Grotts gives U.S. top 10 in junior XC at Mountain Bike Worlds
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Print Howard Grotts (Durango, Colo./Durango Devo-Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory) gave the U.S. its best finish in the junior men’s cross country race at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in over a decade on Thursday. Grotts eighth-place finish marks the first time a junior cross country rider has broken the top 10 since Walker Ferguson won the world title in 2000.
Grotts won the junior men's cross-country event at the Windham World Cup earlier this year.Grotts, who earlier this year became the first American junior to win an official UCI Mountain Bike World Cup event, started in strong position in the nearly 100-rider junior men’s field. The current junior 17-18 cross-country mountain bike national champion Grotts was able to move as high as fifth place before falling into eighth on the slick, wet Champéry course.
Overnight rains made the already challenging, technical course even more difficult to maneuver as Richard Cypress Gorry (Payson, Ariz./AZ Devo) was the only other American to finish the junior men’s race, in 59th.
National champ Jill Behlen (Boulder, Colo./University of Wyoming) was the top American finisher in the U23 women’s race in 31st. Kaila Hart (Durango, Colo./Fort Lewis College) also suffered on the tough course finishing 40th.
Despite breaking a finger in Wednesday’s team relay competition, national champion Stephen Ettinger (Cashmere, Wash./BMC MTB Development) will lead a strong contingent of espoir men into Friday’s U23 men’s cross country race. Friday’s racing at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships will also feature the men’s and women’s 4X finals. Watch for a full wrap-up and photos via usacycling.org.
Follow the Mountain Bike World Championships live on freecaster.tv and watch TV highlights on Universal Sports.
UCI Mountain Bike World Championships
Aug. 31 – Sept. 3, 2011
Champéry, Switzerland
FULL RESULTS
PHOTOS
Junior Men’s Cross-Country
1. Victor Koretzky (FRA) 1:07:18
2. Anton Cooper (NZL) +01:18
3. Andrey Fonseca (CRC) +01:19
8. Howard Grotts (Durango, Colo./Durango Devo) +3:15
59. Richard Cypress Gorry (Payson, Ariz./AZ Devo) +12:38
DNF Keegan Swenson (Park City, Utah/Whole Athlete-Specialized)
DNF Casey Williams (Big Bear City, Calif.)
U23 Women’s Cross-Country
1. Julie Bresset (FRA) 1:32:29
2. Annie Last (GBR) +01:30
3. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA) +05:47
31. Jill Behlen (Boulder, Colo./University of Wyoming) -3 laps
40. Kaila Hart (Durango, Colo./Fort Lewis College) -3 laps
Grotts won the junior men's cross-country event at the Windham World Cup earlier this year.
Overnight rains made the already challenging, technical course even more difficult to maneuver as Richard Cypress Gorry (Payson, Ariz./AZ Devo) was the only other American to finish the junior men’s race, in 59th.
National champ Jill Behlen (Boulder, Colo./University of Wyoming) was the top American finisher in the U23 women’s race in 31st. Kaila Hart (Durango, Colo./Fort Lewis College) also suffered on the tough course finishing 40th.
Despite breaking a finger in Wednesday’s team relay competition, national champion Stephen Ettinger (Cashmere, Wash./BMC MTB Development) will lead a strong contingent of espoir men into Friday’s U23 men’s cross country race. Friday’s racing at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships will also feature the men’s and women’s 4X finals. Watch for a full wrap-up and photos via usacycling.org.
Follow the Mountain Bike World Championships live on freecaster.tv and watch TV highlights on Universal Sports.
UCI Mountain Bike World Championships
Aug. 31 – Sept. 3, 2011
Champéry, Switzerland
FULL RESULTS
PHOTOS
Junior Men’s Cross-Country
1. Victor Koretzky (FRA) 1:07:18
2. Anton Cooper (NZL) +01:18
3. Andrey Fonseca (CRC) +01:19
8. Howard Grotts (Durango, Colo./Durango Devo) +3:15
59. Richard Cypress Gorry (Payson, Ariz./AZ Devo) +12:38
DNF Keegan Swenson (Park City, Utah/Whole Athlete-Specialized)
DNF Casey Williams (Big Bear City, Calif.)
U23 Women’s Cross-Country
1. Julie Bresset (FRA) 1:32:29
2. Annie Last (GBR) +01:30
3. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA) +05:47
31. Jill Behlen (Boulder, Colo./University of Wyoming) -3 laps
40. Kaila Hart (Durango, Colo./Fort Lewis College) -3 laps
This Article Published September 1, 2011 For more information contact:
