Durangoan Riley Amos will compete in his first race at the elite level this weekend during USA Cycling’s national mountain bike championships in Winter Park.
Amos won the U23 national title last year and has been racing in a Stars and Stripes jersey during the U23 World Cup, where he reached the podium in third last week in Andorra.
“This was my last race U23 race in the Stars and Stripes, let’s see how the fight for the elite jersey goes this weekend,” Amos posted after his podium finish.
His toughest competition will be fellow Durangoan Christopher Blevins. Blevins, who is the defending short track world champion, is returning to race in the national championships for the first time in a few years.
“It’s been three years since I last lined up for National Champs, so even though it’s in the middle of travel and World Cups, I didn’t want to miss it again,” Blevins posted on Instagram. “It feels like home in a way just to be back around family, friends and the U.S. MTB scene. It’s also amazing to see how many juniors are here racing, quite inspiring to see the growth of the sport in that way.”
Former Fort Lewis College rider Savilia Blunk will also compete in the women’s elite race Saturday. Blunk also won the a U23 national title last year and has been racing in the women’s elite World Cup this season.
More than 1,400 riders are set to compete in Winter Park, including lots of Durango Devo riders, with 94 races crowning national champions in cross-country, downhill, enduro, dual slalom and short track events.
The championships began on Monday with non-championship races while the first championships were contested Thursday.
In the female 11-12 cross-country race, Anna Morozowich scored a national tile in 50 minutes and 8 seconds, crossing just one second ahead of Leah Morozowich in second.
Liam Bezek placed 12th in the cross-country Cat 1/2 men’s 15-16 qualifier while Kai Lokey finished 16th and Dylan Timmerman crossed 65th. In the division’s second qualifier, Emmett McManus placed 18th out of 75.
Jack Lootens competed in the men’s 17-18 Cat 1/2 qualifier No. 2 and placed 54th.
In the female senior 19-24 Cat 1/2 race, Danika Brabec of Fort Lewis College finished second in 1:42:17, 10:08 after Lia Westermann.
DEVO coach Chad Cheeney, meanwhile, finished seventh in men’s single-speed cross-country national championship race.
Steven Morozowich was scheduled to compete in the master men’s 50-54 Cat 1/2 championship, as were two Devo squads in the team relay.
