The third stop of the Pro Gravity Tour just wrapped up at the Northstar Resort in north Lake Tahoe, California. Here’s a quick and dirty run down of what went down today. (Check back for a complete event recap and photo gallery once I sort through a zillion shots from the weekend’s racing.)

- The men’s downhill field saw current World Cup leader Greg Minnaar take the win, and Jill Kintner was victorious in the women’s downhill.

- Bryn Atkinson’s second place in downhill means he’ll retain the Pro GRT leaders jersey.

- Eighteen-year-old Mitch Ropelato won the junior expert downhill, but also raced separately in the pro downhill field and finished an amazing fifth place.

- This round of the Pro GRT was a Junior Downhill World Championships qualifier, so look for Ropelato and the second place finisher in junior expert today, Bryson Martin Jr., to represent the U.S.A. this September at the World Champs in Mont Ste Anne, Quebec, Canada.

- Current women’s Pro GRT downhill points leader, Melissa Buhl, took a nasty spill, and eventually finished under her own power. Kintner takes over the downhill series leader jersey.


Greg "Minnaarly" en route to victory. He was the only rider to break the four minute mark the entire weekend with his winning run of 3:59:9.


Pro men downhill podium (from left): Cedric Gracia (4th), Bryn Atkinson (2nd), Greg Minnaar (1st), Steve Peat (3rd), Mitch Ropelato (5th).


Mitch Ropelato won the junior expert downhill, and also raced in the pro downhill finishing in fifth place. He won't soon forget sharing the pro podium with that crowd.


Three-time 4-Cross World Champ Jill Kintner is focusing on downhill this season, and she scored her first Pro GRT downhill victory today.


Pro women downhill podium (from left) Jackie Harmony (4th), Kathy Pruitt (2nd), Wild Dingo (didn't race), Jill Kintner (1st), Leigh Donovan (3rd), Rachel Bauer (5th).







By Ryan Cleek