WBL 2025-2026: The End: Bill Boonen’s Alto World Cup. 110 miles.

History: Total Miles: 816 (10 rides). Two cancelled from snow/ice. Average speed: 20.4 mph. 2 cigarettes (Buechel), but no sparks now.

Fresh air blowing straight in your face pushing you away. That is the story of Bill Boonen’s Alto World Cup. The weather gods seemingly never really came around to help the Zealots this season. Be it harsh gale winds, searingly cold rain, drab dark damp days, and the double dump of ice and snow. Wasn’t smooth. But that’s how we like it. No coddling. Just the best organized group ride around. That’s our pride. Hard down the hills, easy up, then cruise those flat roads. So back to Alto. It is supposed to be difficult. That’s how you gain perspective or just quit. It's the point. Zealots don’t quit though. Slobber drips from chin to top tube. Eyes roll sideways. Eyes look like a demon. The demon is glory. To be etched into the annals of history. The Alto winners circle is a true time capsule. Any WBL win is important, be it pro, non pro, or ladies. We respect all. But we respect Alto above all. For it is the highest. Hence the name. And this year it was the end.

Gutcheck finally wrestled Lee Arrendale’s prison off his back and by doing so carved his name into two different record books. The first being multiple WBL overall winners and the second being the famed ALTO winners’ circle. We’d be negligent to not acknowledge not so little Julien Ruhe for giving Gutcheck the gas. See lil’Julien ripped that Norris Law cash straight from Gtucheck’s hands. Jenny the Rose took the Ladies and Sir Anthony the non pro.

Steep Dog hill: the final attack zone primer- it began slowly, but progressed to small salt crusted groups of wind burned folk. Gruber took the pro finish with the General Brown taking the ladies and that crazy Niwinski taking non pro.

Yearbook honors report coming and sponsor thanks in the next couple of days.

[hit following link for the rest of the story: http://winterbikeleague.com/read-more]