MTB News & Racing Round-up, August 2, 2010

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Date published:

August 3, 2010, 22:25

Edited by Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

Welcome to our regular roundup of what's happening in mountain biking. Feel free to send feedback, news, & releases to mtb@cyclingnews.com and results, reports & photos to cyclingnews@cyclingnews.com.

• New Zealand selects mountain bike World Championship team

  

  Article published:

  August 2, 2010, 21:53

  By:

  Cycling News

  29 racers headed for Mont-Sainte-Anne

  Mountain Bike New Zealand (MTBNZ) announced its team to compete at the 2010 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont Saint Anne in Quebec, Canada, between August 31 and September 5.

  The 29-rider strong team of athletes will be travelling to Canada from various locations around the world - most of the team is currently preparing for the World Championships with world class racing like the UCI World Cup.

  The final round of the World Cup will take place on the August 27-29 in Windham, New York, and New Zealand athletes competing there will travel directly to Mont Saint Anne to join a small contingent of athletes and staff travelling from New Zealand that weekend.

  New Zealand team for 2010 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships

  Cross Country
  Richard Anderson
  Mathew Waghorn
  Locky McArthur
  Bradley Hudson
  Alexa Peters
  Dirk Peters
  Samara Sheppard
  Mike Northcott
  Stu Houltham
  Rosara Joseph
  Nicola Leary
  Fiona MacDermid
  Jenny Smith
  
  Downhill
  George Brannigan
  Rupert Chapman
  Jed Rooney
  Sam Baker
  Daniel Franks
  Jimmy Wilson
  Charlotte Clouston
  Madeline Taylor
  Sarah Atkin
  Wyn Masters
  Justin Leov
  Sam Blenkinsop
  Nathan Rankin
  Kieran Bennett
  Matt Scoles
  Brook MacDonald
  
  Four Cross
  Wyn Masters
  Daniel Franks
  
  Support Staff
  Chris Mildon (Manager)
  Aaron Fowler (Mechanic)
  Ant Croucher (Physio/Masseur)
   

• World Cup returns to former World Championships site in Val di Sole

  

  Article published:

  July 30, 2010, 15:41

  By:

  Rob Jones

  Italy hosts first triple MTB World Cup of the season

  One week after the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup began the second half of the season in Champéry, Switzerland, the circuit moves to the mountainous countryside bordering the Lombardia and Trentino regions in the northeast of Italy. Val di Sole (Valley of the Sun) was the location of the 2008 World Championships and is a fitting locale for the first triple event of the season, where all three disciplines - cross country, four cross and downhill - come together.

  The organizers have made adjustments to all three courses, so the former champions here cannot necessarily count of being favourites. Plus, the close standings in almost every category means that we can expect to see some real battles in every race.

  It rained heavily all day Thursday, which was actually a blessing, because it removed some of the dust that covers the dry trails. However, sun is expected for the rest of the weekend, and the circuits will be back to dry and dusty by the time racing begins.

  Downhill

  The downhill is almost identical in length to the one last weekend in Champéry, at 1,560 metres, but the course is very different in style. Whereas Champery is the steepest course on the World Cup, with sections of over 75 percent grade, Val di Sole averages a "mere" 30 percent. The course is a favourite of many riders, making use of the natural terrain for a flowing run. The upper section is rough and rocky, while the lower portion is new since the Worlds, and riders are saying that it is very dry and loose.

  Sabrina Jonnier (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) holds an almost insurmountable lead in the women's series, with 850 points to second placed Floriane Pugin's (Scott 11) 645 and World Champion Emmeline Ragot's (Suspension Center) 615. However, these riders will certainly be looking for individual World Cup wins, and Jonnier has shown that she can be beaten, with Ragot taking the honours in Champéry.

  The men's downhill standings have a mere 13 points separating Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and second place Gee Atherton (Commencal). Every placing will count in both the qualifying and final rounds. Atherton might hold the psychological edge, coming off his win last week and having won the world title here in Val di Sole, two years ago. Missing from the start will be Cameron Cole (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain), who broke the scaphoid bone in his right hand on his race run last week.

  Four cross

  The four cross run is virtually unchanged from the World Championships. It is a course that requires a lot of pedalling, and the first corner is critical for a good run.

  Only 20 points separate the top three women in the four cross, with Anneke Beerten (Suspension Center) at 230 points, Czech rider Jana Horakova at 220 and Austrian Anita Molcik at 210. However, Horakova is missing from the start line, attending the BMX world championships in South Africa, so this is a two-rider battle for the World Cup lead.

  On the men's side, World Cup leader and World Champion Jared Graves (Yeti Fox Shox) has an almost unbeatable 175-point lead over second place Tomas Slavik (RSP), whose teammate Joost Wichman is the only other rider still in contention, a further 15 points back. Neither Slavik nor Wichman have won a World Cup this season, so they are undoubtably anxious to do so.

  Cross country

  Both the men's and women's series tightened up after round four in Champéry. Incredibly, neither series has had a single rider win more than one event this year, and the women have had a different leader after every event.

  The circuit by all accounts, is harder than the version used for Worlds, with steeper climbs, including an extra one thrown in the middle. It is not a particularly technical course, just the amount and severity of the climbs make it hard. The heat was also a factor in 2008 and, if it warms up as expected, will play a significant role in this race. We saw the stunning spectacle of Julien Absalon (Orbea) collapsing from the heat at the side of the course at the Worlds in 2008. We will not know the distances for another 24 hours, but the expectation is six laps for the men and four for the women.

  Eva Lechner (Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol), the winner of round two in Houffalize, Belgium, comes onto home soil wearing the leader's jersey in the women's series. However, Willow Koerber (Subaru-Trek) is only 15 points back, and round three winner Catharine Pendrel (Luna) is also still in contention, 61 points in arrears. Another rider who is expected to do well is the 2008 women's World Champion, Marga Fullana (Massi). Fullana excels on steep climbs and short, fast races, and this circuit is almost tailor-made for her.

  The men's race is just as tight, with Julien Absalon holding a slim 24-point lead over World Champion Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower), and European Champion Jaroslav Kulhavy (Rubena-Birrel-Specialized) 50 points back. Florian Vogel (Scott-Swisspower) was impressive in his victory last week, on a course that also had steep climbs and said that he is again hoping to get away in an early break.

  Downhill and four cross qualifying happen Friday, then on Saturday, cross country racers get their turn plus four cross racers compete in the finals.  On Sunday, downhillers wrap up the action with finals.

  Stay tuned to Cyclingnews for full coverage of all the World Cup action in Val di Sole, Italy.

• North American women rock the 2010 cross country World Cup

  

  Article published:

  July 29, 2010, 19:42

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Koerber, Pendrel, Gould in the midst of a standout season

  North America's top female mountain bikers are having a stellar year on the World Cup cross country circuit. They occupy five of the top 15 spots in the World Cup standings after four of six rounds. The best of them, American Willow Koerber (Subaru/Trek), sits second overall with 640 points, just 15 behind series leader Italian Eva Lechner (Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol).

  "All of us are riding so well at the World Cups," said sixth-ranked Georgia Gould (Luna) to Cyclingnews. "Sometimes, the momentum builds. You see someone else do well and you think, 'wow, that's awesome, it's possible. Then they see you doing well."

  "It shows you how much of this is confidence. It's now like, 'I belong in front of this race'. I think it's cool to see everyone getting that confidence at the same time."

  It all started in Dalby in the United Kingdom, in April when Koerber finished second to World Champion Irina Kalentieva (Topeak-Ergon) of Russia, and American Gould was fourth. Koerber logged another second place in Houffalize in May while Canadian Catharine Pendrel (Luna) took the final spot on the podium.

  Then in Offenburg, Pendrel stepped it up for a victory. Gould was second, and Canadian Marie-Helene Premont (Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) was fourth. In last week's round in Champery, Switzerland, where the World Cup resumed its second half after a summer hiatus, Koerber made the podium yet again, this time with a third place.

  It's as if the top North American women have matured in their careers to fill out the roster of top World Cup contenders all in the same season. While other North American women, like American Julie Furtado, for example, have previously dominated the World Cup, seeing so many talented women capable of podiuming on any given World Cup weekend is noteworthy.

  Koerber explained just how much of a role the mental game has played for her and the others. "There is so much behind it. I care so much about those races," she said to Cyclingnews. "I mean, I care about the National Championships and every race I go to. It's my job to do the best I can. But there is something you can't manufacture, like the passion I have for the world stage and doing my best and seeing what I can get out of myself."

  "World Cups are where my focus is right now, and I think sometimes you have to pick and chose just a little or you fry your whole psyche out." She took 16 days off the bike mid-season to give herself a mental and physical break. Last weekend's race in Champery was the kick-off of the second half of her international season, which will include two more World Cups and the World Championships.

  Koerber also cited good courses on the World Cup circuit as aiding her personally. "The courses are at low altitude. I live in Durango now, but I'm still better at the low altitude courses."

  Kenda/Seven/NoTubes' Mary McConneloug, a former Olympian who is ranked 13th in the World Cup, has been impressed by the results of her fellow North Americans this season.

  "It's incredible to watch. The North American women have been battling at the domestic series with Luna and the Trek girls, and we're also going to the World Cups where the competition is really hot. We've all been doing it for several years now, and we have gotten the experience. We know what it takes to get to the front and that's what you have to do at the World Cup."

  "You also need to have the right support, the right nutrition, the right equipment," she said. "I'm so lucky in all that. Mike (Broderick), my husband, is the most amazing mechanic and gives me support on top of racing himself. I count my blessings to be riding like this at age 39."

  The elite women will race next the World Cup in Val di Sole, Italy, this weekend.

  Stay tuned to Cyclingnews for full coverage.

• NUE Series leaders Schalk, Sornson among favorites for Wilderness 101

  

  Article published:

  July 29, 2010, 16:00

  By:

  Garth Prosser

  Good weather, fun trails forecasted for Pennsylvanian 100-miler

  Endurance racers, hang on tight and prepare for the oldest, 100-miler in the Kenda National Ultra Endurance (NUE) Mountain Bike Series, The Wilderness 101, in Coburn, Pennsylvania, not far from the town of State College.

  Stop number five on this year's NUE circuit has roots dating back to the early 90s. "The 101", as named by many, had an initial short run of just three years, suffering an early death, before being resurrected in 2001 by promoter Chris Scott of Shenandoah Mountain Touring.

  2010 marks the 10th race since its reinvention. Though the original race was mostly fireroad, the course has evolved to include more singletrack over the last decade. As a result, this year's edition may prove to be one of the sweetest courses to date.

  After a rainy, early NUE race season, perhaps the best news involves the long-term forecast that currently - as of the writing of this preview - shows no rain in sight and temperatures in the low 80s (degrees Fahrenheit), which could lend itself to record times along the 101's super-fast race course.

  In the men's division, reigning series champion Jeff Schalk (Trek Mountain Co-Op) leads all contenders with three straight victories at the Cohutta 100, Mohican 100 and Lumberjack 100. In race number four, Schalk was defeated, in part due to mechanicals, by undefeated, six-time Breckenridge 100 winner Breckenridge 100 Champion, Josh Tostado (Bach Builders/Santa Cruz). So far, there is on sign of Tostado for the 101.

  Although it's possible, if not likely, that Schalk could wrap up four race wins at the 101, Tostado has demonstrated all season that he has the power and potential to unseat the champion and win the next three races which would include the Fool's Gold 100 in Georgia, the High Cascades 100 in Oregon and the Shenandoah 100 championship race in Virginia, where ALL ties will be decided.

  Besides the two titans, there will be plenty of additional heat gunning for the top 10 in the men's race including Christian Tanguy (Team CF) and Chris Beck (Trek/Gary Fisher Collection) leading the charge against Schalk with other top talent like teammates Brandon Draugelis, Ray Adams and Rob Lichtenwalner (all PA Valleys.com) trying to keep a position near the front of the pack.

  Others in the hunt for glory are Michael Simonson (Gary Fisher/SRAM XX/NoTubes), currently in the number two position in the men's series, Brian Lariviere (Bulldog/Cycle Craft), Garth Prosser (Cannondale Factory Racing), Peter Schildt (Engin Cycles), Jed Prentice (BikeDoctor), Evan Ellicott (Bike Doctor), Andy Gorski (Speedgoat) along with local hero Jacob Loverich (Shenandoah Mountain Touring) who will be fresh off a sub 10-hour Ironman event at Lake Placid last weekend.

  In the women's division, NUE Reigning Champion Betsy Shogren (Dynamic Physical Therapy Cycling) is registered for only her third race of the season, coming off fifth place at the Mohican 100 in June and a no show result at the Lumberjack 100. She is in good form despite early season troubles and could rise to the occasion with just three races remaining. Not counting her out for the series, a win at the 101 would be a huge boost to Shogren if she hopes to retain the NUE Series title.

  2008 NUE women's series winner and last year's Wilderness 101 winner Cheryl Sornson (Team CF) and her teammate Selene Yeager will be anxious to light it up on Saturday. Sornson currently leads the NUE Series with eight points. The racer with the lowest points wins and racers receive a point for each place earned at each race for their best four events. With a win at the 101, Sornson would take a commanding lead in the series, adding to her win at the Lumberjack 100 and second place finishes at the Cohutta and Mohican.

  Where is Kenda's Amanda Carey? That is the big question and the wild card among women. With back to back wins at the Cohutta and Mohican, Carey could come out of nowhere and really shake up the results.

  Among locals, Vicki Barclay (Freeze Thaw Cycles) appears to have a great shot at taking a women's victory for Pennsylvania and will test her mettle against the NUE Champions on her home turf. Karen Potter (MTBRaceNews.com) and Ruth Cunningham (ProBikes) have both been on the podium before and will be making huge efforts to get there again. Keep your eye on Brenda Simril (Motor Mile Racing) who is currently in the number two spot nationally with just 14 points. Simril had a great finish and closed in on Sornson, finishing just one place back at the Breckenridge 100 in Colorado two weeks ago.

  Given the lung-busting climbs and mouth-watering technical, rocky sections at the Wilderness 101, some may wonder why the 101 has become so popular among singlespeeders, where the strong kneed riders on one gear come out of the forest in full force.

  According to singlespeed NUE series champion, and current point leader Gerry Pflug (Salsa/SPK/Pro Bikes), "The 101 is one of my favorite courses. There is a good mix of trails, tons of climbing and some awesome downhills. The volunteers and aid stations at the 101 are some of the best of the series. The 101 is extra cool because it boasts one of the largest singlespeed fields, with about 60 singlespeed riders." Perhaps this is helped by the area having previously hosted the Singlespeed World Championships, thereby drawing the attention of many one-geared riders.

  The singlespeed division is still heated, clearly making the 101 a throw down for series contention. Pflug, local hitters Matthew Ferari (Freeze Thaw/Hubcap Cycles) and Bill Alcorn (BikeFlights.com), Tim Finkle (Gary Fisher) and Ron Sanborn (Mclain Cycles), currently in the number two position in the series, will all be gunning for top honors.

  It remains to be seen whether Roger Masse (Trek/Gary Fisher Collection) will be up and running after an unfortunate tragic illness kept him away from his commuter training regime for the past six weeks. Among the darkhorses not registered yet who could really shake up the series is Harlan Price (Team CF). With his win at Cohutta and second place at Mohican, Price is in a position to pick and choose his races, perhaps using timing to his advantage to strike a blow at Pflug by seizing victories in one of the two back to back weekends in the remaining races?

  In the Master 50+ division, champion,John Williams (Bike Line of Newark Delaware) is coming off an amazing finish at the Breckenridge 100, where he took second place in the high country and greatly boosted his chances for a repeat this year if he remains strong and pull out some wins. Standing in his path is Robert Herriman (Gary Fisher 29er Crew/wsc/acf) who leads all masters with three straight victories at the Cohutta, Mohican, and the Lumberjack. Herriman, although not currently registered for the 101, is in an enviable postion and could lock up four wins with any of the upcoming races. If he gains one more series victory, he would only need to show up at the Shenandoah 100 finale in the event of a tie. Locally, Jim Matthews (MBR) and Erik Lenzing (Freeze Thaw Cycles) will no doubt use their home course advantage as will NYC racer Chris Wurster (Independent Fabrication) who was last year's winner.

  In the NUE series, all racers in all categories who complete four races will win prizes from series sponsors Kenda, Yakima, Velocity, Ergon, Terry Precision Cycling and Ryders. Series winners will ultimately don custom winner's jerseys by Endura Technical Apparel.

  Stay tuned to Cyclingnews for full coverage of the Wilderness 101.

• No European World Cups for Kintner

  

  Article published:

  July 28, 2010, 12:00

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Former four cross world champ on track with switch to downhilling

  For Jill Kintner, 2010 has been all about doing something different. First, there was a new team. Then there was a new discipline of racing: downhill.

  Kintner is a proven four cross and BMX racer.  The American has won three four cross world titles and a bronze medal in BMX at the Olympic Games in 2008. However, the 28-year-old has been racing her bike since she was seven years old, and it was time for her to mix things up. At the start of the year, she joined Team Transitions and made a commitment to downhill racing.

  "It's my first year racing downhill, and I've been doing a lot of it. I feel like I have accomplished something," she said to Cyclingnews after winning the US Downhill National Championships in Granby, Colorado, in the middle of July.

  "I was up for a new challenge and am feeling pretty good," said Kintner. "It's good to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. I'm really enjoying it. I like the technical aspects of downhill and no one really runs into you. There is more variety in the downhill training. You're not limited to a BMX track. It's a great vibe and good people."

  Kintner is taking a break from four cross training and racing. "I'm taking a full year's break from four cross this year. Doing full gate starts every day is not how I want to spend my time any more."

  To make the switch between disciplines, Kintner has had to alter her training.

  "You take more hits in downhill, but the main difference is that it's 3.5 minutes verses 30 seconds, so I get really tired. I've changed my training a lot to adapt."

  Kintner's biggest challenge en route to becoming the new US downhill national champion was finding her way over the jumps on this year's course.

  "I don't think any other women rode those jumps but Katie Holden, and she broke her wrist in practice. I was happy to accomplish those jumps. I felt like I won just by doing those before I even knew I won ... just by getting the courage to do them. It took me a long time to get the courage to do them, and I finally squeezed them out in the final run."

  Kintner credited the injured Holden for encouraging her to do the jumps and dedicated her title-winning run to her.

  "I got a little funny in the air over the first jump in my final run because I was tired, but on the big one at the end, I dabbed a little. It could haven't gotten ugly. Sure, there are go-arounds, but they are usually a second slower."

  Kintner was especially happy that her national title qualified her for the World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec, Canada in early September. "Qualifying for worlds was my biggest goal. I stayed in North America all year so I could build up my expereince."

  Her only World Cup appearance this year will be at the finals in Windham, New York, at the end of August.

• Gravity East Series heads north to Sugarbush

  

  Article published:

  July 28, 2010, 06:40

  By:

  Cycling News

  Vermont venue hosting next round this weekend

  The Gravity East Series will to Sugarbush Resort in Vermont for its next round of downhill racing August 1. At this point in the series, the standings are close as the favorites continue to battle for the overall.

  In the elite men's field Geritt Beytagh (Morewood USA) and Gavin Vaughan (Giant/HBG) will have to contend with Jason Memmelaar (Giant/HBG), Adam Morse (VonCooper/GT), Richie Rude (Specialized Allride) and Ethan Quehl (East Coast Gravity Pros), who are all hungry for a Gravity East win.

  Sugarbush is known for some of the most diverse terrain in the East. It is located on the Western side of the Mad River Valley.

  Practice will open on Saturday, July 30 and the racing will happen on Sunday, August 1, beginning at 11:15 am local time.

• Paez looks forward to getting back to competition

  

  Article published:

  July 28, 2010, 06:00

  By:

  Cycling News

  Colombian will resume racing in August after broken hand

  Colombian mountain bike pro Leonardo Paez returned to Italy a few days ago to rejoin his TX Active-Bianchi team. He underwent surgery at left hand in Colombia following a nasty crash during a training session in Chile while preparing for the Pan-American games in April.  Since then, he's been recovering and awaiting the chance to return to competition.
  
  The 2010 South American Games winner, who excels at marathons and cross country events, spent three months at home in Colombia to recover, assisted by the Colombian Olympic Committee and monitored remotely by his team's medical staff.
  
  TX Active-Bianchi President Felice Gimondi and team manager Massimo Ghirotto welcomed Paez, who is eager to get back to competition as soon as possible. He recently underwent a scan of his left scaphoid in Northern Italy and discussions are underway between team management and the medical staff to decide when Paez will be able to contest his first mountain bike race post-injury.
  
  For the moment TX Active-Bianchi's Colombian racer is training on his road bike for three to four hours per day. "I feel confident that Leonardo will back to competition at the end of August," said team manager Massimo Ghirotto.

  "Unfortunately he missed the first half of the season, but he will be able to do some good races in September and October, too."