Watsonville Cyclist Nabs King of the Mountain Title

Watsonville cyclist Ben Jacques-Maynes cranks it on the uphill.

Jacques-Maynes, 34, won the overall King of the Mountain title at the Tour of Utah, a multi-day bike race that concluded Sunday, his wife Goldi Jacques-Maynes said.

Jacques-Maynes, who rides for Bissell Pro Cycling, was in a heated battle with US Pro Road Race champion Timmy Duggan, according to Cycling News. Jacques-Maynes earned the jersey on Stage 1 and kept it until Stage 3, when Duggan snagged it.

The title is decided through a points system. The top three cyclists who passed through certain mountainous checkpoints the fastest earned points, according to the Register Pajaronian newspaper.

But Duggan finished seven points behind Jacques-Maynes, who had 38 by the end of the race, in the overall competition. Duggan shared second place in the King of the Mountain quest with another rider.

"I'm so happy the KOM worked out for me, a great result in some of the biggest/best mountains available in the US!" Jacques-Maynes tweeted following the race.

Jacques-Maynes finished 37th in the Tour of Utah, according to the Register Pajaronian.

He in the Tour of California, which rolled though Santa Cruz County in May.