Kona Adventure Rider Kerry Werner made the trip to Bentonville, Arkansas over the weekend for the penultimate race in the 2023 Lifetime Series, The Little Sugar. The Little Sugar is a 100km race around mostly purpose-built singletrack of Bentonville and Bella Vista. With the huge lifetime purse on offer, the field was once again stacked with North America’s fastest XC and Gravel riders.
Next up for Kerry is the final Lifetime Grand Prix event of the year, the 100-mile Big Sugar gravel race in the Ozark Mountains on the 21st of October. Lifetime hasn’t updated the overall standings yet, but Kerry’s 13th place over the weekend will move him up the rankings a few spots.
“This trip marked my first time riding in the land of Walmart and much talked about MTB trails surrounding and intertwining through Bentonville, AR. The little sugar 100k started in Coler and finished in downtown. Tom Pidcock even showed up!
I was able to hang with the front group for about 45 minutes before I had to let them go. The pace was high and I didn’t want to detonate early with 62 miles on tap. After letting the front go I punctured my front tire, which was stubborn to plug and seal, but I eventually kept moving with no problems for 40 miles or so. Flatting definitely played a role in a lot of people’s races but that’s the name of the game here in Bentonville.
I ended 13th. 2 min outside of the top 10. I am pretty happy with that result but I am happy that I was able to push for the whole second half of the race. Maybe I am starting to figure this long race thing out just in time for Big Sugar, the final round of the Lifetime GP. “ – Kerry Werner
