XTERRA Pan American Tour Rolls to Alabama



The XTERRA Pan American Pro Series touches down in the U.S. for the first time this season at its familiar stomping grounds in the forests of Oak Mountain State Park in Shelby County, Alabama.


The 14th annual XTERRA Oak Mountain off-road triathlon is the fourth of 10 events in the international racing series, and the first championship event in the U.S.


In the men’s elite race all eyes are on the showdown between two-time XTERRA Pan American Tour Champion Josiah Middaugh, two-time XTERRA Asia-Pacific Tour Champion Sam Osborne, and the reigning Pan Am Tour Champ Kieran McPherson.



Middaugh, the 2015 XTERRA World Champion from Colorado, is kicking off his 19th season of XTERRA racing this Saturday, and at 40-years-old, seems only to be getting stronger. As proof, he posted the fastest bike split at the ITU Cross Tri World Championship two weeks ago in Spain, besting 50 other elite men, all younger.



“I think I’ve raced here at Oak Mountain every year, so I’ve seen everything this course has and it’s nice to have that experience, but you know, you’re never too old gain experience,” said Middaugh, a Suunto Multisport Team racer. “I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’ve learned something from every race along the way, so I feel like everything I’ve done my whole life has prepared me for this event. And I don’t feel like I’m slowing down yet.”



His goals haven’t softened either, as Middaugh said he’s gunning to win not only this race, but the XTERRA Pan American Tour title as well.



“I definitely want to come out on top, but I’ll be hard-pressed to do it,” said Middaugh, who has won here five of the last six years. “Every year there’s somebody that brings me up to another level, and that guy could be Sam Osborne this year. He’s been on fire. He beat me at Worlds the last two years, and I’ve seen him improve leaps and bounds. He’s going to be hard to beat.”



As for his strategy, Middaugh says that’s a secret, but anybody that knows his game knows his plan.



“Throttle the bike on Saturday, that’s my strategy, but don’t tell anybody,” joked Middaugh, who added the trails at Oak Mountain are as good as they get. “These trails are one of a kind, the best mountain bike trails I’ve seen probably anywhere in the country. They are well built, well maintained, and they have a little bit of everything from flowing single track to rock features, long climbs and long descents, and even a little Midwest component with hardwood forests and racing through the trees.”


Osborne, 27, from Rotorua, New Zealand, is one of the sports’ most promising young stars. He finished third at XTERRA Worlds last year and is fresh off a win at XTERRA Brazil last weekend, but he’s not looking past Middaugh or anyone else.



“Josiah has raced this circuit for a long time,” said Osborne. “His experience on this course counts for a lot. And yeah, he’s getting on in age, but he still puts out monster watts on the bike and can run super quick. Plus, I’m sure it’s not just myself and Josiah, there’s a whole raft of guys that are keen to mix it up on Saturday.”


One of those guys is Kieran McPherson, who won races at XTERRA Argentina, Brazil, and Victoria (Canada) in 2018 and had the fastest run split to finish fifth at Oak Mountain last year. Another is Brian Smith, a veteran from Colorado, who finished third here a year ago.


“This year I have had less events in which to prepare myself for Oak Mountain but feel my fitness is still there from ski events this past winter,” said Smith, a former XTERRA Winter Worlds Champion.

 

Branden Rakita, aka the “Mitch Man”, is back for his 13th season of XTERRA.


“Really looking forward to getting the Pan Am Tour kicked off this year and at one of my favorite venues,” said Rakita. “The water and trails at Oak Mountain are awesome and it’s really a must do race. It is going to be fast and hot but thankfully the humidity won’t be too high like some years. Josiah, Sam and Brian are the guys to look at but there are some unknowns on the start list so it will be interesting. All in all, I’m feeling ready to go and want to really make them work for it.”


ELITE MEN’S START LIST
2019 Pan Am Tour Rank/2018 Rank – Name, Nationality
5/1 – Kieran McPherson, NZL
6/NR – Sam Osborne, NZL
NR/2 – Josiah Middaugh, USA
NR/4 – Branden Rakita, USA
NR/6 – Brian Smith, USA
NR/9 – Ian King, USA
NR/11 – Will Kelsay, USA
NR/16 – Walter Schafer, USA
NR/NR – Ryan Ignatz, USA
NR/NR – Sean Kickbush, USA
NR/NR – Elliot Bach, USA
NR/NR – Evan Pardi, USA
NR/NR – Zach Winter, USA

Triathlon