Jeremiah Bishop and Georgia Gould are the early leaders in the 2011 Pro XCT

Last weekend marked the unofficial start to mountain bike season as the USA Cycling Professional Cross Country Mountain Bike Tour (Pro XCT) kicked off with the US Cup Triple Crown Bonelli Park on March 12 in San Dimas, Calif.

In a heated men's race that saw nearly 80 men toe the start line, Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va./Cannondale Factory Team) claimed the win after taking the lead from Sid Tableray (South Pasadena, Calif.) in the final lap. Max Plaxton (Specialized) rode to second place while Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized) rounded out third.

Picking up where she left off last year, Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./Luna Pro Team) started her season right with a win in the women's contest. After riding solo at the front for most of the race, the Colorado rider crossed the finish line more than two minutes ahead of runners-up Lea Davison (Jericho, Vt./Specialized) and Krista Park (Madison, SD/Cannondale-NoTubes)

"Bonelli is a sweet venue... Great trails and a tough race," said USA Cycling's National Events Director Kelli Lusk. "The pros really liked the course and some of them had a rough go of it for a season-opener."

For complete results from the Bonelli Park event, click here.

With the season opener now in the books, Bishop and Gould have taken the early Pro XCT leads ahead of Plaxton and Davison.

Among the U23 men, Stephen Ettinger (Cashmere, Wash./BMC Mountain Bike Development Team) is currently the top rider after a 10th-place finish at Bonelli Park. He is ahead of second- and third-ranked U23 athletes Kerry Werner (Banner Elk, NC/BMC Mountain Bike Development Team), in 18th-place, and Mexican rider Alejando Barahas (Mexico National Team), in 26th-place.

Lydia Tanner (Bozeman, Mont.) is the top female U23 athlete in the women's Pro XCT standings, in 10th-place. She's followed closely by fellow U23 riders Erica Zaveta (Erwinna, Pa./BMC Mountain Bike Development Team), in 14th, and Kaila Hart (Durango, Colo./Fort Lewis College), in 17th.

There's more Pro XCT action coming up at the end of the month with the US Cup Triple Crown Fontana City National in Fontana, Calif. on March 26.

PRO XCT standings

PRO GRT set to get underway in April

The first USA Cycling Pro Gravity Mountain Bike Tour (Pro GRT) event will be next month. The series kicks off April 9-10 with the NW Cup in Port Angeles, Wash.

Manny Prado, Pua Mata lead Pro UET after race 1

The USA Cycling Professional Mountain Bike Ultra-Endurance Tour (Pro UET) started the 2011 on March 12 with the Spa City Extreme 6-Hour in Hot Springs, Ark.

Pua Mata (Huntington Beach, Calif./Team Sho-Air) took the win in the pro women's field ahead of Andrea Wilson (Cordova, Tenn./Mid South Velo). In the men's event, Manny Prado (Huntington Beach, Calif./Team Sho-Air) claimed the podium's top step while Jonathan Schottler (Columbia, Mo./Columbia Bike Club Race Team) and Lee Unwin (Verona, Wis.) were second and third.

For complete results from the Spa City Extreme 6-Hour, click here.

After one event, Pua Mata and Manuel Prado are the first leaders in the 2011 Pro UET standings.

The Pro UET will take a nearly four-month hiatus with the next race being Breckenridge, Colorado's Firecracker 50 on July 4.

PRO UET standings

PHOTOS: Jeremiah Bishop outraced a field of 80 men to take the first Pro XCT event of the season.

Georgia Gould rode by herself for most of the race to win the women's Pro XCT opener.

(Photos by Dave McElwaine)

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