Marblehead’s Shea wins bike race up Mount Washington

Marti Shea of Marblehead won the women’s division of the 38th Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb up New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Saturday under sun-soaked skies.In a field of 526 finishers, the 47-year-old completed the grueling 7.6-mile climb 26th overall in one hour, five minutes and 42 seconds (1:05:42).The second-place woman was Kristen Gohr, 39, of Reading (32nd overall, 1:08:23). Pennsylvanian Selene Yeager, 41, was third (121, 1:17:36) and Marblehead’s Samantha Stephens finished in 1:58:50 (461st).Nico Toutenhoofd, 42, of Boulder, Colo. was the top male finisher at 57:26. Second place went to Californian David ‘Tinker’ Juarez, 49, at 58:08. Timothy Ahearn, 35, of Woodstock, Conn. was third at 58:22.Geoff Hamilton, 42, of Marblehead was 64th overall at 1:13:07. Greater Lynn men also finishing: Lawrence Vuolo, 52, Revere (290, 1:34:29); Eric Johnson, 61, Salem (369, 1:43:04); Glen Darby, 50, Marblehead (382, 1:44:32); Donald Graumann, 40, Salem (418, 1:50:31); Mark Legere, 50, Marblehead (448, 1:56:52).Many spectators enjoyed the great weather and breathtaking White Mountain backdrops to follow the race, which winds up the auto road from the base to the 6,288-foot summit. The road up the highest peak in the Northeast has an average upward slope of 12 percent, increasing up to 25 percent at some points.Proceeds from the annual race go to Tin Mountain Conservation Center in Albany, N.H.(Associated Press material was used in this report.)