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Rasputitsa Gravel Race Report, Results, PHOTOS – Bessette Wins, Surch Takes Second

by Peter Kraiker
Lyne Bessette was the top woman  ©  Peter Kraiker
April 19, 2016 (East Burke, Vermont) – Rasputitsa is Russian for mud season when roads become difficult to traverse. The Rasputitsa Gravel Race is a psychotic 72.42km (45-mile), insane, drop-to-your-knees-and-cry suffer-fest with an absurdly difficult section called Cyberia – so difficult that people won’t believe your stories.

Ansel Dickey won the overall title  ©  Peter Kraiker

Now in it’s 3rd year the event has grown from a pack of 50 or so enthusiasts to over 600 riders taking to the start line in East Burke, Vermont. It’s not a sanctioned race so there are only bragging rights to be gained. In previous years it’s been defined by the amount of mud and snow challenging riders. For 2016, there was a dramatic departure from past inclement weather as bright blue skies and milder temperatures that surged into the teens were the norm.

Jordan Greenberg leading a pack  ©  Peter Kraiker
Don Seib in the final descent  ©  Peter Kraiker

The first rider to cross the line was Ansel Dickey from Woodstock, VT, with a time of 2:03:47. Dickey had won the inaugural edition and managed to beat last year’s runner up, Matt Surch from Ottawa, ON, by a little over a minute and a half. In the women’s field it was legendary Canadian rider, Lyne Bessette, who now hails from Topsfield, MA, crossing the line to stop the clock at 2:18:11 – results and more photos below.

The finish was at the Burke Publik House  ©  Peter Kraiker
Volunteers and cheerleaders  ©  Peter Kraiker

Results (brief)

Women
1. Lyne Bessette (1/40-49) 2:18:11.8
2. Kate Northcott (1/24-39) 4:24.4
3. Julie Wright (2/24-39) 10:32.8
4. Magdeleine Vallieres-Mill (1/1-23) 13:27.5
5. Leslie Robinson (2/40-49) 17:37.9
6. Ellen Noble (2/1-23) 21:47.7
7. Sharon Lisa Benedict  (3/40-49) 21:47.8
8. Karine Corbeil (3/24-39) 22:54.3
9. Kimberly Quinlan (4/24-39) 22:55.0
10. Elisa Otter  (5/24-39) 23:02.0

Men
1. Ansel Dickey (1/1-23) 2:03:47.9
2. Matt Surch (1/24-39) 1:33.6
3. Marc-André Daigle (2/24-39) 3:17.3
4. Geoffroy Dussault (3/24-39) 3:59.0
5. Case Butler (2/1-23) 4:26.4
6. Alec Donahue (1/40-59) 4:28.8
7. Iain Radford (2/40-59) 5:22.1
8. Jean-Francois Blais (3/40-59) 5:22.5
9. Kirk Kardashian (4/24-39) 7:29.2
10. Trent Blackburn (3/1-23) 8:47.8

Full results here.

 





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