Stoltz, Vanlandingham win 13th annual Richmond XTERRA

Press Release / 14.06.2011

It's the third straight year Stoltz, a two-time Olympian and four-time XTERRA World Champion, has won the event and it's his sixth victory in Richmond since 2005. Even more impressive, the day marked Stoltz 10-year anniversary with XTERRA.

“Back in 2001 I was just an innocent roadie thinking I had reached the pinnacle of triathlon going to the Olympic games and I came to Richmond for my first XTERRA,” said Stoltz.

“I borrowed this 35-pound soft ride bike a week before the race and came out just to see what XTERRA was all about, and I was blown away. Mike Vine won, I got second, Nico Lebrun was third, Steve Larsen was fourth, and Ned Overend was fifth. After the race Steve and Ned came over to me and said ‘welcome to XTERRA, great to see you.’ The people were so friendly and I had such a good time that XTERRA became my goal. I really lost my heart to XTERRA in Richmond.”

Likewise, Richmond is infatuated with Stoltz, and the forest surrounding the incredible James River Park System trails are packed every year with locals coming out to see the “Caveman” crush it. Today he did not disappoint. Stoltz splashed out of the James River in third place just a few seconds behind Craig Evans and fellow countryman Dan Hugo. He was four seconds behind Evans leaving the transition area, and in first place just a few moments later.

“An 800 watt sprint out of the transition area and he’s gone, and I’m still trying to get in my shoes. It’s amazing. The first kilometer on the bike he’s putting down 500 watts and I’m thinking to myself this is the moment, I’ve got to be on his wheels, but the power he generates…,” said Hugo, who has now finished second behind Stoltz in the last three XTERRA regionals and second here in Richmond for the third time in four years. “Just call me silver Stephanie,” he joked, and added that the “fun factor” of this course was off-the-charts

Indeed, Stoltz had more than two minutes on Hugo by the second 10-mile loop of the bike, with Evans another two minutes behind Hugo, and Branden Rakita and Nicolas Lebrun a close fourth and fifth. His 20-mile bike split through the forest maze was 1:24:12 – three minutes faster than Hugo, six better than Evans, seven quicker than Rakita, eight faster than Lebrun and on, and on.