Kintner and Cometti take pro dual slalom US titles

Jill Kintner (Team Norco International/Red Bull) captured her 12th national title on Saturday at the 2014 USA Cycling Gravity Mountain Bike National Championships held at the Angel Fire Bike Park. Kintner and Luca Cometti (Factory Intense Cycles Racing) topped their respective pro fields in the dual slalom competition to earn the Stars-and-Stripes jerseys.

Kintner entered the competition as the highest seeded female pro rider and earned a first-round bye and an automatic advancement to the finals in the three-woman field. The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in BMX squared off against Rebecca Gardner (Kona) in the final where she won both heats handily to solidify her claim to the top step of the podium. Christen Boyer (One Ghost Industries) took home the bronze medal.

"I love riding slalom and it's nice to be home in America," said Kintner who is coming off a sixth-place performance in a World Cup downhill race in Austria six days ago.

Cometti was the fourth seed in the men's pro slalom and, after defeating Mikey Haderer (IXS Unique Sports) in the quarterfinals, faced top-seeded Luca Shaw (SRAM Factory) in the semi-final round. Shaw was coming off a bronze-medal downhill finish at last week's World Cup, but it was Cometti getting the better of Shaw by just .13 seconds after their two heats.

In the final, Cometti came back on the final run to beat Red Bull Rampage champion Kyle Strait and claim the title. Shaw defeated Kai Rogers for the bronze medal.

"Kyle Strait is obviously a legend of the sport and super powerful and very talented on the bike," Cometti said. "To beat him is a pretty amazing feeling being a first-year pro and always looking up to him growing up."

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