Breck Epic: Stage 3, Mount Guyot Loop

By Eddie Clark

(August 14, 2012) BRECKENRIDGE, Colo.—Another 40+ mile stage with a return to plentiful sunshine favored racers who recovered well from the previous day.  After the neutral start, racers picked up the pace with another solid climb from French Rd to eventually descend down Little French Gulch before their first climb cresting 12,000 feet to French Pass.

Thanks to the previous day's rains, the Colorado Trail downhill from Georgia Pass was near perfect.  Matthys Beukes was once again on the attack with Ben Melt Swanepoel right on his wheel.  At the end, Swanepoel would come across the line first with Benn Sonntag putting taking second and Matthys again coming in third. 

Women's open overall leader Amanda Carey had another great day on the bike, and was leading the race as she approached the last feed station out of Swan River.  Yolandi Du Toit also was riding well and closed the small gap behind Carey so that they both rolled across the finish with the same time.

The singlespeed race saw Macky Franklin lose some valuable minutes to Brady Kappius due to his cleat tearing out of the shoe.  Kappius would ride on for the stage win, while Franklin still managed to salvage second with just one foot clipped in, and Dax Massey took another third.

The 3 day men's open race finished up with Aaron Gulley taking the stage win, and Matt Simmons finished just a couple seconds back to take the overall win.  Cam Win would get third on the day, but finish in second overall.

The women's 3 day overall was won by Holly Wade, with second going to Debbie Preller and third being rounded out by Kristi Carlson, which was the exact same as the finish order for the stage.