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Grotts 2nd in a sprint

Durangoan edged by Swiss star at Sea Otter
Grotts

Durango’s Howard Grotts finished in the middle of a three-man sprint to the finish Saturday, taking second in the Sea Otter Classic men’s pro cross-country mountain bike event in Monterey, California.

As other U.S. Pro Cross Country Tour races have this season, the Sea Otter attracted a very strong international contingent. Nino Schurter of Switzerland, a former world champion and 2012 Olympic silver medalist, won the sprint, which ended on asphalt. Dan McConnell of Australia finished just behind Grotts. All finished in 1 hour, 59 minutes, 56 seconds.

Grotts’ Specialized teammate Sam Gaze of New Zealand was fourth. The next American finisher after Grotts was Stephen Ettinger of Bozeman, Montana, in eighth place.

Ben Sonntag, a German who lives in Durango, was 15th in the 25th annual Sea Otter, which also features a huge weekend of exhibits, product touting and hobnobbing among the cycling industry.

It was a tough day for three-time Olympian Todd Wells of Durango, who was 30th.

Other Durango finishers Saturday: Ryan Standish, 37th; Troy Wells, 52nd; Payson McElveen, 63rd; and Mason Shea, 103rd. Durangoan Kaylee Blevins, a student at Stanford University, just up the coast in Palo Alto, took 38th in the women’s race.

Todd Wells fared much better in Friday’s short-track event, placing second, while Schurter grabbed the first of his two weekend wins. McConnell also was third in the short-track.

Among the other Durangoans, Grotts took 10th, Sonntag 20th, Rotem Ishay 34th, Troy Wells 40th, McElveen 52nd and Standish 68th.

Blevins was 35th in the women’s event.

johnp@durangoherald.com



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