MTB News & Racing Round-up, October 30, 2009

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Date published:

October 30, 2009, 22:04

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.

• Cross country racers Engen and Wrobel bolster Rothaus-Cube MTB Team

  

  Article published:

  October 30, 2009, 19:29

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Three marathoners also added to roster for 2010

  The Rothaus-Cube MTB Team has picked up five new riders for the 2010 season. The team introduced its new line-up for 600 bike dealers at the Cube Factory Days in Waldershof, Germany, this week. Under 23 world championship silver medallist Alexandra Engen and Nina Wrobel are joining the cross country part of the team while Austrian Silvio Wieltschnig and two Danish sisters Norgaard, Anna-Sofie and Kristine, are joining the marathon division.

  For next season the team, managed by Patrik Faller and based in Freiburg, boasts a total of 13 riders. "Cube is growing and we are growing. Cube is an international actor and we therefore have to fine-tune our structure both on the marathon as well as on the cross country side," said Faller. "Therefore we've enlarged the team with riders who can continue to reinforce our international presence."

  The addition of Engen and Wrobel brings Rothaus-Cube's women's cross country roster to four. Wrobel won a World Cup race in 2006 and has had health problems for some time, but is working her way back to her peak.

  "It will be a year of change, I have my medical studies, but I will try to find the right mix and hope to do World Cup races again," said Wrobel.

  Engen, who will live in Freiburg from January to September, says she's feeling no pressure for 2010. In addition to her silver at worlds, Engen took second at the Under 23 European Championships.

  "I love to race, and I like to improve. I bike with all my heart and I go as fast as possible. That's all I can do." Faller has Engen in mind as his team moves toward the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

  Rothaus-Cube is no stranger to marathon racing. Danish duo Anna-Sofie and Kristine Norgaard will race the TransAlp from Füssen to Riva.

  "We enjoy riding and the rest comes automatically," said the 32-year-old Kristine, who together with Rothaus-Cube biker Milena Landtwing won the women's class of the 2009 TransAlp.

  After a break to give birth to her son, Anna-Sofie is returning to racing. "It's good to be back again," she said. She's been training for some time and is hoping to resume racing where she left off in 2008.

  Wieltschnig will bring experience to the marathon team. The man from Villacher in Austria has more than 15 years on the racing circuit. "The Rothaus-Cube MTB Team is a new motivation for me," said the 36-year-old, who love stage races. Wieltschnig works full time in finance and is the father of a nine and a half year old son. In 2010, he'll focus on the TransAlp where he last finished number two overall in 2006.
  
  Team Rothaus-Cube for 2010

  Cross country: Barbara Benkó (Hungary) Alexandra Engen (Sweden), Hanna Klein (Germany), Nina Wrobel (Germany), Felix Euteneuer (Germany), Heiko Gutmann (Germany)

  Marathon: Milena Landtwing (Switzerland), Kristin Norgaard (Denmark), Anna-Sofie Norgaard (Denmark), Heike Hundertmark (Germany), Benjamin Rudiger (Germany), Frank Lehmann (Germany), Silvio Wieltschnig (Austria).

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.

• Best 2009 World Cup events announced

  

  Article published:

  October 30, 2009, 16:52

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Offenburg, La Bresse, Mont-Sainte-Anne take honors

  Three venues were awarded as the best of the 2009 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. Offenburg, Germany, won the honor of best cross country event; La Bresse, France, took the top honors for downhill; and Mont-Sainte-Anne was named best four cross event.

  Offenburg won the best cross country award for the second consecutive year. The event is appreciated for its organization, course, and its large and enthusiastic crowd. Organizers have named key sections of the course such as the "Dual Speed Drop", "Worldclass Drop" and "Wolfs Drop".

  “We were extremely pleased with the news. It is again a confirmation of our work," said Jörg Scheiderbauer, managing director of the organizing company Scheiderbauer Sports GmbH. "To win a title is great, but to defend this is an entirely different number. We will do everything we can in the coming year to land the hat-trick."

  Just like last year, Houffalize, Belgium and Mont-Sainte-Anne took the runner-up spots behind Offenburg.

  La Bresse was a first-time World Cup event in 2009. It beat out past favorite downhill winner Fort William, Great Britain and Mont-Sainte-Anne. The track in La Bresse drew huge crowds. However, La Bresse will not be hosting a World Cup in 2010 according to the UCI's schedule.

  After years of finishing poorly in the four cross award, Mont-Sainte-Anne leaped into first place thanks to the creation of an all-new track. Schladming took second with its own new track and Fort William was third.

  Placing in the top three in all disciplines bodes well for Mont-Sainte-Anne, which will host the 2010 Mountain Bike World Championships. The venue has previously hosted the worlds in 1998 and has held many World Cups and long served as a popular venue among racers.

  Votes were cast by riders, teams, journalists, UCI sponors and UCI staff.

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.

• NorCal CycleFest tickets still available

  

  Article published:

  October 30, 2009, 16:30

  By:

  BikeRadar

  Vaughters speaking and fundraiser

  Tickets are still available for the 2009 NorCal CycleFest, a fundraising event benefitting the Northern California High School Mountain Bike Racing League, to be held in Mill Valley, California November 6 - 8.

  "The sixth annual NorCal CycleFest is the main annual fundraiser for the League," said Matt Fritzinger, founder of the NorCal League. "This year attendees will enjoy the vintage poster show, our line-up of speakers and the silent auction which provides a great win-win opportunity to support the League. This is a key developmental year for high school cycling, and we are really counting on the continued support of Bay Area cyclists.”

  The event begins on Friday, November 6, with a cocktail reception from 6-10 pm presented by McGuire Real Estate, where Jonathan Vaughters, founder of the Garmin-Slipstream Professional cycling team, will chat and mingle with attendees.

  Saturday evening, November 7, starting at 6 pm, is the main event: a gala dinner featuring a silent auction and vintage poster show, at the Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto. The stars of the silent auction are two offerings from Specialized Bicycle Components and a luxury guided mountain bike trip from Western Spirits.

  Of the bicycles, one is a US$4,400 Specialized Roubaix PRO SRAM road bicycle; the other is a US$3,700 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Expert specced with the Specialized AFR shock and Fox’s F120 RLC fork.

  Other auction items include items donated by CamelBak, Fox Racing Shox, Ritchey Design, Syncros, and Shimano. Other dinner sponsors include Clif Bar, GU Energy Labs, NCNCA, Mike's Bikes, Mountain Hardwear and Touchstone Climbing and Fitness.

  Master of ceremonies for the evening is the well-known race commentator and freelance cycling journalist Bruce Hildenbrand, while CycleTo.com video journalist Bob Cullinan will interview Jonathan Vaughters. With this mix of personalities, the evening is sure to be filled with wry, humorous and intellectual takes on the contemporary cycling scene.

  Sunday’s ride, supported by the Marin Cyclists, features Garmin-Slipstream pro riders Lucas Euser and Steven Cozza, who will be ready to discuss the 2010 Tour of California route and relate tales from the peloton during an easy 50-mile spin out to Point Reyes Station, which includes California Highway Patrol escort and a rest stop with food.

  
  The 2009 NorCal League CycleFest schedule:

  * Friday November 6: Cocktail reception with Jonathan Vaughters in Mill Valley
  * Saturday, November 7: Benefit dinner, silent auction and vintage poster show, hosted by Jonathan Vaughters at the Mill Valley Community Center
  * Sunday, November 8: Scenic road ride in Marin countryside with Garmin-Slipstream's Jonathan Vaughters, Lucas Euser and Steven Cozza, both of whom raced for the NorCal League in high school.

  Proceeds from the ticket sales support the Northern California High School Mountain Bike Racing League, so be sure to purchase one for your friend/spouse/partner too! Admission is US$150 (Regular), and $195 for Patron tickets tickets, which include a pre-dinner cocktail hour with Jonathan, preferred seating and special gifts. All tickets are available online at www.norcalmtb.org.

• Favorites consider return to Crocodile Trophy

  

  Article published:

  October 30, 2009, 16:03

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Brentjens says yes to next year, Huber still deciding when

  The two top finishers from the Crocodile Trophy, which ended on Thursday in Cape Tribulation, Australia, were relieved to be done with their 10-day race. Urs Huber (Team Stöckli-Craft) won the race after almost 34 total hours of racing. He was 1:20 ahead of Bart Brentjens (Trek Brentjens MTB Racing Team).

  "To arrive at the finish here at beautiful Cape Tribulation is great," the Swiss Huber said to organizers after the final stage. "It was a great place where the race was. The first stage was the best."

  "It was a beautiful race - the long stages and the heat made it very tough," said runner-up Brentjens, who is a former Olympic and World champion. He won six stages and said he was satisfied with his race. "It was a good adventure. I have been riding what I could, but it wasn't enough to leave Huber behind me, he is the real winner."

  "It's always a sad feeling - actually, you've been riding your bike for 10 days, then all of a sudden it's all over," Brentjens said before promising, "next year I will come back."

  Huber wasn't so sure about his plans though he was all smiles on the final day, a celebratory stage won by Australia's Chris Neal, the last place finisher in the general classification.

  Huber is eager to return to the event and while next year his focus will be on winning a World Marathon Championship, he thinks a return to the Crocodile Trophy at some point in the future is likely.

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.

• Cape Epic route announced for 2010

  

  Article published:

  October 29, 2009, 16:36

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Eight stages total 722km

  Cape Epic organizers announced the route for the 2010 edition of the South African mountain bike stage race, scheduled for March 21-28. The race will start at a new location and visit new towns Dimersfontein, Ceres and Worcester during its eight stages and 722km.

  On stage 1, racers will leave the Diemersfontein Wine Estate and experience plenty of climbing.  They will visit Bainskloof pass and Kluytjieskraal and get scenic vistas over the Tulbagh and Wolsley valley, which riders will traverse to reach en route to Ceres.

  The race will settle into Ceres for three nights. Stage 2 will feature three loops including plenty of singletrack. On stage three, riders will warm up on undulating terrain before facing the major obstacle of the day and perhaps of the whole race, a high mountain and subsequent descent. The climb will appear in two parts, the first of which follows a wagon trail at a 12 percent gradient, built over 100 years ago and becoming continuously more rugged as the climb goes on. A short flat section then allows for some recovery and gives riders a view of the peak high above which will soon be referred to as Mount Evilrest. The surface to the summit is smooth but the gradients reach 25 percent.

  Stage 4 will take racers from Ceres to Worcester on a relatively easy stage of just 86km.

  Teams of two will set off at 30-second intervals for a stage 5 time trial. They'll race a figure-eight shaped loop in the foothills of Brandwacht, taking the race along the western side of Worcester through semi-desert vegetation.

  Riders will leave Worcester for stage 6 in a neutral convoy for what may be the hardest stage of the race. They'll retrace part of the 2009 route, but in reverse. This stage will pass over the wall of the vast Theewaterskloof Dam and into Porcupine Hills before reaching the Cape Nature Conservation area Groenlandberg. Route designer Leon Evans has found a new way for riders to conquer this beast. Part 1 follows a steep dirt road, but at the end of it the elusive crest still lies on the horizon. The second part takes riders into virgin Epic mountain biking territory and deep into nature. The big stage ends on flowing singletrack in Thandi and Oak Valley.

  The penultimate stage will feature short hills early on before visiting the Houwhoek Inn into Botriver. The main obstacle of the day is the climb up to the Lebanon Highlands Plantation.

  Per race tradition, the final stage is the shortest of the non-time trial stages, but it won't be easy. In 2010, a new route goes into the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve, on Buysepad and skirts Gamtoe Pass. There's no portage this year.

  Rumors are flying that Lance Armstrong may compete in the Cape Epic. A South African news outlet reported on its website, www.iol.co.za, "If Armstrong rides the Epic - and negotiations are still ongoing, but ongoing well, says (Cape Epic founder Kevin) Vermaak - it will lift the race to an entirely new level. Armstrong is already coming to South Africa in March 2010 for the Jag Foundation charity."

  The 2009 edition was won by Team Bulls' Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm. Absa Ladies' Sharon Laws and Hanlie Booyens took the women's overall.

  2010 Cape Epic

  March 21: Stage 1 - Diemersfontein to Ceres, 117km (2,190m climbing)
  March 22: Stage 2 - Ceres to Ceres, 90km (1,625m climbing)
  March 23: Stage 3 - Ceres to Ceres, 115km (2,280m climbing)
  March 24: Stage 4 - Ceres to Worcester, 86km (1,640m climbing)
  March 25: Stage 5 - Worcester to Worcester (time trial), 27km (860m climbing)
  March 26: Stage 6 - Worcester to Oak Valley, 123km (2,240m climbing)
  March 27: Stage 7 - Oak Valley to Oak Valley, 99km (2,160m climbing)
  March 28: Stage 8 - Oak Valley to Lourensford, 65km (1,640m climbing)

  For more information about the 2010 Cape Epic, including maps and profiles, visit http://www.cape-epic.com.

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.

• European junior downhill champ Kerr signs with 23 Degrees

  

  Article published:

  October 29, 2009, 16:28

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Multi-time British champion moves into elite ranks with Norco World Team

  The European junior downhill champion Bernard Kerr signed a multi-year deal with 23 Degrees Sports Management, a Spanish company managing athletes. The 18-year-old, who is also the junior British National Champion, is moving into the elite ranks for the first time in 2010.

  Riding for the Norco World Team, Kerr had an impressive 2009 season. In addition to his European and British titles, he excelled at racing technical tracks in the World Cup. He was the fastest junior at the Schladming round and scored the best junior result of 2009 World Cup racing with an 11th in qualifying at Maribor.

  Unfortunately a crash in the final then prevented Kerr from capitalizing on the qualifier, but he gained a lot of attention with that ride. Despite this crash and other mechanical issues at other rounds, he finished second overall in the Junior World Cup series.

  The young rider from Surrey also races four cross. He's a two-time junior national four cross champion, and he backed those titles up with his first ever World Cup semi-final in Mont-Sainte-Anne earlier this year.

  Kerr was fifth in the junior downhill at the World Championships in Australia in September.

  "Next year I plan to ride again for the Norco World Team," said Kerr. "Fionn (Griffiths) thankfully picked me up this year and got me on track. I was having all sorts of issues with equipment, and moving into a proper team made all the difference. I'm excited to join up with 23 Degrees because I know that I am still learning and there's a bunch that I can learn from being managed by Martin and his company. I'm really excited about next year!"

  "I was very impressed by Bernard's character and skill, and after watching him on the World Cup circuit this year I knew he would be someone that would fit in well with our group of clients," said Martin Whitely, founder of 23 Degrees Sport Management. "His ride for next year is sorted, thanks to Fionn, who's an ex-client of ours, and we have been very proud to see her build that team. I'll be mainly focusing on developing Bernard's co-sponsor portfolio, developing his international media and fan base, and giving advice where I can on improving his results so that he's knocking on that top ten door even more in the future."

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.

• Hermida resumes training after two week holiday

  

  Article published:

  October 29, 2009, 15:41

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Spanish national champion celebrates birth of second child

  After a two-week holiday, Jose Antonio Hermida kicked off his training for the 2010 season. It was a busy two weeks as he also welcomed the arrival of his second child.

  "I got a phone call from my trainer, Kim Forteza, and he told me that it was time to get ready and that I should start to ride my bike at the end of this week," said Hermida. "During these recent weeks, I've had the chance to rest.  My physical exercise was reduced to long walks."
  
  The Multivan Merida Team rider ended his racing season with two victories in a row in the first two rounds of the Spanish Cyclo-cross Cup. The Spanish cross country National Champion also won two World Cups this season and finished second in the overall standings.

  Hermida's second child, daughter Sandra, was born on October 24. "I am very happy. My wife Sandra is a real champion. Everything went fine and we could leave the hospital in a couple of days."

  Hermida is looking forward to 2010. "I feel motivated and excited just like I was in my first season. I still get nervous before certain races, and it is hard for me to sleep the night before a competition if I know I will be at the front."

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.