Former US gravel champion Brennan Wertz (Scott-Skipstone) and Alia Shafi (MAAP-Bike Tires Direct-Arundel) earned season-opening victories Saturday from a pair of three-rider sprints in the elite fields at Huffmaster mixed-terrain race, the second round of the Grasshopper Adventure Series in northern California.
Wertz earned his fourth victory in six editions, but had to fend off fellow US riders Skyler Taylor (Pinarello-Q36.5) and Marcis Shelton (Competitive Edge Racing) when the trio came together at the front of the race, pacing Leesville Gap and on the long 20-mile descent on Huffmaster Road to the finish.
“I was hoping for a sprint finish [because] I have a good hit at the end,” Shafi said, who finished ninth in her only other Huffmaster race three years ago.
Shafi led the way in 4:34:20 for the three-way sprint, with Flavia Oliveira Parks (Excel Sports) going second and Jen Tavé (SpeedBlock-Terun) third. Both Shafi’s adversaries had raced at Grasshopper Series events for years, with Parks winning Huffmaster in 2024 ahead of runner-up Tavé.
“It was my first time coming in for a sprint finish, probably not the best for me, gotta work on that sprint, but it’s hard to get away anywhere else on this course,” said Tavé.
The series moves to the western edge of Sonoma County for King Ridge on March 28. The mainly paved course will have timed segments across the 91-mile route.
Results
|
Pos. |
Name |
Time Behind |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Brennan Wertz |
3:50:02 |
|
2 |
Skyler Taylor |
+0:00 |
|
3 |
Marcis Shelton |
+0:01 |
|
4 |
Lucas Miers |
+1:22 |
|
5 |
Ryder Ritchie |
+2:22 |
|
6 |
Griffin Easter |
+4:00 |
|
7 |
Tobin Ortenblad |
+5:52 |
|
8 |
Jacob Velasco |
+5:52 |
|
9 |
Mattheus Johnson |
+5:52 |
|
10 |
Jack Duncan |
+7:25 |
|
Pos. |
Name |
Time Behind |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Alia Shafi |
4:34:20 |
|
2 |
Flavia Oliveira Parks |
+0:02 |
|
3 |
Jen Tave |
+0:04 |
|
4 |
Larissa Connors |
+0:16 |
|
5 |
Steph Hart |
+17:56 |
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