Women's gravel bike race visits Ovando

Cyclists Jessica Cerra and Evelyn Dong crossed Highway 200, within 2,000 feet of the finish line.

The 80-ish mile race sprint finish was between second and third place. Cerra was ready to relegate herself to third place. Dong encouraged her to finish strong, and Cerra came in ahead of Dong by 0.7 of a second.

The gray, drizzly morning did not stop the 200 riders from showing up to the Second Annual Dusty Banditas Women's gravel bike race on June 3 in the Ovando area.

Thirty-seven women participated in the "80-ish" mile race, followed by 143 women in the "45-ish" mile route. Both races started outside of Ovando on Monture Road so the pack of racers would not have to cross Highway 200. The finish line was in the Ovando town square.

"Today we might be known as the Muddy Banditas rather than the Dusty Banditas," said race co-organizer Jenna Tomiello from Missoula. "The women who do this have the sense of adventure and level of grit that they can deal with the conditions."

The Dusty Banditas is the first all women's gravel race in the United States. Organizers Tomiello and Bri Lui, Missoula, started the Dusty Banditas to level the playing field for women.

"The mission of the Dusty Banditas is to increase the presence of all identifying women at cycling events by providing a safe and encouraging environment where one can build confidence, push limits, explore beautiful places, and experience an invigorating camaraderie on and off the bike," their website said.

Finishing in 10th place in the 40-ish miler, was Missoula rider Graydon Dauma, age 13, and the youngest competitor. Her time was 2:59:40.0. Daume is a member of the Missoula Mammoths youth cycling program. The Mammoths are the National Scholastic Cycling Association Mountain Bike team for the Missoula area.

"The race was good and it was fun," Daume said. "Our whole family rides bikes, my brother does Enduro, dad races and my mom is an all-around bike rider."

Both races had close finishes. Wolff and Akland in the 45-ish race cycled away from the pack from the start. Within a few miles of the finish line, Wolff's coat fell out of her pocket and Akland stopped to get it for her.

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For this Wolff called Akland a true sportsman.

The top three in the 45-ish race were Kara Wolff from Helena, Kristine Akland from Missoula and Tamara Bessette from Missoula. Race speeds ranged from 8.1 - 16.6 miles per hour. Winners in the 80-ish race; Stella Hobbs from Whitefish, Jessica Cerra from Whitefish and Evelyn Dong from Arizona. Racers moved from 11.4 - 18.4 miles per hour

The 80-ish mile race had approximately 5,000 feet of combined elevation gain on Forest Service roads and private land in the Seeley and Blackfoot Valley areas. The 45-ish mile race had 3,000 feet of combined climb.

Everyone received a hug, a Dusty Bandita bandanna and insulated mug when they crossed the finish line.

"We picked Ovando and the surrounding area for this year's race because it's a beautiful area," said Bri Lui, co-organizer. "The town itself is welcoming to cyclists and they have been wonderful to work with."

According to Lui, gravel biking opens the door to more biking options, especially around Montana where there are so many logging and fire roads in the backyard.

"The hope is to get more women to experience a race while being surrounded by other supportive women," Lui said. "The Dusty Banditas is a way to break through those mental barriers while having fun and supporting each other."

"It's a great event," Kara Wolff said. "They do a phenomenal job of organization beforehand so there's no questions about what to expect."

Racers came from Montana, Washington, Oregon, North Carolina, New York, Arizona and British Columbia.