Bend’s Massimo Larsen was first to the finish area, but Stephan Davoust chugged the pint of beer down faster to win the $1,500 men’s top prize Wednesday night in Bend at the 10th running of the Blitz to the Barrel.

“Luckily I can kind of chug a beer,” said Davoust, from Durango, Colorado, who was competing in his third Blitz mountain bike race. “I just graduated college a year ago so I’ve got a little practice.”

Drinking a pint of beer is the traditional final “stage” of the Blitz. The official winner is the first rider to polish off his or her pint at the finish area.

Larsen, who won $750 for placing second, was riding in his first Blitz.

“I didn’t know what I was doing (at the finish) and he (Davoust) came in hot,” Larsen said. “I got out-chugged.”

Cody Kaiser took home $300 for finishing third.

The women’s race was just as close, with Kaysee Armstrong narrowly beating Bend’s Serena Gordon to the finish area and then also winning the beer chug.

“She drinks more beer than me,” said Gordon of Armstrong, who are Liv Racing teammates.

While Gordon is a previous winner of the Blitz race, Armstrong, from Knoxville, Tennessee, was competing in the event for the first time.

“It made it more fun to come in together,” said Armstrong, who also won $1,500. “It gave the fans something to watch.”

Bend’s Zoe Roy finished third.

Armstrong said she crashed at the top of the 22-mile course, which started at Shooting Star Shelter, covered trails and roads west of Bend and finished at 10 Barrel Brewing Company on Galveston Avenue.

“I peddled really hard,” said Armstrong of coming back to win the race and $1,500.

The invite-only field included 13 men and 13 women.

Armstrong and Davoust each took home an additional prize of $312.50 for winning the best hole shot and getting on the trail first. Stan Jorgensen earned $625 for winning the men’s big air and arm wrestling contests. Porsha Murdock won the women’s big air, and Julie Baird took first in women’s arm wrestling.

— Reporter: 541-383-0307, dwiley@bendbulletin.com