Stage 3: Hard Racing and Plenty of Action - The Long Stage

Gavin Grobbelaar - Ultra Media / 13.08.2015

­Today's Stage 3 from the iconic Ultra Running town of Leadville to Nova Guides was an epic. It was the longest stage of the week and definitely wasn't short of some drama either.

The race started downtown on Harrison Drive and headed for the mountains and immediately for Tennessee Pass.

It was the final day of Run 3 and going into today's stage we expected a race on our hands and there sure was one. At the start of the day in the Men's Race, just over 1 minute separated Martin Gaffuri of Switzerland and Jiagen Yang of China for first spot in the GC. Yang made the move at about halfway into the stage with a big push and managed to snap the proverbial rubber band, putting just over 4 minutes into Gaffuri who finished in second overall. Bryan Bergman from the USA rounded out the podium in third place.

In the Women's Run 3 race there was a very unexpected turn of events as overall leader Xu Gan of China, who's win looked to be a formality as she was more than 15 minutes ahead in the GC, pulled out of the race at Check Point 2, allowing Amy Golumbia of Canada to romp home for the overall win. Jennifer Pfeifer of the USA finished on the second step of the podium overall with Hayley Shearer of Canada claiming third spot overall.

There was some more drama in the Run 6 Men's Team race as Rob Krar decided to sit the rest of the race out as he made the very professional decision to look after a niggle just 12 weeks out from the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) in Chamonix France. That means Jacob Puzey and Thomas Rivers after coming in second on today's stage are now laying first in the GC. Eric Senseman and Brian Condon are in second place overall, followed by Jamie Dreher and Peter Dreher in third place in the GC.

In the Women's Run 6 Team race it was again the Jenn Shelton and Kathryn Ross show as they claimed their third consecutive stage win and surged further ahead in the GC, making it now a fight for second and third place overall for the rest of women's field.  

In the Men's Run 6 Solo it was Florian Neuschwander surging further ahead making it three-for-three in stage wins this week. Brian Tinder lies in second place overall followed by Timo Meyer.   

Kerrie Wlad turned up today in the Women's Run 6 Solo and claimed the stage win, ensuring she goes into the GC lead followed by Shannon Thompson just 5 minutes back and Annie Jean in third place overall.   

In the words of Martin Gaffuri at breakfast this morning, "It's all going to be left out there on the trails." It sure was and we expect the same tomorrow as the runners look to battle it out on the trails from Nova Guides to Red Cliff.

See All Stories On This Race