Stander wins cross country in three-up sprint
An outnumbered Kabush hangs in for second
Burry Stander won the three-up sprint at the end of the elite men's cross country race at the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California. With two against one in the lead trio, the Specialized team dominated the race, taking first, third and fourth. However, the outnumbered Geoff Kabush (Maxxis Rocky Mountain) rode an intelligent race, making it to the final sprint despite Team Specialized's best efforts to drop him en route. Kabush finished second ahead of Todd Wells (Specialized) in third.
Not far behind, Christoph Sauser (Specialized) finished fourth. Roel Paulissen (Cannondale) made a late race surge to ride himself up into fifth place.
Early int he race a group of five riders formed, including Wells, Stander, Kabush, Marco Fontana (Cannondale) and Sauser, at the front, setting a pace that strung the large field out immediately.
Fontana and Sauser were gapped off. "It's tough to plan the start, but we hoped to get all three of us up there," said Wells. "We almost did, but it didn't quite work."
"I was behind Fontana and then got about five to 10m off Kabush, and then I didn't have the top speed to catch back up," said Sauser. "I thought maybe I could catch back on the climb, but I sat down a little too early and then there was a flat part and that was it." On his own on the flat parts, Sauser wasn't as fast as the lead trio, especially with a long, level paved section around the race track on each of the five total laps.
The rest of the race was a battle between the two Specialized men, Stander and Wells, and one Maxxis Rocky Mountain rider, Kabush. Stander and Wells did everything they could to shake Kabush, but the tenacious Canadian rode intelligently to defend his position in their group. Kabush had hoped to get some help against Specialized from the Cannondale riders, but after Fontana faded, he didn't see anything but red at the front for the duration.
"Obviously I wanted to win, but it was a good race," said Kabush. "It was tough going there with just me and the Specialized guys. I wasn't looking behind. I knew I had to stay in the top three. They'd go one-two in the singletrack and wanted to let a gap grow, so I worked to stay second wheel and try to control it and soften them up whenever I could."
"Todd and I were trying the whole time to get a gap on Kabush, but we couldn't. He was riding well today," said Stander.
"I thought for sure we'd be able to shake him," said Wells. "We'd get small gaps on him, and then he'd power back. At one point, we almost got both of us off, but he was too strong. I would attack and Burry would sit on Kabush, then he'd attack and I'd sit on Kabush."
However, both Specialized riders approached the finish with confidence. "I knew at the finish that Burry would beat Kabush in the sprint," said Wells.
"I knew it was going to be a sprint," said Stander. "I did a lot of road racing during my summer - the last couple of weeks. My sprinting has been good. I attacked first, then Todd went over me and Kabush followed him, so it gave me the perfect line-up and I knew when we came into the last straight that I had it."
"Burry led the last singletrack and I kept a bit of a gap. I was hoping to get it down to the last corner when I knew I could get to the finish," said Kabush, "but when Todd went on the inside, I had to cover that. On the last corner, I made my jump, but Burry was able to come by."
Sauser never did catch the lead trio and rode solo for three laps to finish fourth. On the final lap, Paulissen worked his way up significantly to leap away from the chase group of five that he'd joined near the end of the race. He was helped by two teammates, who blocked for him as he rode away for fifth place.
"It was hard today. I had some stomach problems and still do," said Paulissen. "I was suffering the first 40 minutes, and I tried to get in my rhythm. The legs got better though and on the long gravel climb, I went for it."
It was Paulissen's first time racing a 29er on a cross country course. "It was good on the rolling portions of this course. The course wasn't twisty, and the bike was so stable. I would race it again, depending on the course."
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Factory | 1:23:13 |
2 | Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Factory Racing | 0:00:02 |
4 | Christopher Sauser (Swi) Specialized Factory Racing | 0:01:06 |
5 | Roel Paulissen (Bel) Cannondale Factory Racing | 0:02:14 |
6 | Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing | 0:02:39 |
7 | Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher | 0:02:52 |
8 | Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Cannondale Factory Racing | 0:02:53 |
9 | Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing | 0:03:17 |
10 | Chris Sheppard (Can) Rocky Mountain/Thule | 0:03:22 |
11 | Carl Decker (USA) Giant Factory Offroad | 0:04:44 |
12 | Barry Wicks (USA) Kona | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Adam Morka (Can) Trek Canada | 0:05:00 |
14 | Conrad Stoltz (RSA) Specialized Factory Racing | 0:05:01 |
15 | Jason Sager (USA) Team Jamis | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Benjamin Sonntag (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac/Porsche/Giant | 0:05:37 |
18 | Travis Livermon (USA) Champion Systems/Cannondale | 0:06:20 |
19 | Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona | 0:06:26 |
20 | Thomas Turner (USA) Jamis Bicycles | 0:06:34 |
21 | Craig Richey (Can) Aviawest | 0:06:36 |
22 | Andy Schultz (USA) Kenda-Felt | 0:07:07 |
23 | Stephen Ettinger (USA) Mafia Racing | 0:07:14 |
24 | Ryan Woodall (USA) | 0:07:21 |
25 | Rotem Ishay (Isr) Team Jamis | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Ken Onodera (Jpn) Subaru-Gary Fisher | 0:07:22 |
27 | Spencer Paxson (USA) Team S&M | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Tad Elliott (USA) Team Sho-Air/Specialized | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Peter Glassford (Can) | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Tj Woodruff (USA) Trek Bicycle Store | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Dana Weber (USA) Trek | 0:07:25 |
32 | Max Knox (RSA) DCM | 0:07:41 |
33 | Robert Marion (USA) American Classic/Kenda | 0:07:56 |
34 | Stefan Widmer (Can) Rocky Mountain Factor | 0:08:09 |
35 | Sean Babcock (USA) Team S&M | 0:08:19 |
36 | Kerry Werner Jr. (USA) Shirks Presented | 0:08:20 |
37 | Simon Jensen (Den) HMTBK | 0:08:31 |
38 | Sam Schultz (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher | 0:08:33 |
39 | Tinker Juarez (USA) Cannondale Factory Racing | 0:08:36 |
40 | John Bennett (USA) Whole Athlete | 0:09:00 |
41 | Russell Finsterwald (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher | 0:09:05 |
42 | Mitchell Hote (USA) | 0:09:28 |
43 | Pierre Facomprez (Fra) Look Shimano | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Teamgive/Blackbottom | 0:09:33 |
45 | Kalan Beisel (USA) Procycling | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Eric Emsky (USA) Blue Competition Cycle | 0:09:38 |
47 | Jeffrey Herrera (USA) Hammerheadbikes.Com | 0:09:45 |
48 | Dror Pekatch (Isr) Subaru-Gary Fisher | 0:09:57 |
49 | Vincent Lombardi (Fra) Sho-air/Sonance | 0:10:10 |
50 | Branden Stewart (RSA) DCM | 0:10:12 |
51 | Colin Cares (USA) Kenda/Felt | 0:10:13 |
52 | Yuki Saito (Jpn) Topeak-Ergon | 0:10:17 |
53 | Ben Thompson (USA) Trek MTN Co-Op | 0:10:23 |
54 | Bryan Alders (USA) Pearl Izumi | 0:10:46 |
55 | Aaron Bradford (USA) Specialized/Onsite | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Erik Tonkin (USA) Kona | 0:10:47 |
57 | Aren Timmel (USA) Team Chico | 0:11:16 |
58 | Scott Frederick (USA) Inland Construction | 0:11:18 |
59 | Adam Snyder (USA) Team Jamis | 0:11:43 |
60 | Tim Allen (USA) | 0:11:45 |
61 | Ross Schnell (USA) Trek/Crankbrothers | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Greg Carpenter (USA) 3D Racing | 0:12:01 |
63 | Ethan Gilmour (USA) Giant Factory | 0:12:11 |
64 | Nate Whitman (USA) Cynergy / Specialized | 0:12:17 |
65 | Alex Grant (USA) Cannondale Factory Racing | 0:12:24 |
66 | Kevin Smallman (USA) Incycle Bikes/Cannonda | 0:12:56 |
67 | Drew Edsall (USA) Yeti | 0:13:41 |
68 | Spencer Powlison (USA) Mafia Racing-Pabst-Felt | 0:14:41 |
69 | Anthony Slowinski (USA) Backwoods Racing | 0:16:13 |
70 | Troy Wells (USA) Team Clif Bar | 0:17:30 |
-1lap | Lucas Livermon (USA) Inland Construction | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Omer Kem (USA) Team Jamis | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Nicholas Stevens (GBr) Waltworks | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Aaron Snyder (USA) Scott Rc Mountain Bike | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | John Nobil (USA) Bear Vly Bikes | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Blake Harlan (USA) Team Jamis | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Bradford Perley (USA) Mafia Racing/Felt/PBR | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Dylan Stucki (USA) Mafia Racing | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Michael Mooradian (USA) Bedford-Spin-Verge | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Aaron Elwell (USA) Highgear/Trek | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Braden Kappius (USA) Clif Bar | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Kenny Burt (USA) | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Alex Boone (USA) Trek MTN Coop | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Nate Byrom (USA) Northstar/Giant | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Justin Maka (USA) Hayes/Spy | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Nitish Nag (USA) Nrl Racing Developmen | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Gabriel Keck (USA) Summit Bicycles | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Brian Astell (USA) Lostcoast Brewery | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Charles Jenkins (USA) KHS 650 Crew | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Mitchell Peterson (USA) Giant | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Nick Weighall (USA) California Giant Berry | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Jeff Blair (Can) Unattached | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Mike Anderson (USA) | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Randall Jacobs (USA) Wheelworks Racing | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Tony Smith (USA) Focus Bikes | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Kyle Stock (USA) Golden Chain Cyclists | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Jason Moeschler (USA) WTB | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Wiley Mosley Mosley (USA) John Quinn / Jerk Racing | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Matt Connors (USA) Bicycle Ranch | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Noah Tautfest (USA) Biyclce Express | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Ben Sullivan (USA) Momentum Endurance | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | John Burns (USA) | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Ron Castia (USA) Infovista Cycling Team | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Jeff Kerkove (USA) Topeak-Ergon | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Seamus Powell (USA) Ollett Coaching/Inustr | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Zachary Keller (USA) Form Cycles | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Bob Delp (USA) Vitamin Water/Folsom | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Osias Lozano (Col) | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Garnet Vertican (USA) Giant | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Rob Sousa (USA) Pro Cycling | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Anastasio Flores (USA) Giant Berry Farms | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Andrew Rigel (USA) Mafia Racing/Felt/PBR | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Hal Helbock (USA) Cytomax/Khs | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Eric Batty (Can) Trek Canada | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Evan Plews (USA) www.Evanplews.Com | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
-3laps | Rouke Croeser (RSA) DCM | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
-3laps | Bryan Van Vleet (USA) KHS | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
-3laps | Matt Wittler (USA) Lost Coast | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sid Taberlay (USA) Sho-air/Specialized | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kat Statman (USA) Feedback Sports | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nick Truitt (USA) Yeti | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Drew Mackenzie (Can) Island Racing Club | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jim Hewett (USA) Summit Bicycles | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
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Sue George is an editor at Cyclingnews. She coordinates all of the site's mountain bike race coverage and assists with the road, 'cross and track coverage.
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