Full Results Now Up with Live Updates from Mens XC in Fontana

Photos by Todd Park

Specialized rider Todd Wells has upset Fontana wonderman Geoff Kabush to take the opening leg of the Pro XCT. The two riders entered the finishing straight together with Wells outsprinting the Canadian to the line. Max Plaxton crossed the line in 3rd with his teammate Sid Taberlay just behind. Sam Schultz held on for 5th.

Todd Wells takes the win just in front of Canadians Geoff Kabush and Max Plaxton

Men's podium with Sid Taberlay, Goeff Kabush, Todd Wells, Max Plaxton, and Sam Schultz left to right

Pro Men

1, Todd Wells (Specialized) 1.46.15
2, Geoff Kabush (Maxxis/Rocky Mountain) 1.46.15
3, Max Plaxton (Sho-Air/Specialized) 1.46.17
4, Sid Taberlay (Sho-Air/Specialized) 1.46.44
5, Sam Schultz (Subaru/Gary Fisher) 1.49.29
6, Derek Zandstra (3 Rox Racing) 1.50.46
7, Barry Wicks (Kona) 1.51.19
8, Raphael Gagne (Rocky Mountain) 1.51.44
9, Eric Batty (Trek Canada) 1.52.02
10, Carl Decker (Giant) 1.52.58
11, Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale Factory)
12, Kris Sneddon (Kona)
13, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru/Gary Fisher)
14, Robbie Squire (Jamis)
15, Peter Glassford
16, Ben Sonntag (Cannondale Factory)
17, Adam Morka (Trek Canada)
18, Andy Schultz (Kenda/Felt)
19, Colin Cares (Kenda/Felt)
20, Russell Finsterwald (Subaru/Gary Fisher)
21, Spencer Paxson
22, Vincent Lombardi
23, TJ Woodruff
24, Travis Livermon
25, Stephen Ettinger
26, Ryan Woodall
27, Jeff Herrera
28, Alex Grant
29, Sondre Norland
30, Ryan Trebon
31,Cody Canning
32, Zachary Hughes
33, Robert Marion
34, Ken Onodera
35, Kalan Beisel
36, Tyson Wagler
37, Miguel Valadez
38, Dror Pekatch
39, Bryan Alders
40, Burke Swindlehurst
41, Kevin Smallman
42, Drew Edsall
43, Evan Guthrie
44, Kerry Werner
45, Andrew L'Esperance
46, Paul Freiwald
47, Tim Allen
48, Jim Hewett
49, Danny McNaughton
50, Zachary Keller
51, Matthew Connors
52, Yuki Saito
53, Trevor Downing
54, Rob Sousa
55, Dylan Stucki
56, John Nobil
57, Ryan Clark
58, Lucas Livermon
59, Haydn Boucher
60, Nitish Nag
61, Justin Maka
62, Randall Jacobs
63, Alex Boone
64, Brent Steinberg
65, Eric Emsky
66, Scott Keller
67, Greg Carpenter
68, Ethan Gilmour
69, Jason Siegle
70, Menso De Jong
71, Michael Mooradian
72, Garnet Vertican
73, Ryan Dorsey
74, Nicholas Stevens
75, Matthew Paziuk
76, Eric Bierman
77, Patrick Dennis
78, Tom O'Brien
DNF Matt Miller
DNF Erik Tonkin
DNF Aaron Snyder
DNF Dezmin Wilder
DNF John Bennett
DNF Aaron Bradford
DNF Cameron Jette
DNF Tinker Juarez
DNF Mitchell Hoke
DNF Nicholas Weighall
DNF Braden Kappius

Wells leads out the bunch with all the big guns in tow. This would become the lead group, controlling the race from this point on

The usual craziness at the Fontana start being at the front makes all the difference

Jeremiah Bishop made his way into 6th place before a front flat forced him to make a unscheduled stop

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With just one lap to go the lead group remains intact Wells, Kabush, Taberlay, and Plaxton with Schultz just behind. The winner is sure to come from this group of leaders.

The group needs to try and shed Kabush if they want to win. Kabush has won every race ever held at Fontana and if he reaches the final stretch in sight of the lead there is little chance of stopping him

Barry Wicks (Kona) has now moved into the lead chaser after Bishop's flat. Bishop is now chasing with JHK, and Ryan Trebon (Kona)
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With two laps left Kabush is now leading the group containing Wells, Taberlay, and Plaxton. Schultz continues to dangle just 20 seconds off the back.

Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale Factory Racing) leads the chase group behind the leaders. Bishop just punctured his front tire. That will cost him some precious time changing the flat on his Lefty fork..
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After the second lap Todd Wells and is just in front of Geoff Kabush and the Sho-Air duo of Taberlay and Plaxton. Sam Schultz is giving it his all to stay in contact just 20 seconds behind the leaders

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After one lap in Fontana the heavy hitters are in control. US National Champion Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru/Gary Fisher) leads a group including Geoff Kabush (Maxxis/Rocky Mountain), Todd Wells (Specialized), Sho-Air teammates Sid Taberlay and Max Plaxton, and Sam Schultz. The group is 42 seconds in front of the closest chasers.

Pro XCT #1 -- Fontana, California -- Full Results, Pro Women's XC

Norwegian Lene Byberg of Team Specialized made her move on the second of 4 laps to get clear of the bunch and take win at this year's Pro XCT opener in Fontana. Pua Sawicki (Okolestuff.com) put in a consistent effort throughout the race. Sawicki picked racers off one by one throughout the race before making a decisive attack on the final lap to clear herself of Gary Fisher rider Willow Koerber.

Last year's winner Georgia Gould came home in 6th place.

Women's XC podium with Kelli Emmett, Pua Sawicki, Lene Byberg, Willow Koerber, and Allison Mann left to right (photo by Todd Park)

Full Results

1, Lene Byberg (Specialized) 1.38.58
2, Pua Sawicki (Okolestuff.com) 1.40.15
3, Willow Koerber (Subaru/Gary Fisher) 1.41.37
4, Kelli Emmett (Giant) 1.41.46
5, Allison Mann (Rock n' Road Cyclery) 1.41.49
6, Georgia Gould (Luna) 1.42.32
7, Heather Irmiger (Subaru/Gary Fisher) 1.44.54
8, Mical Dyck (Trek Cananda)
9, Emily Batty (Trek World Racing)
10, Amanda Sin (3 Rox Racing)
11, Amanda Carey (Kenda/Felt)
12, Aleksandra Mooradian
13, Krista Park (Cannondale/Incycle)
14, Sue Butler
15, Judy Freeman (Kenda/Felt)
16, Amy Dombroski (Luna)
17, Andrienne Pichette (CVM Subway/Genetik)
18, Kari Studley (Mafia Racing)
19, Anna Fortner (The Team/SocalCross)
20, Lydia Tanner (Tokyo Joes)
21, Deidre York (Velobum.com)
22, Philicia Marion (AMC/Kenda/Tomac)
DNS, Catherine Pendrel (Luna)

Pua Sawicki's Ellsworth Truth, ready to take Sawicki to a personal best finish in the Pro XCT (photo by Todd Park)

2010 Race Bikes

With the official launch of the 2010 mountain bike racing season happening today in Fontana, California, we bring you some of the race bikes the elite riders will be racing this weekend. Although some of the new bikes are still under wraps until the race starts we found these beauties hanging out in the Fontana tech zone Friday.

The Cannondale Scalpel ridden by C-Dale/Incycle racer Krista Park. This ultra-lightweight ride sports a set of Stan's No Tubes ZTR Podium wheelset and the C-Dale Si crank. Park's Magura stoppers are tricked out with sexy red hydraulic hose.

Kelli Emmett's carbon Giant XTC carried her to a season opening win in Bonelli two weeks ago. With Fox 15mm thru-axle and full XTR components Emmett is poised for another fast weekend.

The women of Gary Fisher will be saddling up on 29ers this season. Irmiger and Koerber rode the big-wheeled machines to two National Championships and a podium at World's in 2009. Check out the super-sloped stem with riser bar combo on Koerber's race rig.

The Gary Fisher men will once again be on 29ers as well. This SRAM XX bike belongs to young gun Sam Schultz. The Superfly 100 still hangs in the back of the truck, no doubt waiting for the Super-D on Sunday.

Here is another bike waiting for Sunday's Super-D. The Tomac Snyper is built to eat up the rocky descents in and around Fontana

Check back later today and Sunday for full results, photos, and report from the Fontana Pro XCT