Howard Grotts (Specialized) won his second consecutive Missoula XC race, topping US national champion Stephen Ettinger (BMC) and his own teammate Todd Wells by leaving behind the competition on the final lap.
A deep elite men’s field toed the line for the final event of the day. Keegan Swenson (Cannondale Factory Racing), Grotts, Ettinger, Max Plaxton (Sho-Air Cannondale Factory Racing), Todd Wells and Derek Zandstra (Scott 3 Rox Racing) hit out hard with a fast first lap and separated themselves from the field.
After the initial fireworks died down; Grotts and Ettinger broke off from the lead group to battle the rest of the race for the top spot. Zandstra, Wells and Leandre Bouchard (Cyclone) formed a chase group but never made contact with the leaders again with Plaxton and Swenson fading between the main field and the lead duo.
Grotts left Ettinger behind on the final lap, with the BMC rider holding on for second at 1:20. Wells soloed in for third only 10 seconds ahead of Zandstra.
Full results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Howard Grotts | 1:31:21 |
| 2 | Stephen Ettinger | 0:01:20 |
| 3 | Todd Wells | 0:02:05 |
| 4 | Derek Zandstra | 0:02:15 |
| 5 | Leandre Bouchard | 0:02:53 |
| 6 | Hector Riveros | 0:03:23 |
| 7 | Keegan Swenson | 0:03:25 |
| 8 | Benjamine Sonntag | 0:04:23 |
| 9 | Max Plaxton | 0:04:30 |
| 10 | Alex Grant | 0:04:32 |
| 11 | Rotem Ishay | 0:05:49 |
| 12 | Geoff Kabush | 0:05:51 |
| 13 | Russell Finsterwald | 0:06:58 |
| 14 | Mitchell Hoke | 0:07:05 |
| 15 | Raphael Gagne | 0:07:19 |
| 16 | Richard Cypress Gorry | 0:07:31 |
| 17 | Spencer Paxson | 0:08:09 |
| 18 | Kerry Werner | 0:08:47 |
| 19 | Mitchell Bailey | 0:09:12 |
| 20 | Evan Mcneely | 0:09:32 |
| 21 | Antione Caron | 0:09:38 |
| 22 | Justin Lindine | 0:09:55 |
| 23 | Sepp Kuss | 0:10:05 |
| 24 | Cole Oberman | 0:10:35 |
| 25 | Chris Baddick | 0:10:48 |
| 26 | Casey Williams | 0:11:56 |
| 27 | Troy Wells | 0:12:16 |
| 28 | Cameron Jette | 0:12:29 |
| 29 | James Driscoll | 0:12:48 |
| 30 | Eric Thompson | 0:13:04 |
| 31 | Peter Disera | 0:13:32 |
| 32 | Menso De Jong | 0:13:46 |
| 33 | Payson Mcelveen | 0:14:00 |
| 34 | Chris Jackson | 0:14:14 |
| 35 | Jason Sager | 0:14:17 |
| 36 | Joseph Maloney | 0:15:03 |
| 37 | Ernie Watenpaugh | 0:15:07 |
| 38 | Adrian Retief | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
| 39 | Thomas Sampson | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
| 40 | Jason Siegle | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
| 41 | Joseph Clemenzi | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
| 42 | Mathieu Belanger Barrette | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
| 43 | Kacey Campbell | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
| 44 | Trevor De Ruise | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
| 45 | Sam Chovan | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
| 46 | John Curry | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
| 47 | Joel Shehan | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
| 48 | Matthew Turner | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
| 49 | Elliot Reinecke | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
| 50 | Kalan Beisel | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
| 51 | Clint Muhlfeld | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
| 52 | Craig Wohlschlaeger | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
| 53 | Kristopher Holden | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
| 54 | Eliel Anttila | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
| 55 | Nick Thomas | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
| 56 | Ben Parsons | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
| 57 | Keith Omundson | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
-
Demi Vollering kicks off 2026 season this week with Setmana Ciclista Valenciana title defence
Dutch racer faces off against world champion Magdeleine Vallieres, Cédrine Kerbaol, and Pauliena Rooijakkers at four-day race -
Exposure Sirius 11 review: Big performance in a small and refined package
Exposure’s stunning build quality is paired with a excellent light performance and features -
'It's not like you can easily replace someone like Simon' – Sepp Kuss to retain same schedule and priorities for 2026 following Yates' sudden retirement
US rider 'really motivated' to return to Giro d'Italia in support of Vingegaard, but may miss Vuelta a España for first time in his career -
Best cycling jerseys 2026: We test 23 of the best short and long-sleeve tops for road and gravel
Our picks of the best cycling jerseys, from aero racers and bikepacking options to budget choices that are easy on the wallet
