The Life Time Grand Prix series came down to a dramatic finish at Big Sugar Gravel, where Brendan Johnston entered the final event of the six-race series with a chance to claim the overall title. The Australian battled among the leaders throughout the race, eventually finishing seventh in a tightly contested sprint. His result left him with 122 points in the final standings, just one point behind defending champion Keegan Swenson.
Johnston's Giant teammate Cole Paton also finished the season on a high note, sprinting to third at Big Sugar Gravel just six days after he won Little Sugar MTB. The three-time U.S. men's XC Marathon national champion finished strong and collected 117 points, which put him fourth overall in the Grand Prix.
Johnston and Paton both rode the new Revolt Advanced SL gravel bike at Big Sugar and throughout the season. Both bikes were built up with CADEX Max GXR WheelSystems.
A Dramatic Finish at Big Sugar
The final round of the Life Time Grand Prix brought together the world's top gravel racers for 101 miles through rugged Ozarks terrain in Arkansas and Missouri. With the series title still up for grabs, Johnston and Paton were both in contention as the race came down to a nine-rider sprint.
Danish rider Tobias Mørch Kongstad took the win, with Mārtiņš Blūms finishing second and Paton claiming the final podium spot. Johnston crossed the line seventh, among a group of riders credited with the same finishing time of 4:36:03.
"I fought from the drop of the flag right to the line at Big Sugar Classic, worked through the extreme tactical battles and executed it exactly as I’d planned,” said Johnston, who raced wearing his Giant Rev Pro helmet. "I tried to win the race."
The result capped a remarkably consistent season for Johnston, who had moved into contention for the overall title with strong performances throughout the year. His Grand Prix campaign included a podium finish at Unbound Gravel in Kansas, a career-best result at the Leadville Trail 100 MTB in Colorado, and a runner-up finish at Chequamegon MTB in Wisconsin.
Johnston also finished fourth among Grand Prix competitors at Little Sugar MTB, setting up the decisive showdown at Big Sugar. Swenson finished 24th on the day but held on to the series title by the narrowest possible margin, 123 points to Johnston's 122.
While the final result was bittersweet, Johnston reflected on the effort that went into his season, including hundreds of hours of travel and sacrifices made to compete in the series.
"I spent 400 hours traveling just to Life Time Grand Prix events alone," he said. "So while I have spent the past 24 hours pondering ifs and buts, it’s been a proud season for me on reflection."
Paton Powers to Little Sugar Victory
Paton's biggest highlight of season came at Little Sugar MTB, the penultimate round of the series. Racing with his Anthem Advanced SL sporting the new CADEX Max XC WheelSystem and custom paint to honor his 2026 U.S. XC Marathon national championship, he attacked the technical Arkansas singletrack surrounding Bentonville and Bella Vista with a commanding performance to earn his first-ever Grand Prix victory.
The 64-mile course featured nearly 6,000 feet of climbing, with rocky trails, steep pitches and relentless changes in rhythm testing riders throughout the day. Paton stayed with the leaders through the opening stages before making his decisive move with about 24 miles remaining. Riding solo to the finish, he completed the race in 4:06:37, winning by more than a minute over Bradyn Lange. Andreas Seewald finished third, nearly four minutes behind Paton.
The victory was especially meaningful for Paton, who had spent years chasing a breakthrough result in the Grand Prix series.
"My Anthem was flawless, and the race finally went to plan,” said Paton, who wore the new Giant Pursuit helmet to take the win. “I’ve showed up over and over this season and for the last five years racing the Grand Prix. I’ve focused on controllables, had bad luck, some good luck, but ultimately it’s never come together. Today everything finally aligned."
Paton credited his Giant team and his supporters for helping him reach the top step of the podium.
"It’s extra special to take home the victory and it sure feels like a huge reward for years of hard work from me, the team and everyone that’s supported along the way," he said.
Johnston also delivered a strong ride at Little Sugar, overcoming early difficulties to finish fourth and keep his overall series title hopes alive.
"I really found my rhythm in the second half of the race, managed to make up some good ground and fought my way back to fourth," said Johnston, who wore the new Giant Charge Pro shoes to earn the top-five placing. "Huge congratulations to my teammate Cole for taking the win."
Two Riders Among the Series Best
Paton's Little Sugar victory moved him up to fifth in the overall series standings heading into Big Sugar. His podium finish in the gravel finale then moved him up to fourth, completing a strong finish to the six-race campaign.
"Third at Big Sugar was good enough to bump me to fourth in the Life Time Grand Prix overall," Paton said. "I’m proud to finish off this season strong and of all the work we’ve done. It took me just about the entire year to be firing on all cylinders, but I’m grateful it finally clicked!"
The Life Time Grand Prix challenges riders across a demanding mix of gravel and mountain bike events, rewarding versatility, consistency and endurance over an entire season. With two riders among the top contenders, a major mountain bike victory, and a podium finish in the season finale, it was Giant's best year yet in the Grand Prix.
