Four-time STXC National Champion Todd Wells shortly before staging of the STXC National Championships in Mammoth. Wells looks for advantages in everything from aero helmets to ultra-lightweight tires for the twenty minute and three lap format.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
Lea Davison led the field up the first lap climb.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
Chloe Woodruff was on the front of the field on the second lap, here leading Rose Grant.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
By the third lap, a select group had formed of Chloe Woodruff, Lea Davison, and Georgia Gould, though they would not stay in contact long.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
Chloe Woodruff was solo by the fourth lap. The Prescott, Arizona resident makes a full schedule of national and World Cup races.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
On the penultimate lap, Lea Davison caught and led Chloe Woodruff.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
Chloe Woodruff distanced Lea Davison in the final lap to win the STXC National Championship by several bike lengths.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
With forty starters, the descent in the forest section quickly became a dusty conga line of racers.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
The STXC course features 800’ of climbing per lap, which at 9000’ elevation, makes for a challenging effort. The pro women were completing laps in roughly three minutes.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
The Pro Women’s field rolls out from the start at the Mammoth Mountain ski resort.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
Russell Finsterwald now has an Professional STXC National Championship to add to his 2009 Junior STXC National Championship.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
Lea Davison was upbeat before taking to the track for practice laps.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
Todd Wells led the field on the first lap. Shortly before the start, Wells said that anyone not on the front in the opening lap would be lost in the dust on the short, twisty descent.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
Russell Finsterwald made his way around Todd Wells after three laps, and the pair built quickly built an eight-second advantage on the field.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
Alex Grant rode solo but consistently for the duration of the short track event, netting third place.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
Stephan Davoust had a huge ride in the short track championship, overcoming early-race setbacks through a multiple-lap chase to catch the leaders.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
In the final two laps, Stephan Davoust led Russell Finsterwald and Todd Wells up the climb after chasing for the majority of the race.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
In the sportsman move of the day, and heartbreak of the day: Stephan Davoust reaches out to fellow Durango resident Todd Wells while passing him on last lap after Wells flatted while in the the lead of the short track championship event.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
Russell Finsterwald is the new STCX National Champion.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
Kate Courtney, fresh off renewing her U23 Cross Country title on the previous day, takes to the line on the front row of the Pro Women’s STXC championship event.
(Image credit: Wil Matthews)
Russell Finsterwald (SRAM-Troy Lee Designs Race Team) and Chloe Woodruff (Team Stan’s NoTubes-Niner) claimed the short track national championships on Friday in Mammoth Mountain, California.
Finsterwald was locked in battle with four-time short track champion Todd Wells (Specialized Factory Racing) for most of the 20-minute race, but Wells suffered a puncture in the penultimate lap, leaving Finsterwald to solo away to victory. Stephan Davoust (Giant Southwest Racing) soloed in for silver ahead of Alex Grant (Roadbiker-Cannondale).
“It’s pretty special to come back here,” Woodruff said after the race. “I won the expert women’s short track jersey here 10 years ago, so it’s great to be back. I was kind of thinking that would be really cool to win it 10 years later.
