Grand Junction Off-Road 2017: Pro 40 Grand Results

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Men’s Podium (L to R) Ben Sonntag (Clif) 4th, Geoff Kabush (Scott Maxxis) 2nd, Howard Grotts (Specialized) 1st, Russell Finsterwald (SRAM TLD) 3rd Kyle Trudeau (Construction Zone) 5th(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)

On a perfect day with nearly cloudless skies, USA Cross-Country champion Howard Grotts (Specialized) put the hurt on the chasers every time the 43-mile course turned uphill. Despite the course being three miles longer this year, he smashed the course record by three minutes to take the victory and the $5,000 first prize.

Grotts explained his race, "I wanted to be in the lead during the first section because I knew there were sections that would bottleneck if you were not in the lead group. I did not really know the Butterknife trail because I was not able to pre-ride so maybe I went a little slower and they "got me" near the feed zone at the bottom. I then saw that Windmill was a really good, steep, consistent climb and I figured that was my best chance to get away for good."

Veteran racer, Olympian, and former Grand Junction winner Katerina Nash (Clf Pro Team) was not familiar with the first part of the course so she rode with Amy Beisel (Pro Cycling) and up-and-coming Sofia Gomez Villafane. When she reached familiar trails put hit the gas pedal and dropped both of them. Beisel and Villafane rode together for a while, but eventually Beisel's superior experience earned her second place. Villafane finished impressively in third place.

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#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Howard Grotts (USA) Specialized	2:57:14
2	Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott Sports, Maxxis, Shimano	0:03:13
3	Russell Finsterwald (USA) SRAM \| Troy Lee Designs Race Team	0:03:41
4	Benjamin Sonntag (Ger) CLIF Bar, Niner Bikes, SRAM	0:06:17
5	Kyle Trudeau (USA) CZ Racing. BikeFlights, Rouleur Carbon	0:06:18
6	Fernando Riveros Paez (Col) CZ Racing	0:09:10
7	Alex Grant (USA) Cannondale, Enve Composites, Gear Rush	0:10:16
8	Chris Baddick (GBr) Boulder Cycle Sport, Scott Bicycles	0:10:36
9	Payson Mcelveen (USA) Orange Seal	0:10:59
10	Nic Beechan (USA) Trek Test Team, Shimano, Stans NoTubes, Ride 100%, Fox	0:11:00
11	Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Topeak-Ergon, Canyon	Row 10 - Cell 2
12	Cal Skilsky (USA) AZ Devo	0:11:31
13	Henry Nadell (USA) CZ Racing	0:13:48
14	Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona Bicycles, WTB, Shimano	0:14:38
15	Rotem Ishay (Isr) Jamis Bikes, Vittoria Tires, Stan's NoTubes	0:15:08
16	Stephan Davoust (USA) Giant Factory Off Road, SRAM, Schwalbe	0:15:38
17	Cypress Gorry (USA) KTM Factory USA	0:16:58
18	Brian Matter (USA) Linear Sport Racing, Trek, Shimano	0:18:22
19	Taylor Lideen (USA)	0:18:48
20	Carl Decker (USA) Giant Factory Off Road	0:19:28
21	Troy Wells (USA) CLIF	0:19:56
22	Bryan Dillon (USA) Topeak-Ergon, Canyon, SRAM	0:21:54
23	Lucas Rowton (USA) Montrose Bike Shop, Jonathan Livesay, my parents :)	0:21:57
24	Liam Earl (USA) Team Clif Bar, Niner Bikes, Cmu Cycling Team	0:22:01
25	Garrett Gerchar (USA) Clif Bar Development Mountain Bike and Cyclocross Team	0:22:42
26	Mitchell Peterson (USA) Canyon-Shimano	0:25:01
27	Bryson Perry (USA) Rouleur Devo, DNA Cycling, Summit Cyclery-Giant	0:25:12
28	Nick Gould (USA) Ska Brewing, Zia Taqueria, Trek	0:26:24
29	Drew Free (USA) KUHL, Pivot Cycles, Go-Ride.com	0:26:44
30	Tyler Jones (USA) Privateer	0:27:34
31	David Krimstock (USA) Giant Co. Factory Off Road	0:27:53
32	Mark Currie (USA) ENVE Composites, The Adrenalin Project, Skratch Labs	0:28:10
33	Rob Squire (USA) Felt- Assos- Oakley	0:28:44
34	Adam Bucklin (USA) Team Rwanda	0:29:12
35	Jorge Munoz (USA) CZ Racing	0:32:02
36	Herman Larsson (USA)	0:32:13
37	Keiran Eagen (USA) CRC Janitorial, Scott, 2nd Avenue Sports	0:32:20
38	Jason Donald (USA) Foundry Cycles, Skratch Labs, Boulder Cycle Sport	0:33:05
39	Barry Wicks (USA) Kona Endurance Team, Shimano, WTB	0:33:41
40	Weston Rasmussen (USA) CZracing, Tenac Championship Coaching	Row 39 - Cell 2
41	Menso De Jong (USA) CLIF Bar, Niner Bikes, SRAM	0:33:46
42	Dean Hill (USA) Aspen Pro Cycling - Cima Cycles - Ute City Cycles	0:33:56
43	Ricardo Creel (Mex) CZ Racing	0:34:44
44	Matthew Turner (USA) Competitive Cyclist, Pivot Cycles, POC	0:34:52
45	Alex Pond (USA) Sonoran Cycles, Honey Stinger, Big Agnes	0:34:55
46	Jake Yackle (USA) Yackle Brothers Racing, KHS	0:35:11
47	Peter Calmes (USA)	0:36:20
48	Dylan Bailey (Can) Catalyst coaching and Sportlab, orange seal, suomy	0:36:21
49	Carter Anderson (USA)	0:38:59
50	Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona Endurance Team	0:39:04
51	Samuel Dolzani (USA) Honey Stinger, Bontrager	0:39:27
52	Tim Racette (USA) McDowell Mountain Cycles, Mike's Mix, Maxxis Tires	0:40:23
53	Daniel Matheny (USA) Matheny Endurance, COS Racing, EVOC	0:40:25
54	Levi Kurlander (USA) Trek Bicycles, Team RideBiker p/b Sho-Air	0:42:13
55	Nicolas Jimenez (USA) Yeti Cycles, Pactimo, Colorado Mesa University	0:42:48
56	Tyler Fox (USA) Giant Bicycles, Rockshox, Sram.	0:45:04
57	Donny Warbritton (USA) Stages Cycling	0:48:33
58	Cody Schwartz (USA) Scott, SRAM, Jakroo	0:49:08
59	John Nobil (USA)	0:49:09
60	Barkley Robinson (USA) Orange Peel / Steamboat Velo	0:49:24
61	Noah Sears (USA) Pivot, MRP, Ergon	0:50:30
62	Connor Barrett (USA) Summit Cyclery, Giant Bicycles, DNA Cycling	0:59:54
63	Ernie Watenpaugh (USA)	1:11:23

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Women
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Katerina Nash (Cze) Clif	3:38:12
2	Amy Beisel (USA) ProCycling / Kenda Tire	0:03:32
3	Sofia Gomez Villafane (Arg) Assos , Pivot Cycles	0:09:13
4	Evelyn Dong (USA) Cannondale	0:10:17
5	Crystal Anthony (USA) Maxxis, Shimano	0:10:30
6	Maghalie Rochette (Can) CLIF, Maxxis, Fox	0:15:13
7	Alexis Skarda (USA) Stans, Kenda	0:20:31
8	Jennifer Smith (NZl) Stan's NoTubes, Kenda Tires, Cannondale	0:20:43
9	Isnaraissa Moir (USA) Pivot Cycles, MRP, Ergon	0:22:42
10	Nicole Tittensor (USA) Jans/Reynolds/Scott	0:26:11
11	Emily Schaldach (USA) Trek, Ridefast Racing, Mecha Fitness	0:27:44
12	Serena Bishop Gordon (USA) LIV, SRAM, Schwalbe	0:27:48
13	Sara Sheets (USA) Oskar Blues, Drunk Cyclist, Northern Colorado Grassroots	0:28:43
14	Chase Edwards (USA) Flagstaff Bike Revolution	0:31:09
15	Rebecca Gross (USA) KHS Bicycles, Sped Precision Components, Rotor Bicycle Components	0:32:54
16	Karen Jarchow (USA) Topeak-Ergon Racing Team, Canyon, Rockshox, SRAM, Limar	0:34:46
17	Liza Hartlaub (USA) GU Energy Labs	0:40:05
18	Sarah Kaufmann (USA) Stan's/Kenda Women's Elite Team	0:42:19
19	Tamara Donelson (USA) The Cycle Effect	0:48:27
20	Nikki Peterson (USA) RideBiker, Incycle Bicycles, Kenda Tires	0:53:04
21	Celeste Cannon (USA) Tokyo Joe's, Lee's Cyclery, Nothern Colorado Eye	0:56:22
22	Christine Jeffrey (USA) CZ Racing	1:09:56