2019 Iceman Cometh Challenge with CyclingLawyer.com

It was an edition of the Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge that we’ll be talking about for years to come! Mud, snow, and some epic conditions didn’t ruin the fun for thousands of cyclists. How’d your race go?

It was always going to be tough, but the weather raised the bar for 2019. All week, rain and snow meant that the course never had a chance to dry out. A few sections of singletrack turned into veritable quagmires, and while the conditions were too much for some, thousands of riders braved the muck and the mire. On the other side was their reward; the final 12 miles of the race were fast and firm, with every inch of the Vasa Pathway in perfect shape! 

The new start venue at the Kalkaska Airport provided a really neat location for the race to kick off. After criss-crossing the runway, riders flew (get it?) into the woods just across the street. From there, it was a long and challenging trip through the Pere Marquette Forest. While conditions were tough, there was plenty of real estate to go hard. 

For Chuck, Wave Four was a blessing. It put him ahead of thousands of riders and onto the course while it was still relatively firm and, if not fast, very rideable. He turned in a rock solid three hour time on a day where previous personal bests and results were thrown out the window; just finishing was a victory in and of itself! 

After the race, the party started. It was so great to meet up with friends, clients, and riders from across the country. The finish venue at Timber Ridge was well organized and well stocked with Bell’s beer and great food, and the place positively exploded when Michigan-native Alexey Vermeulen took the men’s Pro win, while cycling legend Katerina Nash won the women’s race! 

We’re already looking forward to Iceman 2020; we’ll see you there!