Giant riders featured prominently in the April 15-17 Sea Otter Classic, scoring podium places in both XC and DH races at the three-day event in Monterey, California. Representing both Rabobank-Giant and the Giant Factory Off-Road Team, Giant riders finished on the podium in every pro XC and DH event.

South African Andrew Neethling, a new recruit to the Giant Factory Off-Road Team, led the way with a second-place finish in the men’s downhill race on his Giant Glory. Neethling put in a strong run on a course that was redesigned for 2011 by Truvativ, one of the component sponsors of the Giant Factory Off-Road Team.

Neethling’s teammate Danny Hart of Great Britain scored a podium finish in the men’s dual slalom, one of the most popular spectator events at the Sea Otter event. Hart, who focuses more on downhill racing, hasn’t raced many dual slalom events and was happy to advance all the way to the semi-finals against a tough field on the Trance X. Hart eventually finished third.

In XC racing, Rabobank-Giant rider Adam Craig showed great form ahead of next week’s World Cup opener in South Africa. Racing on the new XtC Composite 29er hardtail, the American finished fourth in both the short track and cross-country races.

Craig’s teammate Katie Compton, a new addition to the Rabobank-Giant team for 2011, finished fifth in the women’s short track race on the Anthem X Advanced SL. Compton was forced to abandon the women’s cross-country race after an allergic reaction to a bee sting. Kelli Emmett, who rides for the Giant Factory Off-Road Team, finished fifth in that race on her XtC Advanced SL bike.

Next up for Giant off-road racers is the opening event of the World Cup in South Africa next week.