Mata expands US Pro UET lead

The USA Cycling Professional Mountain Bike Ultra-Endurance Tour (US Pro UET) returned to action with the Firecracker 50 in Breckenridge, Colorado, on July 4.

After winning the Firecracker 50, Colin Cares (Kenda-Felt) joined Manny Prado (Team Sho-air) atop the US Pro UET men's standings. Jonathan Schottler (Michelob Ultra-Big Shark) and Jay Henry are in a dead heat for third while Lee Unwin and Kelly Magelky (Honey Stinger-Trek) are knotted for fifth.

The 23-year-old Cares was one of only two riders to complete the highly-technical, 54-mile Firecracker course in less than four hours. Henry, who placed second in the final results, was one minute behind Cares for second place. The course, which was modified to account for large amounts of snow and wet conditions, was contested on two laps of a 27-mile, singletrack loop.

Pua Mata (Team Sho-air) bolstered her lead in the women's US Pro UET standings with a win at the Firecracker 50. She leads the women's standings by 80 points over Andrea Wilson (Mid South Velo) and Jennifer Smith (Alpine Orthopaedics), who are tied for second place.

Mata rode away with the win in the women's race, completing the 54-mile course nearly 20 minutes faster than Smith. Mata recently placed eighth in the 2011 Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships in Montebelluna, Italy, before competing in Breckenridge.

The US Pro UET will continue with the Galenda Grinder in Ketchum, Idaho, on July 23.

Standings