Aaron Gwin Wins His First Race on Intense Factory Racing

Feb 26, 2019 at 1:07
by James Smurthwaite  
photo

Aaron Gwin has started off his Intense career with a comfortable win at Round 4 of the Southridge winter race series at Fontana.

It was Gwin's first public outing on the Intense M29 and he won the overall race by four seconds. The Southridge format uses a combined time of two runs to decide the winner, Gwin was the fastest man in both runs, beating KHS's Steve Walton by 3.5 seconds in his first run and 0.5 seconds in his second. French World Cup racer, Flora Lesoin, won the women's race.

The race was run at Fontana and features a rocky, techy top section that runs into a pedal section and then a final flowy dart of singletrack. A helmet cam is below:


This result is spookily reminiscent of when Gwin first joined the YT Mob back in 2016. His first race on that team was also Round 4 of the Southridge Winter Series, which he won by 0.15 seconds from a KHS rider, Logan Binggelli. He went on to win the first round of the World Cup in Lourdes and his third World Cup title, is this a sign of things to come?

Click the arrows on Gwin's post for some race footage

Results


Pro Men

1st. Aaron Gwin - 01:33.33 + 01:33.05 = 03:06.38
2nd. Steve Walton - 01:36.81 + 01:33.52 = 03:10.33
3rd. Steven Cisar - 01:45.20 + 01:42.22 = 03:27.42
4th. Bryce Stroud - 01:46.85 + 01:44.15 = 03:31.00
5th. Bryce Helbling - 01:47.31 + 01:45.25 = 03:32.56


Pro Women

1st. Flora Lesoin - 02:07.36 + 02:02.01 = 04:09.37
2nd. Jordan Scott - 02:08.54 + 02:04.86 = 04:13.40
3rd. McKenna Merten - 02:13.88 + 02:13.93 = 04:27.81



Full results can be found here.

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131 Comments
  • 203 3
 The rest of the top 5...
2. Steve
3. Steven
4. Bryce
5. Bryce
Are these just made up people?
  • 83 1
 a guy called Chappy came 6th
  • 60 2
 @howsyourdad: My dad in 7th.
  • 29 107
flag SirWonky (Feb 26, 2019 at 2:11) (Below Threshold)
 Glad to see Gwin is not above racing some local chumps at Fontana
  • 72 3
 @SirWonky: so harsh man, grassroutes racing is what it's all about
  • 30 50
flag wohwee (Feb 26, 2019 at 3:33) (Below Threshold)
 @howsyourdad: I think sir wonky was alluding to the fact that it’s kind of poor form for Gwin to rock up and beat all these grassroots guys rather than allowing them to score good results that would hopefully allow them to progress.

Having said that, he didn’t beat them by miles, and it’s also probably pretty cool for these guys to race with/against someone of Gwins pedigree.
  • 49 9
 But where's Randy?
  • 144 1
 @wohwee: I would wager all of the other races where more than happy to be schooled by one of the best DH races of all time. Now they can say they raced Gwin with a straight face, thats pretty cool that MTB still has this occur, unlike many other sports.
  • 25 1
 @smuggly: 100% could not agree more
  • 4 0
 @Neale1978: Radness!
  • 17 1
 @wohwee: getting beat by a better rider doesn't prevent you from progressing. Riding under pressure and pushing yourself as hard as possible so you might be competitive with that top rider is more likely to lead to progression. Racing a bunch of amateurs will make you the fastest of the non world class athletes
  • 9 0
 @wohwee: miles maybe on run one but .5 seconds is nothing on run two and how do you ever know what the real level is if you never get to run against a guy like that. Its a good reality check for grass roots riders to race a guy like Gwin! If your allowes to win how will you ever truly succeed!!! Nice comment though
  • 12 0
 @SirWonky: dude in second was within half a second of Aaron in the second lap
  • 11 1
 @SirWonky: a lot of fast pros regularly show up to Fontana races. I’m surprised there aren’t more “big names” in the top 5 this race.
  • 5 0
 @kleinblake: good point.

Iirc Gwin got his early start at some of the Fontana races.
  • 32 1
 @SirWonky: The Fontana winter series is know for top pros (and a few legends) showing up and testing in the off season.
I've seen AG show up, practice, help some youngsters with their lines and then not actually race too. He's a class act and not there to steal thunder.
  • 7 1
 @meathooker: lots of big names will be in Windrock two weekends from now. The lineup is looking like a World Cup race. You will probably see my name in the bottom 5
  • 9 0
 @meathooker: Bruce Klein beat Aaron at Fontana last year straight up, these races have value
  • 3 0
 @dragonwizz:#cannondalecomeback
  • 21 1
 @wohwee: You can't race pro class and call it poor form when a pro shows up and races in the "pro class"
  • 11 0
 @SirWonky: Sandbagging isn't possible in the top category. Think about it.
  • 3 8
flag Jackson900 (Feb 26, 2019 at 12:16) (Below Threshold)
 @howsyourdad: pretty shocked to see Randy missing from the top 10
  • 11 11
 @smuggly: Did anyone actually read my comment...? I was just offering some clarity on what the dude above was getting at. I literally went on to say that Gwin didn’t win by much, and that it’s a good thing for the other guys to race with/against him - something everyone has reiterated in their own comments, presumably after downvoting me lol 0 marks for vigilance today.
  • 3 5
 @wohwee: you addressed at a “fact.” As if what the other dude said is completely true, and that you agree with it
  • 3 0
 @howsyourdad: Chappy works in Intense and is faster than most of us, even better guy!
  • 2 2
 Aaron must have been taking it easy. HE won this race by 14 seconds when he moved to Specialized.
  • 2 5
 @howsyourdad: Chappy is the Intense Factory Racing lead mechanic. I would at least google someone racing in the pros before you make a joke about them and look foolish on PB.
  • 3 0
 @SirWonky: you have no idea that caliper of racers at Fontana. Gwin has been beaten there plenty of times even on yeti, yt, trek and specialized
  • 4 0
 @Krzymndyd: you could argue that we need to give him a brake.
  • 3 1
 I'd be more proud to finish 2nd in a race won by Aaron Gwin than to win one without a pro. Just sayin'
  • 3 0
 @almacigatrailrider: Steven Walton Rides for factory KHS, he is a pro
  • 1 2
 @cuban-b: they just let him win to help build him up for wc season :-)
  • 2 0
 @howsyourdad: That would be Intense Cycles Technical Director and Moir's mechanic last year. Not sure if he's officially an IFR mechanic this season but he is a key person at Intense Cycles.. And a fairly decent rider....
  • 2 1
 @dragonwizz: Randy was in Stellenbosch, on his downcountry bike.
  • 2 0
 @howsyourdad: Fianne ? the mechanic from intense ?
  • 1 0
 @Andresjb: awesome!
  • 1 0
 @jorgen49: cool !
  • 1 0
 @Rubberelli: i wasn't, thats rad! as is his name and job!
  • 1 1
 @howsyourdad: Yeah, Chappy Fiene, long time employee of Intense Cycles and IFR world cup mechanic.
  • 89 1
 WOW I’m honored that my pov is on this article! Thanks pinkbike! This is super cool.
  • 18 0
 Nice run man. You were screaming over some pretty gnarly looking sections. Fun to watch!
  • 9 3
 Hmm- it's a PR no win situation for Gwin as if he win's you get comments like this that the field wasn't good enough and if he lost it would look horrible for him. Good on him for getting out and racing and no need to throw the rest of the field under the bus. Gwin is fast- we know this- and the guy that came in second was half a second behind on one run- so my guess would be he is no joke considering he was 17 seconds up on the next closest.
  • 12 0
 you were hauling ass dude, nice run
  • 1 4
 Hell yeah, this should be VOD! Hopefully the pics of me in the Darkfest article will garner some POD support. But for reals, that track looks super scurry to me, especially to ride balls out fast.
  • 3 0
 Good run man! That looks like one hell of a track.
  • 2 0
 That was sick man!
  • 1 0
 gunning it! good work
  • 51 11
 It's a surprise he won, considering the depth of the field..
  • 39 2
 He had to beat Steve'n Bryce twice.
  • 42 0
 I disagree. That first photo was probably taken at f4, f5.6 tops.
  • 45 7
 Unexpected - he never won anything on Trek, Specialized or YT did he? Must be the M29.
  • 4 9
flag foggeloggliod (Feb 26, 2019 at 10:36) (Below Threshold)
 This sarcasm is so bad...
  • 3 1
 Actually, I don't think he ever won a Fontana race on Yeti.
  • 30 0
 Beginners luck.
  • 6 2
 so true man, but this kid Aaron looks quite good, he should try luck at world cup...
  • 24 1
 In his pajamas
  • 1 0
 next year we will see the alpinestars whimsys!!
  • 10 0
 Is that Steven Cisar from BMX? If yes good for him, hope he is having some fun with DH.
  • 1 0
 yes it is
  • 1 0
 Hell yeah, he’s a shredder it’s sick to see him racing and working with incycle
  • 1 0
 @Jaiello: Yes he is. I met him a couple years ago at a BMX event and he was definitely ripping haha.
  • 9 0
 I didnt know KHS were still going...
  • 8 1
 make a critical comment about their video, race track or team and they'll block you faster than a nun at a frat party.
  • 1 0
 A cop once told me that they sell bikes to police everywhere and cops and firemen etc get big discounts on them. The guy had a pretty decent build of a trail bike and he said it cost him under $1500,.
  • 1 0
 they are also a big components distributor
  • 1 0
 They are one of the biggest online distributors in the US. The bike rides damn good too.
  • 9 1
 Winter Series?....The dust there would take months of SUMMER in Ireland to achieve.
  • 7 0
 Ireland had never seen dust like that
  • 3 0
 And they've gotten close to 2x their average February rainfall this year.
  • 1 0
 @atourgates: I was gonna say that. It's the best the dirt gets out here!
  • 7 0
 Also this run was about 13 seconds slower than gwin on a sub 2 minute track. The man is so damn fast.
  • 2 0
 Speculation from the couch...lol Gwin on YT looked like he had to sacrifice traction for mid stroke support. Now on the Intense he'll enjoy traction and mid strike support, he'll be able to moto skip over anything from apex to apex....
  • 1 0
 He's definitely skipping over a few things in this video!
  • 5 0
 Lot of pedaling... is a 29er 170mm could be faster than a dh bike?
  • 1 4
 gwins new m29 is kind of an enduro bike...29er, less travel...
  • 2 0
 @pro-keyboardwarrior: Way to go.
  • 4 0
 Did Intense reimburse him after his win as per their new program for people that win aboard their bikes?
  • 1 0
 Correction to the article: there was no wall in the race. The course ended right before it would begin. However, the pedal across the road and up the saddle, to the Waterfall, was still there. No Waterfall this race as it got trashed by the downpours.
  • 1 0
 There is definitely still a portion of the wall but yes the majority of it has been cut out.
  • 9 5
 Wow! In Fontana! Got some serious competition in Fontana!
  • 2 1
 I thought his first season with YT was his 4th World Cup overall win, not 3rd:

2011 Trek
2012 Trek
(the specialized years we don't talk about)
2015 Speicalized
2016 YT, first year on YT
  • 1 0
 Years we don't talk about? Asking for a friend?
  • 1 0
 Do we talk about last year?
  • 2 0
 @acali: not shameful to get injured
  • 7 0
 @femto505: You must be new around here. @Protour, PBUH, may he rest in peace, could give you a synopsis if he was still around. But to sum it up: chainstays.
  • 3 0
 @hamncheez: I thought it was leverage ratios. And we dont talk about it because its about the bike, not the rider.
  • 4 1
 Came here to see Gwin`s helmetcam footy. No luck.
  • 6 0
 Same every year. Gap the rocks, Sprint the wall forever
  • 2 0
 Yea he was wearing a gopro so I’m not sure why they didn’t just use his.
  • 1 0
 @TorW: Pinkbait
  • 4 0
 Gwinning Big Grin
  • 3 1
 guys name of 2nd place is STEVEN. Better keep following him...he´s a young gun and 4 sec behind Gwin
  • 2 0
 everyone expects Gwin to win....Steve Walton was close on his 2nd run. It's gonna be a intense season
  • 2 0
 Whoa those 225mm rotors... wait... 223mm rotors really make a difference...
  • 1 1
 So after years of Intense Cycles bashing on PB, Gwin moves to Intense and not one bad comment regarding Intense bikes. Way to grow up PB. Oops my bad, just saw thoe’s commet.
  • 1 3
 What comments.. like the ones where Intense are sold out of discount sporting goods department stores here in Canada ? They need to sell in volume to pay whatever Gwin is asking for.
  • 1 0
 Have you missed the sudden Cannondale love after Ratboy signed?
  • 2 0
 Check out his Instagram for GoPro video footage of his run. Pretty awesome
  • 1 0
 But is not the Gwins run.... the story above says "A helmet cam from Tor Weiland's race run is below:"
  • 5 3
 He raced with a single crown and bottle cage bike
  • 8 0
 Haha yea I don’t really race downhill in style
  • 7 0
 @TorW: could’ve beat Gwin without the bottle cage!!!!
  • 5 0
 @SHEESHKAH: Those grams were holding me back!!
  • 6 5
 The dude that finished 5th would kick each and everyone's ass here on PB, including you.
  • 3 1
 @Naturel: no dude.. Bryce smokes 99.99% of riders. you think youre a good rider until you go ride with him. even rampage riders cant keep up.
  • 1 0
 @Naturel: let's go ride mate. Comin up for crankworx
  • 1 0
 The guy can win on anything, he’s proven. I’m surprised anyone even bothers sponsoring him.
  • 3 2
 Because it's the bike not the rider
  • 1 0
 The course looks pretty techie.
  • 2 1
 A guy I never heard of was less than a second slower than Gwin.
  • 1 3
 I love that headline. It’s as if winning a race is something that never happens Gwinny! “Wait, what? Aaron won a race? What day!!”
  • 4 6
 It's not an Intense bike, it's a Transition bike...
Look at 1:58 of the video.
  • 14 1
 That's true,that's true.

But who's the rider, then?
I wonder if there's a clue in the article.
  • 1 1
 Good catch. That’s weird. Lol
  • 3 1
 Not as good of a catch as I thought... it says it in the write up. It’s Tor Weiland
  • 8 0
 @jjalessi: *slow clap*

I knew someone would get to the bottom of this mystery!
  • 8 0
 Yea they took my video haha. I’m as suprised as everyone else.
  • 1 0
 @TorW: A confession. That wraps that up. Nothing to see here folks, move along.
  • 2 0
 The video is not of Gwin. Says so in the article.
  • 2 0
 @kjjohnson: #teamrumours the intense deal was supposed to throw us off our track
  • 4 6
 How to increase bike sales pay a really fast rider to enter races and win. Then pass the expense onto the consumer.
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