Smith, Kintner take early Pro GRT leads after NW Cup

  
  


The USA Cycling Pro Gravity Tour (Pro GRT) kicked off over the weekend with the NW Cup in Port Angeles, Wash. Canadian Steve Smith (Devinci Global Racing) and Jill Kinter (Seattle, Wash./Team Norco Intl) earned wins to take slight leads following the first of six 2012 Pro GRT races.

Steve Smith descends to victory in the Pro GRT NW Cup. Photo: Ian Hylands/Pinbike.com
Steve Smith descends to victory in the Pro GRT NW Cup. Photo: Ian Hylands/Pinbike.com
Smith outran 2011 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup downhill champion Aaron Gwin (Temecula, Calif./Trek World Racing) by just over two seconds to take the victory in the pro men's event hosted at Dry Hill. Mick Hannah (South Fork, Colo./Hutchinson United Ride) took third, just three seconds off Smith's pace at 2:33:57.

Mountain biking veteran and 2011 Pro GRT champ, Kintner took yet another victory, descending Dry Hill faster than any other female. Miranda Miller (Garibaldi Highland, B.C./Santa Cruz-SRAM) finished two seconds slower than Kinter for second while Holly Feniak (Sechelt, B.C.) earned bronze in the pacific northwest's premier downhill event.

Full results from the NW Cup.

 

USA Cycling Pro GRT Standings:

Men
1. Steve Smith (Nanimo, CAN/Devinci Global Racing) 60
2. Aaron Gwin (Temecula, Calif./Trek World Racing) 40
3. Mick Hannah (South Fork, Colo./Hutchinson United Ride) 30
4. Josh Bryceland (Cheshire, Pa./Santa Cruz Syndicate) 25
5. Neko Mulally (Reading, Pa./Trek World Racing) 20

Women
1. Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash./Team Norco International) 60
2. Mirando Miller (Garibaldi Highland, CAN/Santa Cruz-SRAM) 40
3. Holly Feniak (Sechelt, CAN/GoPro-Cove-Shimano) 30
4. Joanna Petterson (Jericho, Vt. ) 25
5. Katie Holden (Scotts Valley, Wash./Specialized SRAM) 20

Team
1. Specialized Racing - 45
2. Subaru-Trek - 40
3. BMC Mountain Bike Development Team - 18
4. Kenda/Felt Pro MTB Team - 11
5.Orbea Tuff Shed - 2
 

For complete standings, visit the Pro GRT's official webpage at usacycling.org/progrt.

The Pro GRT will head east for the Eastern States Cup - Mountain Creek on May 20 in New Jersey, before moving to nearby Roxbury, N.Y. for Eastern States Cup - Plattekill on May 27.

Photo: Steve Smith descends to the 2012 Pro GRT NW Cup victory.
Courtesy: Ian Hylands/Pinbike.com


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This Article Updated April 30, 2012 @ 09:49 PM For more information contact: