April 1st, 2008 by 
adam
- Wicks Nails Two First-Place Finishes, While Simms, Sneddon and Trebon Ride Hard At First NMBS Event -
KONAWORLD (April 1, 2008) - Starting the racing season off in rock star fashion, 26-year-old Barry Wicks claimed his first ever NMBS victories over the weekend in Fontana, California, at the first event of the NMBS. Accompanied at the event by Kona Factory Team members Kris Sneddon, Ryan Trebon and Wendy Simms, Wicks strongly confirmed that his transition from a top-notch cyclocrosser to fat-tire tough man is going quite smoothly.
On Sunday, during the STXC race, Wicks out-sprinted breakaway companion Adam Craig to claim the crown and his first NMBS win. But Wicks did get some help from his friends. Sneddon and Trebon lit the race track up for the first four laps, which allowed Wicks to take a comfortable position and conserve energy for his solo push to the finish. Nearing the end, Sneddon experienced mechanical issues when his front derailer twisted sideways into his crank. Sneddon and Trebon finished the race in the top 10.
In the ensuing Super D race, which started with a downhill run on pavement, Wicks nabbed his second first-place finish – again narrowly out-sprinting Craig for the title.
“Two wins in one day is pretty sweet – I feel kind of bad I had to punk Adam twice,” says Wicks, the 2006 national short track champion.
In the women’s STXC race, Simms reeled in a third-place finish after a great opening hole-shot and battling, not only some tough Luna Team riders, but “legs that felt like monster trucks.” On Saturday, Simms, who tried to lock handlebars with the Luna ladies, nabbed third place in the XC event which was her best NMBS finish ever.
In Saturday’s men’s XC race, Wicks admittedly hit the throttle too early and faded towards the end of the final laps to finish fifth. Sneddon took sixth place and Trebon finished 26th.
The NMBS replaced the NORBA label when series directors Jeff Frost and Tom Spiegel took over the reins in 2004. Gone are the television cameras, huge cash prizes and international field enjoyed by the series in its heyday a decade ago. But one fact remains the same: North America’s best still show up.
The four Kona riders will compete at the second NMBS race this weekend in Fountain Hills, Arizona.
About the Kona Bicycle Company:
The Kona Bicycle Company designs, manufacturers and distributes more than 60 models of purpose-built, high-performance mountain, road and urban bicycles. Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Ferndale, Washington, USA, Kona bicycles are distributed worldwide in more than 60 countries through independent specialty bicycle dealers. Kona funds several professional road, mountain and cyclo-cross racing teams that include World Cup Champions, World Champions and National Champions. For more information check www.konaworld.com
source: Keith Cozzens | Base Camp Communications
