Grand Junction Off-Road: Grotts and Nash claim 40 Grand wins
Record time victory for US champion Grotts
On a perfect day with nearly cloudless skies, USA Cross-Country champion Howard Grotts (Specialized) put the hurt on the chasers every time the 43-mile course turned uphill. Despite the course being three miles longer this year, he smashed the course record by three minutes to take the victory and the $5,000 first prize.
Geoff Kabush (Scott Maxxis) and Russel Finsterwald (SRAM) chased hard, made contact once, but ultimately had to battle for second place. Kabush attacked Finsterwald on the final hill to open a 28-second lead and take second place. Finsterwald claimed third.
Grotts explained his race, "I wanted to be in the lead during the first section because I knew there were sections that would bottleneck if you were not in the lead group. I did not really know the Butterknife trail because I was not able to pre-ride so maybe I went a little slower and they "got me" near the feed zone at the bottom. I then saw that Windmill was a really good, steep, consistent climb and I figured that was my best chance to get away for good."
Pro Women
Veteran racer, Olympian, and former Grand Junction winner Katerina Nash (Clf Pro Team) was not familiar with the first part of the course so she rode with Amy Beisel (Pro Cycling) and up-and-coming Sofia Gomez Villafane. When she reached familiar trails put hit the gas pedal and dropped both of them. Beisel and Villafane rode together for a while, but eventually Beisel's superior experience earned her second place. Villafane finished impressively in third place.
Nash finished two minutes faster than last year's time despite the course being three miles longer. She commented after the race, "The course is spectacular. I really enjoy riding the trails here in Grand Junction. I had a really smooth ride and am happy to take the win here...I wanted to get into the singletrack first that was really my goal."
Nash credited her longtime mechanic Chris Mathis for his part in the win, "Thank you Chris for always taking care of me and the bike, and obviously Clif Pro Team. This is my sixteenth season with them and I am really thankful for the opportunity."
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Howard Grotts (USA) Specialized | 2:57:14 |
2 | Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott Sports, Maxxis, Shimano | 0:03:13 |
3 | Russell Finsterwald (USA) SRAM | Troy Lee Designs Race Team | 0:03:41 |
4 | Benjamin Sonntag (Ger) CLIF Bar, Niner Bikes, SRAM | 0:06:17 |
5 | Kyle Trudeau (USA) CZ Racing. BikeFlights, Rouleur Carbon | 0:06:18 |
6 | Fernando Riveros Paez (Col) CZ Racing | 0:09:10 |
7 | Alex Grant (USA) Cannondale, Enve Composites, Gear Rush | 0:10:16 |
8 | Chris Baddick (GBr) Boulder Cycle Sport, Scott Bicycles | 0:10:36 |
9 | Payson Mcelveen (USA) Orange Seal | 0:10:59 |
10 | Nic Beechan (USA) Trek Test Team, Shimano, Stans NoTubes, Ride 100%, Fox | 0:11:00 |
11 | Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Topeak-Ergon, Canyon | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Cal Skilsky (USA) AZ Devo | 0:11:31 |
13 | Henry Nadell (USA) CZ Racing | 0:13:48 |
14 | Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona Bicycles, WTB, Shimano | 0:14:38 |
15 | Rotem Ishay (Isr) Jamis Bikes, Vittoria Tires, Stan's NoTubes | 0:15:08 |
16 | Stephan Davoust (USA) Giant Factory Off Road, SRAM, Schwalbe | 0:15:38 |
17 | Cypress Gorry (USA) KTM Factory USA | 0:16:58 |
18 | Brian Matter (USA) Linear Sport Racing, Trek, Shimano | 0:18:22 |
19 | Taylor Lideen (USA) | 0:18:48 |
20 | Carl Decker (USA) Giant Factory Off Road | 0:19:28 |
21 | Troy Wells (USA) CLIF | 0:19:56 |
22 | Bryan Dillon (USA) Topeak-Ergon, Canyon, SRAM | 0:21:54 |
23 | Lucas Rowton (USA) Montrose Bike Shop, Jonathan Livesay, my parents :) | 0:21:57 |
24 | Liam Earl (USA) Team Clif Bar, Niner Bikes, Cmu Cycling Team | 0:22:01 |
25 | Garrett Gerchar (USA) Clif Bar Development Mountain Bike and Cyclocross Team | 0:22:42 |
26 | Mitchell Peterson (USA) Canyon-Shimano | 0:25:01 |
27 | Bryson Perry (USA) Rouleur Devo, DNA Cycling, Summit Cyclery-Giant | 0:25:12 |
28 | Nick Gould (USA) Ska Brewing, Zia Taqueria, Trek | 0:26:24 |
29 | Drew Free (USA) KUHL, Pivot Cycles, Go-Ride.com | 0:26:44 |
30 | Tyler Jones (USA) Privateer | 0:27:34 |
31 | David Krimstock (USA) Giant Co. Factory Off Road | 0:27:53 |
32 | Mark Currie (USA) ENVE Composites, The Adrenalin Project, Skratch Labs | 0:28:10 |
33 | Rob Squire (USA) Felt- Assos- Oakley | 0:28:44 |
34 | Adam Bucklin (USA) Team Rwanda | 0:29:12 |
35 | Jorge Munoz (USA) CZ Racing | 0:32:02 |
36 | Herman Larsson (USA) | 0:32:13 |
37 | Keiran Eagen (USA) CRC Janitorial, Scott, 2nd Avenue Sports | 0:32:20 |
38 | Jason Donald (USA) Foundry Cycles, Skratch Labs, Boulder Cycle Sport | 0:33:05 |
39 | Barry Wicks (USA) Kona Endurance Team, Shimano, WTB | 0:33:41 |
40 | Weston Rasmussen (USA) CZracing, Tenac Championship Coaching | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Menso De Jong (USA) CLIF Bar, Niner Bikes, SRAM | 0:33:46 |
42 | Dean Hill (USA) Aspen Pro Cycling - Cima Cycles - Ute City Cycles | 0:33:56 |
43 | Ricardo Creel (Mex) CZ Racing | 0:34:44 |
44 | Matthew Turner (USA) Competitive Cyclist, Pivot Cycles, POC | 0:34:52 |
45 | Alex Pond (USA) Sonoran Cycles, Honey Stinger, Big Agnes | 0:34:55 |
46 | Jake Yackle (USA) Yackle Brothers Racing, KHS | 0:35:11 |
47 | Peter Calmes (USA) | 0:36:20 |
48 | Dylan Bailey (Can) Catalyst coaching and Sportlab, orange seal, suomy | 0:36:21 |
49 | Carter Anderson (USA) | 0:38:59 |
50 | Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona Endurance Team | 0:39:04 |
51 | Samuel Dolzani (USA) Honey Stinger, Bontrager | 0:39:27 |
52 | Tim Racette (USA) McDowell Mountain Cycles, Mike's Mix, Maxxis Tires | 0:40:23 |
53 | Daniel Matheny (USA) Matheny Endurance, COS Racing, EVOC | 0:40:25 |
54 | Levi Kurlander (USA) Trek Bicycles, Team RideBiker p/b Sho-Air | 0:42:13 |
55 | Nicolas Jimenez (USA) Yeti Cycles, Pactimo, Colorado Mesa University | 0:42:48 |
56 | Tyler Fox (USA) Giant Bicycles, Rockshox, Sram. | 0:45:04 |
57 | Donny Warbritton (USA) Stages Cycling | 0:48:33 |
58 | Cody Schwartz (USA) Scott, SRAM, Jakroo | 0:49:08 |
59 | John Nobil (USA) | 0:49:09 |
60 | Barkley Robinson (USA) Orange Peel / Steamboat Velo | 0:49:24 |
61 | Noah Sears (USA) Pivot, MRP, Ergon | 0:50:30 |
62 | Connor Barrett (USA) Summit Cyclery, Giant Bicycles, DNA Cycling | 0:59:54 |
63 | Ernie Watenpaugh (USA) | 1:11:23 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Katerina Nash (Cze) Clif | 3:38:12 |
2 | Amy Beisel (USA) ProCycling / Kenda Tire | 0:03:32 |
3 | Sofia Gomez Villafane (Arg) Assos , Pivot Cycles | 0:09:13 |
4 | Evelyn Dong (USA) Cannondale | 0:10:17 |
5 | Crystal Anthony (USA) Maxxis, Shimano | 0:10:30 |
6 | Maghalie Rochette (Can) CLIF, Maxxis, Fox | 0:15:13 |
7 | Alexis Skarda (USA) Stans, Kenda | 0:20:31 |
8 | Jennifer Smith (NZl) Stan's NoTubes, Kenda Tires, Cannondale | 0:20:43 |
9 | Isnaraissa Moir (USA) Pivot Cycles, MRP, Ergon | 0:22:42 |
10 | Nicole Tittensor (USA) Jans/Reynolds/Scott | 0:26:11 |
11 | Emily Schaldach (USA) Trek, Ridefast Racing, Mecha Fitness | 0:27:44 |
12 | Serena Bishop Gordon (USA) LIV, SRAM, Schwalbe | 0:27:48 |
13 | Sara Sheets (USA) Oskar Blues, Drunk Cyclist, Northern Colorado Grassroots | 0:28:43 |
14 | Chase Edwards (USA) Flagstaff Bike Revolution | 0:31:09 |
15 | Rebecca Gross (USA) KHS Bicycles, Sped Precision Components, Rotor Bicycle Components | 0:32:54 |
16 | Karen Jarchow (USA) Topeak-Ergon Racing Team, Canyon, Rockshox, SRAM, Limar | 0:34:46 |
17 | Liza Hartlaub (USA) GU Energy Labs | 0:40:05 |
18 | Sarah Kaufmann (USA) Stan's/Kenda Women's Elite Team | 0:42:19 |
19 | Tamara Donelson (USA) The Cycle Effect | 0:48:27 |
20 | Nikki Peterson (USA) RideBiker, Incycle Bicycles, Kenda Tires | 0:53:04 |
21 | Celeste Cannon (USA) Tokyo Joe's, Lee's Cyclery, Nothern Colorado Eye | 0:56:22 |
22 | Christine Jeffrey (USA) CZ Racing | 1:09:56 |
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