rail trail. And so we just kind of rotated through a pace line. I would say I was doing a lot of the pacing on the front. Jorden and I actually, Tinker would take a couple pulls and then I was honestly because Scotty and I are on the same team, I just figured he was going to be the better option to win the race. And so I was taking a lot of pulls just being the road guy too, I could settle in at a good pace and let him kind of sit in. So yeah, that's kind of how that was going down. But on the rail trail, he would pull through, everyone would pull through, and we were just kind of rotating, because that was a long flat section of pavement.
Trevor Gibney:
When did the real separations happen? Because I know there was a minute or so between Jorden and Scotty, and then you and Tinker were real close together.
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah, so towards the end, I was actually a lot of times these climbs that were on the gravel, I was pushing the pace on these, or there was a couple seasonal roads and I was pushing the pace of the climbs just I had this new fitness and I had lost a bunch of weight this year. So I was just testing out the climbing legs and they were there. I was even actually attacking the group on some of their climbs over the top. And get a little bit of separation. But I was just testing the waters to see how people felt. And then when I started to do that, I think things started to get more kind of chippy and ...
Trevor Gibney:
Spicy.
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah. There was this one climb, second to last climb and it was ... I'd have to look, it's on the segment, it's the valley springs climb. So it ended up being I think, five minute climb. The average grade had been 7%. So it's a big one. I think Jorden knew it was coming. Because he even said, "Oh, this climb sucks," like right before we got to it. I was just like, all right, I mean, all the rest of the climbs have kind of sucked too. But let's see what it is.
Alex TenElshof:
So he attacks, and then so Scotty goes with him and I'm like, well, I got to go. So I go with him. And Tinker doesn't even flinch. I'm like, all right, this is it. It's the three of us, Michigan guys. Tinker doesn't even move. So we're going and then you come around this corner, and it goes straight up and Jorden attacks, again, fully committed out of his saddle. I'm just like, oh, I don't think I can do this out of my saddle. So I just let them kind of go and Scotty tries to go after him. But all three of us separate.
Alex TenElshof:
I just keep looking back and here comes Tinker, just going along and eventually catches me. And then the two of us then catch Scotty. So on this five minute climb, just to kind of give you an idea, Jorden was 30 seconds ahead of me, and Scotty was 15 seconds ahead of me for like the segment. And so that's kind of a separation. But then Jorden was gone after that. So we chased Scotty down on the last climb. We caught him, Tinker and I. And then we could see Jorden up ahead. So between that second to last, that big one, that 30 seconds. And then the last climb, he got another 30 seconds. And so that's where he got his minute, just on those two.
Trevor Gibney:
Gotcha.
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah. So then the three of us were back together, and then that's where it came back into the park. Oh, actually, we went through some single track and went through some really cool creek crossings that you had no idea how deep they were. But you're in this group, and it's like, you can't let them go, so you're sending it and just hoping for the best.
Trevor Gibney:
Yeah.
Alex TenElshof:
So we all got through that soaking wet onto this road. And then the road was the same road we left on. But I didn't know that, I'm just super disoriented at this point at four hours. And then you see the Mohican Park that we started in and then we're all like, is this it? And it takes you up one more kind of really steep climb. Tinker attacks on the climb. I go with him and Scotty didn't. He didn't respond at all. So I was like, okay, maybe it's Scotty gone, and then so Tinker and I are going up and then I attacked Tinker, knowing where then I was.
Alex TenElshof:
I got some separation there. I was like, oh, I got it in the bag. This is going to be ... At the time, I thought it was second because we didn't know that there was this guy that soloed from 20 minutes behind us, which Alexey Vermeulen and Sean Kickbush verified that he is a super strong rider.
Trevor Gibney:
Yeah, what a monster, man. I mean, that's insane.
Alex TenElshof:
I don't know how you put 13 minutes on the group that we were in, but I mean, kudos to him. So anyways, I'm thinking I'm second place in the bag, and there's one more sign and it's supposed to turn you into single track and I just I blew right by it.
Trevor Gibney:
Oh, no.
Alex TenElshof:
I didn't see the turn and then Tinker kind of followed me and Scotty hit it. So Scotty went from being in his position to then being in the lead. It was this downhill single track that he did. He sent it through that. And then you come out onto this road and then it basically goes into the finish. So he was like three seconds ahead of us, and then Tinker went into it before me. And so then I just stayed on his wheel, and then I just came around him in the finish. I crossed the line before him, but the chip timing gave it to him.
Trevor Gibney:
I saw that.
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah, they went by chip timing. I didn't even bother like, hey, Tinker, because there was a difference in money. But I don't do it for the money. And so I wasn't going to go up to Tinker and be like, "Hey, do you mind saying something? You know I crossed the line before you." It doesn't matter to me. I was just happy to be there racing.
Trevor Gibney:
You still got to say that you out sprinted Tinker at the end of the whole thing. And you have ...
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah.
Trevor Gibney:
You have photo evidence.
Alex TenElshof:
I have photo evidence.
Trevor Gibney:
Yeah.
Alex TenElshof:
So it was more fun just to ride with that guy.
Trevor Gibney:
I'm sure.
Alex TenElshof:
For a 59 year old, man, he's strong to see him on the climbs. I think he was hurting a little bit. But I mean, he's just so strong. Because where I was sitting and going uphill, he was usually out of the saddle. So some of the times, I don't know if that's his style, or if that's just like, this is the only way I can hang on.
Trevor Gibney:
Yeah.
Alex TenElshof:
So I wasn't quite sure there. But yeah, what an experience to ride for four hours with that guy and ...
Trevor Gibney:
Man, he is everywhere. I mean, especially it just seems like whether he's doing all these races in Michigan or in the Midwest, or he's just ... I mean, yeah, you can't get away from him. But yeah, he's incredible. Very, very cool. I think it was super exciting to see that you guys were going down there for the race. But then to see the three of you finish so high, and the top five, I mean, Michigan represented and that is fantastic. So I mean, yeah, kudos to you and to your race. And then of course to Scotty and Jorden as well.
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah, they all did great. And just a good group of guys to ride with and honestly not a lot of conversation going on during it. We were in. We were all in race mode for sure.
Trevor Gibney:
Nice.
Alex TenElshof:
But just like as far as the aid stations and kind of the gentleman's kind of agreement, rider etiquette, just some of the best guys to like not blow right out of there, like hey, he's right there. Let's just wait for him, or if we needed a mid race bathroom break, everyone was cool about it like to stop and do that quick. So yeah, couldn't have asked for a better group of guys to ride with.
Trevor Gibney:
Very cool, Alex. Thank you. Appreciate this. It's kind of unexpected to have a race to talk about and to be able to talk to Michiganders that experienced it. So awesome. Thank you so much.
Alex TenElshof:
Yeah, you bet. Thanks for having me.
Sheldon Little:
Well, thank you, Alex, for coming on the Dirty Chain and telling us about your experience at Mohican.