Keegan Swenson and Sofia Gomez Villafañe emerged victorious at the Life Time Grand Prix Sea Otter Classic Fuego XL mountain bike race, showcasing their dominance in the pro divisions. Swenson, representing Santa Cruz Bicycles-SRAM, clinched his third consecutive win in the men’s category, while Villafañe, riding for Specialized Off-road, successfully defended her pro women’s title in a thrilling race held in Monterey, California.
The event, covering a challenging 70-mile (112km) course, marked the commencement of the seven-event Life Time Grand Prix series. Swenson’s impressive performance saw him break away from a pack of elite male riders in the final lap, crossing the finish line solo with a time of 4 minutes and 15 seconds, significantly improving on his previous year’s winning time by 3 minutes and 26 seconds.
Alexey Vermeulen of ENVE-Factor Bikes secured the second position, finishing 48 seconds behind Swenson, followed by South African Matthew Beers of Specialized Off-road in third place. The women’s competition witnessed a fierce battle between Villafañe and Alexis Skarda of Santa Cruz Bicycles-SRAM, with Villafañe ultimately prevailing with a remarkable time of 4 hours, 42 minutes, and 23 seconds, shaving off nearly 13 minutes from her previous year’s record.
In a turn of events, New Zealand’s Samara Sheppard of Specialized and Hannah Otto of Pivot Cycles overtook Skarda in the closing stages of the race, with Sheppard clinching the second spot just 15 seconds ahead of Otto. Haley Smith secured fourth place, establishing a significant lead over Skarda, who settled for fifth position.
The challenging course comprised two laps of a 33.8-mile (54.4km) route, featuring demanding climbs, flowing single tracks, and deep ruts on fire roads due to recent rains. With a total elevation gain of 9,422 feet (2,872 meters), riders faced a grueling 6km climb towards the finish line at the Laguna Seca motorsports track.
The Life Time Grand Prix Sea Otter Classic Fuego XL race showcased the exceptional talent and determination of elite mountain bikers, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead in the world of competitive cycling.
