Team Sho-Air/Specialized Takes 2009 PRO XCT Mens Team Title
Team Sho-Air/Specialized won the PRO XCT Mens Team Title chase in Windham, NY. They also finished in second and fourth in the PRO XCT men’s race. Both Sid Taberlay and Max Plaxton never finished below second at any PRO XCT round. Sid Taberlay won the year-end series. They also shared a podium appearance at Sea Otter Bump N Grind, Windham and Windham. This was the culmination of a great season.
Team Sho-Air/Specialized was clearly the dominant team in the PRO XCT. Taberlay, Plaxton and others finished second and third respectively in the individual PRO XCT standings. Taberlay’s 2008 world cup rider and Olympian status was restored in 2009, when he arrived in the USA and was without a ride at end 2008. The scrappy
Australian was a factor in almost all rounds this year. He won a huge win at Round #3 in Alabama and just missed winning the PRO XCT individual title.
Plaxton saw 2009 as a confirmation of his 23-year-old Canadian talent. Plaxton took the PRO XCT lead at Sea Otter, and held it for several rounds. He even won his first US National career victory in Colorado Springs. MT would have been a perfect day, if not for the off-day. Snow was very likely to have won the jersey. He bounced back the next week to win a hard fought second place at the series final in Windham NY. This made him third overall in this series.