McConnell sprints to Fontana cross country victory
Kabush retains US Cup series lead
Dan McConnell (Trek Factory Racing) won round 3 of the USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group in Fontana, California, on Saturday afternoon. With three rounds done and one to go, Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox) leads the USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series.
Later in the afternoon, Australian national champion McConnell won a three-up final sprint ahead of Manuel Fumic of Germany and Marco Aurelio Fontana of Italy (both Cannondale Factory Racing).
Emil Lindgren (Giant Pro XC), Fontana and Fumic set the pace on the first two laps of the six-lap race as they strung out the field and established a group of favorites that included McConnell, US cross country national champion Stephen Ettinger (BMC), Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Trek Factory Racing). US short track national champion Todd Wells (Specialized Racing) was among the top riders leading the chase.
Mantecon made a move near the end of lap three that only Fontana could follow at first. They were chased by Lindgren and Ettinger with Wells, Fumic and McConnell not far behind.
Going into the second half of the race, all the top riders came back together for a seven-man lead group including Mantecon, Fontana, Lindgren, Ettinger, Wells, McConnell and Fumic. It looked like the winner would come from this group.
Mantecon attacked again on lap four and Fontana went with him. Ettinger seemed to be riding well, too, but suddenly disappeared from the leaders on the downhill.
"We were off the front - Fontana, Gutierrez and me - at the top of the descent on the fourth lap when I blew a valve stem off my wheel. I didn't have anyone in the back tech zone since I'm here by myself. It was a tough call, but I had to walk it in." Ettinger abandoned the race.
Wells drove the chase to bring Mantecon and Fontana back while Lindgren seemed to hang on for dear life at times. McConnell rode steady and sat in.
On the penultimate lap, it was Fontana's turn to surge, and he took Mantecon along with him for a bit of a gap. Wells chased in third ahead of McConnell, Fumic and Lindgren.
Unfortunately for Mantecon, he sprinted with one lap to go, thinking it was the end of the race, and then upon realizing his mistake, he had no choice but suffer through the last lap.
"Today I felt very good. The race was like a little World Cup. I tried to save my energy for the last lap, but I made a big mistake and with two to go, I thought it was the final lap and I sprinted," said Mantecon. "Then I heard the bell, so in the last lap, I was in crisis. But I'm excited to be here with my new team and new teammate [eventual winner McConnell]."
Going into the final lap, Fontana led with a slight advantage. McConnell moved up a few spots to head the chase on the climb, just ahead of Fumic. Fontana started to look visibly tired near the top of the climb although it had at first seemed like he might hold off the chasers, but on an exciting final descent, McConnell and Fumic bridged up to him.
McConnell smartly took over the lead heading toward the last part of the lap, when passing was difficult, and he led out the sprint, holding off Fumic and a tired Fontana. It would not be Fontana's day to win in Fontana.
Wells came across the line as the top American in fourth place, a performance that was good enough to bump him up one place in the series standings, into second overall.
Lindgren completed the podium for fifth while Mantecon limped home for sixth.
Second-year elite rider Anton Cooper (Cannondale Factory Racing), a former junior world champion, finished an impressive seventh.
Defending USA Cycling US Cup series leader Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox) could not hold the pace of the top riders on the day, but as other favorites dropped out or fell further back, he rode consistently enough to finish ninth and keep his lead with 94 points to Wells' 79 points.
Previous series runner-up Max Plaxton (Cannondale Factory Racing) did not finish the race.
USA Cycling US Cup presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group series standings
After round three of four in the USA Cycling US Cup presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group series, Kabush leads the series ahead of Wells and Plaxton while Nash continues to lead the series ahead of Pendrel and Batty.
The USA Cycling US Cup presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group series will continue with the final round, a UCI Category 1 race in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Saturday, June 28.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Daniel McConnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing Team | 1:30:25 |
2 | Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing | 0:00:00 |
3 | Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing | 0:00:03 |
4 | Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Factory Racing | 0:00:39 |
5 | Emil Lindgren (Swe) Giant Pro XC Team | 0:00:53 |
6 | Sergio Mantecon Gutierre (Spa) Trek Factory Racing Team | 0:01:36 |
7 | Anton Cooper (NZl) Cannondale Factory Racing | 0:02:05 |
8 | Raphael Gagne (Can) Rocky Mountain Factory | 0:02:30 |
9 | Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott 3 Rox Racing | 0:03:00 |
10 | Keegan Swenson (USA) Cannondale Facotry Team | 0:03:20 |
11 | Hector Fernando Riveros (USA) | 0:03:23 |
12 | Russell Finsterwald (USA) Sram/Troy Lee Designs Race | 0:04:00 |
13 | Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott 3 Rox Racing | 0:04:22 |
14 | James Reid (RSA) Trek Racing South Africa | 0:05:04 |
15 | Cameron Jette (Can) Scott-3 Rox Racing | 0:05:20 |
16 | Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona | 0:05:24 |
16 | Connor Barrett (USA) Team Baghouse | 0:05:24 |
17 | Benjamin Sonntag (Ger) Stans No Tubes Elite Racing | 0:05:32 |
18 | Alex Grant (USA) Sho-Air/Cannondale | 0:05:33 |
19 | Kerry Werner (USA) Bmc Project Dirt | 0:05:52 |
20 | Adam Morka (Can) Wfp Coaching/Trek Bikes | 0:06:07 |
21 | Jeremy Martin (Can) | 0:06:48 |
22 | Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Sho-Air/Cannondale | 0:07:04 |
23 | Evan Guthrie (Can) Norco Factory Team | 0:07:10 |
24 | Troy Wells (USA) Team Clif Bar | 0:07:27 |
25 | Carl Decker (USA) Giant Factory Team | 0:07:58 |
26 | Barry Wicks (USA) | 0:07:59 |
27 | Patrick Chartrand (Can) Rocky Mountain Factory Team | 0:08:21 |
28 | Casey Williams (USA) Whole Athlete/Specialized | 0:08:39 |
29 | Tom Sampson (USA) | 0:08:46 |
30 | William Melone (USA) Riverside Racing | 0:09:04 |
31 | Sepp Kuss (USA) Bmc Project Dirt | 0:09:09 |
32 | Jason Sager (USA) Backcountry.Com | 0:09:18 |
33 | Marc-Antoine Nadon (Can) Scott 3 Rox Racing | 0:09:23 |
34 | Menso De Jong (USA) Team Clif Bar Cylcing | 0:09:25 |
35 | Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona | 0:09:29 |
36 | Mitchell Hoke (USA) The Pros Closet/Stans No Tubes | 0:09:58 |
37 | Julien Bourdevaire (Fra) Team Blackstar | 0:10:05 |
38 | Chris Baddick (GBr) The Gear Movement/Epic | 0:10:06 |
39 | Miguel Valadez Ortiz (Mex) Bear Valley Bikes | 0:10:28 |
40 | Peter Glassford (Can) Trek Canada | 0:10:31 |
41 | Mitch Bailey (Can) | 0:11:30 |
42 | Cole Oberman (USA) Rare Disease Cycling.Org | 0:11:40 |
43 | Ryan Woodall (USA) The Pros Closet/Stans No Tubes | 0:11:48 |
44 | Evan Mcneely (Can) Norco Factory Team | 0:12:03 |
45 | Tj Woodruff (USA) Backcountry.Com | 0:12:20 |
46 | Tristan Uhl (USA) 787 Racing | 0:12:55 |
47 | Kalan Beisel (USA) Giant-Tuff Shed | 0:13:25 |
48 | David (Tinker) Juarez (USA) Sho-Air/Cannondale | 0:13:45 |
49 | Michael Hosey (USA) Marin Factory | 0:14:11 |
50 | Alexandre Vialle (Can) Espresso Sport | 0:14:28 |
51 | Bryson Perry (USA) Dna Cycling | 0:14:43 |
52 | Joseph Maloney (USA) Ks Energy Services | 0:14:52 |
53 | Ryan Standish (USA) | 0:14:55 |
54 | Christopher Hamlin (USA) | 0:15:19 |
55 | Drew Edsall (USA) Pros Closet/Stans No Tubes | 0:15:38 |
56 | Bryan Alders (USA) Marin Bikes Factory Team | 0:16:16 |
57 | Elliot Reinecke (USA) Velo Hangar/Focus Bikes | 0:16:28 |
58 | Quinn Moberg (Can) Rocky Mountain Factory Team | 0:16:30 |
59 | Colin Osborn (USA) Honey Stinger/Bontrager | 0:16:53 |
60 | Bryan Horsley (USA) | 0:17:28 |
61 | Braden Kappius (USA) Team Clif Bar | 0:18:16 |
62 | Ryan Geiger (USA) Topix-Frm Factory Race Team | 0:18:32 |
-2laps | Joel Titius (USA) Socal Endurance | |
-2laps | Gustavo Pedroza (Mex) Niner/Spy/Lake | |
-2laps | Gareth Feldstein (USA) Muscle Milk | |
-2laps | Cody Kaiser (USA) Muscle Milk/Specialized | |
-2laps | Sean Donovan (USA) | |
-2laps | Jakub Valigura (USA) 92Fifty' Cyclery | |
-2laps | Jett Chandler (USA) Doug Chandler Performance | |
-2laps | William Curtis (USA) Team Santa Cruz-X Fusion | |
-2laps | Mason Shea (USA) | |
-2laps | Brodie Stringer (USA) Team Baghouse | |
-2laps | Charles Jenkins (USA) Khs/Cytomax/Esi | |
-2laps | Alex Wild (USA) Trail Head Racing | |
-2laps | Eliel Anttila (USA) Uc Berkeley | |
-2laps | Ernest Watenpaugh (USA) | |
-2laps | Christopher Kelly (USA) Evergreen Cycling | |
-3laps | Joseph Clemenzi (USA) Sports Garage Cycling | |
-3laps | Stuart Gonzalez (USA) Bear Valley Bikes | |
-3laps | Levi Kurlander (USA) Fort Lewis College | |
-3laps | Noah Tautfest (USA) Bicycle Express/Kona | |
-3laps | Stephane Roch (USA) Swami's/Skliz | |
-3laps | Dan Wolf (USA) Old Line Velo | |
-3laps | Matthew Turner (USA) Summit Utah Devo | |
-3laps | Christopher Wieczorek (USA) Total Cyclist | |
-3laps | Connor Bell (USA) Rocktown Racing | |
-3laps | David Flaten (USA) Giant Factory North East Pro | |
-3laps | Rotem Ishay (Isr) Team Jamis Bikes | |
-3laps | Cody Cupp (USA) | |
-3laps | Garnet Vertican (USA) Bear Valley Bikes | |
-3laps | Ryan Cook (USA) | |
-3laps | Pete Macleod (USA) Barfly | |
-3laps | Rocky Gingg (USA) Momentum Endurance | |
-3laps | Anibal Valadez (Mex) Ellin Cycling Team | |
-3laps | Miguel Ramos (USA) Bh/Smith Optics | |
-3laps | Cody Lacosta (USA) High Gear/Cannondale | |
-3laps | Anthony Stein (USA) | |
-3laps | Hal Helbock (USA) | |
-4laps | Trey Jarno (USA) Bear Valley Bikes | |
DNF | Sam Schultz (USA) Sho-Air/Cannondale | |
DNF | Max Plaxton (Can) Cannodale Factory Team | |
DNF | Antoine Caron (Can) Specialized Racing Canada | |
DNF | Payson Mcelveen (USA) USA U23 | |
DNF | Stephen Ettinger (USA) BMC Mountain Bike Racing Team | |
DNF | Jason Siegle (USA) Sdg/Felt | |
DNF | John Nobil (USA) Bear Valley Bikes | |
DNS | Ryan Trebon (USA) Sho-Air/Cannondale | |
DNF | Craig Wohlschlaeger (USA) Giant Bicycle | |
DNF | Stephan Davoust (USA) San Juan Cycles/Steamworks |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Geoff Kabush (Scott 3 Rox Racing) | 94 | pts |
2 | Todd Wells (Specialized Factory Racing) | 79 | |
3 | Max Plaxton (Cannodale Factory Team) | 69 | |
4 | Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Trek Factory Racing Team) | 57 | |
5 | Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cannondale Factory Racing) | 53 | |
6 | Manuel Fumic (Cannondale Factory Racing) | 53 | |
7 | Jeremiah Bishop (Sho-Air/Cannondale) | 50 | |
8 | Derek Zandstra (Scott 3 Rox Racing) | 50 | |
9 | Alex Grant (Sho-Air/Cannondale) | 45 | |
10 | Benjamin Sonntag (Stans No Tubes Elite Racing) | 42 | |
11 | Spencer Paxson (Kona) | 38 | |
12 | Raphael Gagne (Rocky Mountain Factory) | 36 | |
13 | Hector Fernando River | 35 | |
14 | Russell Finsterwald (Sram/Troy Lee Designs Race Tea) | 35 | |
15 | Adam Morka (Wfp Coaching/Trek Bikes) | 31 | |
16 | Payson Mcelveen (USA U23) | 30 | |
17 | Daniel Mcconnell (Trek Factory Racing Team) | 30 | |
18 | Stephen Ettinger (BMC Mountain Bike Racing Team) | 29 | |
19 | Cameron Jette (Scott-3 Rox Racing) | 28 | |
20 | Emil Lindgren (Giant Pro Xc Team) | 26 | |
21 | Keegan Swenson (Cannondale Facotry Team) | 26 | |
22 | Kris Sneddon (Kona) | 25 | |
23 | Troy Wells (Team Clif Bar) | 23 | |
24 | Sam Schultz (Sho-Air/Cannondale) | 21 | |
25 | Kerry Werner (BMC Project Dirt) | 20 | |
26 | Carl Decker (Giant Factory Team) | 20 | |
27 | Anton Cooper (Cannondale Factory Racing) | 19 | |
28 | Jason Sager (Backcountry.Com) | 19 | |
29 | Mitchell Hoke (The Pros Closet/Stans No Tubes) | 18 | |
30 | Casey Williams (Whole Athlete/Specialized) | 18 | |
31 | Rotem Ishay (Team Jamis Bikes) | 17 | |
32 | James Reid (Trek Racing South Africa) | 17 | |
33 | David Flaten (Giant Factory North East Pro T) | 15 | |
34 | Menso De Jong (Team Clif Bar Cylcing) | 15 | |
35 | Miguel Valadez Ortiz (Bear Valley Bikes) | 15 | |
36 | Sepp Kuss (BMC Project Dirt) | 15 | |
37 | Tj Woodruff (Backcountry.Com) | 15 | |
38 | Ryan Woodall (The Pros Closet/Stans No Tubes) | 15 | |
39 | Chris Baddick (The Gear Movement/Epic Pro Cyc) | 15 | |
40 | Bryan Alders (Marin Bikes Factory Team) | 15 | |
41 | Dan Wolf (Old Line Velo) | 15 | |
42 | Kalan Beisel (Giant-Tuff Shed) | 15 | |
43 | Braden Kappius (Team Clif Bar) | 15 | |
44 | Tom Sampson | 15 | |
45 | Alex Wild (Trail Head Racing) | 15 | |
46 | Tristan Uhl (787 Racing) | 15 | |
47 | Rocky Gingg (Momentum Endurance) | 15 | |
48 | Elliot Reinecke (Velo Hangar/Focus Bikes) | 15 | |
49 | Craig Wohlschlaeger (Giant Bicycle) | 15 | |
50 | Cole Oberman (Rare Disease Cycling.Org) | 15 | |
51 | Gareth Feldstein (Muscle Milk) | 15 | |
52 | William Melone (Riverside Racing) | 15 | |
53 | Joseph Maloney (Ks Energy Services/Team Wisco) | 15 | |
54 | Michael Hosey (Marin Factory) | 15 | |
55 | Ernest Watenpaugh | 15 | |
56 | Ryan Geiger (Topix-Frm Factory Race Team) | 15 | |
57 | Ryan Trebon (Sho-Air/Cannondale) | 14 | |
58 | Jeremy Martin | 11 | |
59 | Peter Glassford (Trek Canada) | 10 | |
60 | Anthony Stein | 10 | |
61 | Hal Helbock | 10 | |
62 | Sean Donovan | 10 | |
63 | Brodie Stringer (Team Baghouse) | 10 | |
64 | Joel Titius (Socal Endurance) | 10 | |
65 | Christopher Hamlin | 10 | |
66 | Antoine Caron (Specialized Racing Canada) | 10 | |
67 | Trey Jarno (Bear Valley Bikes) | 10 | |
68 | Evan Guthrie (Norco Factory Team) | 10 | |
69 | Eliel Anttila (Uc Berkeley) | 10 | |
70 | Noah Tautfest (Bicycle Express/Kona) | 10 | |
71 | Gustavo Pedroza (Niner/Spy/Lake) | 10 | |
72 | Alexandre Vialle (Espresso Sport) | 10 | |
73 | Skyler Taylor (Bear Development Team) | 10 | |
74 | Jett Chandler (Doug Chandler Performance) | 10 | |
75 | Matthew Turner (Summit Utah Devo) | 10 | |
76 | Jakub Valigura (92Fifty' Cyclery) | 10 | |
77 | Barry Wicks | 10 | |
78 | Christopher Wieczore (Total Cyclist) | 10 | |
79 | Patrick Chartrand (Rocky Mountain Factory Team) | 10 | |
80 | Madison Matthews (Toasted Head Racing/Gu Energy) | 10 | |
81 | Marc-Antoine Nadon (Scott 3 Rox Racing) | 10 | |
82 | Charles Jenkins (Khs/Cytomax/Esi) | 10 | |
83 | Jason Siegle (Sdg/Felt) | 10 | |
84 | Stephane Roch (Swami's/Skliz) | 10 | |
85 | Colin Osborn (Honey Stinger/Bontrager) | 10 | |
86 | Julien Bourdevaire (Team Blackstar) | 10 | |
87 | John Nobil (Bear Valley Bikes) | 10 | |
88 | Quinn Moberg (Rocky Mountain Factory Team) | 10 | |
89 | David (Tinker) Juarez (Sho-Air/Cannondale) | 10 | |
90 | Pete Macleod (Barfly) | 10 | |
91 | Drew Edsall (Pros Closet/Stans No Tubes) | 10 | |
92 | Marco Antonio Escarc (Alu Bike-Krbo Cycling Team) | 5 | |
93 | Jose Escarcega (Alu Bike-Krbo Cycling Team) | 5 | |
94 | Miguel Ramos (Bh/Smith Optics) | 5 | |
95 | Jarred Jordan | 5 | |
96 | Michael Broderick (Kenda/Stans No Tubes) | 5 | |
97 | Juan Carlos Nunez Gal | 5 | |
98 | David Pinedo (Ellin Cycling Team) | 5 | |
99 | Sergio Hernandez (Incyle-Predator Components) | 5 | |
100 | Lucas Newcomb (Bear Development Team) | 5 | |
101 | Aaron Oakes (Bicycle Express) | 5 | |
102 | Andrew Dahlheim | 5 | |
103 | Joseph Clemenzi (Sports Garage Cycling) | 5 | |
104 | Cody Cupp | 5 | |
105 | Brian Barrow | 5 | |
106 | Alex Muecci | 5 | |
107 | Evan Mcneely (Norco Factory Team) | 5 | |
108 | Jordan Kahlenberg (Giant Mid-Atlantic) | 5 | |
109 | Levi Kurlander (Fort Lewis College) | 5 | |
110 | Ryan Standish | 5 | |
111 | Steve Tilford | 5 | |
112 | Bryan Horsley | 5 | |
113 | Stephan Davoust (San Juan Cycles/Steamworks/Gi) | 5 | |
114 | Garet Steinmetz | 5 | |
115 | Cody Lacosta (High Gear/Cannondale) | 5 | |
116 | Jack Hinkens (BMC Mtb Development Team Us) | 5 | |
117 | Stuart Gonzalez (Bear Valley Bikes) | 5 | |
118 | Connor Bell (Rocktown Racing) | 5 | |
119 | Ignacio Torres (Turbo Bicycles) | 5 | |
120 | Garnet Vertican (Bear Valley Bikes) | 5 | |
121 | William Curtis (Team Santa Cruz-X Fusion P/B Fro) | 5 | |
122 | Martin Cox (Endurancefac) | 5 | |
123 | Christopher Kelly (Evergreen Cycling) | 5 | |
124 | Keck Baker | 5 | |
125 | Cody Kaiser (Muscle Milk/Specialized) | 5 | |
126 | Timothy Rugg | 5 | |
127 | Bryson Perry (Dna Cycling) | 5 | |
128 | David Vaughn | 5 | |
129 | Carson Lange | 5 | |
130 | Mitch Bailey | 5 | |
131 | Anibal Valadez (Ellin Cycling Team) | 5 | |
132 | Ryan Cook | 5 | |
133 | Brady Stewart | 5 | |
134 | Mason Shea | 5 |

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