Squire and Tittensor Win 2016 Rage at Snowbird

By Nate Gibby

Luettinger Wins the People’s Choice

Salt Lake City —Robbie Squire won the Elite Men’s division while Nicole Tittensor walked away with the Elite Women’s crown on July 2nd at the Rage at Snowbird, the sixth X-country race of the Intermountain Cup MTB race series. The race has been held yearly at Snowbird since at least 1988.

Photo Gallery of the Rage at Snowbird

With perfect mid-summer temperatures and spectacular mountain vistas on every side, the race wasn’t nearly as pleasant as the surroundings. As a race that started in the late 80s, course was comprised of four laps of five miles each and almost 600 feet of climbing per lap, the trail covered portions of the Peruvian Gulch, Rothmans Way, and Gad Valley, with a biting corner opposite the finish line.

“The Rage at Snowbird XC course is one of my favorites because it embodies everything that I like about mountain biking,” said Squire. “The traverses [of the] Gad Valley area provide substantial climbing as well as ripping fast technical descents lending an advantage to an all-around rider.”

The ultra competitive men’s elite race comp concluded with the top 10 finishers all within minutes of each other. With a finish time of 1:42:14, Holowesko-Citadel pro road racer Squire took the race by a full minute. “The race started off real quick with Bryson Perry (Canyon Bicycles/Shimano) launching off the start line like a missile,” said the Sandy, Utah native. “Fortunately, he faded after the first lap which allowed me to settle into a steady pace.”

On the women’s side, Tittensor (Jans/Scott/Reynolds) rode away with the podium’s top spot, finishing three laps at 1:33:25, over three minutes in front of second-place finisher K.C. Holley. “[Tittensor] took off and I tried to keep an eye on her as we went through the race,” said Holley (Kuhl and Racer’s Cycle Service). “I was never able to close the gap she created on the first lap. My competition was primarily during the first lap trying to get into position and then stay there for the rest of the race.”

However, the racer who won over the hearts of all in attendance, was 15-year-old Chase Luettinger, who finished last in the High School JV Boys division. After a bad start and a subsequent fall caused him to press to catch up to the pack, he blew a tire on a rock at the top of the course. With neither a spare tube nor the tools to fix his wheel, he picked up his bike and started walking the course. As he crossed the finish line with one lap to go, Luettinger defied suggestions that he take a DNF.

“I would rather finish it than quit early,” he said. “I just kept walking and walking.”

With his bike on his back and raucous applause from the spectators, he walked through the finish line and started his final lap.

After trudging along for the first quarter of the course, a spectator caught up to Luettinger with a tube and tools. With a quick repair, he finished the race on his bike well behind the rest of riders in his division. Despite finishing last, Luettinger’s steely resolve and unbounded determination won the respect and admiration of the crowd.

Founded in 1991, the Intermountain Cup consists of X-country and endurance MTB races throughout Utah. With seven X-country races of approximately 25 miles and four endurance races of approximately 50 miles, the series covers some of the most pristine and difficult rides in the state. More information on the series can be found at intermountaincup.com

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