WWW.JEEPSPORTS.COM September 13, 2007 

This month:
Check out highlights of race action from Beaver Creek, CO

Michal Prokop & Anneke Beerten Rise to the Top as 2007 World Professional Champions

The final race of the Jeep King of the Mountain summer series generated much anticipation and hype within the industry, as never before had the standings been so close, with so many of the world?s top racers in position to grab the coveted throne of World Professional Champion. When the dust settled in Beaver Creek, site of the last leg of the 2007 Mountain Biking World Professional Championships, the results were well worth the wait. Michal Prokop, the Czech Republic BMX and mountain bike racing phenom, achieved the near-impossible, clawing his way from sixth place into the Championship Heat, where he fended off Australian wonder Jared Graves to earn his third consecutive World Professional Championship. The women?s action was no less fierce, as two-time defending champion Jill Kintner of Seattle, Wash., the world?s number-one ranked mountain bike racer, blew through the competition to set up an epic match-up against the world?s number two racer, Anneke Beerten of The Netherlands. Kintner may have won the battle in Beaver Creek, but Beerten topped the season-long points standings and her first ever World Professional Championship.
 

Saddle Up for Some Serious Mountain Bike Racing on CBS Sports!

No event in professional mountain bike racing garners more national broadcast coverage than the Jeep King of the Mountain series. Each race of the 2007 Mountain Biking World Professional Championships is televised to a national broadcast audience on CBS Sports, meaning if you missed the fireworks on the mountain, you can still witness the intensity on the screen. The action-packed second race of the season, from the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, Calif., will air on Sunday, September 23 from 5:00 ? 6:00 p.m. EST. Then comes the grand finale from Beaver Creek Resort in Beaver Creek, Colo., set to air on Sunday, October 21, where the new men?s and women?s World Professional Champions earn their crown. Check local listings so you don?t miss the action!
 

Post-Race Interview with 2007 World Professional Champion, Anneke Beerten

Anneke Beerten, a veteran of the Jeep King of the Mountain Series and one of the most popular athletes among her peers, reached a new level in 2007, earning her first ever World Professional Championship. Not only did she win bragging rights in Beaver Creek, but she left the mountain with the keys to a new 2008 Jeep Liberty. We had a chance to check in with Beerten to see how it feels to wear the crown...

Q. Heading into the 2007 season, did you ever think that you would finish the year wearing the crown as World Professional Champion?

A. I was sure hoping for the chance to win the crown. I was really focused on the Jeep series this year, and have been racing very strong. Now that I've been competing in the World Professional Championships for a few years, I thought it was about time that I made it to the top step of the podium.

Q. What do you think was the single biggest factor in allowing you to achieve victory?

A. I believed in myself and more than anything, always tried to keep my focus throughout every race.

Q. What would you say to an athlete that wishes to be World Professional Champion, i.e. what does it take?

A. For starters, it takes a whole lot of work. You just have to keep in mind that giving up is not an option, and it's really important to have fun while you're doing it.

Q. What is the single moment that you'll remember most from this season?

A. I have so many good memories of racing the Jeep series this season. Winning the semi-final in Beaver Creek against Fionn Griffiths had to be the best. The moment I crossed the finish line I was so stoked! I had finally done it. The Jeep was mine!

Q. How excited are you to win a new Jeep?

A. The feeling is difficult to describe. I train hard all winter long, and when you win a competition the caliber of the Jeep King of the Mountain, it makes you feel unbeatable and strong. And not everybody wins a Jeep in his or her lifetime. It has been two weeks and I'm still smiling!
 
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