OffRoad InRoads X MFR

Sea Otter Classic Fuego XL - Gomez Villafane | Ortenblad

April 27, 2023 Andrew L'Esperance and Haley Smith Season 2 Episode 1
OffRoad InRoads X MFR
Sea Otter Classic Fuego XL - Gomez Villafane | Ortenblad
Show Notes Chapter Markers

We are back for season 2 of OffRoad InRoads! The podcast where we bring you into the fold of the North American Off-Road racing scene. Winter is over, it's spring time and we are back at the biggest off-road races of the season.

With the continued support of Maxxis Tires, we are expanding the podcast series this season. We are aiming to bring you behind the scenes of more events and bring the level up. Thank-you Maxxis!

The first episode follows the season opener of the LifeTime GrandPrix, the Fuego XL at the Sea Otter Classic. This race was a doozy! It started on the Laguna Seca racetrack in the thick of the action at the Sea Otter Classic expo. The race began with a savage start on the racetrack before turning right and heading out onto a long MTB loop in Fort Ord. In typical fashion of these endurance events, the race was longer than the promoted 100 km of the Fuego XL. They never undershoot the distance! The race was 2 laps of the course and covered 111 km (69 miles) and the elevation gained was 2650 m (8700 feet).

On today's show, we are fortunate to have Sofia Gomez Villafane and Tobin Ortenblad to share their stories from the day. These guests give us two differing perspectives from the racing. Sofia, winner on the day and 2nd place overall in the 2022 LTGP series, is certainly no stranger to the pointy end of a bike race. And Tobin, top 10 in the points, a new athlete in the LTGP series, is looking to put in the work all season long to finish as high up the leaderboard as possible. From the finish-line chats and in-depth interviews we gain interesting insights from these athletes. Further, we share insights from Haley and Lespy's day on the bike along with equipment choices that helped them achieve success at the race.

Get ready, let's go to that finish line. We hope you enjoy the show!

Hosted by: @andrewlespy and @haleyhuntersmith
Joined by: @sofithevilla and @mctubbbin
Produced by: Bill Schieken @cxhairs

Sofia and Lespy at the Specialized Off-Road Tent
Sofia and Haley in-depth conversation
Lespy and Haley race-recap and equipment choices
Tobin and Lespy at the finish line
Tobin and Lespy in-depth conversation