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RYAN TREBON WINS INAUGURAL CROSS VEGAS AT INTERBIKE

Kona riders unveiled their new team kits at the inaugural Cross Vegas at the 2007 Interbike Trade Show in Las Vegas. Held under the stadium lights at a soccer complex not far from the Sands Convention Center, Cross Vegas did not disappoint in turnout or in racing. Over 5,000 fans attended the event. The Kona-yourkey.com team broke in the new uniforms in with great style as Ryan Trebon won the event with help of teammate Barry Wicks.

The women’s race started the evening and they headed out off the starting line like a shot. Kona rider Wendy Simms was feeling in great form if not a bit sore from the hard crash at The RAD Racing GP less than a week prior. She was the only one that was able to keep up with US & Canadian National Champions from the start. But from there things did not go as planned. The hard pedaling on the thick grass started to take it’s toll. “About the 5th lap my calves started to cramp big time,” said Simms. “I’ve never cramped there before and I was trying to do all the run-ups on my heels. It was the
weirdest thing and at the end I was just looking to hold a top ten spot.” Simms finished in 10th place.

The men’s race was action packed from start to finish and had some of the best cyclo-cross riders in the world in attendance. The Kona team was set to do battle with World Championship Silver Medalist Jon Page and 6th ranked
UCI rider Christian Huele amongst others. The long grass that much of the race was held on the riders. “It was kind of like Velcro out there and with a bit of a headwind on the backstretch it was deceptively difficult,” remarked Kona Rider Barry Wicks. As a result a group of 8 strong men’s stayed together for much of the race.

Attacks were traded throughout the race and with three to go Wicks, Trebon, Page, Powers and Huele launched off the front after a vicious attack by Barry Wicks that forced the rest to chase leaving teammate Trebon some time to rest the legs. This was the plan from the start and when Wicks and Trebon are in the lead group together the rest get nervous and with good reason. Wicks was turning himself inside out for Trebon. “Barry absolutely killed it out there and took one for the team. He was able to keep the pace high cover attacks, then bridged to the top five from no man’s land,” said Trebon. “But I’m really happy to have finally won this one. I didn’t want to lose out to Huele three times in a row. And I wanted to make a bit of a statement that US Cross is here and that when Europeans come across the pond to race it’s not a sure victory.” Wicks was able to bridge up and blow by Jon Page who cracked on the last half lap but was just nipped at the line by Jeremy Powers and Wicks finished in 4th Place.

Next up for the Kona-yourkey.com team.

Ryan Trebon and Barry Wicks head to Long Island, NY for the North Hampton Race.

Wendy Simms heads to Edmonton, Alberta to attend the C2 Cross race hosted by Kona Dealer River Valley Cycles.

Erik Tonkin will be at the Portland Cross Crusades.

Photos Courtesy of Dave McElwain/Trailwatch.net

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