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Plaxton wins Catamount Classic Pro XCT

Wells' third place good enough to clinch series victory

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Max Plaxton (Sho-Air/Cannondale) beats Stephen Ettinger (BMC) for the win at the Catamount Classic.

Max Plaxton (Sho-Air/Cannondale) beats Stephen Ettinger (BMC) for the win at the Catamount Classic. (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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A rider soars off a five-foot "A" line jump

A rider soars off a five-foot "A" line jump (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Marc-Antoine Nadon (Scott 3Rox Racing) flying off a jump on lap four

Marc-Antoine Nadon (Scott 3Rox Racing) flying off a jump on lap four (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Richard Cypress Gorry (Whole Athlete/Specialized) catching some air on lap four

Richard Cypress Gorry (Whole Athlete/Specialized) catching some air on lap four (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Kerry Werner and Emily Shields

Kerry Werner and Emily Shields (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Todd Wells (Specialized) going to the front on lap one

Todd Wells (Specialized) going to the front on lap one (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Todd Wells (Specialized) taking command of the race

Todd Wells (Specialized) taking command of the race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Jeremiah Bishop (Sho-Air/Cannondale) riding in mud and tree cover

Jeremiah Bishop (Sho-Air/Cannondale) riding in mud and tree cover (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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National Champion Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountainbike Racing) with about a 30-second lead on lap four

National Champion Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountainbike Racing) with about a 30-second lead on lap four (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Mitch Hoke (Kenda/Felt) entering the grassy plain at the top of the course

Mitch Hoke (Kenda/Felt) entering the grassy plain at the top of the course (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Jeremiah Bishop, Todd Wells, Max Plaxton, and Cameron Jette chasing Ettinger on lap four

Jeremiah Bishop, Todd Wells, Max Plaxton, and Cameron Jette chasing Ettinger on lap four (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountainbike Racing) riding one of the gap jumps

Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountainbike Racing) riding one of the gap jumps (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Kohei Yamamoto (Specialized) was near the front at all times

Kohei Yamamoto (Specialized) was near the front at all times (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Howard Grotts (Specialized) showboating for the crowd

Howard Grotts (Specialized) showboating for the crowd (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Todd Wells (Specialized) tells his teammate Kohei Yamamoto to stop the pace-making on the last lap

Todd Wells (Specialized) tells his teammate Kohei Yamamoto to stop the pace-making on the last lap (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Kerry Werner (BMC) and Howard Grotts (Specialized) were together much of the race

Kerry Werner (BMC) and Howard Grotts (Specialized) were together much of the race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Max Plaxton (Sho-Air/Cannondale) out-sprints Stephen Ettinger on the long grass finish

Max Plaxton (Sho-Air/Cannondale) out-sprints Stephen Ettinger on the long grass finish (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Kohei Yamamoto (Specialized) gave Todd Wells numbers in the chase group

Kohei Yamamoto (Specialized) gave Todd Wells numbers in the chase group (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Cameron Jette (Scott-3Rox Racing) was part of the chase group

Cameron Jette (Scott-3Rox Racing) was part of the chase group (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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US Cross Country National Champion Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountainbike Racing) in his new kit

US Cross Country National Champion Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountainbike Racing) in his new kit (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Todd Wells (Specialized) leading the race partway through lap one

Todd Wells (Specialized) leading the race partway through lap one (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Jeremiah Bishop (Sho-Air/Cannondale) got off to a poor start and had to play catch-up

Jeremiah Bishop (Sho-Air/Cannondale) got off to a poor start and had to play catch-up (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Todd Wells (Specialized) leading the race down one of the "A" lines

Todd Wells (Specialized) leading the race down one of the "A" lines (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Hamish Batchelor (Fluid Fin Race Team) was one of the foreigners racing

Hamish Batchelor (Fluid Fin Race Team) was one of the foreigners racing (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Sepp Kuss (Rocky Mountain Chocolate) flying off one of the jumps

Sepp Kuss (Rocky Mountain Chocolate) flying off one of the jumps (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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National Champion Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountainbike Racing) leading the race on lap two

National Champion Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountainbike Racing) leading the race on lap two (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Jeremiah Bishop (Sho-Air/Cannondale) chasing Stephen Ettinger on lap two after crashing

Jeremiah Bishop (Sho-Air/Cannondale) chasing Stephen Ettinger on lap two after crashing (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Max Plaxton (Sho-Air/Cannondale) seemed to be biding his time in the main chase group

Max Plaxton (Sho-Air/Cannondale) seemed to be biding his time in the main chase group (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Todd Wells (Specialized) spent much of the race trying to drop Jeremiah Bishop but the two were well matched

Todd Wells (Specialized) spent much of the race trying to drop Jeremiah Bishop but the two were well matched (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Cameron Dodge (Scott) riding some uphill switchbacks

Cameron Dodge (Scott) riding some uphill switchbacks (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Mathieu Belanger-Barrette (OPUS\PGC) riding switchbacks

Mathieu Belanger-Barrette (OPUS\PGC) riding switchbacks (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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The turns on this course were numerous, tight, and steep

The turns on this course were numerous, tight, and steep (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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A rider makes it up a turn that caused problems for many

A rider makes it up a turn that caused problems for many (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Jeremiah Bishop (Sho-Air/Cannondale) riding one of the man-made rock gardens

Jeremiah Bishop (Sho-Air/Cannondale) riding one of the man-made rock gardens (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Todd Wells (Specialized) riding in third place behind Jeremiah Bishop

Todd Wells (Specialized) riding in third place behind Jeremiah Bishop (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Todd Wells (Specailized) clinches the Pro XCT title by beating Jeremiah Bishop at the Catamount Classic

Todd Wells (Specailized) clinches the Pro XCT title by beating Jeremiah Bishop at the Catamount Classic (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)

Max Plaxton (Sho-Air/Cannondale) won the Catamount Classic Pro XCT in Vermont on Saturday afternoon. Plaxton finished ahead of Stephen Ettinger (BMC) and Todd Wells (Specialized).

A star-studded field had shown up to battle for the Pro XCT title. Olympian Wells, Jeremiah Bishop (Sho-Air Cannondale) and Ettinger toed the line, each with a shot at top honors.

From the beginning, Ettinger took off and held a strong lead of about 20 seconds for the majority of the race. The US Cross Country National Champion was leading the race with one lap to go, but Plaxton closed the gap to him and won the sprint finish.

The battle within the battle was for third place between two men who wanted the Pro XCT overall title: Wells and Bishop. They, along with Kohei Yamamoto (Specialized), entered the finish chute each with equal chance of taking third. In a masterful demonstration of team tactics, Specialized teammates slingshotted Wells into the bronze position to take the Pro XCT overall win.

Yamamoto finished fourth, ahead of Bishop in fifth.

Both Wells and Bishop had comeback kind of races with Wells having to recover from a mechanical early in the race and Bishop having to recover following a big crash.

Full Results

Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Max Plaxton (Can) Team Sho-Air/Cannondale1:41:47
2Stephen Ettinger (USA) BMC Mountainbike Racing0:00:07
3Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing0:00:29
4Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized0:00:32
5Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Sho-Air/Cannondale0:00:39
6Cameron Jette (Can) Scott - 3 Rox Racing0:01:44
7Russell Finsterwald (USA) Trek Factory Racing0:01:56
8Howard Grotts (USA) Specialized Racing0:02:23
9Kerry Werner (USA) BMC MTB Development Team0:02:38
10Rotem Ishay (USA) Team Jamis Bikes0:02:57
11Mitchell Hoke (USA) Kenda Felt0:04:05
12Ryan Woodall (USA) Top Gear Bicycles0:04:09
13Cameron Dodge (USA) Scott Mountain Bike Team0:04:13
14Sebastian Batchelor (GBr) Fluid Fin Race Team0:04:54
15Nicolas Sessler (Bra) Caloi Elite Team0:05:26
16Casey Williams (USA) Whole Athlete/Specialized0:05:45
17William Melone (USA) Riverside Racing0:05:50
18Mathieu Bélanger-Barrette (Can) Opus\Ogc0:06:43
19Sepp Kuss (USA) Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory0:07:05
20Marc-Antoine Nadon (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing0:07:10
21Dirk Peters (NZl)0:07:17
22Payson McElveen (USA) Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory0:07:21
23Tristan Cowie (USA) Mob Pro Mountain Bike Team0:07:34
24Cole Oberman (USA) Breakaw Aybikes.Com0:08:28
25Christopher Hamlin (USA) Bicycle Express/Kona Bikes0:09:17
26Alexandre Vialle (Can) Espresso Sport0:09:46
27Tom Sampson (USA) Adigga Racing0:10:02
28Richard Cypress Gorry (USA) Whole Athlete-Specialized0:10:05
29Robert McCarty (USA) Ag Bicycles0:10:24
30Zachary Valdez (USA) Whole Athlete/Specialized0:10:32
31Patrick Chartrand (Can) Les Yables0:10:41
32Gered Dunne (USA) Mason Racing0:12:49
33Shawn Milne (USA) Keough Cyclocross0:13:14
34Gregory Jancaitis (USA) Riverside Racing0:14:23
35Vincent Lessard (Can) Équipe Brunet0:14:42
36David Flaten (USA) Us Military Cycling0:14:55
37Vincent Belhumeur (Can)0:15:15
38Trevor DeRuise` (USA) Getreal Nutrition/Blu World0:39:25
39John Burns (USA) Burns Racing0:39:33
40Noah Tautfest (USA) Bicycle Express\Kona Bikes0:39:41
41Brendan McCormack (USA)0:39:45
42Jonathan Cantin (Can) Cvm Subway Sigma0:57:51
DNFHamish Batchelor (GBr) Fluid Fin Race Team
DNFMichael Broderick (USA) Kenda/Stan's No Tubes
DNFJordan Kahlenberg (USA) Giant Mid-Atlantic Off-Road
DNFMatthew Okeefe (USA) Riverside/Cannondale Racing
DNFMichael Sampson (USA) Adigga Racing

 

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