FONTANA, Calif. – Exeter native Adam Craig opened the 2008 National Mountain Bike Series with three runner-up finishes at the Fontana National at Southridge Park.

The 26-year-old Craig, who later this spring will bid to make the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, finished second to Geoff Kabush of Victoria, British Columbia, in the weekend’s feature event, the pro men’s cross country race. Kabush was timed in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 9.2 seconds, 29.2 seconds ahead of Craig (2:08:38.22).

Max Plankton (2:09:17.36) of Victoria, British Columbia, Sam Jurekovic (2:10:07.39) of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Barry Wicks (2:10:37.30) of Santa Cruz, Calif., rounded out the top five among 53 riders in the race.

Wicks and Craig finished 1-2 in two other shorter races, the short-track cross country event and the Super D. Wicks held off Craig by 0.54 seconds in the short-track race, then edged the Maine rider by 0.83 seconds in the Super D.

The National Mountain Bike Series moves to Fountain Hills, Ariz., this weekend for the second event on the six-race schedule.

Craig will compete in that event before turning his attention to the International Cycling Union’s World Cup circuit, which begins April 19-20 at Houffalize, Belgium.