XT Di2 Makes Debut at BC Bike Race

Meet the Racers

Spencer Paxson - Kona Endurance

Shimano athlete and Kona Endurance Team rider Spencer Paxson is coming off a season with full momentum, being named to the US National Team for the 6th time. He will be participating in the MTB XCO World Championships in the Czech Republic days before the BC Bike Race. Only four elite racers qualified for the event for the US Team.

Paxson will be looking to make a strong conclusion to his XCO campaign for 2016, which has seen him competing around the world since April in the quest for an Olympic berth. He came up short on the Olympic chase, but will still look to improve on his impressive performance from Worlds in 2015, where he rode from 114th on the start loop to finish 40th, putting in top-25 lap times along the way.

Cory Wallace - Kona Endurance

Cory couldn't be reached for comment as he was off the radar in the wilderness training for his first solo BC Bike Race victory.

Quinn Moberg - Rocky Mountain XC

Quinn is a 22-year-old cross-country mountain bike racer from Squamish BC. This will be Quinn’s third time racing the BC Bike Race, having won the team category in 2014 and fourth place finish in the solo category in 2015. He will be racing on the recently launched 2017 Rocky Mountain Element T.O. with a team build. Quinn is most at home shredding the trails of coastal British Columbia on his Rocky Mountain Element, but also rides a Rocky Mountain Instinct 999 MSL for more aggressive trail riding. Coming off a victory at the final edition of the Test of Metal, the prestigious Squamish marathon race, Quinn is looking forward to the week of racing ahead.

Stephen Ettinger – Focus Bikes

This’ll be my first rodeo at BC Bike Race… its legendary, and I’m so psyched to be a part of it. I’m not totally sure what to expect, I’ve never done any stage racing, and only a little bit of Marathon stuff, so this is going to be a total trip, and experience I’m really excited about. It’s going to be new, refreshing and cool to be a part of this community. This is the kind of riding that I’ve grown used to over the past year living in Bellingham, and spending time up in Vancouver on the North Shore. Its inspiring, super fun, technical riding. I love it! I’ll be on Focus’s new O1E full-suspension race rig, which has so far been the most fun, confidence inspiring, reactive, and balanced XC bike I’ve ever ridden. I think it’ll handle this terrain really well. The new XT Di2 is just so cool! I love the XTR Di2 for World Cups, the shifting is always just perfect, no matter the conditions. But I think the XT is absolutely going to be the ticket for BC Bike Race. Having a bigger gear range over longer days and more varied terrain will be clutch, especially as we get deeper into the week. I ride XT brakes on my trail bike at home, and I know they will be perfect for the longer descents. I’m really confident in the setup I’m setting out on this journey with, it should be an incredible week!

Stage 2

Day 2 Results:

Spencer Paxson

Stephen Ettinger

Cory Wallace

Stage 5

Day 5 Results:

1. Cory Wallace

2. Spencer Paxson

3. Quinn Moberg

A strong day on the saddle for Cory Wallace as he fought hard to cut down some of the time he lost on Stage 3 with mechanical issues. Spencer Paxson remains in the leaders jersey by just 22 seconds.