The final stage of the 2022 Pisgah Stage Race is Industry Nine’s The Land of Waterfalls Route, named for the 250+ waterfalls in Transylvania County. The scenic route is 27 miles with 2301 feet in elevation gain that hits Butter Gap and Davidson River trails. Racers had a cold & wet morning to start but by the end of the stage the sun was shining bright. The final descent heads down the enduro, Bracken Mountain, and racers finish at Brevard Music center for awards and dinner
Stage 5 Results
Women’s Open
Kaysee Armstrong had a strong lead heading into the final stage. It was a battle for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th overall positions between Kait Boyle, Jocelyn Stel, and Taylor Kuyk-White who were only separated by a few minutes. It was unsure if Jocelyn Stel would be racing the final stage as she broke her frame on the Pilot rock descent on stage 4, but she was able to rent a bike for the day
Kaysee Armstrong took the stage 5 win, crowning her the overall cross county women’s winner. Kait Boyle finished strong and took 2nd, moving into 2nd overall. Taylor Kuyk-White was able to take Jocelyn on the final stage and finished 3rd moving her into the 3rd overall position
1st-Kaysee Armstrong 2. 08. 40
2nd-Kait Boyle 2. 20. 29
3rd-Taylor Kuyk-White 2. 27. 46
Men’s Open
Kerry Werner had a comfortable lead heading into the final stage and was able to finish just a minute behind Carson Beckett and take the overall win. Carson Beckett was able to win stage 5 and finished 2nd overall. Cypress Gorry had another impressive finish taking 3rd on stage 5 and holding onto 3rd overall
1st-Carson Beckett 1. 55. 09
2nd-Kerry Werner 1. 56. 18
3rd-Cypress Gorry 1. 57. 22
Bracken Mountain Stage 5 Enduro
The final enduro was held on Bracken Mountain with a 1733 foot descent and 4. 75 miles long. This was a fast flowing enduro with switchbacks and long pedal sections finishing at the Brevard Music Center
Women’s Enduro
1st-Kaysee Armstrong 24. 16
2nd-Kait Boyle 26. 30
3rd-Jen Toops 27. 09
Men’s Enduro
1st-Carson Beckett 21. 15
2nd-Cypress Gorry 21. 46
3rd-Kerry Werner 22. 20
Watch the video recapOverall Pisgah Stage Race results
Women’s open
1st-Kaysee Armstrong [Liv] Knoxville, TN 13. 02. 40
2nd-Kait Boyle [Industry Nine- Pivot Pro Backcountry Team] Victor, ID 13. 52. 43
3rd-Taylor Kuyk-White [Philly Bike Expo P/B Industry Nine] Philadelphia, PA 13. 59. 14
4th-Jocelyn Stel [Cyclepath Oakville] Burlington, Ontario 14. 08. 11
5th-Nina Machnowski [Brevard College/Pivot Cycles/Pearl Izumi] Brevard, NC 15. 42. 53
Overall Pisgah Stage Race results
Men’s open
1st-Kerry Werner [Kona Adventure Team] Vinton, VA 10. 39. 44
2nd-Carson Beckett [Brevard College/Dirt Camp Devo] Brevard, NC 10. 52. 18
3rd-Cypress Gorry [Ride Kanuga/Specialized] Pisgah Forest, NC 11. 21. 02
4th-Nick Bragg [The Black Bibs/Starlight] Asheville, NC 11. 26. 55
5th-Kurt Refsnider [Industry Nine-Pivot Pro Backcountry Team] Prescott, AZ 11. 43. 43
Overall Women’s Enduro results
1st-Kait Boyle [Industry Nine-Pivot Pro Backcountry Team] Victor, ID 1. 08. 51
2nd-Kaysee Armstrong [Liv] Knoxville, TN 1. 09. 12
3rd-Taylor Kuyk-White [Philly Bike Expo P/B Industry Nine] Philadelphia, PA 1. 13. 48
4th-Annie Schwartz [Team Noah Foundation] Saint Louis, MO 1. 15. 01
5th-Jen Toops [Pearl izumi/Pivot Cycles MTB Race Team] Marion, OH 1. 17. 08
Overall Men’s Enduro results
1st-Cypress Gorry [Ride Kanuga/Specialized] Pisgah Forest, NC 54. 37
2nd-Kerry Werner [Kona Adventure Team] Vinton, VA 57. 31
3rd-Carson Beckett [Brevard College/Dirt Camp Devo] Brevard, NC 58. 55
4th-Ian Blythe [Flow Formulas TranPerfect] Broomfield, CO 1. 00. 29
5th-Nick Mackie, West Palm, FL 1. 01. 41
CLICK HERE for overall stage results
Thank you to Blue Ridge Adventures team for putting on a great event
Written by Jen & Anthony Toops
Friday, April 15th, 2022
The Fox Factory’s Carl Schenck Route aka “The Queen Stage” was 31. 5 miles long with 4113 feet of elevation gain. It included the most technical singletrack of all the stages plus a steep hike-a-bike. A cold 40 degree start gave way to sunny skies and temps in the 60’s
Racers started at the The Cradle of Forestry-Birthplace of Forest Conservation in America inside Pisgah National forest. This stage is named after Dr. Carl Schenck who was brought to the area in 1895 by the Vanderbilt family to manage the forest. The race started on gravel and hit trails. Funnel Top, Squirrel Gap, Laurel Creek, FS5016, Laurel Mountain and Pilot Rock
Watch the video recap.Women’s Open.
1st Kaysee Armstrong 3. 15. 31
2nd Kait Boyle 3. 20. 41
3rd Taylor Kuyk-White 3. 23. 33
Kaysee remains in the overall lead heading into stage 5. Taylor Kuyk-White in 2nd and Kait Boyle in 3rd. The women’s open class will be interesting to watch on stage five with Kait, Taylor and Jocelyn all about a minute and a half apart. Jocelyn unfortunately broke her frame heading down pilot rock so she will need to find a bike to ride for tomorrows stage
Men’s Open
1st Carson Beckett 2. 38. 10
2nd Kerry Werner 2. 38. 11
3rd Ian Blythe 2. 46. 19
Kerry Werner continues to lead the overall men heading into stage 5. Carson Beckett in 2nd and Cypress Gorry in 3rd
Stage 4 Enduro- Pilot Rock
The Queen stage enduro was on the infamous Pilot Rock trail. The enduro was 2. 25 miles long with a 1478 foot descent, plenty of rocks, tight technical switchbacks, roots, a creek crossing, hecklers, and a steep uphill pedal section at the end. A beast of a downhill to say the least
Women’s Enduro
1st Kait Boyle 12. 24
2nd Annie Schwartz 13. 30
3rd Kaysee Armstrong 13. 31
In the overall women’s enduro, Kait Boyle remains in the lead going into the final stage. Kaysee Armstrong in 2nd and Taylor Kuyk-White in 3rd
Men’s Enduro
1st Cypress Gorry 9. 40
2nd Ian Blythe 10. 45
3rd Nick Mackie 10. 59
In the mens enduro, Cypress Gorry absolutely crushed the enduro segment and won by almost a minute. He leads the overall enduro heading into the final stage. Kerry Werner crashed heading down Pilot but remains in 2nd overall and Ian Blythe in 3rd
CLICK HERE for full results from each stage
Thursday, April 14th, 2022
Sycamore Cycles’ White Squirrel Route
Stage 3 is sponsored by Sycamore Cycles and is aptly named the White squirrel Route since Brevard is well known for white squirrels. The area was populated with white squirrels after a circus train carrying them tipped over quite a few years back. This stage offers 29. 5 miles and 6000 feet of climbing. The forecasted rain held off and racers were welcomed with sunny skies later in the stage
The race starts at the bottom of Black Mountain. Racers immediately funnel into double track up Grassy Rd and over to a rooty fast decent down Sycamore Cove. From there, they loop back around to Thrift cove and climb Black Mountain. Racers then climb up Clawhammer road and descend down Avery Creek which is a fun technical downhill. After some more gravel climbing racers head down Bennett Gap which is the Enduro for stage 3. One more gravel climb and racers headed down Black Mountain to the finish line
Women’s Open
1st- Kaysee Armstrong 3. 24
2nd- Taylor Kuyk-Whit 3. 37
3rd- Jocelyn Stel 3. 43
Kaysee Armstrong [Liv] continues to add to her overall lead after her third stage win in a row with a cumulative time of 7 hours 38 minutes. Taylor Kuyk-Whit moves into 2nd overall with a cumulative time of 8 hours 7 minutes, Jocelyn Stel just a minute and a half back in 3rd. Kait Boyle moved into fourth overall but still in podium contention with a time of 8 hours 11 minutes
Men’s Open
1st- Carson Beckett 2. 37. 07. 275
2nd-Kerry Werner 2. 37. 07. 708
3rd- Nick Bragg 2. 54. 12
Kerry Werner holds onto the overall lead with a cumulative time of 6 hours 5 minutes. Carson Beckett in 2nd overall with a time of 6 hours 18 minutes and Cypress Gorry in third overall with a time of 6 hours 33 minutes. Nick Bragg is sitting in 4th overall just 5 minutes back
Stage 3 enduro was a 2. 5 mile 1230 ft descent down Bennett Gap. This enduro had something for everyone with a hike-a-bike, pedal sections, rock drops, massive roots and plenty of Pisgah gnar
Women’s Enduro
1st- Kait Boyle 14. 26
2nd- Kaysee Armstrong 15. 14
3rd- Taylor Kuyk-Whit 15. 17
Kait Boyle continues to lead the overall women’s enduro with a cumulative time of 29 minutes 55 seconds. Kaysee Armstrong in second with a time of 31 minutes 24 seconds. Taylor Kuyk-White is hot on Kaysee’s heels with a time of 31 minutes 35 seconds
Men’s Enduro
1st- Cypress Gorry 9. 47
2nd- Kerry Werner 10. 40
3rd- Carson Beckett 10. 43
Cypress Gorry continues to lead the overall men’s enduro with a cumulative time of 23 minutes 9 seconds. Kerry Werner in 2nd with a time of 23 minutes 59 seconds. Ian Blythe holds down 3rd place with a time of 26 minutes 11 seconds. A very close race in the men’s overall enduro with Carson Beckett, Nick Bragg, and Nick Mackie just seconds from a podium position. How will tomorrow play out after the famous Pilot Rock enduro descent?
Watch the video recap
CLICK HERE for full results from each stage
Written by Jen & Anthony Toops
Photos by Icon Media Ashville
Wednesday, April 13th, 2022
Athletic Brewing CO’s Promise Land Route
Stage 2. Todays stage started with a police escort out of the Black Mountain trail head on 6. 2 miles of pavement leading racers to the Turkey Pen area where the race started full gas. From here stage 2 showcased that true “Pisgah” style with technical roots and rocks. This stage had the highest amount of single track and included popular trails such as Mullinex, Squirrel Gap and Buckhorn Gap. Racers endured a long hike-a-bike up to Buckhorn Gap but were rewarded with the full Black Mountain decent all the way to the finish line
Women’s Open
1st- Kaysee Armstrong 2 hours 53 minutes
2nd-Kait Boyle 2 hours 59 minutes
3rd- Jocelyn Stel 3 hours 2 minutes
Kaysee leads the overall women after stage 2 with Kait Boyle moving into 2nd and Jocelyn Stel 3rd
Men’s Open
1st- Carson Beckett 2 hours 18 mintues
2nd- Kerry Werner 2 hours 19 minutes
3rd- Tyler Clark 2 hours 20 minutes
In the men’s open Kerry Werner takes the overall lead, followed by Tyler Clark 2nd and Cypress Gorry in third
Stage 2 Enduro was the Black Mountain descent. Black Mountain is one of the most popular trails in Pisgah with a mix of flow and technical riding losing 1320 feet over 2 miles
Women’s Open
1st- Kait Boyle 9 minutes 12 seconds
2nd- Hannah Arensman 9 minutes thirty-five seconds
3rd- Kaysee Armstrong 9 minutes thirty-six seconds
Kait Boyle took the lead for the overall enduro going into stage 3. Hannah Arensman in second and Kaysee Armstrong in third
Men’s Open
1st- Tyler Clark 7 minutes thirty-seven seconds
2nd- Kerry Werner 7 minutes forty-three seconds
3rd- Cypress Gorry 7 minutes forty-six seconds
Heading into stage 3, Tyler Clark is leading the overall enduro, Kerry Werner in second and Cypress Gorry in third
Written by. Jen & Anthony Toops
Photos by. Icon Media Ashville
CLICK HERE for full results from each stage
Blue Ridge Adventures
Tuesday, April 12th, 2022
Squirts Looking Glass Route
For 2022, a new opening stage was unveiled, making it logistically easier on everyone. This allowed racers to start and finish in the same location for 3 days in a row. The new opening stage had a 5 mile warm up ride from the on the Brevard pathway. After arriving at the Railroad Depot park, the 15. 5 mile adventure begins with a heart pumping climb up Bracken Mountain, a mix of machine built trails, showcasing the newest trail Stoney Knob, and a high speed Enduro down Joel Branch
- 15. 5 miles / 25 km
- 2,200 ft / 670 m elevation gain
- Named for Looking Glass Rock – a nearly 4,000′ tall piece of exposed whiteside granite
Women’s open
Coming off racing the Cape Epic and the Lifetime Grand Prix, Kaysee Armstrong [Liv], from Knoxville, TN, took the win with a time of 1. 20. 30. Taking second with a time of 1. 23. 14 was, Jocelyn Stel [Liv], making the trek down from Canada to race. Rounding out the women’s open podium was, Taylor Kuyk-White [Philly Bike Expo, Industry Nine] with a time of 1. 24. 55
Men’s Open
A very close race in the men’s open division. Local Cypress Gorry [Ride Kanuga Specialized], took the win on stage 1 finishing with a time of 1. 08. 09. Hot on his heels was another local, Tyler Clark [Brevard College], taking second with a time of 1. 08. 11. 0. PSR veteran, Kerry Werner [Kona] from VA, rounded out the podium with a time of 1. 08. 11. 04. This will be an exciting division to watch over the next few stages
Enduro. Within each stage of the Pisgah Stage Race there’s a timed Enduro segment. Racers are competing not only for bragging rights but also a cash purse given out to the overall top female and male riders at the end of the 5 stages
Todays enduro was an all-out attack down the Joel Branch gravel forest road. Riders had to manage maintaining speed throughout the segment, with a lack of traction in the corners. The gravel definitly presented a new challenge for an enduro win
Women’s Enduro
1st. Hannah Arensman 6. 16. 4, 2nd. Kait Boyle 6. 16. 6, 3rd. Jocelyn Stel 6. 22. 3
Men’s Enduro
1st. Cypress Gorry 5. 35. 5, 2nd. Kerry Werner 5. 35. 5, 3rd. Tyler Clark 5. 36
CLICK HERE for full results from Stage 1
Written by. Jen & Anthony Toops
Written by. Jen & Anthony Toops
After getting postponed for several years due to the pandemic, the Pisgah Stage Race is officially ON for 2022. Presented by Blue Ridge Adventures, the Pisgah Stage Race takes place April 11th-16th, 2022 in Brevard, North Carolina. The PSR is officially sold out for 2022, but mark your calendars for mid May when registration opens for 2023
This 5-stage race takes riders on a tour of Pisgah, through the temperate rain forest sampling some of the best singletrack Pisgah has to offer. The race traverses over 140 miles and climbs 20000+ feet with scenic views, waterfalls, creek crossings and is a mix of 76% singletrack, 19% dirt road, and 5% asphalt. As always, racers can also test themselves in the timed enduro section on each stage which has its own unique awards and overall crown
NEW for 2022
A new opening stage has been unveiled for 2022 making it logistically easier on everyone. This allows racers to start and finish in the same location for 3 days in a row. The new opening stage has a 5 mile warm up ride on the Brevard pathway. After arriving at the Railroad Depot park, the 15. 5 mile adventure begins with a mix of machine built trails, and as always a taste of that technical backcountry Pisgah singletrack
2022 Pisgah Stage Race Amenities. included with entry
- 5 well marked courses with enduro segment each day
- Instant chip timed results
- Daily leader’s jersey for all categories
- Fully stocked rest stops including mechanical and medical assistance
- Drop system
- Recovery zone after each stage
- Bike wash station
- Breakfast each morning. Scones, coffee, granola, yogurt and fruit
- 6 locally sourced dinners. Click Here for 2022 dinner menu
- Finishers T-Shirt
- PSR jersey for all participants registered by March 15th
- Custom Crafted Prizes – Awarded to top three in each category. $750, $500, $250 to top three overall men and women for the cross country. $150, $130, $120 to the top 3 overall enduro men and women
Additional add on services that are still available for purchase. to purchase
- Mechanic service from Sycamore Cycles
- Daily post race massage. 15 minutes for $30, 30 minutes for $60
- Training plans from previous PSR winner Tristan Cowie
- Nutrition plan by Emily Werner. Zoom presentation on 3/28/21
- On site Cabins – single room weekly rental for $600
New for 2022- Stage 1. Squirts Looking Glass Route- Tuesday, April 12th, 2022
Stage 2. Athletic Brewing Co’s Promised Land Route- Wednesday, April 13th, 2022
Stage 3. Sycamore Cycles’ White Squirrel Route- Thursday, April 14th 2022
Stage 4. Fox Factory’s Carl Schenek Route- Friday, April 15th 2022
Stage 5. Industry Nine’s The land of the Waterfalls Route- Saturday, April 16th, 2022
Written by. Jen & Anthony Toops, Photos by. IconMediaAsheville
Blue Ridge Adventures presents the 12thannual Pisgah Stage Race. It takes place April 13th– April 18th 2020 in Brevard, North Carolina. This 5-stage race takes riders on a tour of Pisgah, through the temperate rain forest sampling some of the best singletrack Pisgah has to offer. The race traverses over 140 miles and climbs 20000+ feet with scenic views, waterfalls, creek crossings, and is mix of 76% singletrack, 19% gravel, and 5% asphalt. As always, racers can also test themselves in the timed enduro section on each stage which has its own unique awards and overall crown
The Pisgah trail system has always been know for its natural ruggedness but sometimes even the best trails require much needed TLC. Crews have been hard at work making some of the most popular trails in the area even better for 2020. Maintenance has been completed on upper/lower Black Mountain, Avery Creek and Bennett Gap, which ironically are all in stage 3. 2020 is gearing up to be one of the best yet
More ways to race in 2020
2020 will debut some exciting new categories; women’s grand master 50+ and a duo 80+ or 100+ team category which require the teams combined age to equal 80-99 or 100+. There are some fast racers in all of these age groups so the competition should be fun to watch
Standard PSR categories for 2020 include. Open Men, Open Women, Singlespeed, Vet Men 30-39, Vet Women 30-39, Master Men 40-49, Master Women 40-49, Grand Master Men 50-59, Grand Master Women 50-59 [New], Senior Men 60+, Duo Men, Duo Women, Duo Co-Ed, Duo men 80+ [New], Duo Men 100+ [New]
2020 Pisgah Stage Race Amenities
- 5 well marked courses with enduro segment each day
- Instant chip timed results
- Daily leader’s jersey for all categories
- Fully stocked rest stops including mechanical and medical assistance
- Drop system
- Recovery zone after each stage
- Bike wash
- Breakfast each morning. Scones, coffee, granola, yogurt and fruit
- 6 locally sourced dinners. Click here for 2020 dinner menu
- Finishers T-Shirt
- PSR jersey for all participants registered by March 15th
- Custom Crafted Prizes – Awarded to top three in each category. $750, $500, $250 to top three overall men and women for the cross country. $150, $130, $120 to the top 3 overall enduro men and women
Stage 1. Clif’s Looking Glass Route- Tuesday, April 14th, 2020
Stage 2. Sunset Motels Promised Land Route- Wednesday, April 15th, 2020
Stage 3. Sycamore Cycles White Squirrel Route- Thursday, April 16, 2020
Stage 4. Fox Factory Carl Schenck Route- Friday, April 17, 2020
Stage 5. Industry Nine’s Land of Waterfalls Route- Saturday, April 18, 2020
Still debating? Don’t wait too long, there are limited spots left for a week full of roots, rocks and repeat. CLICK HERE to get registered
Saturday April 14, 2018
Stage 5 is the Industry Nine’s Land of the Waterfall route
Racers board buses for a shuttle up to a remote start
Stacey Mulligan climbs her singlespeed up to Farlow’s Gap
Bacon handups
Dylan Johnson wins stage five but is unable to gain enough to move up to the podium. Travis Livermon wins the Pisgah Stage Race, Tristan Cowie a close 2nd just 5 minutes back and Kerry Werner hangs on for 3rd
The top five finishers in the Men’s open are
RankFirst NameLast NameTeam NameStage 5 TimeTotal Time1TRAVISLIVERMON02. 04. 18. 91411. 11. 30. 0872TRISTANCOWIESycamore Cycles02. 04. 51. 74911. 16. 02. 3283KERRYWERNERKona Endurance Team02. 05. 48. 19511. 23. 22. 4904TRISTANUHLGiant co-factory02. 02. 08. 04011. 27. 43. 6785DYLANJOHNSONLeska MTB Racing02. 02. 01. 09111. 31. 54. 422Men’s Open overall podium. 1st Travis Livermon, 2nd Tristan Cowie, 3rd Kerry Werner
In the Women’s Division Jena Greaser seals up the win for the overall title. Ada Xinxo finishes 2nd about 20 minutes back from Jena. Jen Nielson comes in 3rd with a total time of 15hrs
The top five finishers in the Women’s open are
Division. OPEN WOMENRankFirst NameLast NameState/CountryTeam NameStage 5 TimeTotal Time1JENAGREASERBRITISH COLUMBIA02. 33. 10. 70314. 02. 18. 8722ADAXINXOSPAINTrideporte / Tracks Ibiza02. 37. 28. 60014. 22. 46. 2663JENNIELSONSCI9 SouthPaw Cycles Liv02. 44. 15. 02215. 00. 43. 4994JENTOOPSOHPearl Izumi/Pivot Cycles02. 47. 53. 20815. 25. 44. 5635KAARINTAENS02. 50. 51. 54915. 41. 42. 228Women’s Open overall podium. 1st Jena Greaser, 2nd Ada Xinxo, 3rd Jen Nielson
Men’s Enduro Podium. 1st Kerry Werner, 2nd Tristan Cowie, 3rd Tristan Uhl
Women’s Enduro Podium. 1st Jena Greaser, 2nd Kim Quinlan, 3rd Meghan Korol
Watch the Stage 5 video recap
For full stage results click here
2018 Pisgah Stage Race Overall Results
Friday April 13, 2018
Stage 4 was brought to you by Fox Factory and this stage had the most singletrack of all the stages.
Racer approaching the heckling section on Pilot Rock
Jen Toops [Pearl Izumi/Pivot Cycles] headed down Pilot Rock
A little shake up in the Men’s open with Dylan Johnson taking the win on stage 4
1. Dylan Johnson, NC, 2. 32. 25
2. Travis Livermon, NC, 2. 33. 54
3. Tristan Cowie, NC, 2. 36. 02
In the overall Men’s open Travis Livermon remains in the top spot with an overall time of 9. 07. 11. Tristan Cowie is several minutes back at 9. 11. 10 and Kerry Werner continues in third place at 9. 17. 34.
1. Jena Greaser, Canada, 3. 15. 30
2. Ada Xinxo, Spain, 3. 17. 18
3. Jen Nielson, SC, 3. 31. 48
Jena Greser continues to dominate the women’s field, having a fifteen minute gap over Ada Xinxo going into the final stage. Ada Xinxo sits comfortably in 2nd at 11. 45. 17 and Jen Nielson 3rd at 12. 16. 28
Click Here for Full Results from All Categories
Thursday April 12, 2018
Racers fighting for position at the start at the bottom of Black Mountain
The race starts at the bottom of Black Mountain. Racers immediately funnel into double track up Grassy Rd and over to a rooty fast decent down Sycamore Cove. From there racers loop back around to Thrift cove over to climb/hike-a-bike up black mountain. A fun decent down Buckhorn gap brings you to the 2. 25 mile enduro section on Avery Creek. This downhill sections offers a little of everything from roots, rocks, drops, creek crossings and smooth fast hammer sections
Carey Lowery [Women’s Masters leader] tearing up the downhill
Sketchy bridge crossing after the Avery creek enduro
Taking the win for the day in Men’s open is Travis Livermon from NC with a time of 2. 31. 30. Stefano Barberi from CA came in 2nd at a time of 2. 33. 03 and finishing 3rd is Tristan Cowie from NC in 2. 34. 03. After stage 3 Travis now takes the lead in the overall Men’s Open.
Race director Todd Branham awaits racers at the finish line
Watch the video recap
Wednesday April 11, 2018
Written by. Jen Toops
Stage 2 was a close race in the Men’s Open. Travis Livermon overtook Tristan Cowie in a close finish taking the stage win by less than a second. Tristan Still holds onto the overall lead by less than a minute over Travis. Rounding out 3rd place is Kerry Werner only a few minutes back
Men’s Open category. 1st- Travis Livermon. 2. 14. 04. 448 USA, 2nd- Tristan Cowie 2. 14. 04. 965 USA, and Kerry Werner 3rd 2. 17. 05 USA
In the Women’s open division it was Jena Greaser still holding strong in first and adding to her overall lead. Ada Xinxo comes in 2nd about 6 minutes back moving her to the 2nd overall position. Jen Nielson grabs the 3rd podium spot pushing her to 3rd overall
In the Women’s Open division. 1st- Jena Greaser 2. 44. 54 Canada, 2nd Ada Xinxo in 2. 50. 59 Spain, 3rd Jen Nielson 2. 58. 49 USA
Tomorrow’s stage 3 brings a lot of climbing and locals favorite trails such as Avery Creek and Buckhorn gap
Click Here for Full Results From Each Stage
Tuesday April 10, 2018
Written by. Jen Toops
Stage one sponsored by Cliff is the Looking Glass Route. This stage has 4,130 ft of elevation gain over 25 miles and visits Daniel Ridge, Gloucester Gap, Butter Gap, Long Branch, Davidson River and Cove Creek trails
A very tight race is forming in the Men’s Open category. 1st- Tristan Cowie. 1. 46. 59 USA, 2nd-Travis Livermon. 1. 47. 42 USA, and Kerry Werner. 3rd 1. 49. 18 USA
Tristan Cowie takes the lead by less than a minute going into stage 2
In the Women’s Open division. 1st- Jena Greaser. 2. 16. 50 CANADA, 2nd Jen Nielson. 2. 18. 43 USA and hot on the chase is Ada Xinxo in 3rd 2. 19. 03 Spain
Jena Greaser takes the leaders jersey
Click Here for Full Results from each Stage
The 10th annual Blue Ridge Adventures Pisgah Stage Race takes place April 9-14th, 2018 in Brevard North Carolina. This 5-day journey takes you on a 140-mile tour of Pisgah through the temperate rain forest sampling some of the best singletrack Pisgah has to offer. The race delivers with a timed enduro section each day, scenic views, waterfalls, creek crossings, technical east coast rooty-rocky singletrack and has over 20,000 feet of elevation gain. Racers from around the globe including 9 different countries and 23 states are signed up making the race already 75% sold out
https. //youtu. be/akXImuoJIyc
After each stage of the race the Brevard Music center serves as the venue for results, awards, slide show of race day photos and a local gourmet meal
Some racers are looking for a challenging week with scenic views and technical riding but some are looking for a podium position. Which racers can push their limits and take the top spots this year?
The defending champion in the Women’s Pro class and fat bike national champ Jena Greaser is returning and hoping to hold on to that top step. Trying to challenge her will be Ada Xinxo from Spain, Jenna Downey and many other women eager to be crowned the new champion
In the Men’s Open category Elliot Baring, Stefano Barberi, Jeff Cheever, Santi Val and Tristian Uhl are all looking to face the 2017-defending champion Tristian Cowie. With such a stacked field of men its definitely going to be an exciting race
Stages
Stage 3, Sycamore Cycles White Squirrel Route, is hump day for the Oskar Blues Pisgah Stage Race. This is also the “locals course”, as many of the trails are part of folks’ regular ride. Put them all together and you get a sweet 29-mile route with over 5,100 feet of elevation gain
The course starts on Grassy Rd, a relatively short double track climb that connects into a fun, rooty descent down Sycamore Cove. Another double track climb up Thrift Cove preps riders for the tough, technical singletrack climb/hike up Black Mountain. A technical descent to Buckhorn Gap and a short climb takes riders to the top of the day’s Enduro Section, Avery’s Creek. This is an area favorite that challenges even experienced downhillers. It has a little of everything to keep you on your toes. Ruts, rocks, and drops in the top section are intermittently broken up with some smooth sections that let riders catch their breath. As you get further down, the vegetation gets thicker and a number of creek crossings help keep things interesting
The Open Men’s category saw a slight gap between leaders, Kerry Werner and Tristan Cowie. The two rode together for the first part of the day, but towards the middle of the course, Werner was able to break away and finish about 2 ½ minutes ahead of Cowie, taking the stage and race leader position
Bryna Blanchard continues her lead in the Open Women category and the battle continues for 2nd & 3rd between Emily Shields and Heidi Rentz. Blanchard has steadily built a 37 minute gap between herself and second place. Shields is trying as hard as she can to keep, or increase, her 8 minute lead over Rentz. Although, even with a 45 minute spread between 1st and 3rd place, in a 5 day stage race, the last 2 days are where it can be won or lost
Stage 3 was also a day where Pisgah showed some of its teeth. Broken derailleurs, pinch flats and broken spokes were all stories being told at the finish line. Reputations are made for a reason and Pisgah is no different. Roots, rocks and drops are all part of the package and some racers had to pay Sycamore Cycles a visit to get their bike back on the trail for Stage 4
Stage 2 of the Pisgah Stage Race saw more tight racing as riders tackled more of Pisgah National Forest’s most beloved trails, including Squirrel Gap and Black Mountain Trail
In the Men’s Open, it was again Kerry Werner [Ken’s Bike Shop] and Tristan Cowie [CTS] riding together at the front for most of the day. Cowie was able to create a small gap on the final descent on Black Mountain to take the stage win by three seconds. That saw him leapfrog past Werner to take over the race lead, but with just two seconds separating first and second it’s still all to play for with three days of racing behind
Behind Werner and Cowie, overnight third place rider Chris Tries [Piney Flats Bike Shop] suffered a disastrous mechanical when his wheel imploded early in the stage. Fortunately, he was able to borrow a bike from a volunteer, and ride himself back into third on the day to preserve his GC spot
On the women’s side, it was again Bryna Blanchard who took the win, but Emily Shields [Stan’s No Tubes] made some moves and was able to ride herself into second in GC thanks to a strong performance. Heidi Rentz hung on for third
Check out Full Results here
2016 Pisgah Stage Race. Stage 1
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
The weather forecast for Stage 1. Ally’s Bar Looking Glass Route of the 2016 Oskar Blues Pisgah Stage Race called for 100% chance of rain all day. What riders got were early morning clouds turning to sunshine as they rolled across the starting line, topping out at a perfect 68 degrees
Stage 1 eases riders into the week with a 24. 7 mile route and 4,130 feet of climbing. With highlights such as Daniel Ridge, Butter Gap, Long Branch, Davidson River and Cove Creek, riders were treated to some of Pisgah’s most popular trails. Gravel road climbs and smile-inducing downhills make for a fast course that leaves riders with enough left over for the rest of the week
Taking the win and wearing the Race Leader jersey for Stage 2 is Kerry Werner, with Tristan Cowie only 1 second behind. Christopher Tries rounded out the top 3 coming in 5 minutes behind Cowie. Bryna Blanchard rocked the Open Women’s category, coming in almost 12 minutes ahead of second place, Heidi Rentz, and 15 minutes ahead of third place women’s finisher, Emily Shields
Each stage has a chip-timed Enduro section that lets the downhillers in the crowd open it up and race for the bottom. Burke Sanders took today’s title, coming in at a screaming 6 minutes 54 seconds. Aaron Albright came in 36 seconds behind Sanders,, with Eric Dodds close on his wheel, with only 7 seconds separating second and third place. Brenda Simril took the women’s honors, with Sue Haywood taking second place. Elizabeth Sampey rounded out the women’s podium
For full results, visit http. //www. blueridgeadventures. net/2016-pisgah-stage-race-results/
After a fast first day, riders are getting ready for Stage 2, which will feature steep, singletrack climbs and screaming downhills over 29 miles. Stay tuned
2016 Pisgah Stage Race. Day 0
Monday, April 11, 2016
The 2016 Oskar Blues Pisgah Stage Race is kicking off with it’s opening night at the beautiful Brevard Music Center. Approximately 80 riders, from 6 different countries, are gathering in the Land of Waterfalls for 5 days of some of the best riding in the world. With 140 miles over 5 days and over ¾ of those miles on technical singletrack, this week is truly one of the best ways to experience the best of Pisgah National Forest
While most riders are looking for a challenge and a week of stellar riding, there are a few folks vying for the top spot on the podium that we’ll be keeping an eye on
In the Open Men’s category, we have 2 former Collegiate National Champions that will be battling for the top podium spot. Tristan Cowie, a Brevard resident and graduate of Brevard College, grew up in North Georgia and started riding bikes when he was just 5 years old. After years of racing at the state and national level, Tristan went on to race for Brevard College and is now a Carmichael Training Systems coach
Trying to stop Tristan is Boone resident, National Collegiate Champion & former Pisgah Stage Race winner, Kerry Werner. Kerry is a graduate of Lees-McRae College where he won several championships, as well as participated in World Cup events
For the Open Women’s category, we have a story that we’ll be watching closely as well. Mountain bike legend, Sue Haywood, will be putting a wheel to the starting line and showing everyone what years of professional racing experience and and strategy can do in a 5 day stage race. As a former member of the Trek-Volkswagon MTB team, Sue Haywood is definitely a contender for the number 1 spot
Looking to bump Sue from the top of the podium is Stan NoTubes Women’s Elite Team member, Emily Shields. Emily is comes to the Pisgah Stage Race with U25 wins at other stage races and national championships under her belt. We’ll see if Emily’s youth and energy will be able to take on Sue’s experience and knowledge
Thomas Turner [Jamis] pulled off an epic upset at the Pisgah Stage Race yesterday, becoming the first rider to beat Jeremiah Bishop [Topeak-Ergon] in a stage race on American soil. Bishop’s streak had included wins at multiple editions of the Pisgah Stage Race, the Transylvannia Epic, Breck Epic, and others. However, despite innumerable attacks throughout the day, in the end Bishop was only able to put 10 seconds into Turner on the final stage, not enough to take the GC lead. Sara Sheets [Oscar Blues] took her forth stage win in five days to claim the overall win in the Women’s Open race
Check out the highlight video and results for the week below
Men’s Open Results
PositionBib #NameStage 1Stage 2Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Overall TimeDivisionTeam Name193THOMAS TURNER 1. 59. 08. 2 2. 26. 51. 4 2. 44. 09. 4 2. 41. 27. 0 2. 09. 07. 512. 00. 43Open MenTeam Jamis294JEREMIAH BISHOP 2. 05. 08. 1 2. 25. 46. 6 2. 44. 45. 5 2. 37. 46. 8 2. 09. 06. 312. 02. 33Open MenTeam Topeak Ergon384CORY RIMMER 2. 09. 54. 7 2. 34. 37. 9 2. 57. 30. 7 2. 57. 52. 4 2. 18. 59. 812. 58. 56Open MenKona Bikes / Nox Composites / Provision Sports Medicine492DAVID FORKNER 2. 03. 25. 1 2. 43. 48. 7 3. 02. 15. 3 2. 58. 24. 7 2. 21. 31. 413. 09. 25Open MenTeam CTS581WILLIAM HARRISON 2. 04. 33. 8 2. 41. 37. 4 3. 10. 27. 3 3. 46. 22. 8 2. 20. 53. 114. 03. 54Open MenClemmons Bicycle Racing685ANDRE LANDRY 2. 17. 42. 9 2. 56. 19. 8 3. 09. 33. 8 3. 21. 43. 3 2. 41. 42. 514. 27. 02Open Menmikes bike shop796ERIC INGALSBE 2. 22. 17. 3 2. 55. 12. 5 3. 09. 36. 2 3. 13. 00. 6 2. 55. 44. 314. 35. 51Open MenThe Bike Shop880MATTHEW KESECKER 2. 35. 21. 0 3. 23. 07. 8 3. 37. 56. 2 3. 38. 28. 1 2. 56. 24. 616. 11. 18Open MenCAMBO / Hammer Nutrition986BRENT CROMWELL 2. 46. 45. 9 3. 39. 08. 6 3. 42. 57. 7 3. 42. 44. 9 2. 47. 35. 916. 39. 13Open MenN/A1089CURTIS HOYT 2. 58. 53. 5 4. 01. 50. 9 3. 49. 48. 4 3. 47. 00. 2 3. 05. 07. 717. 42. 41Open MenSlippery Sasquatch Racing1197MIKE FOLLAND 3. 12. 29. 3 3. 34. 01. 0 3. 36. 43. 6 4. 36. 52. 1 2. 44. 59. 817. 45. 06Open Men1298DAVE GRANT 2. 49. 08. 6 3. 54. 44. 3 4. 02. 48. 1 4. 04. 53. 1 2. 57. 27. 617. 49. 02Open Men1378JEFFREY CONLEY 2. 55. 45. 0 4. 05. 55. 8 4. 20. 24. 8 4. 14. 39. 5 3. 15. 26. 118. 52. 11Open MenAdventure Medical Group1482CHRISTOPHER DOBBINS 3. 34. 11. 8 3. 47. 42. 8 4. 03. 23. 3 4. 37. 15. 9 3. 11. 17. 019. 13. 51Open MenCool Breeze / Trek15193BURKE SAUNDERS 2. 58. 02. 8 4. 19. 48. 0 4. 39. 04. 2 5. 18. 36. 9 4. 06. 38. 421. 22. 10Open MenIndustry Nine / Endless Bike Co. / Wicked Wash1683JONATHAN GARRICK 3. 34. 03. 5 5. 19. 48. 0 4. 04. 20. 2 4. 36. 50. 3DNS–Open MenCool Breeze / Trek1791NEKO MULALLY 2. 57. 43. 1 3. 45. 16. 4 4. 39. 03. 5 5. 18. 36. 5DNS–Open MenGSTAAD-ScottWomen’s Open Results
188SARA SHEETS 2. 27. 32. 4 3. 11. 51. 7 3. 36. 02. 9 3. 40. 48. 2 2. 49. 25. 015. 45. 40Open WomenOskar Blues25KAYSEE ARMSTRONG 2. 29. 55. 0 3. 28. 50. 6 3. 46. 21. 5 3. 25. 57. 3 2. 48. 06. 915. 59. 11Open WomenKona/ Provision Sports & Medicine379ALLY STACHER 2. 26. 34. 4 3. 26. 30. 9 3. 39. 33. 4 3. 49. 46. 2 2. 39. 31. 216. 01. 56Open WomenAlly’s Bar490VIVIANE FAVERY-COSTA 2. 42. 29. 8 3. 36. 42. 5 3. 59. 17. 3 4. 03. 53. 7 2. 59. 13. 817. 21. 37Open WomenSpecialized Women Brasil / Pedal Urbano52HEATHER DAVIS 3. 14. 32. 7 4. 31. 53. 1 4. 49. 21. 1 5. 17. 15. 2 3. 39. 48. 021. 32. 50Open WomenAlly’s BarWith 4 of 5stages completed, the Pisgah Stage Race is far from over. In the Open Men’s race, Thomas Turner [Jamis] and Jeremiah Bishop [Topeak-Ergon] have been battling all week. Turner snuck ahead to take his second stage win on Stage 3, but Bishop came roaring back today, taking the Queen Stage and bringing himself within 2 minutes of the GC lead with one day remaining
On the women’s side, Sara Sheets [Oscar Blues] looks to have a stranglehold on the GC, though today it was Kaysee Armstrong [Kona] who took the stage win by a commanding 25 minutes. If she can put in a similar performance tomorrow, Armstrong could well take overall
Stage 5 will see riders tackle some of the toughest descents of the week, including Farlow Gap and Daniel Ridge. With some much on the line in the GC, riders will no doubt have to take some risks on the final day if they want to claim the overall Pisgah Stage Race title