It wasn’t that many years ago that Geoff Kabush celebrated his 40th birthday by winning TransRockies desert classic Moab Rocks stage race. In the years since, a new generation of challengers swung in and, for a time, dislodged the veteran Canadian from his throne. But the king is back. After a three-day battle with fellow snowbirds Quinton Disera, Carter Nieuwesteeg and U.S.A.’s Macky Franklin, Kabush is the 2024 Moab Rocks champion.
On the women’s side, the tireless Katerina Nash withstood a challenge from Evelyn Dong to claim the women’s title.
2024 Moab Rocks: Canadians battle across Utah
The men’s Moab Rocks turned into a duel between past champion, Geoff Kabush, and three younger riders. Kabush fired the first volley, winning the opening stage on Porcupine Rim. After losing ground on the first day, Disera fought back onto the podium with two stage wins in a row on days two and three. That wasn’t quite enough to catch Kabush, though, or Macky Franklin. The lone U.S. racer in the top four, Franklin cut away at Kabush’s lead for the last two days, but couldn’t quite catch up to the veteran Canuck. At the end of stage three, just 11.8 seconds separated first and second overall. After finishing on the podium the first two days, Carter Nieuwesteeg was forced out of contention by mechanical difficulties on the final day of racing.
Kabush regains his Moab Rocks crown. Franklin finishes second with Disera going home with two stage wins and a third place.
Queen Katernina Nash
U.S.-based Czech Olympian Katerina Nash continued her impressive run of mountain bike stage race wins in Utah. This TransRockies victory was not unchallenged, though. Just as at BC Bike Race last summer, Evelyn Dong challenged Nash on every stage in Moab. In the end, it wasn’t quite enough and Nash takes the win. Dong finished second with Deanna Mayles in third on the final day and the overall podium.
TransRockies mountain bike stage racing returns to Canada this summer for the SingleTrack 6 in the B.C. interior.
Full results: 2024 TransRockies Moab Rocks
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