GNCC

The bar-to-bar XC1 Pro battle

After Josh Toth grabbed the holeshot and the lead he took advantage of a clear track while Dante Oliveira, KTM teammates Russell and Ben Kelley plus Josh Strang on the Babbitt’s Online Kawasaki were fighting for position behind him.

Toth was at the helm for the majority of the three-hour race with Russell chipping away to finally sit eight seconds back heading into the final two laps. The battle was very much on this deep into the race as they headed through the pits and back into the woods as Kelley sat right on Strang’s tail in the battle for third with Jordan Ashburn fifth and Grant Baylor in sixth place – Baylor would retire on the next lap due to another mechanical issue this season for the FactoryONE Sherco squad.

When the white flag came out, eyes were on the lead duo with Russell leading only to make a mistake and crash, breaking his gear shifter in the process and allowing Toth back to the front.

The seven-time champ typically wasn’t in the mood for letting being stuck in second gear slow him down. When Toth got caught up trying to pass a lapper rider on the final hill before the finish, Russell pulled his party-spoiling trick to steal his 67th career XC1 victory.

 “I did the best I could with the circumstances but I was frustrated mentally.” Said Russell.  “After Josh got around me, I stayed fairly close to him and while he was trying to get around a lapper at the end, I had enough room to take the main line that was faster and I passed him and the lapper at the same time.”