GIANT MAKES A SPLASH AT 2009 SEA OTTER CLASSIC

Race wins and new product buzz highlight a successful outing
at international cycling event in California

Super D victories by Giant MTB riders Carl Decker and Kelli Emmett highlighted a successful Sea Otter Classic that saw each of Giant’s pro riders score at least one podium finish in the four-day event in Monterey, California, April 16-19. In addition to major race wins, Giant attracted media attention with sneak peeks of several key prototype mountain bike models.

Warm temperatures and sunny skies drew large crowds to this year’s Sea Otter Classic, an all-inclusive competitive cycling event that features road and off-road competitions at the Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey.

The Giant MTB team got off to a successful start on the opening day of pro competition when Decker and Emmett of the Giant North American MTB squad swept the pro Super D events. Decker, riding his Giant Anthem X team bike, made his winning move on a climbing section of the Sea Otter Super D. He held off the challengers on the fast, wide-open descent to the finish line.

“By the top of the first climb, I was able to get back to the front," Decker told Cyclingnews.com. “The course was the same as last year, but it had less ruts.” The 33-year-old from Bend, Oregon, posted a winning time of 6 minutes, 21 seconds, 6 seconds faster than second-place finisher Aaron Bradford.

Emmett, who finished second at last year’s Sea Otter Super D competition, rode conservatively through the first half of the race, then attacked on the final climb. Experience and off-season sprint training helped her take the win.

“If you've done this race a few times, you start to realize that it's better to wait until the last climb and attack there,” Emmett told Cyclingnew.com. “You can conserve energy that way and go for it at the end.”

Decker and Emmett also competed in Saturday’s short-track and Sunday’s cross-country, both held in unseasonably hot conditions. Choosing his Giant Anthem X for the rough course, Decker wowed short-track spectators with an aggressive, crowd-pleasing ride that saw him surge through the field and finish third. He placed ninth in the following day’s cross-country race, which was shortened because of the extreme heat.

Emmett finished sixth in the short-track and fourth in the cross-country.

In gravity events, Giant Global team rider Jared Rando scored another podium for Giant in the Dual Slalom. The Australian advanced through the brackets of this head-to-head, elimination-style race, making it all the way to the semifinals. Facing Cody Warren in the semifinals, Rando crashed in his second heat and had to settle for a third-place finish. Rando also finished eighth in the downhill.

In product news, Rando’s prototype 2010 Giant Glory downhill bike caught the eye of Cyclingnews.com, which posted a full report: http://tinyurl.com/c2msw3.

Additionally, Pinkbike.com posted an exclusive report on a prototype 2010 Giant Reign X. Photos and video are posted here: http://tinyurl.com/d9xs2f.

Also on Pinkbike.com, Giant trials and urban freeride athlete Jeff Lenosky spoke about the Dual Stunt competition. Lenosky, who designed and built the Sea Otter Dual Stunt course, finished third in the competition. Pinkbike.com posted three video segments of Lenosky, which can be viewed here: http://tinyurl.com/cqrut7.

The Giant MTB team now turns its attention the Nissan UCI World Cup Series, which hosts two important rounds in Europe over the coming weeks. Giant’s Global cross-country riders Adam Craig (USA) and Oli Beckingsale (Great Britain) will be compete against the world’s best in Germany (April 26) and Belgium (May 3).