MTB news & racing round-up for July XX, 2008

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Date published:

April 20, 2009, 20:43

• Premont solos to win at home

  

  Article published:

  January 6, 2009, 00:00

  By:

  Sue George in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Québec

  By Sue George in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Québec Racing near her home, Canadian Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky...

  Canadians excel at Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup

  By Sue George in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Québec

  Racing near her home, Canadian Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain) rode away from her competition on the first lap and never looked back on her way to victory in the cross country at the Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup. She was followed by Catherine Pendrel (Luna Women's MTB Team), another Canadian riding solo to a second place. Norwegian Lene Byberg (Specialized Factory Racing) rode steadily to a strong third place finish.

  "It was really crazy to win here at home," said Premont. "The crowd was here for me and it really helped." Premont's popularity drew many spectators – it appeared there were more out to watch the women's race than the men's race. Cheers followed her around the course; it was easy to tell when Premont was coming by the reactions of her fans, many of whom were carrying and waving signs with Premont's photo.

  The local heroine got a good start, but she also looked strong throughout the race. "My strategy was to be fast at the beginning and try to get that gap and to be careful after that," she said. In a clean ride finished up in 2:06:30, she had no mechanicals or crashes and her solid technical skills enabled her to ride everything.

  Going into the first technical section on the initial lap, Premont led, followed by Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Multivan Merida) and Pendrel. The latter eventually passed the Norwegian Dahle Flesjaa who dropped back to finish fifth. American Georgia Gould (Luna MTB Women's Team) finished fourth.

  "I had the best World Cup start I've ever had in my life," said fellow Canadian Pendrel. "We were all close at the top of the first climb, but I wasn't aggressive enough and I went into the woods third wheel instead of on Marie's. That allowed a gap to form between us, and Marie started to pull away in the first woods section."

  Pendrel said it was helpful for the two Canadians to have raced the same course one week ago for their national championships. "Both of us love this course and we were out there having fun. Mentally, we know we can do well here and that works to our advantage."

  In the men's race Julien Absalon (Orbea) displayed fine form and well-honed technical skills as he dominated the elite men's cross country at the World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Anne. On the very first lap, he attacked his competition and left them behind to race for second.

  Absalon wasn't originally planning on racing at Mont-Sainte-Anne. "After my bad race at worlds [where he DNF'ed - ed.], I changed my mind. I decided that it'd be better to do the World Cup here to keep racing on an international level and boost my confidence."

  "I'm happy to win here - it's good for the mind with the Olympics in four weeks," said Absalon, who was wearing the French National Champion's jersey after winning the title again last weekend.

  Some surged early and some took the long, steady approach on six laps of a demandingly technical course with plenty of steep climbing, but in the end it was Canadian Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) taking a solid second place after a largely solo ride throughout the race. U23 Racer Burry Stander (GT Bicycles) raced to a third place finish, picking off riders on his way.

  Jose Antonio Hermida (Multivan Merida) went from being in second to third to wondering whether he would finish the race after he crashed on the third lap. "It was the crash of my life. I went flying and my bike landed far away. It had no seat afterward - it broke in the crash. My helmet was lost, too. I just sat for a few minutes or more, and they gave me water."

  "I really thought I would have to quit the race. I've crashed in my life many times, but that was definitely one of the scariest ones - I just started flying and hit my head," said Hermida, still shaken after the finish. Following his crash, during which he lost more than a dozen spots, he worked his way back up to 11th.

  World Champion Christoph Sauser (Swisspower) did not start the race after being injured in a crash the day before the race. A trip to the hospital afterward got him five stitches in his leg.

  "It would have been interesting to have Sauser in the race," said Absalon, "but it was a bad crash for him yesterday. I hope we will race in Bromont next weekend." That's where the next round of the World Cup will head August 1-3.

  See Cyclingnews' full coverage of the elite men's and elite women's cross country World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Anne.

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• World champions win at Mont-Sainte-Anne 4X

  

  Article published:

  January 6, 2009, 00:00

  By:

  Sue George in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Québec

  By Sue George in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Québec Clad in their rainbow striped jerseys, world champions...

  By Sue George in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Québec

  Clad in their rainbow striped jerseys, world champions Melissa Buhl (KHS) Rafael Alvarez de Lara Lu marched through qualifying and finals to win the World Cup 4X in Mont-Sainte-Anne in Canada.

  Buhl defeated Mio Suemasa (MS-Intense Factory Racing), Fionn Griffiths (Norco World Team) and Anneke Beerten in the big final. Beerten crashed in the final, but managed to get up and ride to the finish.

  "I had an outside lane choice which gave me a disadvantage from the start," said the American winner Buhl. "I had a lot of track to make up there. Anneke had a good start but then she slid out." The turn in question one was the only turn with two options, according to Buhl.

  "If you stayed below the lower rock," said Buhl, "you could get on the inside. Problem was we ran out of real estate, and I almost missed the blue gate. It was a bit of a scramble, but I'm glad I didn't miss it and was able to get out." On that turn, where Beerten crashed, Buhl came underneath to make a pass. "I was in front of her when she crashed. I'm not sure what happened."

  In the men's race, Alvarez de Lara Lu beat Romain Saladini (Team Sunn), Guido Tschugg and Cedric Gracia in the Big Final.

  "It was an easy race as I was first through each round," said Saladini through a translator after his final run. Saladini was all smiles after his race and he said he was not nervous for his first World Cup appearance since winning the World Championships just over one month ago. "I tried to race as if it was the same as any other race. It wasn't any different."

  Behind Alvarez de Lara Lu was a chasing Romain Saladini (Team Sunn). The Frenchman was content after his race, his first back after breaking a finger at the Fort William round of the World Cup in early June. "It was smooth for me," said Frenchman Saladini. "I didn't see the crash."

  Neither he nor Alvarez de Lara Lu knew what was going on in their wake, where Tschugg and Gracia tangled.

  The weather caused the 4X qualifications to be postponed from Friday evening until Saturday and they were sandwiched between the downhill finals and the 4X finals. Plenty of rain in the days previous had super saturated the course with water, which caused damage like ruts and mud holes and soft approaches to jumps. Some of the jumps' approaches were covered with plywood for a more solid take-off.

  "We were all kind of thinking that we weren't going to race 4X, but I'm glad we did," said Buhl, who had expressed doubt about competing earlier in the day along with concerns about safety on the damaged course. Organizers had deployed an army of personnel working all day Saturday to make emergency repairs.

  "For the level of water they got, they did a good job with what they had," said Buhl. "The changes they made were really smart - they listened to the riders. It was good racing.

  "The track in the days before was challenging due to the rain, but today it was perfect," said Alvarez de Lara Lu.

  See Cyclingnews' full coverage of the elite men's and elite women's four cross. See also elite men's and elite women's downhill coverage.

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• A second Olympic quest

  

  Article published:

  January 6, 2009, 00:00

  By:

  Sue George

  By Sue George Just two weeks after being named to represent the United States at the upcoming...

  By Sue George

  Just two weeks after being named to represent the United States at the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing in August, Adam Craig successfully defended his US national cross country and Super D titles in Mount Snow, Vermont. Last weekend, at the Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec, World Cup, Craig logged an impressive fourth place podium place. Craig spoke about his preparation for the Olympic Games and the effect the Games have had on his season.

  It's not the first time Adam Craig has built a season around the Olympic Games. In 2004, Craig was one of four contenders for two positions on the US Olympic team. After a season-long, global quest for the UCI points needed to make the team, Craig was not selected. However, in 2008, things have worked out quite differently.

  "It is a lot better this time around - in part because the [selection] criteria is not absolutely ridiculous," said Craig when asked how his two experiences of trying to make it to the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games compared. "But I'm also four years older and four years faster, and I know what I need to do now." Craig will turn 27 just one week before the Olympic race.

  "It - the effort to make the Olympic team - has been pleasant and pretty easy as far as hard things go," said a joking Craig as he looked back on his spring campaign.

  Four years has brought Craig more maturity, perspective, confidence and experience travelling in Europe. "I know as long as I'm riding decent that I can always be top 15 top 20 World Cup. I'm comfortable with myself racing now."

  He also credited his Team Giant for providing a mechanic and a soigneur this time around. "I have better support. We have a good set up. Knowing that's necessary and being able to put my foot down makes a difference. I said, 'You know last time my bike broke a bunch and I didn't make the Olympic team - let's try to avoid that.'"

  USA Cycling named Craig to the US Olympic team in early July along with Todd Wells, who also went to the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Wells started off the 2008 season with a bang, sending the message to the others that he really wanted one of the two Olympic berths.

  "Todd's got a leg up on me for sure. He's been riding out of his skin. I've been riding fairly average." said Craig about a month before winning two national titles at Mount Snow, Vermont.

  Read the complete interview with Adam Craig.

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• Team-mates Sornson and Schalk victorious in Pennsylvania

  

  Article published:

  January 6, 2009, 00:00

  By:

  Harlan Price in Coburn, Pennsylvania

  By Harlan Price in Coburn, Pennsylvania Stop number five of the National Ultra Endurance (NUE)...

  By Harlan Price in Coburn, Pennsylvania

  Stop number five of the National Ultra Endurance (NUE) series arrived outside of State College in Coburn, Pennsylvania, last Saturday, with over 300 racers filling up the small city park for the 7:00 am start. A lack of substantial rainfall the night before was a detour from the norm from the previous series races, which all experienced enough rain to significantly affect the courses. Even though racers for the Wilderness 101 were met with moderate temperatures and good trail conditions, the heat of the competition determined there would be a shortage of comfort for all vying for podium spots.

  Sornson's new form rears back and strikes

  Twenty two women on the start line marked a new record for attendance in the overall women's division. In the line up was hometown favorite Michelle Stopper (Visit PA), 2006 and 2007 winner Betsy Shogren (Sobe Cannondale), 2007 series winner Carey Lowery (Outdoor Store) and second at the Lumberjack 100 Karen Potter (mtbmind.com). Cheryl Sornson (Trek VW East Coast) looked at the competition and decided to race her own pace to a victory over the stacked field. En route, she shored up her overall first place in the series' standings.

  "I had a great start and got in a pack with the guys. I was able to get on some good trains (in the opening road sections)." She managed to lead up through mile 40 but was caught by Stopper on one of the descents soon after. The two rode together briefly, but as the climbs began, Stopper pulled away.

  "When she (Stopper) passed me," said Sornson, "I got a little gloomy, but when my friend Tom gave me some encouraging words, I just put it out of my head and tried to stay in my target heart rate zone."

  Stopper managed to hold onto her lead until about mile 85 where the Sornson "came blowing by" on the flat, rolling dual track. At the finish line Sornsoncame in just one minute behind the course record, but more importantly 10 minutes ahead of Stopper. Lowery was 23 minutes back, while Potter finished another five minutes back. Last year's winner Shogren was suffering an injured wrist and decided to ride her singlespeed for the day, but still managed a fifth place finish.

  Schalk racks up win number 4 while Eatough and Price play cat and mouse

  Jeff Schalk (Trek / VW East Coast) arrived in Coburn with a hammer and one more nail to put in the coffin in which to bury the rest of his competitors fighting for the top spot on the NUE series podium. On another unfamiliar course with some of the most technical singletrack in the series, Schalk broke away earlier than usual at the 40 mile mark to win with a six minute lead over previous race winners Chris Eatough (Trek / VW) and Harlan Price (IFracing.org), who were left to a game of jockeying for second wheel for a sprint finish.

  After aid station one, Schalk got away and while some tried to hold his pace and to chase him back, no one pulled it off. "Since the other races had come down to the end, I was hoping to get this one over with earlier," said Schalk about his tactics after the race. "I felt like I had hung myself out to dry when I attacked, but once I committed I had to pull on. I was in total panic mode for the rest of the race."

  Eatough and Price dropped the other riders on the singletrack climb after aid station three and pursued Schalk with a consistent gap of four to five minutes for most of the rest of the way. Christian Tanguy tried to chase them down, but wasn't successful.

  Near the end, Eatough attacked but Price always closed. "I realized that Chris had some reserves, and I wasn't in a position to lay down a five mile time trial, so I started imagining a sprint finish," said Price. "Stage 18 and 19 of the Tour [de France] were fresh in my head as well as some spirited group rides I had been on lately, so I thought there was a good possibility of a win if I came in with a good position."

  In the final tunnel, where only the outlines of the rocks were visible, Price heard the unmistakable sound of Stan's sealant spewing out of a tire puncture. It stopped spewing and was presumably sealed, but Eatough took advantage and went to the front.

  A game of cat and mouse enused, but by the final corner with a hundred feet to go, Price's front tire had lost enough air to make it impossible to negotiate the turn and Eatough sprinted away to second.

  See Cyclingnews' full coverage of the Wilderness 101.

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• Aussies blitz solo 24-hour worlds

  

  Article published:

  January 6, 2009, 00:00

  By:

  John Stevenson

  By John Stevenson In a staggering show of domination, Australian riders grabbed the top four places...

  By John Stevenson

  In a staggering show of domination, Australian riders grabbed the top four places of the men's race at the 24 Hours of Adrenalin World Solo Championships mountain bike race in Canmore, Canada, this past weekend. The women's event was won by reigning world champion Rebecca Rusch (Specialized).

  New South Wales rider James Williamson (Giant/Ritchey) took the overall title in fine style, clocking up 16 laps in less than 23 hours and taking an early finish when it became clear that second-placed Jason English (BMC/Ritchey) couldn't catch him.

  Williamson took the early lead ahead of evergreen enduro star Tinker Juarez but at about the eight-hour mark, Juarez pulled away from Williamson, only to later drop out with vision problems caused by mud from the wet Canmore course.

  "It was bloody hard early and I didn't think I could hold it," Williamson said at the finish.

  Like Williamson, Rusch remarked on the toughness of the hilly Canmore course. "That was the hardest course I have ever done," she said after the finish. "Add in the rain and the cold and it's ten times harder."

  See Cyclingnews' full coverage of the 24 Hours of Adrenaline.

  Siber and Rucknagel win round two in Canzei

  Germany's Andreas Sieber and Harriet Rucknagel won the iXS European Downhill Cup's second race. The European tour stop brought the gravity community to the Dolomites. In Italy's Canazei, riders from many different countries from all over Europe rolled to the start of the 3.2km long course.

  None of the participants knew what to expect from Canazei's first showing as a race venue so getting accustomed to the conditions at hand was the first thing to do. The course was a high-speed track, which supported the race's motto "release the brakes and give it a go". As with this series' first stop, the weather conditions were unsettled.

  Rain set in just in time for Saturday's lunch break. So many riders had to race their seeding run on a wet track without having had the chance to practice under the tricky conditions. Andreas Sieber (Solid A-Class Factory Team) handled the extremely slippery course best, winning the seeding run and thus securing himself the last starting spot on Sunday on his way to a fastest time in the final, too. Marco Bugnone (Ancillotti Team) and Marcel Beer (Ixs Sports Division Racing Team) finished second and third.

  In the women's race Scuol's third-place finisher Harriet Rücknagel (Team Zonenschein) stood up to her competitors, winning ahead of Swiss racers Silya Stadler (RMC Kerns) and Miriam Ruchti (Sport Promotion). After having won the seeding run, German Sandra Rübesam (Rad Art) had a crash in her final run, knocking her out of contention for the victory.

  See Cyclingnews' full coverage of the Drop Down iXS round.

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• No Olympics for doper Riis Andersen

  Article published:

  January 6, 2009, 00:00

  By:

  John Stevenson

  Danish National Champion Peter Riis Andersen tested positive for the banned substance EPO in a...

  Danish National Champion Peter Riis Andersen tested positive for the banned substance EPO in a anti-doping control conducted on June 25. Riis Anderson, 28, was fired from his team after both his "A" and "B" samples came back positive. He will not be allowed to represent his country at the Olympics next month.

  "I am sorry for what I have done," Andersen said in a news conference according to the Associated Press. "Until Tuesday last week, I had the idea that I had done nothing wrong. I (then) realized how gross a violation it was. I got it through criminal channels because this cannot be provided legally without a receipt. I joined the club of sinners." After poor results early in the year, Riis Andersen said he was afraid of not making the Olympic team when explaining his motives for doping.

  "I can not explain," said Team Manager Robert Dorn in a statement by the team. "We have never put pressure on the racer and his contract for next year was safe. He had no need to dope. Common sense does not explain his actions. What hurts even more is the personal disappointment."

  "We want to make way for a clean sport going forward, even if this situation is very difficult," said Dorn after firing Anderson.

  Sponsor ALB-Gold issued a statement expressing its shock at the news, but continued support for the rest of the team. "Performance enhancement through illicit means does not agree with our company philosophy. But we are aware of our responsibilities to the rest of the team," said company chief Klaus Freidler. "We will continue our contract until the end of the year. We still believe in the team and the honest work of team manager Dorn." The sponsor will not renew the team's contract after the end of the season.

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• 24 Hours of Nine Mile returns to Wausau

  

  Article published:

  January 6, 2009, 00:00

  By:

  John Stevenson

  The USA Cycling 24-hour National Championships will return to Wausau, Wisconsin, this weekend August...

  The USA Cycling 24-hour National Championships will return to Wausau, Wisconsin, this weekend August 2-3. More than 900 mountain bike enthusiasts from across the United States and Canada are expected to participate. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the event and the third year it has hosted the US Nationals.

  A record number of attendees are expected, including current and former national champions vying for top honors. In addition to the six national championship categories, twenty non-national championship categories will be contested. These include team and solo events in the 12-hour and 24-hour categories. Support staff and spectators will bring total attendance to about 2,000.

  Last year's race was won by Pua Sawicki and Chris Eatough.

  For more information, visit www.24-9.com.

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• Girls' participation sees growth spurt in NorCal League

  Article published:

  January 6, 2009, 00:00

  By:

  John Stevenson

  In a shift that bucks the trend in sports participation statistics, the participation of girls in...

  In a shift that bucks the trend in sports participation statistics, the participation of girls in the Northern California (NorCal) High School Mountain Bike Racing League increased 50% over last year, compared to a 10% increase in the participation of boys, who saw their number grow substantially a few years ago.

  The League's executive director, Matt Fritzinger, is delighted by the growth. "I'm totally in awe of this phenomenon and can't fully assume credit for this. I think the girls are just catching onto something. I know that every step of the way, our assistant director, Nadine Budbill, has ensured our programs are attractive to girls, nevertheless, I'm amazed by this rate of growth," he said.

  Fritzinger paid tribute to the work of coaches, parents, and partners such as the Luna Chix Ambassadors and the Subaru Gary Fisher Pro Team, all of whom have been supporting the female league membership.

  Nicola Cranmer, general manager of the Proman Women's Cycling Team, commented on the benefits of competitive cycling for young women. "Participating in cycling and racing at an early age helps young women develop not only riding skills but self confidence, focus, team work and camaraderie."

  Participation of girls rose this year from 50 to 80 girls in the NorCal League. Feedback from these girls suggests that the reasons for joining in include new opportunities, confidence enhancement, sisterhood, and desire for a healthy outdoor hobby.

  "I think it is excellent that girls are now starting to invade mountain biking and are creating a space for themselves in the sports world," said Aviva Prager of Albany High.

  "The NorCal League has changed my life by providing an opportunity that is virtually nonexistent elsewhere. I was not a biker before I entered high school, and I didn't even know that biking could be considered a sport. Without my school's team and its part in the League, I never would have picked up such a great sport," said Laurn Catlin of Drake High.

  One method of increasing the girls' participation has been girls-only camps, which prepare students for what to expect during the course of a race or recreational ride, thereby removing some considerable obstacles to participation. The anecdotes of attendees suggest that they have been popular.

  "The girls skills camp, before the racing season started, was the highlight for me this year. It really helped me learn the basic skills, especially because it was my first year. At the camp, the coaches taught me that biking is not just about winning, it's about pushing yourself, but also making sure it's fun," said Lauren Freudman.

  Fritzinger is hoping to see even more girls in the League in 2009. With Budbill moving to Vermont to build a girl's mountain bike camp program, he is looking for an assistant director going into the next season.

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• Top riders to Adidas Slopestyle

  Article published:

  January 6, 2009, 00:00

  By:

  John Stevenson

  The fourth annual Adidas Slopestyle will take place with 40 of the world's top freeriders from 13...

  The fourth annual Adidas Slopestyle will take place with 40 of the world's top freeriders from 13 countries on July 31 to August 3 in Saalbach Hinterglemm, Austria.

  Attendees will include superstars like Canadian Ben Boyko, who won the 2007 Crankworx Slopestyle in Whistler; Lance McDermott, overall winner of the Qashqai Challenge 2008; "Chopper" Grant Fielder; and big mountain rider Pierre-Edouard Ferry as well as style kings Timo Pritzel, Alex Reveles, Phil Sundbaum, Benny Korthaus and Trond Hansen. The latter placed second and third at this year's Qashqai Challenge.

  Europe's shooting stars Martin Soederstroem and Sam Pilgrim, who excelled at international contests this season thus far, will be at the start, and last but not least, the German and Austrians Joscha Forstreuter, Marius Hoppensack, Carlo Dieckmann, Niels Peter Jensen, Amir Kabbani and Niki Leitner will be competing.

  Racers will be competing for US$30,000 in prizes on a course with more than 1,680 person-hours behind the construction.

  For more information, visit www.adidas-slopestyle.com.

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• Stellenbosch Challenge

  Article published:

  January 6, 2009, 00:00

  By:

  John Stevenson

  As the official venue of stop number four on the South African Mazda MTN National MTB Series, this...

  As the official venue of stop number four on the South African Mazda MTN National MTB Series, this year's Stellenbosch Mountain Bike Challenge will take place on August 2. The 66km route will pass through 21 vineyards although 42km and 15km options will also be available. Tania Raats, John-Paul Pearton and David George are among the favorites expected to attend.

  For those seeking entertainment outside of racing, the event will be held in conjunction with the Stellenbosch Wine Festival. Dylan Victor, one of South Africa's premier trials riders will be performing his trick show at the challenge.

  For more information, visit www.mtbchallenge.co.za.

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