Woolly Mountain Bike Race | MN MTB Series

The Woolly Bike Club Mountain Bike Race is our most local race with the trails only being about 10 minutes from our shop and about 30 minutes from home. We know the trails well and although we’re obviously a bit biased, we do think it is one of the better run and organized races in the series for a variety of reasons, such as it’s always well marked, has volunteers and sometimes multiple at any crossing or intersections, the infield (start/finish) area is well setup and they always have an ample amount of porta-jons.

Results

2024 Results

Lynn (Comp) – 4th in age, 19th overall
Reid (Comp) – 5th in age, 15th overall
Kyle (Elite) – 1st in age, 8th overall
Steve (Elite) – 4th in age, 9th overall

2023 Results

Reid (Sport) – 7th in age, 15th overall
Kyle (Comp) – 2nd in age, 8th overall
Lynn (Sport) – 1st in age, 5th overall
Steve (Elite) – 4th in age, 17th overall

2022 Results

Reid (Sport Class) – 4th of 10 in age (14 & under) and 20th overall
Kyle (Comp Class) – 7th of 14 in age (18 & under) and 19th overall

2021 Results

Reid (Sport) – DNF (Pinch flatted the sidewalk curb)
Kyle (Comp) – DNF (Pinch flatted the sidewalk curb)
Steve (Elite) – 12th in age, 32nd overall

Race Notes

2024 Ride Notes

It was a great race and Kyle beat me today for the first time in a MTB race. He did beat me in a cyclocross race a couple years ago as well. We were racing together the first 2.5 laps and then he passed me and put a gap on me and I couldn’t pull him back in. He ended up putting over a minute into me. Super exciting to see him get faster and stronger!

Reid was having a great race as well, but did crash twice. The last one was right near the finish and costed him a few places. He had a rough winter/spring, but is getting some miles in again and seems to be getting his race legs back! His skin still lights up like no other, but slowly getting better and he’s a fighter!

Other notes….
-I totally fumbled my start and must have looked like it was the first time I rode a bike.
-Super hot and muggy day.
-This is a fun course as you can see the other racers around you for a lot of the sections of trail through the switchbacks.
-The early efforts and heat got to me and felt like my bike handling was a bit off and shaky.

2023 Race Notes

Race #5 of the MN MTB Series. We enjoyed a new course layout for the Woolly race! It was fast! Woolly always has a good turnout and the Woolly crew always puts on a well run race! We had a great showing from the family and the Maklin crew today!

2022 Race Notes

I enjoyed watching the boys race again today and racked up a few miles riding around to course points. They both had really good races! Looking forward to seeing them grow in the sport. It’s been exciting to see them step up to the sport and comp classes this year. I bowed out of racing this year to make sure they were all squared away.

2021 Race Notes

Both boys flatted right after the start. They were hauling out and pinch flatted their rear tires on the curb they had to hop over at the start. Mix of running a little low tire pressure with tubes and not getting that rear tire over the curb.

I had an ok race, given the past year of not spending much time on a mountain bike and mostly gravel riding. Definitely would like to have done better.

Bike Setups

2024 Bike Setups

Reid
Bike: Cervelo ZHT-5
Wheels: DT Swiss XRC 1200
Tires: Maxxis Recon (f) / Icon (r)
Drivetrain: SRAM AXS Eagle

Kyle
Bike: Niner AIR 9 RDO
Wheels: Bontrager XXX Rims on DT 240 Hubs
Tires: Vittoria Barzo (f) / Mezcal (r)
Drivetrain: SRAM AXS Eagle

Lynn
Bike: Niner RKT 9 RDO
Wheels: Reserve 28 XC on DT 350 Hubs
Tires: Vittoria Barzo (f) / Mezcal (r)
Drivetrain: SRAM Eagle

Steve
Bike: Cervelo ZFS-5 120
Wheels: DT Swiss XMC 1200
Tires: Vittoria Barzo (f) / Mezcal (r)
Drivetrain: SRAM AXS Transmission

Fuel/Hydration

2024

Steve’s Hydration

USWE pack w/ 2L bladder and 3 servings SIS Electrolyte Hydration mix. -Underdiluted the mix and then topped off bladder with ice cubes. Had cold mix for at least the first half of race.
Took a frozen bottle hand up on the second lap… I froze some bottles, but they hadn’t thawed enough by the time I needed them. It melted quickly on the bike and had some cold water the toward end of race.