The 2025 Manhattan Beach Grand Prix
Thirty years ago - 1995 - was not the last time i raced the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix (MBGP), but my finish was pretty indicative of all the times i raced there, an FiP - Finished in the Pack; additionally, fifth across the line for a fifty-dollar prime might as well have been fiftieth across the line for all the good it did. Mmm-hmm. Anyway...
at sixty-two years running, the MBGP is the undisputed grand-daddy of west coast racing - it is the race everyone wants to win - the list of past winners reads like a who's who of bike racing; to add your name to that list would be a highlight of anyones racing career, and riders come from all around the country (and usually a few other countries as well) to give it a try. But, alas, you've got to have some serious speed in your legs and, since the race invariably ends in a sprint, you've to to have some nerves of steel. Those two requirements were clearly on display at this years' event. Take the mens' pro race, for example - when the group of, what, ten racers i believe, bolted away on the first lap did anyone believe they would stay away? I heard a chorus of "no" from one end of Live Oak Park to the other. Yet from the first time the break crossed the line at speed, to the final time ninety minutes later, that is exactly what happened. And who was surprised to not see, a lap after the bell rang, Cory Williams outsprinting the rest of his breakaway companions? Not that he has lacked results over the past few years, mind you, but it was still largely unexpected to see northern California's Alex Akins (Team Mike's Bikes) bust free and clear and cross the finish line with arms stretched wide in victory; i can't be sure if the look on his face is one of mild shock of supreme confidence.
The women's pro race, while Kendall Ryan's win may have been widely predictable, was exciting from beginning to end, with the bunch hanging, largely together throughout the race. The race had an especially international flavor to it with Cuban Marlies Mejias Garcia finishing 2nd, and Norwegian Anita Yvonne Stenberg taking 3rd.
Results: Men Pro/1/2 (103 starters) - 1st Alex Akins, 2nd Cory Williams, 3rd Clever Martinez, 4th Eddy Huntsman, 5th Tyler Williams, 6th Carlos MacPherson Arroyo
Results: Women Pro/1/2/3 (56 starters) - 1st Kendall Ryan, 2nd Marlies Mejias Garcia, 3rd Anita Yvonne Stenberg, 4th Colleen Gulick, 5th Samantha Donnelly, 6th Rylee McMullen
Results: Cat 3 (64 starters) - 1st Diego Johnson, 2nd Elijah Baker, 3rd Westley Hendershot, 4th Jack Oh, 5th Kaichen Li, 6th Kelley Broton
Results: 35+ Cat 3/4 (41 starters) - 1st Westley Hendershot, 2nd Tamas Debreczeni, 3rd Jeffrey Gracik, 4th Sokchamroeun An, 5th Isaac Perez, 6th Joshua Bonnici
Results: 40+ Cat 1-3 (63 starters) - 1st Eric Anderson, 2nd Charon Smith, 3rd Rahsaan Bahati, 4th Kayle Leo Grande, 5th Zach Fiocca, 6th Maximino Hernandez
Results: 50 Cat 1-4 (57 starters) - 1st Bart Clifford, 2nd Kevin Phillips, 3rd David Morrison, 4th Anthony Freeman, 5th Dean La Berge, 6th Espen Kateraas
Results: 60+ Cat 1-4 (21 starters) - 1st Craig Miller, 2nd Randy Kowata, 3rd Alan Flores, 4th Barry Hughes, 5th Gregory Amano, 6th Jerry Opris
Results: Men Cat 4 (32 starters) - 1st Devyn Major, 2nd Keith Entight Jr., 3rd Steven Stewart, 4th Theo Dormans, 5th Jordy de Los Santos, 6th Jarod Gonzalez Munoz
Results: Women Cat 4/5 (7 starters) - 1st Erika Quinteros, 2nd Dafne Zendejas, 3rd Sundee Smith, 4th Melanie Liu, 5th Julia Eyrich, 6th Melissa Kovach
Results: Men Cat 4/5 (24 starters)- 1st Ahmead Cherrington, 2nd Thomas Patenaude, 3rd GianCarlo Terrence Catibog, 4th Gael Sosa, 5th Jose Morales, 6th Steven Stewart
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