Cares and Blasi take over US Pro XCT lead

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Colin Cares of Kenda/Felt took 2nd place(Image credit: US Cup)

Colin Cares (Kenda-Felt) and Zephanie Blasi (WXC World Racing) took over the USA Cycling US Pro Cross Country Tour lead after finishing second in last weekend's US Cup Triple Crown - Bonelli Park. Both riders move into the top spots after combining silver with a 13th-place finish in last week's Mellow Johnny's Classic.

The second of five 2012 events on the US Pro XCT, Bonelli saw a host of new faces at the front of the pack, and first time winners in both fields with the absence of many of last week's top 10 riders opting to prepare for the upcoming World Cup next weekend in South Africa. In the women’s race, local Allison Mann (Sho-Air-Specialized) made the best of home track knowledge and rode away to a convincing solo win to earn the first US Pro XCT victory of her career. Behind Mann, a see-saw battle finally broke apart late in the five-lap race with Blasi racing ahead for silver. Huck, Jamie Busch and Andreanne Pichette (Opus-OGC-Equipe Queb) who was the first U23 women's rider on the day, rounded out the top five.

In the elite men's race, nearly 70 men rolled to the line to do battle in the heat of the unseasonably warm day. Mexico's Ignacio Torres (Turbo) grabbed the bull by the horns leading the first lap. In pursuit was Torres’ teammate Emmanuel Valencia, chased by Cannondale's Alex Grant, Sho-Air/Specialized's Brendon Davids and Cares. Davids was the first to make a mistake, as a dropped chain late into lap one put the young rider back outside the top 10. Meanwhile, Torres began to extend his lead pushing a furious pace.

On the third of six laps, riders began to spread as the hot weather and technical course took its toll. Meanwhile Torres quietly extended his lead, looking comfortable and cruising to a 20-second victory and his first US Pro XCT win. Cares followed in second, followed by a surging Gagne, Valencia and young Kerry Werner (BMC MTB Dev. Team), who rounded out the top five, and earned the title of top U23 rider.

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Elite men standings
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result	Header Cell - Column 3
1	Colin Cares (USA) Kenda/Felt	240	pts
2	Max Plaxton (Can) Specialized Racing	200	Row 1 - Cell 3
3	Raphael Gagne (Can) Rocky Mountain Factory	200	Row 2 - Cell 3
4	Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Rox	190	Row 3 - Cell 3
5	Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing	180	Row 4 - Cell 3
6	Ignacio Torres (Mex) Turbo	170	Row 5 - Cell 3
6	Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3 Rox Racing	170	Row 6 - Cell 3
8	Sam Schultz (USA) Subaru-Trek	160	Row 7 - Cell 3
9	Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Cannondale Factory Racing	150	Row 8 - Cell 3
10	Adam Craig (USA) Giant Rabo Bank	140	Row 9 - Cell 3
10	Emmanuel Valencia (Mex) Turbo	140	Row 10 - Cell 3
12	Ryan Woodall (USA) Top Gear Bicycles/Mtfmx.Com	140	Row 11 - Cell 3
13	Kerry Werner (USA) BMC Mountainbike Development Team Usa	138	Row 12 - Cell 3
14	Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Trek	130	Row 13 - Cell 3
15	Russell Finsterwald (USA) Subaru-Trek	130	Row 14 - Cell 3
16	Brendon Davids (RSA) Sho-Air/Specialized	125	Row 15 - Cell 3
17	Spencer Paxson (USA) Team S&M	120	Row 16 - Cell 3
18	Menso De Jong (USA) Santa Cruz Bicycles	115	Row 17 - Cell 3
19	Antoine Caron (Can) Subway-Genetik	100	Row 18 - Cell 3
20	Alex Grant (USA) Cannondale Factory Racing	90	Row 19 - Cell 3
20	Jason Sager (USA) Team Jamis	90	Row 20 - Cell 3
22	Tj Woodruff (USA) Momtentum Endurance Arizona Cyclist	86	Row 21 - Cell 3
23	Rotem Ishay (Isr) Team Jamis	85	Row 22 - Cell 3
24	Cameron Jette (Can) Scott-3 Rox Racing	70	Row 23 - Cell 3
25	Carl Decker (USA) Giant Factory Team	55	Row 24 - Cell 3
26	Peter Glassford (Can) Momentum Endurance	50	Row 25 - Cell 3
27	Evan Guthrie (Can) Team Canada	45	Row 26 - Cell 3
28	Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona	40	Row 27 - Cell 3
29	Victor Alber (USA) Super Cool Bike Shop/American Classic	35	Row 28 - Cell 3
30	Howard Grotts (USA) Specialized	30	Row 29 - Cell 3
30	Jeremy Martin (Can)	30	Row 30 - Cell 3
32	Adam Morka (Can) Trek Canada	28	Row 31 - Cell 3
33	Ben Bostrom (USA) Sho-Air/Specialized	27	Row 32 - Cell 3
34	Payson Mcelveen (USA) Rock Mountain Chocolate Factory Devo	24	Row 33 - Cell 3
35	Macky Franklin (USA) Orbea Tuff Shed	23	Row 34 - Cell 3
36	Bryan Alders (USA) Epic Pro Cycling Team	22	Row 35 - Cell 3
37	Seamus Powell (USA) Giant-Mid Atlantic Mtb Team	20	Row 36 - Cell 3
37	Dana Weber (USA) Pro Bike Supply	20	Row 37 - Cell 3
39	Zachary Valdez (USA) Whole Athlete-Specialized	19	Row 38 - Cell 3
40	Cody Canning (Can) Trek Red Truck P/B Mosaic Homes	16	Row 39 - Cell 3
41	Tyson Wagler (Can) Scott-3Roxracing	13	Row 40 - Cell 3
42	Andy Schultz (USA) Kenda-Felt	12	Row 41 - Cell 3
43	Kalan Beisel (USA) Orbea Tuff Shed	11	Row 42 - Cell 3
44	Bryan Fawley (USA) Orbea Tuff Shed	10	Row 43 - Cell 3
45	Matt Gordon (USA) Team Cycle Progression	9	Row 44 - Cell 3
46	Robert Marion (USA) American Classic/Xpedo P/B Max	7	Row 45 - Cell 3
47	Brennan Wodtli (USA)	6	Row 46 - Cell 3
48	Blake Harlan (USA) Ya Gotta Giv'r	3	Row 47 - Cell 3

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Elite women standings
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result	Header Cell - Column 3
1	Zephanie Blasi (USA) Wxc World Racing	240	pts
3	Erin Huck (USA) Tokyo Joes	200	Row 1 - Cell 3
2	Catherine Pendrel (Can) Team Luna Chix	200	Row 2 - Cell 3
4	Judy Freeman (USA) Crankbrothers Race Club	190	Row 3 - Cell 3
5	Monique Mata (USA) Sho-Air/Specialized	180	Row 4 - Cell 3
6	Erica Tingey (USA) Kuhl/Rocky Mountain	175	Row 5 - Cell 3
7	Katie Compton (USA) Giant Rabobank Team	170	Row 6 - Cell 3
7	Allison Mann (USA) Sho-Air/Specialized	170	Row 7 - Cell 3
9	Mariske Strauss (RSA) Pepper Palace.Spin-Tech Training	170	Row 8 - Cell 3
10	Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team	160	Row 9 - Cell 3
11	Sarah Kaufman (USA) Stan's No Tube Elite Women's Team	160	Row 10 - Cell 3
12	Lea Davidson (USA) Specialized Racing	150	Row 11 - Cell 3
13	Jamie Busch (USA)	140	Row 12 - Cell 3
13	Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru/Trek	140	Row 13 - Cell 3
15	Emily Batty (Can) Subaru-Trek	130	Row 14 - Cell 3
15	Andreanne Pichette (Can) Opus-Ogc/Equipe Quebec	130	Row 15 - Cell 3
17	Sage Wilderman (USA) Kenda/Felt	125	Row 16 - Cell 3
18	Chloe Woodruff (USA) Crankbrothers Race Club 11	120	Row 17 - Cell 3
19	Amanda Sin (Can) Scott-3 Rox Racing	110	Row 18 - Cell 3
20	Daniela Chavz (Mex)	100	Row 19 - Cell 3
20	Jennifer Smith (NZl) Trek/Vw	100	Row 20 - Cell 3
22	Cayley Brooks (Can)	60	Row 21 - Cell 3
23	Vicky Barclay (USA) Stans No Tubes Women	50	Row 22 - Cell 3
24	Lisa Uranga (USA) Pacc	45	Row 23 - Cell 3
25	Christina Gokey--Smith (USA) Colonels/Sho-Air	40	Row 24 - Cell 3
25	Valerie Maunier (Can)	40	Row 25 - Cell 3
27	Meghan Korol (USA) Pepper Palace.Spin-Tech Training	35	Row 26 - Cell 3
28	Liz Carrington (USA) Bear Valley Bikes	30	Row 27 - Cell 3
28	Haley Smith (Can) Team Canada	30	Row 28 - Cell 3
30	Melanie Long (USA) Tough Girl/ Scott	28	Row 29 - Cell 3
31	Andreane Lanthier Nadea (Can) Rocky Mountain Factory	20	Row 30 - Cell 3
32	Anna Fortner (USA) The Team-Socalcross	15	Row 31 - Cell 3
33	Kaila Hart (USA) No Tubes Elite Women	12	Row 32 - Cell 3
34	Caeli Barron (Can) Cynergy Racing	9	Row 33 - Cell 3
35	Alicia Rose Pastore (USA) BMC MTB Development Stans No Tubes	7	Row 34 - Cell 3
36	Vanessa Humic (USA)	5	Row 35 - Cell 3

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Team standings
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result	Header Cell - Column 3
1	Subaru-Trek	55	pts
2	Kenda/Felt Pro MTB Team	51	Row 1 - Cell 3
3	Team Luna Chix	46	Row 2 - Cell 3
4	BMC MTB Development Team	46	Row 3 - Cell 3
5	Specialized Racing	45	Row 4 - Cell 3
6	Orbea-Tuff Shed	9	Row 5 - Cell 3
7	Giant Factory Off‐Road Team	Row 6 - Cell 2	Row 6 - Cell 3
8	Honey Stinger‐Bontrager Off-Road	Row 7 - Cell 2	Row 7 - Cell 3