Fun-filled Cradle Traverse a delight for all
The competition was fierce out on the tracks through every stage, but the vibe was relaxed all-round.
The second annual Glacier Cradle Traverse (GCT) might have been dominated in the men’s team and solo women’s categories, but fun and family were definitely the order of the day. A family- and fun-orientated event, the second GCT once again emphasised that it’s not a professional cycling event, but rather an event for all.
The 160-strong group of riders who took part in the event all enjoyed a weekend at the Avianto Hotel, with strangers becoming friends and friends becoming family.
The competition was fierce out on the tracks through every stage, but the vibe was relaxed all-round.
Everybody joined in on the good fun and celebrations on the Friday and Saturday evenings, but this didn’t hamper the results the next day.
Prime examples thereof were by far the Continental Tyres’ team of Bryce Munro and Andrew Stockwell as well as the solo women’s rider, Amy McDougall.
Both parties thoroughly dominated their respective categories from the outset, with each winning every stage they rode over the weekend.
Munro and Stockwell were the first to cross the line in the first stage as they clocked an impressive time of 1:39:16 for the 36km stage.
McDougall managed an equally impressive time of 1:41:50, two minutes and 41 seconds ahead of the leading solo men’s racer, Sean O’Flynn-Madden with a time of 1:44:31.
Munro and Stockwell extended their overall lead to 20 minutes in the second stage, while McDougall extended hers to 11-and-a-half minutes.
O’Flynn-Madden failed to place in the second stage and surrendered his overall lead to Steven Bark, falling behind by a minute and 22 seconds.
McDougall managed to clinch her title on the final day after finishing with an impressive overall deficit, six seconds shy of 18 minutes.
The Continental Tyres’ team continued their dominance and managed to win their category with an overall lead of 23 minutes.
The final stage saw one last shake-up in the men’s standings as O’Flynn-Madden finished second in the stage behind Grant Usher.
Despite not winning the stage, O’Flynn-Madden restored his overall lead, ousting Bark by a mere 17 seconds overall after finishing one minute and 39 seconds ahead of Bark in the final stage.
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