Deer Valley NMBS Roundup

Here is the official lowdown on last weekend's NMBS jamboree in Utah:

The fourth round of the US National Mountain Bike Series, the Deer Valley National, presented by Subaru Gary Fisher, concluded today at Deer Valley, Utah ... Ryan Trebon (Kona), of Bend, Or., outclimbed a determined Jeremiah Bishop (Trek VW), of Harrisonburg, Va., who announced his return to form with a second-place result in Saturday's Cross Country. Trebon rode a 29-inch wheeled bicycle to his win, making it the first time a '29er' has won a national series mountain bike cross country race ... It was no surprise to see the world's top women's cross country team sweep the top three places at Deer Valley, but Katerina Nash (Luna Chix), of the Czech Republic, scored the first National Mountain Bike Series cross country win of her career, which so far has been studded with victories in the Short Track.

The three world championships competitors who earned podium positions were New Zealander Justin Leov (Yeti/Fox Shox), who placed sixth in Italy, and Australia's Amiel Cavalier (Giant), who finished 18th, and Leov's compatriot and trade team-mate Sam Blenkinsop, who was 17th at the worlds. Today Leov was once again comfortably ahead of Cavalier, with a 3:01.41 compared to a 3:07.28. Cavalier was very narrowly ahead of another New Zealander, Sam Blenkinsop (Yeti/Fox Shox), who finished with a 3:07.33. Blenkinsop placed 17th at the world championsips.

Joanna Petterson, of South Africa, scored what is thought to be her first National Mountain Bike Series win [Women's Downhill], with a dominating ride of 3:53.21 that left her rivals a long way back ... Finishing second was Darian Harvey (Sobe/Cannondale), of Durango, Co., in 4:05.84, and Lisa Myklak (Spyder/Fox), of Boulder, Co., was third with a 4:09,23.

Full results are available here.

There is also a NorCal angle to the Deer Valley race, as the NorCal HS league sent a team along. I'll have more about that later.