DOUBLE WIN WEEKEND IN UTAH FOR GIANT XC SQUAD!

03 MAY 2021

Giant Factory Off-Road Team riders Stephan Davoust and Luke Vrouwenvelder stormed the podiums at the Soldier Hollow Mountain Bike Festival, a UCI-ranked event in Midway, Utah, that featured short-track and XC racing.

Vrouwenvelder opened things up with a win in the elite men’s short track, followed by Davoust right behind him in second. The next day it was Davoust’s turn to take the victory, capturing his first-ever UCI win in the men’s XC race. Vrouwenvelder also joined Davoust on the XC podium with a third-place finish.

The SoHo Bike Fest marked the fourth round of the 2021 U.S. Pro XCT Tour. The races were held at the Nordic venue used during the 2002 Winter Olympics. Vrouwenvelder, a first-year member of the Giant Factory Off-Road Team, chose his XtC Advanced SL 29 hardtail, along with Giant Charge Pro shoes and the Rev Pro helmet, to earn the win in the short-track race.
 
“I felt good today and raced well with Stephan,” Vrouwenvelder said. “With somewhat mixed experience racing at elevation in the past, I made sure I kept my effort relatively steady and held a clean position toward the front. I did a little more work on the front than usual, but it paid off with a clean race and the top spot on the podium.”
 
The next day, both riders were again at the front of the action in the XC race, as Davoust charged off the front early on his Anthem Advanced Pro 29 and held off all the chasers to the finish.
 
“This is my first UCI win, I can’t express how stoked I am with this result,” said Davoust, who crossed the line 29 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Bjorn Riley. “The second the gun went off I knew I was on a good day. I was solo off the front at the start, unsure if I should press on or wait for the chase group. I ended up going for the solo approach, riding my own pace.”
 
Vrouwenvelder came across the line third in the XC race to cap off a stellar weekend for the Giant squad.
 
The US ProXCT Tour continues on May 15 at the Englewood Open in Fall River, Wisconsin.

Source:

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/int/news/double-win-weekend-in-utah-for-giant-xc-squad/26091