GIANT MTB TEAM ALL OVER THE PODIUM IN PARK CITY
(June 18, 2007) The Giant MTB Team had multiple trips up to the podium in an excellent – and sometimes surprising – showing at the NMBS Series #5 in Park City UT the weekend of June 15 – 17.
Amiel Cavalier—normally a gravity competitor—placed first in the Super D!! That has been a specialty of teammate Adam Craig, but at this event, Adam was not feeling well. Amiel describes how he was talked into racing in Adam’s place, and how he took the win:
“Yes…not my usual event. Adam was feeling ill and the XC boys were telling me that the Super D course suited a downhiller, with lots of switch-back turns and not too much pedaling. They convinced me to take Adam’s entry and race! Being my first Super-D I didn’t really know how it was going to pan out. I had a blast hitting so many fun hard turns in a row; I got into a rhythm and was just having so much fun. I am sure not all Super D's are like the Deer Valley course -- fun, flowing turns, with not all that much pedaling. Toward the finish there was a road crossing; I came in to it really fast, winding up for the finish and smacked the curb with both wheels puncturing both tires! Fortunately they held air till the finish. This was a surprise to me and I really enjoyed racing it. I kinda looked at it as a little bit of extra training. I look forward to racing Super D again, but I will be very selective on the venue as some courses are a little too full-on for a race weekend for a gravity guy. That’s just too much hard work!”
In another surprising win, the Giant MTB Road manager Elke Brutsaert won the women’s Super D! Elke is no stranger to racing, having competed at the pro level in the past. But she has spent most of this season taking care of the Giant squad as members have traveled throughout the US and Europe. Kelli Emmett would normally have raced the Super D. But, like Adam, Kelli is trying to recover from a minor illness.
Jared Rando and Cavalier have continued to make their way to the podium after gravity events. In Park City they took 4th and 5th, respectively, in both the Dual Slalom and Downhill races.
And Carl Decker made a terrific showing in his events. He placed 4th in XC, 5th in Short Track, and 5th in Super D.
All in all, the Giant MTB Team had a fine weekend in Utah. The next race is the UCI World Cup #4, June 23 – 24, in Mont-Sainte-Anne in Quebec.18 June 2007
