Two Giant Riders Score Series Podiums at Life Time Grand Prix!

Monday, October 21, 2024

The 2024 Life Time Grand Prix series wrapped up at the 105-mile Big Sugar Gravel in northwest Arkansas with two Giant athletes, Brendan Johnston and Cole Paton, finishing in the top five overall—making Giant the only bike brand to place two riders in the top five of the season-long standings.

Across the dusty roads and sharp rocks of the Ozark Mountains, Johnston finished third among riders competing in the Life Time Grand Prix standings, moving him up into fourth overall in the series, just ahead of Paton.

Though the last part of Paton’s season was interrupted by a lingering viral infection, his consistent results meant he simply needed to show up to the Big Sugar start line to be considered in the overall standings, which totaled each rider's top four placings of six events. In doing so, he earned a third consecutive top-five in the Life Time Grand Prix overall rankings. His top result in this year's series was a career-best third at the Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race in August.  He also placed fourth at the Sea Otter Classic Fuego XL in April.

Both members of Giant’s privateer collective raced aboard the Anthem Advanced 29 and XtC Advanced SL 29 at the Life Time Grand Prix’s three mountain-bike events, depending on the course, and aboard the Revolt Advanced Pro at the series’ three gravel events. Both also wore the Giant Rev Pro helmet throughout the Life Time series.

The series, which offers a $300,000 prize purse divided equally between the top 10 men and women competitors, was initially slated to showcase seven top national mountain-bike and gravel events but was reduced to six in July when Crusher in the Tushar was canceled due to wildfires in south-central Utah.

Riding with the best legs he'd had all season but nursing a slow leak in his rear tire, Johnston approached the finale at Big Sugar in a group battling for third alongside Keegan Swenson, Simen Nordahl Svendsen, Matthew Beers and Payson McElveen. Johnston ultimately finished third among the Life Time Grand Prix participants, just three minutes off the winning time. And though he was pleased with the result, he was also left wanting more.

"I was keen for a win here in Bentonville, but pretty early on I realized it would be difficult to pursue that while keeping an eye on my Life Time points rivals,” said Johnston, who was riding his Revolt Advanced Pro with a CADEX WheelSystem, Aero Integrated Handlebar and Amp saddle. “I was losing any control of the race as riders continued going up the road and tactics among the overall favorites began to center around series standings.

“I was feeling great, the best I have all season, and I tried to be as aggressive as possible to distance those who were close in the points battle,” the Australian continued. “Eventually, the win was secure up the road and Matt, Keegan, Payson and myself were essentially battling for points. I had a slow leak coming into the sprint and did the best I could, finishing fifth on the day and third in the Grand Prix.”

Johnston's gravel season also included a second career national gravel title in Australia and fourth place at SBT GRVL in Colorado. “I’m overall really pleased with the season here in the U.S., moving from seventh to fourth in the standings.”

Paton was pragmatic about having a strong season but missing out on the final race. "Unfortunately I had to make a very difficult decision to pull out of the race after suffering from lingering COVID symptoms this weekend,” he said. “It was an anticlimactic end to the year for me, but I’m excited by how the team has stepped it up this season and I’m happy to have salvaged a fifth in the overall for the Lifetime GP this year. This leaves me as motivated as ever for 2025.”

Source:

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/global/news/two-giant-riders-score-series-podiums-at-life-time-grand-prix/29254