2019 Lost and Found 100-Mile Preview: Top Cyclocrossers Return, Debut

In late 2018 and for much of 2019, Mother Nature gifted the California Sierra with a wet, snowy winter. As a result, this Saturday, participants in the sixth edition of the Lost and Found gravel race will enjoy a wetter, dust-free race on a new course partially lined by snow banks.

Some top cyclocross racers will be making their return, while others have opted out of going back to Kansas, exchanging the 200-miles of DK200 for the rugged 100 miles at altitude of the Lost and Found. Nearly 1600 racers in total will take the start on Saturday.

A Wet, New Course

Course designers changed the start/finish area from the traditional location on the shorelines of Lake Davis to the town of Portola, where last year’s post-race party was held. The course climbs out from the town of Portola, and then ventures into dirt on several sections of the original course, but in a reverse direction.

2019 Lost and Found Course Map

Since the 2019 course design, Mother Nature’s late snowstorms through May have forced a few course changes. The team re-routed the ride from some snow-clogged roads to plowed roads, did some additional plowing on the course and ended up shortening the “Longest” and “Longer” routes by a few miles. Ironically, the 36-mile riders might encounter the most snow, according to Race Manager Kurt Stockton, as they stay on more north-facing roads south of Lake Davis.

Racers may miss the start and post-race plunge at shores of Lake Davis, but won’t have to go anywhere for the post-race party. © Cyclocross Magazine

Stockton said 65-mile and 102-mile racers will have two potential snow crossings, but recent rain has reduced their size.

Snow banks and snow cones may await Lost and Found 2019 gravel race participants.

The new course might be more conducive to pack racing and a sprint finish, according to Stockton. Since much of the climbing is front-loaded, if a pack emerges from the early climbs, they could stay together to the finish, and skilled chasers might rejoin on the long, paved descent back into Portola. Could we see a sprint finish?

Cyclocross Stars Return, Debut

A quick glance through the not-quite-final pro start lists reveals top cyclocross stars will be making their return to the gravel race in the Lost Sierra. Katerina Nash and Tobin Ortenblad, both past winners, will look to add another victory. Ortenblad is coming off a second broken collarbone, while Nash has been racing flat bars and fat tires with success.

Stair hopper and 2019 Worlds team member Cody Kaiser lives just a few hours away, and offered up his own course preview earlier in the week with warnings about brake pads and recommendations to use a fender, while Matt Lieto, a triathlete pro who led the race in 2016 before going off course, is listed on the start list but will be missing the race due to injury after a ride through Kansas last year.

Lieto’s Easton Overland teammates Craig Richey (seventh at the DK200 in 2018) and Michael van den Ham will also be skipping Kansas for California gravel glory. Jamey Driscoll, 10th at the DK200 in 2018, also heads back to the Sierra.

Past winner Carl Decker, always a contender, will take the start again. After another rough winter in 2017, Decker picked a mountain bike as the fastest way to navigate through the eroded dirt mountain roads. Might we see him take the same approach this year? Last we saw, he was racing his gravel bike in a mountain bike race, so you never know.

Scroll through the list and you’ll see plenty of famous contenders. Jonathan Baker has raced cyclocross in Europe, Matt Fox had the third-fastest time as an amateur, and Grant Ellwood is fresh off a 2018 Cyclocross National Championship. We’re sure we’re missing a bunch of contenders. See the full start list below.

On the women’s side, the field is smaller but no less decorated. While Nash needs no introduction, 2019 Cyclocross Worlds team member Sammi Runnels brings the Squids back to the Sierra. Caitlin Bernstein returns for another run at the podium, while Sarah Sturm could soon add another title on top of her Singlespeed Championship and BWR win. Last year’s winner, Olivia Dillon has bucked the trend and headed to Kansas this year. See the full pro women’s start list below.

While one-gear cyclocross champ Sturm won’t be racing singlespeed, there are 16 singleminded racers doing so. With over 8,000 feet of climbing, they’re in for some grinding and spinning. See the full start list below.

Stay tuned for more coverage of the biggest weekend in gravel racing from Lost and Found and Dirty Kanza. And Friday is your last chance to win the Spinergy GX gravel wheels!

2019 Lost and Found 100-Mile Pro Women

2019 Lost and Found 100-Mile Pro Men

2019 Lost and Found 100-Mile Singlespeed