Photos by John R. Goodman

Expert 40-49's: John Swanguen (313), Matt Benko (10), Ron Takeda (447) and Tim Zandbergen (134).
 

Fast pack: Platinum Performance team leader Todd Booth (103) engulfed in a huge pack of 30-39 Experts.
 

Pace setters: Jamie Goldstein and Romolo Forcino throw down the gauntlet off the Pro XC start.
 

Going by first name only: Undercover and stealth Carolyn took the Pro Women XC.
 

Fast target: Cross-country winner Manual Prado is currently the rider to beat in SoCal racing.
 

Stage race champ: Winning the short track helped Tim Allen secure the Mountain Stage GC.
 
The Keyesville Classic in Lake Isabella, CA was the kick off to the Norba XC calender for the 2008 season. This 20 year classic is also part of the American Mountain Bike Challenge Series. Way up in the Southern Sierra's, the 9 mile Keyesville circuit offers some of the best flowing singletrack in California. The climbs are short and brutally steep. The twisty descents kept the rider's attention levels high. For the 20th edition the weather was perfect; cold, but no snow...at least on Sunday for the cross-country.
 
The Platinum Performance team had 14 riders competing. Bud Donatoni's expert debut was highlighted with a win in the Expert 40-49 class. A battle pursued behind Bud's dust between Ron Takeda, Matt Benko (Team Chicken Ranch) and Bob Nisbet. Matt beat Ron at the line for 2nd. Ron pulled off 3rd with Bob rolling in 4th. Nick Davis finished in 11th in that tough 40-49 field. The Davis kids, Harrison and Melanie made their father proud by pulling off victories in the Beginner 15-16 and Women's 15-18 classes. Ian Mcfarlane continues to dominate the 18-and-Under Expert class by pulling out another victory after winning last weekend in Bonelli. James Bond himself, Platinum's Roger 007 Moore, took a 1st in the "frigid" short track race on Saturday in the Expert 40-49 class. You could almost hear Halle Berry screaming through the forest as 007 hydroplaned his British Secret Service Laser Bike over the singletrack. The following day Roger, er 007, raced to an 8th place finish in the XC event.
 
Stephanie Rivera continues to build on her racing skills by pulling out a 3rd place finish in the Beginner Women's 40-49 class. Steve Bertrand had a rock solid race in the Sport 50-59 class with a 3rd. Todd Booth walked away with a 4th place finish in a super fast Expert 30-39 class. John Goodman pulled off a 5th place finish in the sport 50-59 class even after experiencing mechanical issues. Jamie Goldstein competing in the deepest, fastest Pro field seen in years at Keyesville. Jamie raced to a very respectable 15th place. Expert 50-59 Steve Silva had a lead with a win in his sight, but dropped out after his crank arm came loose.
 
KEYESVILLE MOUNTAIN STAGE RACE
The same bike had to be used in the downhill, short track and cross-country. Stage race entrants are scored independently when tallying general classification results (For example, Tim Allen is the top stage race rider in the cross-country. So although he placed 3rd in the cross-country, Tim was awarded a 1st in the stage race XC category. A DNF means that the rider finished outside of the top 10 in the XC and did not receive and Mountain Stage points.)
 
STAGE RACE RESULTS
1. TIM ALLEN...4th DH/1st ST/1st XC...40 points
2. SECRET RIDER ANTHONY...2nd/4th/2nd...34
3. CHEWY AITKEN...1st/6th/3rd...31
4. JASON MOESCHLER...3rd/2nd/DNF...23
5. NICK STEPHENS...6th/7th/4th...17
6. MICHAEL KENT...5th/3rd/DNF...16
7. DEREK HERMON...7th/5th/DNF...10
Top Wmn: STEALTH TIFFANY...1st/1st/DNF...32
 
CROSS-COUNTRY RESULTS
1. MANUAL PRADO...2:27:12
2. JASON FIRST...2:28:25
3. TIM ALLEN...2:29:41
4. MICHAEL ANDRES...2:30:25
5. NIGIL HILL...2:30:50
6. DANA WEBER...2:32:09
7. AREN TIMMEL...2:36:48
8. NATE WHITMAN...2:37:02
9. ROMOLO FORCINO...2:38:36
10. OSVALDO OLMOS...2:39:45
WOMEN
1. UNDERCOVER CAROLYN...2:10:05
2. KYIA ANDERSON...2:23:44
 
DOWNHILL RESULTS
1. CURTIS BEAVERS...5:05
2. CHEWY AITKEN...5:11
3. SECRET ANTHONY...5:12
4. JASON MOESCHLER...5:13
5. ADRIAN CORTINA...5:15
6. BEN TALKING FURBEE...5:16
7. HANK CADLE...5:27
8. TIM ALLEN...5:31
9. MARK JORDAN...5:37
10. TYLER WILSON...5:50
WOMEN
1. ALLEGRA BURCH...6:27
2. JACKIE BAKER...6:27
3. STEALTH TIFFANY...6:46
 
SHORT TRACK RESULTS
1. TIM ALLEN
2. MANUAL PRADO
3. AREN TIMMEL
4. JASON MOESCHLER
5. MICHAEL ANDRES
6. DANA WEBER
7. TIM OLSON
8. DEAN POSHARD
9. MICHAEL KENT
10. SECRET AGENT ANTHONY
Top Wmn: I SPY TIFFANY
 
Click here for full results:
http://www.eternaltiming.com/results08/uscf/uscf.cfm