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From Paris-Roubaix and unbound gravel to the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana and everything in between when you>”,”name”:”in-content-cta”,”type”:”link” }}”>join from outside+.
Saturday was a sunny and spicy day in Ukiah, California, where Kate Courtney and Pete Stetina took two season-opening victories in the Grasshopper Adventure Series.
Both Low Gap veterans, Courtney, the 2018 XC MTB World Champion, also won the race last year.
Read also: Kate Courtney, Christopher Blevins, Good Initiative and Good Cause
“It was a great day, I love being there,” she said at the end. “Such great community vibes, and everyone is excited to get the first intensity of the year out of the way. It’s a great opportunity to test legs, add to the training block, and win some wine for me.
(The winner of the grasshopper race walks away with a bottle of Arnott-Roberts, some of Sonoma’s finest.)
Courtney crossed the line nearly three minutes ahead of Nicky Taylor (Alto Velo) in second. Maude Farrell (Pivot/Pass Normal Studios/Easton) followed the leader’s six-minute head to head.
Stetina soloed to victory, finishing two minutes ahead of another former MTB world champion, Christopher Blevins. This was Blevins’ first ‘hopper’.
Stetina said that he and Tyler Williams (L39ION of Los Angeles) “overtook Chris [Blevins] and lance [Haidet] On the big climb,” Williams, who was running slick tyres, earlier dropped Stetina.
Then, Haidett dropped back into Stettina, and the two chased down Williams before Haidett fell off Stettina’s pace.
Blevins finished second comfortably, while Williams and Haidt finished third.
“The man did what hurt,” Stetina concluded. “It’s such a vicious start to the year, every year.”
The next race in the Grasshopper Adventure Series, the Huffmaster Hopper, will take place on February 25 in Calusa County, California. The two distances are on tap at 88.8mi/4,842ft and 53.7mi/3,085ft.
full low gap result Here.
