Swenson and De Crescenzo win inaugural titles at The Growler in California

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Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz Bicycles) pushed past recently-retired WorldTour pro Lawrence Naesen in a sprint finish to win the men’s division of The Growler at Levi’s Gran Fondo, while Lauren De Crescenzo (LDC) soloed to victory in the women’s division. 

The 140-mile, one-day road race was modified this year as a pro event with hefty elevation gain, more than 13,500 feet, and a hefty prize purse, $55,000. The Growler was part of 14th edition of Levi’s GranFondo based in Windsor, California, with the pro race on rough, twisting roads of Sonoma County in northern California –considered to be ‘single track for road bikes’.