Armstrong and Wiens rode away from a group of ten on the Columbine climb, which tops out at the halfway point of the out-and-back race.
From there, the two rode together, trading pace like road riders on the smooth sections. Surprisingly, Armstrong was often the stronger rider on the descents, while Wiens, a two-time mountain bike world cup winner, was more conservative.
Wiens said the drafting contributed to the record time. Wiens won in 6:45:45, about 13 minutes faster than the record he set last year. Armstrong finished at 6:47:41.
Armstrong dropped behind Wiens on one of the last climbs, but then caught back on the descent. A few miles later he told Wiens that he was through. Wiens accelerated slightly and pulled away.
After Wiens pulled ahead, Armstrong crashed in a turn and finished with some cuts on his arms and hips. Wiens finished with a soft rear tire.
Manuel Prado of Lake Forest, California, was third about a half hour behind Armstrong."
http://www.velonews.com/article/81522/wiens-and-armstrong-leading-at-halfway
Yay Lance! Not bad. Not bad at all.
