Jenn Bradshaw
County Reporter
The Warsaw Wildcats Mountain Bike Team and Truman Lake Racing are gearing up to kick-off the 2023 mountain bike racing season in Missouri. The first home race is this Saturday, April 1 at Truman Lake Mountain Bike Park: “Fools Ride”. This is an endurance mountain bike race, with riders choosing between 50, 37, 25, or 12.5 mile treks. The longer miles are great training, both for mental and physical toughness, whereas the shorter distances are more competitive because race pace can be maintained throughout the course. It will be interesting to see what the riders choose to do!
Mac Vorce coaches both the Warsaw Wildcats and Truman Lake Racing.
“We aren’t expecting a big field, but we do have some pretty big names in mountain biking already signed up for the 50,” said Vorce.
Local hopeful Joe Vorce, who competed in the 60-mile Ouachita Challenge this past weekend in Arkansas is in the Fools 50, along with the outstanding young Missouri rider Carter Lembke from Columbia. Veteran racer Roger Williams from Lawrence, Kansas, and several other seasoned riders from Kansas City will be battling the youngsters for the $250 cash prize. The Fools 50 will be a test of will, endurance and mental toughness.
Warsaw rider Keira Mostaffa is entering the 12.5-mile race, planning to smash it out at race pace. Mostaffa is undefeated in her two previous NICA race seasons riding for the Warsaw Wildcats and this is a great warm-up for her.
Another local rider, Jett Fluty, is entered into the 25-mile race. This will be a good test and training ride for Fluty as he comes into the season as a 7th grader.
Jenn Bradshaw manages the Warsaw Wildcat and Truman Lake Racing teams.
“All the distances have their challenges. On the shorter ones, riders feel like they always have to be pushing. But 12.5 miles is still a long way to go and maintaining focus gets difficult. On the longer distances, you really have to think about pacing. It becomes an engagement of will and perseverance as much as physical strength and conditioning,” she said.
Fools Ride is happening this Saturday, April 1 at the Truman Lake Mountain Bike Park located at 28565 Benton House Avenue in Warsaw, Missouri. Come out and cheer your Wildcats on as they battle it out on their home trails.
