It started at 10,700 feet and climbed up to timberline, and around every corner the Winter Park Mountain Bike Series' new mountain top circuit course threw a new challenge at the racers.

The altitude made the climbing difficult, but the technical descents were what made the race exciting. The race was pushed back one week due to an August snowstorm that dumped nearly six inches on the course.

Winter Park #6: Coreen Wright maintained her early lead over Amy Thomas to win the expert division.

Photo: Jim Siegle

Peter Stetina of Tokyo Joe’s took the lead early and held off teammate Braden Kappius to win the race in a time of 1:27:29 over the 17.7 mile pro course.

Stetina races on the road for Garmin-Chipotle, recently winning the best young rider classification at the Tour of Utah

Kappius kept it close in second at 1:27:49 and Pro Cycling racer Matt Simmons took third in 1:30:50. Rocky Mountain Racing’s Michael Mathers rode to fourth in 1:31:30 and Walt Wehner, of Waltworks/FuentesDesign, finished fifth in 1:31:49.

In the women’s race, Heather Baumgartner (Colorado Singletrack/Yeti/Adventure Racing) took the win in 1:54:54 over expert racers Coreen Wright (1:56:02) and Amy Thomas (1:57:12).

Kervin Quinones led expert men in 1:34:30, followed by Derek Strong in 1:35:28 and Adam Price in 1:36:52. Emery Legg took the win in the single speed category in 1:42:00.

The Winter Park series concludes on Saturday, August 30, with the King of the Rockies Finale over the 26-mile Tipperary Creek point-to-point course. For more information and full race results go to www.epicsingletrack.com