Defending World Champ Michal Prokop of the Czech Republic captured the individual title while also earning his third consecutive crown as World Professional Champion. On the women's side, Seattle's Jill Kintner won the individual event title, with the Netherland's Anneke Beerten capturing the season long crown as World Professional Champion.

Heading into the grand finale of the 2007 Jeep King of the Mountain Mountain Biking World Professional Championships at Beaver Creek Resort in Colorado, one athlete thought capturing the season long crown was all but impossible, while another was so anxious to hit the track that she couldn't sleep all night. At the end of the day, doubt and nerves were cast aside as Michal Prokop and Anneke Beerten brought home the coveted crowns.

Entering the final race, the men's and women's standings had never been so tight in the five year history of the JKOM summer mountain bike series. Five pairs of athletes were tied and seven athletes had a legitimate chance of earning the top prize and driving off the mountain in a new 2008 Jeep Liberty full of the lion's share of the $100,000 purse.

The action matched the high expectations, as thousands of race fans converged the track to see which contender would fare best on a highly technical Y-cross racecourse developed by fresh 2007 Norba Champ Eric Carter.

Prokop, also the two-time defending JKOM Champ, had won the first race of the season in Park City, UT, but forfeited race two by heading to China to compete in the World Cup BMX
Championships in a bid to qualify for the Olympics. (As well as had Jared Graves and Jill Kintner.) Arriving in Beaver Creek, the Czech BMX and Mountain Biking National Champion knew there was much lost ground to be covered, and wasted no time trying to reestablish his dominance. He began the day by first sweeping past Temecula's Rich Houseman who had entered Beaver Creek tied for the overall lead. Then Prokop overcame Open Qualifier Cody Warren in the semifinals. Warren had given Prokop a huge gift earlier in the day by ousting co-leader Brian Lopes in the first round. On the other side of the bracket, Australia's Jared Graves earned a first round bye with news that race course designer and competitor Eric Carter would not race due to an injury suffered in the seeding runs. In the semifinals, Graves met up with his coach and fellow Aussie, Wade Bootes, the 2004 JKOM Champ. The battle among these friends was epic, with Bootes winning the first run before Graves stormed back to win the second race and advance based on the time differential. That set up a Championship Heat pitting Prokop against Graves. Prokop captured the first race, but came up short in the second heat. Based on the time differential, he earned the title and a three-peat as World Professional Champion. Bootes held on for third place by taking out Warren in the Consolation Heat.

"I honestly didn't think I would be able to win this competition today, but I tried my best and it turned out well for me," said Prokop. "I just tried to be as fast as possible out there, and was careful to watch my turns and cover my inside. Maybe I got lucky with Lopes going down early, but I'm thrilled to win again."

Beerten, who had captured the win at the previous Jeep King of the Mountain race in San Luis Obispo, CA, was forced to start the day with a tough match up against co-leader Melissa Buhl. Buhl is the current Norba Downhill and 4-Cross Champion, as well as the U.S. Dual Slalom Champ. Beerten, the world's second-ranked racer with two World Cup wins in 2007, was able to get past her rival and advance to the semifinals, where she swept Fionn Griffiths of the U.K., a five-time British National Champion, to reach the finals.

Meanwhile, Jill Kintner, the world's number one ranked mountain bike racer and two-time defending JKOM Champ, was taking care of business on the other side of the bracket. She dispatched Open Qualifier Lisa Myklak in the first round, setting up a face off against Tara Llanes in the semifinals. The result was a hard fought, physical race that saw Llanes go down with an injury that wrapped up her day prematurely, sending her to the hospital and Kintner to the Championship Heat. Kintner, battling for her second title of the season, swept past Beerten for the win, but the Netherland's phenom earned the necessary points to win the overall season crown. Griffiths earned third place in the Consolation Heat.

"I really liked this course a lot, but it was hot out there and became slippery in some spots," said Beerten. "It was nearly impossible to have a perfect run, but I knew I had to be smooth and also aggressive if I wanted to win that Jeep. Thankfully it all came together for me."

World Professional Champions are crowned based on a system of cumulative points earned throughout the three event Jeep King of the Mountain Series. In addition to Beaver Creek, previous races were held at The Canyons Resort in Park City, UT, and on at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, CA.

Each race of the 2007 Mountain Biking World Professional Championships is televised to a national broadcast audience on CBS Sports, representing the most expansive coverage of professional mountain bike racing in recent history. The race from Beaver Creek Resort will air on CBS Sports on October 21 (check local listings).

BEAVER CREEK JKOM RESULTS
1. Michal Prokop (Cze)...Author
2. Jared Graves (Aus)...Yeti-Fox
3. Wade Bootes (Aus)...WBR
4. Cody Warren...Foes
5. Brian Lopes...Oakley-GT
6. Chris Del Bosco
7. Rich Houseman...Yeti-Fox
8. Eric Carter...Mongoose-Sram-Kenda
WOMEN
1. Jill Kintner...GT
2. Anneke Beerten (Ned)...Bikepark
3. Fionn Griffiths (GBr)...Norco-Griffiths
4. Tara Llanes...Giant
5. Lisa Myklak...Leelikesbikes-Morewood
6. Joanna Petterson (RSA)...Brodie
7. Melissa Buhl...KHS
8. Neven Steinmetz...Totally Wired

2007 OVERALL STANDINGS
Race 1 Points...Race 2 Points...Race 3 Points...Total
1. Michal Prokop...100...No Points...200...300
2. Wade Bootes...40...80...160...280
3 Cody Warren...70...70...140...280
4. Jared Graves...90...No Points...180...270
5. Brian Lopes...50...100...120...270
6. Rich Houseman...60...90...80...230
7. Eric Carter...80...60...60...200
8. Chris Del Bosco...50...100...150
WOMEN
1. Anneke Beerten...80...100...180...360
2. Jill Kintner...100...No Points...200...300
3. Fionn Griffiths...60...80...160...300
4. Tara Llanes...70...70...140...280
5. Melissa Buhl...90...90...80...260
6. Joanna Petterson...30...60...100...190
7. Lisa Myklak...No Points...No Points...120...120
8. Neven Steinmetz...No Points...40...60...100