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WBL # 10 (15 Feb 2020): The Great Porterfield Tire Alto World Cup

Big Frank Travesio scored a stunning win on the granddaddy of them all—Big Papa—the 23rd annual Alto World Cup, as he won his 3rd event of the winter and continued to stamp his boot print on the 2020 other season. Big Frank proved he is not only the prevailing sovereign in this year’s campaign as he surged into the HUB Overall Lead with 102 points, he also tallied his 16th lifetime win and moved within one of the Overall Total Win Record currently held by eastside plow jockey Farmer Thomas Brown. Former UGA Aquanaut Sommers Creed and the Boone Mountain Man Kyle Kimbal each showed the strength of ten bulls and the cunning of Johnny Cochran as they, like Big Frank, won both the intermediate and final sprint in their respective categories, piling up massive points in the process and surging up the Leaderboard. J Sencenboss, J Gilbert and Cobra Cornett continued their masterful winters as each again had cracking rides, scored points, and held onto 2nd through 4th in the Overall. But it wasn’t just these superstars and celebrities that impressed the prognosticators, ripping rides were accomplished by all who had the fortitude to buckle their chinstraps and toe the line on this punishing day, and the willpower to finish this 115 mile, 6-hour epic beatdown with over 7,000 feet of climbing: Blessed are those who bite down on a bullet, they shall know that suffering is bliss.

The Alto misadventure started beneath a big golden sun and a bright blue sky, two qualities that have rarely coexisted over the last 3 weeks. And though the temperature was frosty at takeoff, after the soaking rains that battered the Emporium in the preceding days and weeks, forcing Alto to be pushed back three weeks, the Zealots were simply ecstatic to ride. Some of the whirling dervishes on hand for the longest ride of the other season were young 18-year-old pavement pounder Seth Callahan (class of 2020), former two-time winner of Alto Big Jon Atkins (2001 and 2003), five-time stage winner Drewdini Johnston (1999 - 2003), former Overall Winner and current Team Type 1 CEO Philly Southerland (2003), Team Type 1 international cycling nabob Daniel Holt (1980 – present), visiting Atlanta monarch Tony Robinson (c. 2020), one of the original WBL cast members Natty Dunn (1998 – 2020), Buddhist scholar and student of pain Jason K Jones (# 108) Big Daddy John Martin (007), the Toccoa Terror M Sencensboss (®), and two youngest commandoes present, 14 year olds Julien Ruhe and Reece Latham (DOB: 2004!), neither of whom suffer fools gladly or those who don’t pull. Cleanliness may be next to Godliness but only by pulling will one reach the Promise Land.

A cold breeze accompanied the pack on the first half of the trek up and onto the southern ridge of the Appalachian Mountains and into Alto, where the forecasted high was 10 degrees colder (44) than that in Athens. Brown, Gruber, Travieso and Cornett took control after an hour and set a compassionate tempo, a pace they would mercifully hold for the remainder of the ride, allowing the mere mortals in attendance an opportunity not only to hang on even though they were working hard, but also an opportunity to look around and enjoy the spectacular scenery they rode through, which other than the undulating ribbon on which they rode, was acres and acres of expansive hardwood forests barren of leaves and covering the hills rolling away in all directions—the Zealots were riding in the middle of a choppy sea. This route generally tracks due north to Alto for the first half of the ride, then meanders on the way home, snaking east then west as it wends it way back to Athens. On the way up the Ladies and the Pros sprint, and on the way back it’s the Non-Pros turn—there’s plenty of torture to go round—just to make certain everyone’s legs are sizzle-fried by the time they reach the Alto Final Attack Zone, which doesn’t arrive until 5 hours in and the 100-mile mark. By this point in the day many, like myself, were well outside our comfort zones, the place where life truly begins.

In the vicious 9-mile Alto Final Attack Zone Gutcheck Gruber unleashed a wicked assault as soon as the group hit the bottom of Steep Dog Hill only half of a mile in. Sirens screamed when Gutcheck assaulted the severe slope and panic set in behind. Riders surged and stood and stomped and pedaled and died a thousand deaths up the 60-second hill as a front group of 8 eventually formed as they turned right and headed down the fast and flowy Erastus Drop. Travieso, Gruber, Cornett, Dan Holt, Fabian Garcia, Huntley Nash, Thomas Brown and the only Non-Pro in the front mix, the remarkable Kyle Kimbal, stayed together as they powered to the line, the speed too high for any attacks to succeed. Behind a bakers dozen formed and were pressing the accelerator in an attempt to bridge the 30 second gap, but the space in between only grew bigger. Heading down Nowhere Road and towards the finish the speed topped 30 miles per hour as the heavy hitters continued to pour gas on the fire. Big Frank stayed close to the front, well positioned, and with 250 meters to go blasted down the middle of his lane, but Huntley Nash, quick as a cat, reacted quickly and was on top of Big Frank in an instant, threatening to come around at the line. Each rider was standing and straining every muscle in his body as each threw his bike to the line but Big Frank crossed first and won by a wink as Nash came speeding across behind. Cobra Cornett flew over in 3rd, followed by Brown, Gruber, Holt, Kimbal and Garcia—salud to all in the break for a helluva ride. With his win, Travieso has now won Alto a record smashing 5 times (2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020).

Big Jon Atkins jumped away and soled in for 2nd for the Non Pros and Jackson Gilbert won the field sprint behind, followed by 14-year-old wunderkind Julien Ruhe. Creed powered in for the win for the Ladies, followed by Sencenbaugh, Cameron and Long all with impressive rides. Also coming home with outstanding performances were Drewdini, Jason K. Jones, Cyril Deseveux, Gatewood Baynes, Reece Latham, Tony Robinson and Charlie Carabello only to name a few.

With one ride to go, the Lula World Cup, Big Frank and J Sencenboss have 1-2 locked up, and Gilbert appears secure in 3rd, but the rest of the Top 10 are still up for grabs. And with another word cup on tap, look for the fighting to continue until the closing bell rings.

Finis: Sponsored by Porterfield Tire (https://www.porterfieldtireinc.com) 

1. Frank Travieso: 15 pts      
2. Huntley Nash: 12 pts         
3. Brendan Cornett: 9 pts      
4. Thomas Brown: 6 pts        
5. Jered Gruber: 3 pts
6. Dan Holt: 2 pt
7. Kyle Kimbal: 1 pts.
8. Fabian Garcia: 1 pt.
9. All: 6 points

Ladies Finish: sponsored by Team Type 1 Foundation (http://teamtype1.org/)

1. Sommers Creed: 10 pts.
2. Judah Sencenbaugh: 8 pts 
3. Emily Cameron: 6 pts
4. Ainsley Long: 4 pts.          

Non Pro Finish: sponsored by Nabo Realty and CEO Briggs Carney (naborealty.com)

1. Kyle Kimbal: 10 pts
2. Big Jon Atkins: 8 pts
3. Jackson Gilbert: 6 pts
4. Julien Ruhe: 4 pts
5. Phil Southerland: 2 pts
6. Jason Jones: 1 pt    

Ladies Sprint: Seagraves Road (Sponsored by Team Type 1 Masters)

1.  Sommers Creed: 5 pts
2.  Judah Sencenbaugh: 4 pts.
3.  Emily Cameron: 3 pts
4.  Ainsley Long: 2 pts.

Pro Sprint Sprint: Alto City Limits (sponsored by Dr. B Magner / Boulevard Family Health  Boulevardfamilypractice.com) )

1.   Frank Travieso: 5 pts
2.   Thomas Brown: 4 pts.
3.   Seth Callahan: 3 pts.
4.   Huntley Nash: 2 pts.
5.   Brendan Cornett: 1 pt.

Non Pro Sprint: Crackback Hill (sponsored by Heath Family)

1.   Kyle Kimbal: 5 pts.
2.   Seth Callahan: 4 pts
3.   Reece Latham: 3 pts.
4.   Julien Ruhe: 2 pts.
5.   Cyril Deseveux: 1 pt.