Pro XCT: Plaxton and Nash become first leaders of US Cup Pro Series
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Print (March 4, 2014) -- The USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group and the USA Cycling Pro Mountain Bike Cross Country Tour (Pro XCT) kicked off the mountain bike cross-country season on March 1 with the 2014 Subaru of Georgetown Mellow Johnny's Classic in Dripping Springs, Texas. Canadian Max Plaxton (Cannondale Factory Team) and Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) of the Czech Republic earned victories in their respective elite races to take the early standings lead in both the seven-race Pro XCT and the four-event USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group.
Men
Plaxton launched his winning attack on the final main climb then held off fellow Canadian Geoff Kabush (CAN/Scott-3Rox Racing) by two seconds at the finish. Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized Racing) followed them across the line in third place eight seconds later. It was Plaxton's fourth career victory at the Mellow Johnny's Classic.
With his victory, Plaxton collected 250 points to take the early lead in the Pro XCT men's standings. Plaxton holds a 50-point edge on Kabush who sits in second place. Wells, who topped the final Pro XCT men's standings both of the last two years, finished third and has 175 points. Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va./Team Sho-Air-Cannondale) and Derek Zandstra (CAN/Scott-3Rox Racing) round out the top five with 150 and 140 points, respectively.
The top five of the US Cup Pro Series standings mirror that of the Pro XCT, with Plaxton leading with 30 points, followed by Kabush (27), Wells (25), Bishop (23) and Zandstra (21).
Women
Nash and two of her Luna teammates, Catherine Pendrel (CAN) and Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo.), formed a breakaway on the first lap of the five-lap UCI Category 1-level women's race, but Nash and Pendrel would prove stronger and rode away from Gould. Pendrel and Nash traded efforts over the rest of the race with Nash pulling away at the finish for a two-second victory. Gould rolled across the line over four minutes later to take third place.
After winning the women's race, Nash leads the Pro XCT women's standings with 250 points. Pendrel sits in second in the standings with 200 points while Gould is in third place with 175 points. Emily Batty (CAN/Trek Factory Racing) and Erin Huck (Boulder, Colo./Tokyo Joe's - VC Graphix.com) have 150 and 140 points, respectively, to sit in fourth and fifth places.
In the US Cup Pro Series standings, Nash is the early leader with 30 points, closely trailed by Pendrel (27), Gould (25), Batty (23) and Huck (21).
After the first of the seven races on the Pro XCT calendar, Luna Pro Team holds the lead in the Pro XCT team standings. Luna Pro Team, which swept the elite women's podium at the Mellow Johnny's Classic, has 450 points, while Sho-Air-Cannondale sits in second place with 240 points. Specialized Racing is in third place with 175 points, trailed by Trek Factory Racing in fourth place with 150 points and SRAM-TLD Racing in fifth place with 85 points.
Watch a full video replay of the Mellow Johnny's Classic here.
Full results from the 2014 Subaru of Georgetown Mellow Johnny's Classic.
Complete Pro XCT Standings.
Complete US Cup Pro Series Standings.
The Pro XCT and USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group will continue in two weeks with a UCI Category HC race at Bonelli Park in San Dimas, Calif., on Saturday, March 15.
Elite men's winner Max Plaxton crosses the line at the 2014 Subaru of Georgetown Mellow Johnny's Classic. (photo by Sho-Air Cycling Group)
Plaxton launched his winning attack on the final main climb then held off fellow Canadian Geoff Kabush (CAN/Scott-3Rox Racing) by two seconds at the finish. Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized Racing) followed them across the line in third place eight seconds later. It was Plaxton's fourth career victory at the Mellow Johnny's Classic.
With his victory, Plaxton collected 250 points to take the early lead in the Pro XCT men's standings. Plaxton holds a 50-point edge on Kabush who sits in second place. Wells, who topped the final Pro XCT men's standings both of the last two years, finished third and has 175 points. Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va./Team Sho-Air-Cannondale) and Derek Zandstra (CAN/Scott-3Rox Racing) round out the top five with 150 and 140 points, respectively.
The top five of the US Cup Pro Series standings mirror that of the Pro XCT, with Plaxton leading with 30 points, followed by Kabush (27), Wells (25), Bishop (23) and Zandstra (21).
Luna teammates Katerina Nash and Catherine Pendrel were far ahead of the competition at the 2014 Mellow Johnny's Classic. (photo by Sho-Air Cycling Group)
Nash and two of her Luna teammates, Catherine Pendrel (CAN) and Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo.), formed a breakaway on the first lap of the five-lap UCI Category 1-level women's race, but Nash and Pendrel would prove stronger and rode away from Gould. Pendrel and Nash traded efforts over the rest of the race with Nash pulling away at the finish for a two-second victory. Gould rolled across the line over four minutes later to take third place.
After winning the women's race, Nash leads the Pro XCT women's standings with 250 points. Pendrel sits in second in the standings with 200 points while Gould is in third place with 175 points. Emily Batty (CAN/Trek Factory Racing) and Erin Huck (Boulder, Colo./Tokyo Joe's - VC Graphix.com) have 150 and 140 points, respectively, to sit in fourth and fifth places.
In the US Cup Pro Series standings, Nash is the early leader with 30 points, closely trailed by Pendrel (27), Gould (25), Batty (23) and Huck (21).
After the first of the seven races on the Pro XCT calendar, Luna Pro Team holds the lead in the Pro XCT team standings. Luna Pro Team, which swept the elite women's podium at the Mellow Johnny's Classic, has 450 points, while Sho-Air-Cannondale sits in second place with 240 points. Specialized Racing is in third place with 175 points, trailed by Trek Factory Racing in fourth place with 150 points and SRAM-TLD Racing in fifth place with 85 points.
Watch a full video replay of the Mellow Johnny's Classic here.
Full results from the 2014 Subaru of Georgetown Mellow Johnny's Classic.
| USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group Standings: Men 1. Max Plaxton (CAN/Cannondale Factory Team) — 30 2. Geoff Kabush (CAN/Scott-3Rox Racing) — 27 3. Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized Racing) — 25 4. Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va./Sho-Air - Cannondale) — 23 5. Derek Zandstra (CAN/Scott-3Rox Racing) — 21 Women 1. Katerina Nash (CZE/Luna Pro Team) — 30 2. Catherine Pendrel (CAN/Luna Pro Team) — 27 3. Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./Luna Pro Team) — 25 4. Emily Batty (CAN/Trek Factory Racing) — 23 5. Erin Huck (Boulder, Colo./Tokyo Joe's - VC Graphix.com) — 21 USA Cycling Pro XCT Standings: Men 1. Max Plaxton (CAN/Cannondale Factory Team) — 250 2. Geoff Kabush (CAN/Scott-3Rox Racing) — 200 3. Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized Racing) — 175 4. Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va./Sho-Air - Cannondale) — 150 5. Derek Zandstra (CAN/Scott-3Rox Racing) — 140 Women 1. Katerina Nash (CZE/Luna Pro Team) — 250 2. Catherine Pendrel (CAN/Luna Pro Team) — 200 3. Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./Luna Pro Team) — 175 4. Emily Batty (CAN/Trek Factory Racing) — 150 5. Erin Huck (Boulder, Colo./Tokyo Joe's - VC Graphix.com) — 140 Team 1. Luna Pro Team — 450 2. Sho-Air - Cannondale — 240 3. Specialized Racing — 175 4. Trek Factory Racing — 150 5. SRAM/TLD Racing — 85 |
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Complete Pro XCT Standings.
Complete US Cup Pro Series Standings.
The Pro XCT and USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group will continue in two weeks with a UCI Category HC race at Bonelli Park in San Dimas, Calif., on Saturday, March 15.
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This Article Updated March 4, 2014 @ 08:39 PM For more information contact:
