Monster Army’s Ryan Pinkerton claims 4th consecutive win and World Series Title!
The 2023 UCI MTB World Series has hosted the most prestigious racing in mountain biking, combining disciplines of DH, Enduro, and XC in one unified presence. The Downhill World Cup has visited five countries before heading to North America for the two final rounds in Snowshoe, WV and Mont Sainte Anne, Canada – of which both venues have a rich history in the sport. Snowshoe is no stranger to hosting the world’s best athletes, formerly hosting the NORBA National in the early 2000’s to then the Pro GRT series over the last decade. Now, race fans look forward to the annual pilgrimage to Snowshoe for the UCI World Cup. Serving as the only World Cup in America and 7th stop of the series, fans and athletes alike have been waiting for this event all year!
Monster Army’s Ryan Pinkerton has been a force to be reckoned with this season, claiming three consecutive world cup victories leading into Snowshoe. The 18-year-old from Tustin, CA has done all but stumble into his newly found success. A culmination of 10,000 hours’ worth of dedication paired with a highly structured training program meant Pinkerton was destined to win long before rubber hit the dirt.
Pinkerton’s week in Snowshoe began with a track walk on Tuesday. By walking the track prior to riding, athletes can analyze the terrain and potential line choices, giving them the confidence needed to make every practice run count. A small practice session on Wednesday and shortly after, Ryan is up to speed and looking strong for Thursday’s qualifying session. With over 54 entries and 10 nations represented in the Junior Men’s division, making the cut into Friday’s final is no easy task. After the dust settles only 25 athletes move onto the main event, with Monster Army’s Ryan Pinkerton atop the list in 1st place – posting a blistering fast time of 3:20.809, a whole 1.963 seconds ahead of fellow American competitor, Evan Medcalf.
As a beautiful West Virginia sunrise crests over the Snowshoe village on Saturday, all eyes are on Ryan Pinkerton. A win here today will not only mean four in a row, but also give him the necessary points advantage to secure the overall series championship a race early. Unphased, Pinkerton sets out for his early morning practice session to get one last look at the track that could crown him a champion. With the preparation complete, it all comes down to one remaining run. Less than four minutes will determine if Pinkerton makes history, joining a very select group of Americans who have achieved such a feat.
In the blink of an eye, he’s off! Third at split one, first at split two/three, then second at split four, Pinkerton has the crowd on their feet anxiously watching his run on the big screen!
wave of silence spreads throughout the finish arena while he crosses the line, quickly followed by an emotional eruption of enthusiasm as the scoreboard reflects a winning time of 3:16.424, only 0.327 ahead of second place! The young American flaunts his National Championship sleeve for the broadcast, overjoyed with patriotism as he wins on home soil. Ryan Pinkerton makes it four in a row and is crowned the 2023 UCI DH World Cup Jr Men’s Overall Champion!
Everyone here at Monster Army is incredibly proud to have Ryan representing the program and serving as an excellent role model for our younger recruits to look up to. At only 18 years old, Ryan’s future is bright, and we can’t wait to see his success carry over into the Elite class! One more round to go before this youngster closes the chapter on his junior career, let’s see what he has in store for us in Canada!!!
To stay up to date on Ryan Pinkerton and the rest of our Monster Army team, visit www.monsterarmy.com. Be sure to follow Monster Army on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on the remainder of the 2023 MTB season.
