Gould just misses first World Cup win as Americans shine at Windham Mountain …

Americans scored three medals and nine top five results in Saturday’s cross-country contests at the RockyRoads.net UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Presented by Shimano in Windham, N.Y. After leading much of the elite women’s race, Olympian Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo. /Luna Pro Team) finished in bronze medal position with fellow Olympic teammate Lea Davison (Jericho, Vt. /Specialized Racing) close behind in fifth. Soon-to-be three time Olympian Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized Racing) recorded the best world cup finish of his career in fourth and his London Olympic teammate Samuel Schultz (Missoula, Mont. /Subaru-Trek) finished 10th in the elite men’s event.

“All of the 2012 Olympians rode very well on a hot, dry day today,” said USA Cycling’s Mountain Bike Programs Director Marc Gullickson. “Each finished inside the top 10 and Georgia had the win in the bag until a mechanical in the last half lap. Wells also raced to his best World Cup ever. It was also a breakout day for many of our junior and U23 riders. I couldn’t be more satisfied with the way we performed on home soil.”

American juniors Kate Courtney (Kentfield, Calif./Whole Athlete-Specialized) and Keegan Swenson (Park City, Utah/Cannondale Factory Racing) also showed the future is bright for American mountain biking with gold and silver medal performances in the junior women’s and men’s races respectively.

Elite Women
Gould jumped out the early lead and seemed destined to win her first-ever world cup title in front of the N.Y. crowd. Just as race announcers claimed she had the win in the bag barring any major mishaps, Gould suffered an untimely flat that left her struggling to finish the final lap. Only her Luna Chix teammates Catharine Pendrel (CAN/Luna Pro Team) and Katerina Nash (CZE/Luna Pro Team) were able to catch and pass Gould before she completely lost her rear tire and carried her bike across the line for third. Davison soon crossed the line in fifth to equal her best world cup finish.

“Lowlight today was spectating on the final turns of the women’s race,” said fellow American mountain biker and 2004 Olympian Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski via Twitter. “I wish I could have given Georgia my bike.”

Elite Men
American veteran Wells finished just 34 seconds off the

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