Finsterwald, Onweller Claim Big Sugar Titles
A favorite and a dark horse took the men’s and women’s victories at Big Sugar Gravel on Oct. 22. The race was the finale of the six-race Life Time Grand Prix.
Russell Finsterwald won the men’s race solo, 25 seconds ahead of overall Grand Prix winner Keegan Swenson. With the win, Finsterwald climbed into third overall in the Grand Prix.
The front group in the men’s race diminished throughout the day. At the 76-mile point of the 104-mile race, the group was down to six. Thirteen miles later, that group had dwindled to just four: Finsterwald, Swenson, Adam Roberge and Alexey Vermeulen.
“I think we all kind of knew that was going to be the group of four vying for the win,” Finsterwald said. “I was just trying to keep the pressure high because of the Life Time points, I was just trying to ride for those. With about a kilometer to go we were doing the cat-and-mouse thing. We were literally going about 5 miles per hour out there. I was like, ‘I’m just gonna go for it right now.’ I was at the back of the group, so I kind of caught them off guard a little bit. I had no idea how far back they were. I was all-in, head down and then with 200 meters to go I looked back and didn’t see them.”
Vermeulen finished second overall in the series, fourth at Big Sugar. Roberge was third at Big Sugar.
On the women’s side, Paige Onweller rolled across the line solo, 6:39 ahead of second place Emily Newsom. Alexis Skarda rounded out the podium. Cycling magazine VeloNews had labeled Onweller as a dark horse to win Big Sugar. She only began cycling two years ago.
Onweller tried to create gaps on the climbs. A tactic that proved successful.
“I was feeling pretty good, so I just decided to push a little harder,” she said. “I knew I might implode at any moment, but I just kept going.
“I kind of knew I was going to win, but I didn’t let my mind go there. Anything could happen — I could flat. With 9 miles to go I was gasping because of the wind, I got goosebumps and I started tearing up. I’ve sacrificed so much to get here and I’m just thankful.”
Haley Smith’s large lead in the Grand Prix was safe, as she won the overall, despite a 13th-place finish. Sofia Gomez Villafane led a group of four over the line for seventh, securing second place overall. Sarah Sturm finished ninth in the race and third in the series.
“If not for this series, I would’ve never done half these races,” Onweller said. “And they let a total newbie come into it. This is what opportunity looks like.”