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Cannondale-3Rox racer Erin Huck wins Whiskey Off Road Fat Tire Crit

Erin Huck wins the 2017 Whisky Fat Tire Crit (Photo: Scott Kelly)
Erin Huck wins the 2017 Whisky Fat Tire Crit (Photo: Scott Kelly)
Erin Huck wins the 2017 Whisky Fat Tire Crit (Photo: Scott Kelly)

Erin Huck won Friday’s Fat Tire Crit at the Whisky Off-Road Epic Rides event in Prescott, Arizona. The current US cross-country mountain bike champion edged her rivals in the final lap of the short course race to claim victory.

Huck has raced here since 2011, but this marks her first victory in the Whiskey Fat Tire Crit. She beat out Kate Courtney who finished second. Katerina Nash claimed third.

Canadian CX champ Maghalie Rochette finished fourth, having come in as part of the lead group.

Prescott local Chloe Woodruff crashed near the finish but recovered to cross in eighth place.

“Kate was on the front and I was trying to stay on Kate’s wheel in that last stretch of road,” said Huck, in an interview with the Daily Courier, in Prescott. “There was like a crack right in the middle [of the road], where the concrete split – and it was really easy to catch your front wheel. I’m guessing that’s what happened [to Chloe]. If you took that corner just a little too wide, you get stuck in that groove.”

“It’s just a bummer that they crashed, because you never want to see anyone get hurt,” said Rochette to the Daily Courier. “But it seems like they were OK, so that’s good news.”

Americans Sam Gaze and Todd Wells went 1-2 in the men’s Fat Tire Crit, while Canadians Geoff Kabush and Derek Zandstra claimed third and fourth respectively.

The men's field races at the 2017 Whisky Fat Tire Crit (Photo: Scott Kelly)
The men’s field races at the 2017 Whisky Fat Tire Crit (Photo: Scott Kelly)

Gaze won with a strong sprint, handily beating Wells. Kabush earned his second podium result in as many events, following a strong performance at the Sea Otter Short Track race. Zandstra performed well coming off of a bout of food poisoning.

Peachland B.C.’s Evan Guthrie finished tenth.

The Whiskey Off-Road weekend is highlighted by the Whiskey 50 race held on Sunday.