Pinnacle Bike Championships

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<b>At first nobody was sure about the course, but it was easy to agree that the Pinnacle Challenge had some great scenery, and Friday was a nice day to be on a mountain no matter what you were doing. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Second practice run. Looking at lines and just trying to burn some stuff in. This was no putting green. Mowed ski trail or not, it was gnarly at speed with waterbars, rocks, and holes that could eat you up. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Some of those jumps. They looked a little different from what was in the promotional animation, but they were pretty big and it took a while for the guys to get comfortable with them. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Bryn Atkinson hitting the big jump at “safe speed”. The left jump was preferred for its better landing, but during the heats and finals riders didn’t always have the luxury of choice. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Fabiene Cousinie adding some speed. He sessioned the jump for a while and was the first to really send it all the way. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Mik Hannah’s first time sending it all the way. He only just lands inside the frame. The jumps seemed pretty big to everyone in attendance. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Seeding run in late afternoon light. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Matt Simmonds was pretty anonymous during practice, but was fast in seeding and would eventually finish in 4th after a nice battle with CousCous. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>So much for sunny weather. Race day started foggy and cold and stayed that way. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Graeme Pitt came in from California to try and take home the big check. He’d have to make it through three heat races to make the final. It wasn’t too hard as there were 10 spots and only 14 riders. It was more about not being last than winning the heats. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Dylan Conte riding for Cycles Xprezo aka “Team Flannel”. Keeping it real. Actually Team Flannel was really happy to be comped a room by the organization which saved them a cold night of keeping it real in a Sprinter van. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>One strategy for not getting eliminated was to get out front and not look back. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Local rider Ben Moody getting loose on the off-camber. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Fabien knows that winter is coming and it’s never too late to put up hay. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Vermont rider Tim White leads the field in the first heat. He crashed right after this shot. It was the only big pileup of riders I saw all day. The riders did an excellent job of riding in a pack. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Bryn and CousCous flying in formation in heat #2. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Three wide through the jumps was pretty exciting. Tim White (yellow kit) had a nice beater here in the finals but walked away unscathed. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Mik used Bryn’s technique of getting in front and letting the carnage happen behind him. It was probably also nice to not have rocks pelting him in the face like the guys behind him did. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Chasing Mik - and a spot in the main to chase that $10,000 check. A powerful motivational tool. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Bryn had a massive hole shot at the start and pretty much was unchallenged for the victory. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Mik was in 6th by the first turn and had to go to “plan B” passing several riders to take 2nd place. -Erik Timmerman</b>
<b>Pinnacle Challenge done and dusted. These guys were stoked and not just for the big check. They really enjoyed racing side by side and being able to have a good dice with one another. Matt Simmonds said the speed was crazy, faster than you’d ever go by yourself but you’d just keep pushing to catch or to not be caught. -Erik Timmerman</b>
Intro Graphic
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Description
The inaugural edition of the Pinnacle Bike Championships that saw racers take on each other in 10-rider mass start heats down a widely taped course took place on September 19-20, 2014 in Waterville Valley Resort in New Hampshire.
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