Mountain Sports Team lights up downhill race

“I felt like I had nothing to lose so I cut loose”

Fat Tire Bike Week was off the Richter this past week and culminated on fire with the Wildflower Rush Downhill on Sunday, June 27.
The bottom of the Avery downhill track of the Evolution Bike Park at Crested Butte Mountain Resort was packed with spectators to witness more than 300 gravity junkies drop down into the base of Crested Butte Mountain.
“There weren’t a lot of spectators up top,” says Crested Butte Mountain Sports Team (CBMST) pro rider and coach Kain Leonard. “But when you came over the last tabletop it was just nuts in there. It was the most packed I’ve ever seen it up there.”
Leonard rode for revenge this year at the downhill after placing 11th on his home course a year ago.
“I definitely wanted some redemption after last year,” says Leonard.
He almost blew his chance early on his finals run though, suffering a mistake in the opening corner and on the first rock drop.
Yet, rather than call it, Leonard used the hiccups to open it up, flirting with the edge of his ability.
“I had a couple of mistakes up high so I just pinned it,” explains Leonard. “I felt like I had nothing to lose so I cut loose.”
Leonard’s effort returned him to the podium with a third-place finish in the men’s pro category.
“It felt good to get back on the podium,” says Leonard. “It had been a while. I was really hungry for the win but I’m really happy with third.”
Leonard’s wife and CBMST rider Stephanie one-upped her husband to take second place in the women’s pro class.
After placing second on her qualifying run, Stephanie stomped on her pedals a little harder to shave nine seconds on her final run to remain in second place.
“I pedaled a lot harder on my finals run,” says Stephanie.
Her only major mistake came at the top when she struggled to clip in to her pedals.
“I couldn’t clip in the first 100 yards,” says Stephanie. “Once I clipped in, everything was alright. I’m very happy—it’s my best finish as a pro.”
Pro rider and Gunnison Valley resident Ryan Sutton posted a fifth-place finish in his first race as a CBMST rider/coach.
Sutton’s mistake came before he even hopped on his bike for the qualifying run, as he dislocated his thumb putting a tire on his bike.
“Sutton, being the Jedi that he is, still finished in fifth,” says Kain.
Ten total riders from the CBMST were on course on Sunday, with every one of them stepping it up on the home course.
Young gun Teo Bradbury continues his attack on the downhilling circuit. Bradbury took second place in the Cat II 15-18 age class, posting a time that would have placed him fourth in Cat I. Two more similar results and he will move up to Cat I this year with even bigger plans for next year.
“He’s making some big steps forward,” says Leonard. “He’s definitely on the accelerated learning program. Our big goal is to get him on the world’s team next year. He still has a way to go on his mental game.”
CBMST Cat I riders Sam Degenhard and Eddy Cohn each had some midcourse issues but recovered to finish their runs.
After practicing at one pace, Degenhard stepped it up for his final run and launched off the first rock drop, coming perilously close to complete carnage.
“Sam learned a couple of good lessons, like practicing at race pace,” says Leonard.
Cohn crashed and flatted but still finished 19th in his class.
Joe Montante raced in his first downhill in the Cat II 40+ class for CBMST and rode to a ninth-place finish. Junior riders Josh Palmer and Tom Underwood took ninth and 22nd place, respectively.
“Both of those kids are just so charged on the sport,” says Leonard.
Cat III age 15-18 CBMST rider Matt Defeo dropped 35 seconds from his race last year to place 19th this year.
“He made some big improvements this weekend,” says Leonard.
Crested Butte Monkey Posse rider Steve Reska led the over-40 charge locally, finishing second in his class. Former cross-country/endurance star Janae Pritchett jumped into the downhilling mix to place second among Cat II women.
The team will now head to Snowmass for the next stop of the Mountain States Cup series July 9-11.