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Wells wins Sea Otter short track

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Ettinger takes second while Sauser claims third

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Todd Wells (Specialized Racing) wins the elite men's short track at the Sea Otter Classic

Todd Wells (Specialized Racing) wins the elite men's short track at the Sea Otter Classic (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Todd Wells (Specialized) rolling in for the win as Stephen Ettinger and Christoph Sauser contest second place

Todd Wells (Specialized) rolling in for the win as Stephen Ettinger and Christoph Sauser contest second place (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Preparations were underway for short track hours before the event began

Preparations were underway for short track hours before the event began (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Riders climbing out of the venue on pavement

Riders climbing out of the venue on pavement (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Todd Wells (Specialized) leading early in the contest

Todd Wells (Specialized) leading early in the contest (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Christoph Sauser riding in a cloud of dust with Barry Wicks

Christoph Sauser riding in a cloud of dust with Barry Wicks (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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A helicopter drone was filming the event

A helicopter drone was filming the event (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Geoff Kabush (Scott 3 Rox Racing) was never far from the front

Geoff Kabush (Scott 3 Rox Racing) was never far from the front (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Riders had to deal with some deep pea stone

Riders had to deal with some deep pea stone (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Justine Lindine powering his way through the pea stone

Justine Lindine powering his way through the pea stone (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Russell Finsterwald (SRAM) checking behind his while leading the race

Russell Finsterwald (SRAM) checking behind his while leading the race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountain Bike) leading Geoff Kabush

Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountain Bike) leading Geoff Kabush (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Emily Shields cheering for Kerry Werner

Emily Shields cheering for Kerry Werner (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Stephen Ettinger (BMC) leading as they head out for one more lap

Stephen Ettinger (BMC) leading as they head out for one more lap (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Christoph Sauser (Specialized) riding second wheel with one lap to go

Christoph Sauser (Specialized) riding second wheel with one lap to go (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Christoph Sauser (Specialized) leading with a half lap to go

Christoph Sauser (Specialized) leading with a half lap to go (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Brady Kappius (Team Cliff Bar) riding some tight corners and whoops on the short track course

Brady Kappius (Team Cliff Bar) riding some tight corners and whoops on the short track course (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Riders making a difficult 180-degree turn soon after the start

Riders making a difficult 180-degree turn soon after the start (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Christoph Sauser (Specialized)

Christoph Sauser (Specialized) (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Where there are bikes, there is usually coffee

Where there are bikes, there is usually coffee (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Fat tire bikes are everywhere at Sea Otter this year.

Fat tire bikes are everywhere at Sea Otter this year. (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Sea Otter venue at Laguna Seca Raceway

Sea Otter venue at Laguna Seca Raceway (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Geoff Kabush (Scott 3Rox Racing) leading on lap two

Geoff Kabush (Scott 3Rox Racing) leading on lap two (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Todd Wells (Specialized) was never futher back than third position

Todd Wells (Specialized) was never futher back than third position (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Christoph Sauser (Specialized) got into the breakaway

Christoph Sauser (Specialized) got into the breakaway (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Troy Wells (Team Cliff Bar) leading cyclo-cross specialist Ben Berden

Troy Wells (Team Cliff Bar) leading cyclo-cross specialist Ben Berden (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountain Bike) chasing Russell Finsterwald on lap four

Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountain Bike) chasing Russell Finsterwald on lap four (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Riders riding a section of whoops and tight corners

Riders riding a section of whoops and tight corners (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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With three laps to go, the race was quite spread out

With three laps to go, the race was quite spread out (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Kris Sneddon (Kona) riding some undulating man-made track

Kris Sneddon (Kona) riding some undulating man-made track (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Jamey Driscoll (Raleigh Clement) decided to try his hand at short track

Jamey Driscoll (Raleigh Clement) decided to try his hand at short track (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Road racing cars were lined up near the short track racing

Road racing cars were lined up near the short track racing (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountain Bike)

Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountain Bike) (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Geoff Kabush (Scott 3Rox Racing) on the front row

Geoff Kabush (Scott 3Rox Racing) on the front row (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Geoff Kabush (Scott 3Rox Racing) takes the hole-shot

Geoff Kabush (Scott 3Rox Racing) takes the hole-shot (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)

Todd Wells (Specialized) raced to victory in the elite men's short track race at the Sea Otter Classic on Friday.  The US short track national champion defeated US cross country national champion Stephen Ettinger (BMC) and marathon world champion Christoph Sauser (Specialized).

Wells was never further back than third the entire race and he led the charge to the line while Ettinger and Sauser sprinted each other for the second spot.

Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox) finished fourth ahead of Russell Finsterwald (SRAM Troy Lee Designs) to round out the top five.

Full Results

Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) Team
1Todd Wells (USA) Specialized S Racing
2Stephen Ettinger (USA) BMC
3Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized S Racing
4Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott 3-Rox
5Russell Finsterwald (USA) Sram Troy Lee Designs
6Evan Guthrie (Can) Norco Factory
7Barry Wicks (USA) Kona
8Mitchell Hoke (USA) The Pros Closet
9Troy Wells (USA) Team Cliff Bar
10Kerry Werner (USA) BMC Project Dirt
11Howard Grotts (USA) Specialized Racing XC
12Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott 3 Rox Racing
13Marc-Antoine Nadon (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing
14Andrew Watson (Can) Norco Factory
15Cody Kaiser (USA) Muscle Milk Specialized
16Unknown
17Justin Lindine (USA) Redline / NBX
18Ben Berden (Bel) Raleigh Clement
19Ryan Woodall (USA) The Pros Closet / Stans
20Rotem Ishay (USA)
21Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona
22Menso De Jong (USA) Team Clif Bar Cycling
23Ryan Geiger (USA) FRM Factory Racing
24Patrick Chartrand (Can) Rocky Mountain Factory
25Gareth Feldstein (USA) Cannondale Muscle Milk
26Sepp Kuss (USA) BMC Project Dirt
27Frantisek Rabon CZ19830926 Specialized Racing
28Tom Sampson (USA) Adigga Racing
29Jason Sager (USA) Backcountry.com
30Kalan Beisel (USA) Giant Tuffshed
31Marc-Andrt Daigle (Can) Garnean Quebecor
32Bryson Perry (USA) Dna Cycling
33Jamey Driscoll (USA) Raleigh Clement
34Elliot Reinecke (USA) Velo Hangar/Focus Bikes
35Travis Woodruff (USA) Backcountry.Com Bike Team
36Bryan Alders (USA) Marin Bikes
37Brodie Stringer (USA) Team Baghouse
38Lewis Gaffney (USA) American Classic
39Alex Wild (USA) Trailhead Racing Specialized
40Brady Kappius (USA) Clif Bar Cycling
41Clint Claassen (USA) Santa Cruz Fox
42Jason Moeschler (USA) Wtb Cannondale
43Robert Marion (USA) American Classic
44Spencer Paxson (USA)
45Quinn Moberg (Can) Rocky Mountain Factory
46Gustavo Pedroza (Mex) Ellin Cyling Team
47Charles Jenkins (USA) Khs Cytomax Esi
48Drew Edsall (USA) The Pros Closet/Stans
49Justin Desilets (USA) No Team
50Will Curtis (USA) Santa Cruz / X-Fusion
51Yuki Ikeda (Jpn) Topeak Ergon
52Joseph Clemenzi (USA) Sports Garage Cycling
53Jim Hewett (USA) Osmo
54Jordane Gauthier-Bea (Can) Power Watts Nord
55Matthew Tyler Turner (USA) Summit Utah Devo
56Danny Mcnaughton (USA) Eden Bicycles Racing Club
57Colby Pastore (USA) Santa Cruz / X-Fusion
58Anibal Valadez (Mex) Ellin Cycling Team
59Trey Jarno (Est) Bear Valley Bikes
60Eliel Anttila (USA) UC Berkeley

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