Moab Rocks + Sea Otter Fuego XL: A Big Week on the Bike

In April, I lined up for Moab Rocks — a three-day stage race on the sandstone slabs of Utah — then flew home for a couple days before heading to California for Sea Otter’s Fuego XL. It was a busy stretch, but I wanted to keep time away from home short and make both races count. Between the travel, the tech, and the longer days on the pedals, it ended up being a solid test of both fitness and logistics.

Moab Rocks: 3 Days in the Desert

Stage 1 – Porcupine Rim - 22.5 miles - 3,400' vertical
Day one started with a long, cold climb and a descent that didn’t waste time getting sketchy. Temps were hovering around freezing up top, and I couldn’t feel my hands for the first chunk of the descent. The sandstone was stair-steppy and full of wrong-line penalties. I rode it pretty conservatively to stay upright and finished the day 9th in my AG.

Stage 2 – Bar M/Klonzo - 28.5 miles - 2,372' vertical
This one mixed singletrack climbing with classic Moab slickrock. I missed a couple turns and ended up off-course twice, which was frustrating — especially since I didn’t have the course loaded on my head unit. Once I was sure I was back on track, I tried to turn that frustration into a strong finish. Rode hard to the line and landed 7th for the day.

Stage 3 – Mag 7 - 28.5 miles - 2300' vertical
Probably the most fun day of the week. Fast, technical, and mentally demanding the whole way through. The finish was a highlight — a sandy jeep road with one last long climb and a flat run-in. I played a game with myself: just catch the next rider, then forget about it and go for the next. I leapfrogged 10–20 riders that way and passed a guy sitting 6th in my AG. He gave me a “good job man” as I went by — which may have been bait — because when we hit the flat, he latched on and sprinted around me at the line. Still, I was stoked with the move and finished 7th on the day, 8th overall in AG, and 44th in GC.

Quick Reset, Then Sea Otter Fuego XL

70 miles - 7,800' vertical

After Moab, I had a couple days at home before heading to California for the Fuego XL. It was just enough time to unpack, repack, and try to keep things normal with the family for a couple days. Travel to Monterey included a tight connection in Phoenix that required a legit airport sprint, which may or may not have left me a little sore.

Sea Otter felt totally different from Moab — smooth, fast, and more of a steady grind than a constant focus test. I had a decent first lap but probably went a little too hard early (NP ~240W for 3 hours). I started cramping a bit and made a mistake with hydration — taking in too much fuel too fast trying to catch up. My stomach didn’t love it, and I lost some time. Still, I came through in 5:49:30 — a big drop from last year’s 8:03 — and 47th in the M30–39 field (227th overall out of 527). Not a standout finish, but the improvement felt meaningful and gives me a good idea of a target for next year.

Gear and Support

I rode the Epic 8 at both events with a Rekon Race 2.4 front and Aspen ST 2.4 rear. The tire combo felt fast and reliable — especially on Sea Otter’s smoother terrain. My coach, Mike Durner, was out in Moab with a crew of athletes and handled bottles, support, and solid on-the-fly coaching. At Sea Otter, Corinne made everything go smoothly — early wake-up, gear haul, bottle handoffs — all of it. We stuck around after to unwind for a couple days in Carmel, which was a perfect way to close out the trip.

Looking Ahead

Moab played to my strengths and felt like a step forward. Sea Otter was a different test, but still a solid data point and a chance to test out some fueling/hydration tweaks. I’m dialing those in now as I get ready for Grand Junction Rides & Vibes next week — hopefully with a little more sleep and a little less sprinting through airports.

Results

You can find detailed results for all 4 of these race days on my results page!