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Decker debuts prototype 29er suspension bike with a win; Emmett takes second straight at Laguna Seca
Giant has owned Super D racing at the Sea Otter Classic ever since the event was added to the massive cycling festival at the Laguna Seca Raceway four years ago. On Friday, Giant Factory Off-Road riders Carl Decker and Kelli Emmett kept the win streak alive, winning the opening pro mountain bike races at the four-day event in Monterey.
Decker, who has worked with Giant on the development of its 29er mountain bikes, received the latest version of Giant’s prototype Anthem X 29er featuring Maestro Suspension the day before the race. After a quick test, he decided to race it.
“This bike felt pretty amazing,” Decker said. “I can tell you now I’m pretty much going to race this on everything this year. It’s super fast.”
It was Decker’s third consecutive Super D win at Sea Otter, and he has also won the last seven national series Super D events that he has started.
Decker edged out Cannondale teammates Marco Fontana and Manuel Fumic on a fast, wide open course that includes one significant climb followed by 50 mph plus fireroads. The high speeds, combined with water bars and wind, always make the Sea Otter Super D interesting. The men’s race was close; Decker pulled away in the final stretch to take the win.
In women’s racing, Emmett topped a small pro women’s field, powering her Giant Anthem X Advanced SL bike to a third Sea Otter Super D win in the past four years.
“I was leading up that first climb and I could see I was starting to get reeled in,” said Emmett. “So I made a big surge there. I kind of got a gap and just rode my race from there.”
