Mission accomplished: Eatough wins an unprecedented fifth consecutive
24-hour Solo World Championship
by Allison Foreman

September 6, 2004

CLICK HERE FOR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS EATOUGH

Chris Eatough , professional mountain biker with the Trek Volkswagen Factory Racing Team, captured his fifth world championship title September 5 in Whistler, British Columbia at the “24 Hours of Adrenalin World Championship.”

Eatough, 29, of Ellicott City, Md. has won the endurance race, undeniably the toughest race in mountain biking, more than any other cyclist in the history of the sport.

More than 180 riders from around the world turned out for the solo event, knowing that the competitor with the most laps completed in 24 hours would win.

The race began at noon on September 4 under sunny skies. After a Le Mans start, where racers ran a half-mile before jumping on their bikes, Eatough surged to the front. He was quickly joined by Andreas Hestler, a Canadian and former Olympian who rides for Rocky Mountain .

Both Eatough and Hestler tackled the 11-mile course at a blistering pace, riding each lap in under an hour. But at the end of the sixth lap, Hestler succumbed to the pace and decided to bow out.

Meanwhile, Americans Tinker Juarez and Nat Ross were riding steadily within 30 minutes of Eatough. The strong field and fierce competition kept the pace high into the evening, with Juarez emerging as the main contender. By 2 a.m., he had trimmed Eatough’s lead to 18 minutes.

But that was as close as he would get. Determined to win a fifth straight title, Eatough monitored the gap with information from his pit crew. He pushed on through the early morning, riding well in 40-degree temperatures. Eatough stayed nourished with ham sandwiches, pasta and fig bars and stayed hydrated with his JanSport hydration pack filled with Emer’gen-C vitamin drink mix.

“Drinking the Emer’gen-C during the race kept my nutrition balanced and ensured I was replacing the vitamins and minerals that are lost in such a challenging event,” Eatough said.

As day approached, Eatough’s lead had reached 22 minutes. And at 11:40 a.m., it was clear that Juarez would not go out on another lap. This meant Eatough had secured the win with 21 laps in almost 25 hours.

“I gave every ounce of energy into this performance, and I think it's my best ever,” Eatough said. 

He said his new Trek Fuel EX was perfect for the rough and rocky Whistler terrain. The smooth suspension saved his body from abuse and the lightweight design helped him on the uphill climbs. Each lap contained almost 1,500 feet of elevation gain.

While Eatough was responsible for the physical and mental part of the race, his pit crew was responsible for preparing his nutrition and bikes. Father Mike Eatough, team manager Jonathan Posner , mechanic Steve Borkoski and fiancée Allison Foreman worked together to make sure his jersey pockets were stuffed with food, his bikes were cleaned and tuned, his hydration pack was full and his light batteries were charged.

They even wrote motivational messages and taped them to his handlebars, providing Eatough with inspiration while out on the course. His stops in the pit were almost always under 10 seconds, with the longest being under a minute.

“Like all the competitors, I suffered through some tough laps, especially in the middle of the night,” Eatough said. “But my pit crew kept my spirits and motivation high with messages from friends and family.”

The next big question – will Eatough try for a sixth? We’ll keep you posted.

For more information about Eatough’s record fifth world solo championship or for official race results, visit www.24hoursofadrenalin.com or www.trekfactoryteam.com.

The Trek Volkswagen Factory Team is proud to be sponsored by JBL, Fox Racing Shox, Emer’gen-C, PowerBar, Nike, Hayes Disc Brakes, Zeal Optics & Gloves, SRAM, Bontrager tires, Chris King and Crank Brothers. Eatough’s personal sponsors include: JanSport Hydration Packs, Joe ’s Bike Shop in Mt. Washington and Lupine Lights.