Adam Roberge third at Big Sugar Gravel

Adam Roberge ended his Life Time Grand Prix series on a high note Saturday, finishing on the podium at Big Sugar Gravel. Roberge was the top Canadian in the field, finishing third behind race winner Russell Finsterwald.

On the women’s side, Haley Smith clued the Canadian effort in 12th.

Finsterwald sneaks away to solo win

Russel Finsterwald used a late attack from a dwindling lead group to take his first win of the Life Time Grand Prix series. The Colorado rider was also second in the opening round, back at the Sea Otter Fuego 80K. Finsterwald’s winning time of 4:57:59 was just 25 seconds faster than Life Time Grand Prix series winner, Keegan Swenson in second place.

Quebec’s Adam Roberge followed six seconds later, earning himself a podium finish in third after 5:58:30 of racing. That caps off a successful late-season run for the Canadian. He recently won Gravel Worlds (the Nebraska one, not the UCI version) and Belgian Waffle Ride North Carolina.

Adam L’Esperance was the next Canadian across the line, finishing 17th. Rob Britton followed in 21st and Cory Wallace in 38th.

Suprirse women’s winner

On the women’s side, Paige Onweller surged to an impressive solo victory at Big Sugar Gravel. Newer to the sport, crossing over to bikes from ultrarunning, Onweller rode much of the race at the front of the women’s field. It’s her first victory at the Life Time series this year.

Emily Newsom followed in second, six minutes behind, with Alexis Skarda rounding out the podium in third.

Haley Smith finished further back, in 12th, but Big Sugar wasn’t the Canadian’s goal on Saturday. Smith was dueling with Sarah Sturm and Sofia Gomez Villafane for position in the high-dollar series’ overall standings. With Villafane in seventh, 26 seconds ahead of Smith, and Sturm in ninth, Haley Smith becomes the first champion of the Life Time Grand Prix Series.

Angela Naeth was next across the line for Canada. The triathlete finished 19th in 6:10:36

Results: Big Sugar Gravel
Big Sugar 100 – Women (Top-20)

1) Paige Onweller – 5:33:05
2)Emily Newsom – 5:39:44
3) Alexis Skarda – 5:45:43
4) Rose Grant – 5:48:18
5) Lauren De Crescenzo – 5:50:19
6) Maeghan Easler – 5:50:39
7) Sofia Gomez Villafane – 5:50:42
8) Whitney Allison – 5:50:44
9) Sarah Sturm – 5:50:54
10) Savilia Blunk – 5:51:04
11) Flavia Oliveira Parks – 5:51:08
12) Hannah Otto – 5:51:08
13) Haley Smith – 5:51:08
14) Heather Jackson – 5:51:09
15) Evelyn Dong – 5:55:40
16) Amity Rockwell – 5:59:24
17) Ruth Winder – 6:02:30
18) Maude Farrell – 6:06:37
19) Angela Naeth – 6:10:36
20) Crystal Anthony – 6:11:03

Big Sugar 100 – Men (Top-20)

1) Russell Finsterwald – 4:57:59
2) Keegan Swenson – 4:58:24
3) Adam Roberge – 4:58:30
4) Alexey Vermeulen – 4:59:19
5) Nicholas Roche – 5:00:49
6) Alex Howes – 5:01:42
7) Brennan Wertz – 5:05:36
8) Peter Stetina – 5:05:43
9) John Borstelmann – 5:06:16
10) Cole Paton – 5:06:57
11) Tony Long – 5:07:01
12) Logan Owen – 5:07:04
13) Laurens Ten Dam -5:07:07
14) Tanner Ward – 5:07:30
15) Innokenty Zavyalov – 5:10:12
16) Griffin Easter – 5:13:01
17) Andrew L’Esperance – 5:13:02
18) Howard Grotts – 5:13:06
19) Lance Haidet – 5:13:15
20) Spencer Miller – 5:14:14
21) Robert Britton – 5:14:17
38) Cory Wallace – 5:32:31