Two of the youngest athletes on the Jeep ® King of the Mountain Series (www.jeepsports.com) roster, Jill Kintner of Seattle, Wash., and Michal Prokop of the Czech Republic (both 25) continued their torrid national and international winning streaks by capturing titles at the first stop of the 2006 Mountain Biking World Professional Championships today in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
The thousands of race enthusiasts on hand from across the Central Coast area were met with blue skies, ideal temperatures and action packed racing that resulted in several wipeouts and numerous photo finishes before the outcome was decided. At the end of the day, Prokop and Kintner, the event's defending World Professional Champions, held off their rivals to earn the top spot on the podium.
Prokop, who has won four of the first five races of the 2006 UCI World Cup season as well as a World Championship, European Championship and National Championship , began the day with a win over Brian Schmith of Lancaster, Calif., a NORBA Nationals and World Cup medalist. He then eliminated Eric Carter of Temecula, Calif., the 2005 USA Cycling National Champion, to reach the Championship Heat.
Once there, he faced Brian Lopes of San Clemente, Calif., a three-time World Champion, five-time World Cup Champion and nine-time National Champion who is one of the most recognizable cyclists in history. Lopes worked his way to the finals with victories over Travis Collins , the local favorite from San Luis Obispo, and Wade Bootes of Australia, the 2004 JKOM World Professional Champion and runner up in 2005. Prokop swept Lopes in a close two-race duel to bring home the title, with Carter edging out Bootes in the Consolation Heat for third place.
