Durango\u2019s Ben Sonntag took the top spot on the podium in Crested Butte, beating fellow Durangoan Todd Wells in a sprint to the finish. Payson McElveen of Durango finished third.<\/p>\n
The win was the second in a row for Sonntag, who took the title at the Epic Rides Off-Road series June 16 in Carson City, Nevada, when he outsprinted Durango\u2019s Howard Grotts and Utah\u2019s Keegan Swenson to the finish line.<\/p>\n
\u201cCarson City was definitely a big confidence booster and even though the Fat Tire 40 became part of my schedule late and wasn\u2019t an \u2018A-race,\u2019 my mindset was different and I had the approach to continue with what started last week (at Carson City),\u201d Sonntag said. \u201cI raced more aggressive than usual and wasn\u2019t afraid to head to the front.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sonntag completed the 41.8-mile course that featured 6,500 feet of elevation gain and mostly single-track riding in 3 hours, 9 minutes, 55 seconds to hold off Wells, who finished 2.3 seconds back. McElveen created some separation from Sonntag and Wells, but he fell back after he lost the route and crossed the finish line in 3:11:22.7.<\/p>\n
Durango\u2019s Ryan Standish finished on the podium in fifth place with a time of 3:15:52.9. Levi Kurlander was 11th with a time of 3:21:31.4, Rotem Ishay placed 12th in 3:25:07.5 and Keiran Eagen was 18th in 3:30:16.2.<\/p>\n
Amy Beisel of Colorado Springs won the women\u2019s pro race in 3:47:31.2. Fairplay\u2019s Marlee Dixon was second in 3:52:49.2 and Jennifer Smith of Gunnison was third in 3:55:54.2.<\/p>\n
Durango\u2019s Ellen Campbell placed fifth in 4:07:19.2 to finish on the podium and Trish Thomas was 10th in 4:29:43.2.<\/p>\n