The 2018 Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge will be broadcast as a one-hour long television show on CBS Sports Network during Thanksgiving weekend at 1pm EST, on Sunday, November 25th.
The telecast will then be repeated later in the day on the West Coast and Mountain Time zones.*
The local CBS affiliate 9&10 News, is scheduled to re-air the Bell’s Iceman telecast on December 2, from 2-3pm EST.
*Times may vary. Please check your local lists for times in your area.
It never gets old does it? It’s another great year of the men’s best mountain bike racers coming to race for the title of Champion of the 2018 Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge. It’s every man for himself out there. Check out the full sortable list of racers.
Geoff Kabush
Winner for 2018. Kabush, 41, will be defending his 2017 title. We think his nickname (k-Boom) says it all but as a refresher, Geoff was the winner in 2013, 2nd at 2014’s “Mudman” and 3rd in 2015. The three-time Canadian Olympian currently rides for Yeti Cycles & MAXXIS. Kabush has been racing in Canada since he was 15 and is a 15-time Canadian National Champion. @GeoffKabush
Payson McElveen
Payson, 25, of Durango, Co. finished 2nd last year. Payson races for Orange Seal Cycling. He’s a 2x Marathon National Champion for 2017, 2018 and 1st at the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival. He finished 6th in 2017 and when not riding likes writing, fly fishing and sports talk radio. @PaysonMcElveen
Brian Matter
3rd Place for 2018. Brian, 40, and will be participating in his 25th Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge. After his win in 2014, Brian holds the record for the most wins at 4! Rumor has it he is hungry for more. He recently finished 3rd at the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival. Brian is sponsored by Trek / Bontrager / Shimano / Pro Gold / JTree / Rock Shox Find him at b-matter.com/ and on Twitter @TheWiscoDisco
Ben Sonntag
5th Place for 2018. Ben, 38, grew up in Germany but lives in Durango, Co. He finished 4th in 2017 and 5th in the 2016 Bell’s Iceman. He rides for 9niner bikes/ Team Clif Bar Cycling. Ben got an impressive 1st at Carson City Off-Road earlier this year @ZeGermanCyclist
Troy Wells
Troy, 34, was our 2015 Pro Men’s winner. Hailing from Durango, Co., Troy races for Team Clif Bar Cycling. Wells recently got 2nd at a cross race in West Sacramento, but we have a feeling he wants to take that Ice Trophy home again. His bio states “Favorite rest days are on a beach somewhere drinking margaritas watching the sunset.” Come back to TC in the summer @tdub255!
Cole House
Cole, 30, was 6th last year at Bell’s Iceman and is a 2 x National Fat Bike Champion. He hails from Oneida, WI and is probably hoping for snow on Saturday. According to Peloton Magazine, “House’s mother had given him the Indian name Tekastoslunti, which roughly translates as “floating feather.”” We’ve witnessed that. It’s amazing. @Cole_House
Alexey Vermeulen
2nd Place for 2018.Alexey, 24, of Pinckney, MI finished 9thth last year and races for Interpro – Stradalli. He recently finished first at a brutal Peak2Peak race. Great to see him off the road and in the woods! http://alexeyvermeulen.blogspot.com/
Scotty Albaugh Jr.
Scotty, 25, of Waterford, MI made it into the top 10 last year. Let’s see what he’ll do this year.
Jorden Wakeley
Jorden, 28, finished 11th last year and is racing for Giant Bicycles/Northbound Outfitters. He finished his first ultra-marathon this year, so if he has a mechanical, he might just pick up his bike and run it in. And still beat most racers. He’s also the 2015 Arrowhead Ultra winner so you know the worse the weather, the stronger he is. @JordenWakeley
Russell Finsterwald
Finsty, 27, comes from Boulder, Colorado, and races for SRAM | Troy Lee Designs Race Team. Russell is a seasoned Bell’s Iceman veteran at only 27. He had some injuries in the last year, but we’re all glad he’s back and tough as ever. @finsty http://finsterwald.bike He’s also a darn fine photographer: Check it out! https://www.rfphoto.net/
Floyd Landis.
Do we need to say anything more? Cool. Welcome to Northern Michigan Floyd and Floyd’s of Leadville.
Scott Quiring
Scott is a 3x Bell’s Iceman winner from the late 90’s and he is still one of the fastest dudes out there. He has his own bicycle company and after completing the LumberJack 100 this year, the Bell’s Iceman is gonna feel short! @QuiringCyclesLlc
Please welcome these Bell’s Iceman newbies:
David Zabriskie, 39 from Salt Lake City, Utah. He’s a newbie to Bell’s Iceman so everyone be really nice to him on the course. Mr. DZnuts https://www.dz-nuts.com/ has done a race or two in his time and is business partners with Floyd Landis. Welcome Dave Z.
Tristan Uhl
Tristan, 30, from Smithville, TX races for Giant and Live Co-Factory Off-Road Team. Tristan has some impressive race results and they will not be overshadowed by his impressive mustache. Can’t wait to see what he can do on these cold, northern Michigan trails! @ biketuhl
Peter Disera
4th Place for 2018. Peter, 23, from Horseshoe Valley, Ontario, and races for the Norco Factory Team XC. He finished 1st at the Canadian National Championships in Canmore this year. Please note his bio says he is not a vegan!
Ryan Steers
Ryan, 33, is from Agoura, CA, and races for GIANT. He’s a pro cyclist and a wine nerd. https://manlightning.wordpress.com
Don’t forget our top local racers who know the course and plan on giving the pro’s a run for their money:
Jeff Owens, will be racing for Keen Technical. He’s one of those really nice guys who smiles while making his friends cry from pain while riding with him.
Cody Sovis, racing for 3T Q+M, has the impressive overall rank of 2nd for the Pro/Cat1 racers and was first last year in Ice Society. He’s fast and he’s funny. Check out his website: https://kolotc.co/
Braiden Voss, 16, returned home from the Miller School of Albemarle to race this year. That’s pretty cool. Watch out, this kid is the real deal.
Tim Pulliam, 44, made a last-minute call and stepped up to the Pro race. He’s fast and fit this year, and he’s racing for his company, Keen Technical.
Sean Kickbush, never one to register too early, is back in the Pro race and looking to break into the top 20. He races for 3T Q+M.
Is it Saturday yet?
The Pro Women’s race is anyone’s race to win! With neither 2017 1st or 2nd place finishers racing, the podium is wide open. Besides some of our veteran racers, we’ve got some new ladies that shouldn’t be overlooked. This is going to be good folks!
Check out the full sortable list of racers.
Kaitlyn Patterson:
4th Place for 2018. Kaitlyn has finished 2nd in 2016 and 3rd in 2017, will 2018 her chance to claim 1st place? No longer the new girl, Kaitlyn comes with a reputation and she (and everyone around her) will have to work hard on Saturday to keep up.
Chloe Woodruff:
Winner for 2018. After reigning champ for 2 years, Chloe wasn’t on the podium last year, but with Katerina Nash MIA, Chloe has her sights on the top step again! She races for Team Stan’s NoTubes – PIVOT and TEAM USA. Find her at http://www.chloewoodruff.com/ or on twitter @chloewoodruff
Amy Beisel:
5th Place for 2018. Amy has been hovering near the top step for a while. In 2016 she got 3rd, 2017 6th and this year might be her year to be back on the podium. She races Orange Seal Off-Road Team. Amy is also the 2016 Fat Bike World Champion, she’ll be ready if it starts to snow. You can find her on Ice Society and http://rachel-scott-2ct9.squarespace.com/
Catharine Pendrel:
3rd Place for 2018. After taking a year off from Iceman and a humerus break this season, Catharine is back! She won the 2013 Pro Women’s race but even more impressive is her winning a Bronze Medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, her 2x World Champion, and 3x Canadian Olympian. She races for the Clif Pro Team. http://cpendrel.blogspot.com/
Rachel Langdon:
Rachel, 30, hails from Louisville, KY. The last two years she has been an impressive 6th and 7th. This year she won Barry Roubaix AND set a course record. She races for Gray Goat Bullseye Total Media and has a whole lot of races under her belt for 2018 with some serious results!
Mary Penta:
@mary_penta , 39, of Indiana and sponsored by Think Green/Bicycle Face. She finished 2nd this year at the Barry Roubaix, a mere 3 seconds behind Rachel Langdon. She’s been racing quite a bit this year and we’re excited to see what she’s got.
Georgia Gould:
Georgia will face her biggest Bell’s Iceman Challenge yet. Not on course, but in the Announcer Box providing commentary to all of us! We’re pretty sure this two time Bell’s Iceman Champion and U.S. Olympian is up for the challenge and we can’t wait to hear what she has to say!
Please welcome and watch for these Bell’s Iceman Newbies:
Sofia Gomez Villafañe,
2nd Place for 2018. Sofia is 24 and was born in Argentina but hails from Park City, UT. She races for Stan’s Pivot Pro Team. While new to Bell’s Iceman, she is not new to the sport. She has an impressive resume and we can’t wait to watch her test her skills on our Northern Michigan Trails. @sofithevilla
Lindsay Knight, 34, from Chicago, IL. Known for her Cross Cycling skills and her work with youth cycling non-profit Blackstone Bicycle Works. Lindsay also has a Ph.D. in Political Science and might have a lesson or two for our ladies in the Pro field.
Also in the mix are our local Michigan favorites:
Megan Doerr, 35, races for McLain’s Race Team. This is her first year racing Pro/Cat 1. Megan was the fastest amateur woman in 2017. She’s also being inducted into the MMBA 2018 Hall of Fame for Racing!
Maddy Frank, 18. She’s from Walker, MI. She finished 1st in the Junior race last year and has stepped up to the Pros.
Susan Vigland, racing for Hagerty Cycling, is back and stronger than ever. She’s not only an amazing racer but Susan loves trails and is current board president of TART trails!
Bridget Widrig, racing for Hagerty Cycling. Bridget is the nicest, most humble person you’ll meet…until the start gun goes off!
Missed your chance to enter the 2018 ICEMAN????? Our good friend Chuck Grzanka , cycling advocate, and CyclingLawyer.com are once again giving away several entries for the best race in the USA!
Already entered? No worries. Use your winning ticket in 2019. Just visit CyclingLawyer.com and at the very end complete the “Contact Us” page with your info to be eligible for the drawing. Easier than riding your bike for 30 miles through snow, mud or whatever conditions Mother Nature and ICEMAN throw our way on Saturday. Be well. Be safe. Good luck.
Our security team, in conjunction with Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office and Metro Fire Department, works to ensure that all participants and spectators have a safe and enjoyable experience while watching the racing action at Timber Ridge Resort. They have compiled a list of some practical “Do’s and Don’ts” that are really basic social etiquette that will keep everything flowing smoothly throughout the afternoon. (All of these suggestions come with a big PLEASE and THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION from all of our staff.)
1. Thou shall race a clean, fair race.
2. Thou shall be Courteous while racing. (Announce yourself when you pass.)
3. Thou shall respect the Handicap Parking area at Timber Ridge for those who truly need it.
4. Thou shall ONLY drink Bell’s Beer in the BISSELL Celebration Zone.
5. Thou shall only pack dry clothes—no beer—in your clothing bags.
6. Thou shall keep moving on the staircases over the course.
7. Thou shall use the bike exit so you don’t have to drag your bike up the stairs.
8. Thou shall update your Ice Society profile with Emergency Contact Info
9. Thou shall support our Sponsors
But most importantly…
10. Thou shall Haul Ass and have a great race!
Time to decide if you are racing! Follow the directions on our Transfer Page.
Love singletrack? Wished you could ride the trails you see crisscrossing the Iceman course? Here’s your chance: Traverse City Trail Festival!
The second annual Traverse City Trail Festival presented by Short’s Brewing takes you onto 40 or 25 miles of unmarked singletrack, starting and finishing at beautiful and rustic Ranch Rudolf. That’s right, this is the only day of the year that these trails are marked, giving you the perfect chance to follow some of the best trails in Northern Michigan.
It’s a celebration of trails, bikes, and our mountain bike community, and we mean everyone! Both 40 and 25-mile distances offer the option to race, or just tour at your own pace with friends. There’s also an 8-mile kid’s race presented by Norte, as well as a balance bike drag race!
Registration for the 2018 Traverse City Trail Festival is open right now!
The TCTF is the biggest fundraiser of the year for Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association. Our region’s trail stewards build, maintain, and protect trails from Bellaire to Leelanau County, Traverse City, and the Cadillac Pathway. NMMBA also grooms over 50 miles of trail all winter long, offering year-round non-motorized recreation opportunities for individuals and families.
We want to thank the 300 or so riders that made their way to Bell’s Taproom in Kalamazoo and 7 Monks in TC on Friday, March 2nd for the in-person registration parties. A good time was had by all. Thanks to Bell’s and Clif Bar for the swag.
Now it’s on to online registration.
Online registration opened for riders that participated in 2017 (or entered & had to transfer their entry) on Friday March 9th at 9:00 am.
Online registration for new Bell’s Iceman riders opens the FOLLOWING Friday March 16th at noon which provides returning Bell’s Iceman riders a week to register before registration is completely open.
For the new riders that signed up in person, here is the link to the Ice Society article we posted a while back about how to link your Strava and why.
In other news…
As Michigan slowly emerges from this lingering winter it is important to remember that riding muddy trails during the thaws is really bad for trails. In most cases volunteers spend time away from their friends and families maintaining our fantastic network of Michigan trails and to have a few individuals who ignore chains across trails and trail closed signs is discouraging to say the least.
Save the date!
Our friends with the Shoreline Cycling Club in Ludington are trying to break the Guinness World Book of Records for the longest line of riders in a single line on June 9th. If you’ve always wanted to try to attempt such a thing stay tuned to the Ludington CVB calendar for more details as they emerge.
“The registration protocol of the last three years has allowed riders to register for the Bell’s Iceman races at a time convenient to them and greatly reduced stress levels for everybody across the board so we’re planning on replicating that process for 2018”, said Steve Brown, Event Director.
“Registration for 2018 kicks off with our on-site registration party at Bell’s Eccentric Café in Kalamazoo onFriday, March 2nd from 10 AM to 4 PM. This year marks the 6th year of the registration party at Bell’s Eccentric Café and the response has been very positive. It has become a celebration about the upcoming cycling season more than registration for the races. “Riders from the past season know they’re guaranteed a spot in 2018 but they still come to Bell’s Eccentric Cafe and register. It must be the Bell’s beer”, quipped Brown.
Registration forms will be available and Iceman staff members will be entering riders directly into the 2018 database on site. Personal attendance is required in order to get registered at Bell’s on March 2nd.
Can’t make it to the Eccentric Café on March 2nd?
2018 Iceman and Slush Cup online registration opens for riders who participated in 2017 (or entered & had to transfer their entry) on Friday March 9th at 9:00 am which provides returning Bell’s Iceman riders a week to register before registration is completely open. (Don’t worry about the invitation code…it’s built into your Iceman account and will allow you to complete your registration).
Online registration for ALL Bell’s Iceman and Meijer Slush Cup riders opens Friday March 16th at 12 noon.
Thus, for riders new to the Bell’s Iceman, there are two options to register. Option #1 is to attend the Bell’s Iceman Registration party at the Eccentric Café in Kalamazoo on Friday, March 2nd from 10 AM to 3 PM. The second option is to register online beginning Friday March 16th at 12 Noon.
A total field limit of 4,500 Iceman riders and 400 Slush Cup riders will be accepted. The March 16th online registration opening for all riders will operate on a “first come – first served” method. The number of entries available on March 16th for the Bell’s Iceman and Meijer Slush Cup will be determined by the number of entries previously received.
The Bell’s Iceman entry fee for 2018 is $100.00 and includes the USA Cycling One-Day License and the online registration fee. USA Cycling members with an annual license will receive a $10 rebate upon showing their license at packet pick-up in November. The $10 USA Cycling annual license rebate is not available for riders in the Pro/Category 1 races.
2018 Meijer Slush Cup entry fees are $70.00 and include a USAC one-day license and the online registration fee.
The 2018 online registration system utilizes your Ice Society account on the www.iceman.com website. Thus, all registrants need to have an active account within the Ice Society. A new capability of the Ice Society is to allow parents to manage their children’s accounts with the same email address.
To eliminate confusion, tandem entries follow the one bike – one entry system. Tandem captains can enter their stoker’s name on their account page.
An USA Cycling account number (not an annual license) is required for each rider. For riders without an account number, you can create an account with USA Cycling by looking for the “sign-up” button in the upper right-hand corner of the www.usacycling.org website.
Another great year in the books! Looking forward to November 3, 2018!
Registration opens Friday March 2nd at 11:00 AM at Bell’s Eccentric Cafe.
Happy Trails!