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The Sea Otter was good to Tieni Duro for 2006. The weekend began with the Circuit Race on Friday where the Tieni Duro team took two top ten placings (4th and 10th) under miserable wind and a dangerously slippery track. However, 4th place is not what we came to Sea Otter for.
Saturday was the Road Race. With a strong team, eager and willing to support each other, Tieni Duro was destined to win this race. On the 4th lap the final selection of Tyler Gough, two La Grange riders, Collin Saman (Team Spine), Grant Van Horn (Simply Fit) was made. The break established a good lead despite a lack of complete cooperation and many attacks by the La Grange riders. As the group hit the bottom of Barloy Canyon, with 2.5 miles of climbing to the finish, there was nowhere to hide.
One of the La Grange riders drops as the pace goes up. And then there were four.... As the kilometers tick by, everyone is becoming nervous, eventually with less than 1K to go, a strong attack goes off the front, immediately other riders cover, and Tyler has some ground to make up. He doesn't panic, as the riders ahead are starting to crack he sets a nice pace and picks them off one by one. With 300 meters to go Tyler Gough catches Grant Van Horn, rests and unleashes an amazing sprint that leaves Grant unable to answer. Victory !!! Such victories are not possible without great teamwork, a willingness to suffer and give everything for the team.
Andy Goessling topped off the weekend for Tieni Duro with a solid 8th place in the Jr. Expert 17-18 MTB X-Country race, suffering through two laps of the 20.5 mile course in the mud and rain.
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