This weekend, the 250 west coast athletes returned to work; they haven’t missed a step since the break. The Pacific Northwest fans were greeted with unseasonable (and welcome) dry weather, exceptional racing and a nail biter of a finish. In the 450 series, Roczen returned to the podium, an achievement overshadowed by a controversial finish.
250 CLASS
Adam Cianciarulo #92
After a shaky start in the main, Adam quickly worked his way to the front, however, he would run out of racetrack before he could make a pass attempt on the leader. After the first couple turns, Adam had successfully avoided a mess of downed riders, but this held the Kawasaki pilot up a little and he found himself in 5th. It didn't take him long to charge to 2nd but he was never close enough to make a meaningful pass attempt. He would have to settle for 2nd this week.
Garrett Marchbanks #61
The rookie showed confidence and poise in Seattle, however, he is still hunting that elusive first career win. In the main, he was forced to navigate a minefield of downed riders. Although he was able to keep his bike upright, the delay landed him outside the top 10 from the start. From back in the field, he quickly worked his way up, as high as 6th. However, he would run into some trouble halfway through the main and fall back to 16th. By the checkered flag, he had recovered to finish 12th.
Geico Honda
Any hopes of a podium finish for Team Geico Honda was over almost before the race started. Teammates, Cameron McAdoo and Rj Hampshire lined up side-by-side for the main. When the gate dropped, they came together during the first sprint. The end result was a 6th place finish for Hampshire and an 8th place for McAdoo.
450 CLASS
Ken Roczen #94
After two consecutive weeks off the podium, Ken Roczen was pleased to earn a 2nd place finish in Seattle. The Honda pilot started well and settled in behind the leader, Marvin Musquin. In the early laps, Musquin would jump a series of doubles under a waving red-cross flag, opening up a gap from the field in the process. Ken Roczen was never able to make up the time. In the end (per the rules), Musquin would be docked seven points for the infraction, but retain the win.
Chad Reed #22
Chad suffered a severe crash and was unable to finish the race. We are sending Two-Two our healing vibes and hope he gets well soon. His return this season is questionable, but the Suzuki rider had this to say on his Instagram, “Thanks for all the love. I love having a purpose and a goal. Though it seems impossible, right now I’m setting a goal of racing Vegas because I know I’ll be a better human for it.” If you get a chance, send him some love: @crtwotwo
450 Class:
- 2 – Ken Roczen (+ 02.361)
- Chad Reed (dnf)
250 Class:
- 2 – Adam Cianciarulo (+ 00.571)
- 6 – Rj Hampshire (+ 42.045)
- 8 – Cameron McAdoo (+ 44.045)
- 12 – Garrett Marchbanks (1 lap + 29.284)
WHAT'S NEXT
Next week we head to Houston for round 12.
For raceday Moto coverage, follow Fox Racing on Instagram @foxmoto
Photos by: @freeridenewzealand
The off-season training put in by the Fox MTB team paid off big at the kickoff to the 2019 season - Crankworx Rotorua. Threatening skies held off most of the week and the dirt was prime for racing and ripping all week long. With 2 wins and 10 podiums across the 7 different disciplines the Fox athletes made Rotorua feel like a second home for Fox fans in attendance!
For the second year in a row, Brett Rheeder started his season off with a bang. Adding multiple new tricks to his program, he rode a nearly flawless run to capture the top step of the podium in the annual Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza.
Anthony Messere was riding on the limit all week and put together a great run to place 6th in the Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza. His top six finish means he's punched his ticket into the next round at Crankworx Innsbruck!
Finn Iles put in a blistering run in the warmest conditions of the week in the men’s Crankworx Rotorua Downhill. He rode clean and in control and his performance left him just 0.09 seconds off the top step of the podium. It was a great performance, but being so close left him a little frustrated - something he will use as motivation for next month's Maribor!
It was a disappointing start to the year for current UCI DH World Champ Loic Bruni as a flat in the top section of the course derailed his chances in Friday's Crankworx DH race. He looked good in training and was ready to compete in his first test of the 2019 season. Always a fan favorite, Loic lightened a bad moment as he asked a spectator for his pump and tried to bring the tire back to life. "I just wanted to finish," said Loic moments after the race. This has motivated him even more for the first UCI DH race in Maribor.
Tahnée Seagrave battled through multiple injuries throughout the week to put together a great set of results. She rode multiple disciplines and ended up with three third-place finishes - Dual Slalom, Downhill, and Pump Track. Truly an all-around talent, Tahnée is also a crowd favorite who made the Rotorua fans feel special all week long!
Speaking of fan favorites, local boy Keegan Wright was the hardest working athlete in Rotorua. Competing in nearly every pro men’s division race, he finished the event with a silver medal in both Pump Track and EWS as well as taking the top step in the Crankworx Dual Slalom. His amazing overall performance finds him in second place overall for the King of Crankworx points!
Bas van Steenbergen was another all-around performer in Rotorua. He finished second behind teammate Keegan Wright in the Dual Slalom and was the only Fox athlete to podium in the Rotorua Air DH. These points have him in the running for the overall King of Crankworx title.
Look for Fox MTB athletes at the start of the UCI DH World Cup season in the historic Maribor, Slovenia and then at the second stop of the Crankworx series in Innsbruck, Austria.
MTB
