June 11/00 12:23 pm - Lap Reports from World Mountain Bike Championships: Elite Men & Women

Posted by Editoress on 06/11/00
 

Lap reports for the Men's and Women's XC - World Mountain Bike Championships, Sierra Nevada Spain

Women's XC
4:55am -Women part way through lap 1

The start of today's race consisted of a start loop, as shortened loop of the main course and then onto the main course again for the first of 3 full laps.

From the gun, Alison Sydor went hard. She took with her Margarita Fullana and Paola Pezzo. Barb Blatter was just behind them chasing, then Dunlap and a small group with Leslie Tomlinson and Chrissy Redden was just back of Dunlap.

The 3 leaders have now started the first full lap and it is Fullana ahead of Sydor and Pezzo by 4 seconds. At 30 seconds is Blatter, 40 seconds Dunlap and 1 minute the chasers (still on the shortened loop).



5am - Lap 1 complete

Fullana is now well in the lead. She has 40 seconds on Pezzo. Sydor is 3rd at 1:45, Blatter in 4th at 2:25 and Dunlap, 5th at 3 minutes. Chrissy Redden is in 10th.

5:15am - End of Lap 1: the rest of the Canadians

Leslie Tomlinson 15th at 5:30, Trish Sinclair 18th at 6:20, Melanie Dorian 31st at 9:30 and Marie-Helen Premont 33rd also at 9:30

June 11/00 5:15am - More Canadian results

5:40am - End of Lap 2

Fullana is still pouring it on. She now has 2 and a half minutes on Pezzo, who is still in second. Sydor has started moving up on Pezzo. She is now within 30 seconds of her ........ and closing.

5:50am - End of Lap 2 - volume 2

Mary Grigson is closing on Dunlap (in 5th) and will probably challenge her for that position. Chrissy Redden has moved up to 8th. Lslie Tomlinson is 14th and Trish Sinclair is 17th. Melanie Dorian and and Marie-Helen Premont are still 30 and 33.

5:55am - Lap 3

The leaders are now 1/4 of the way into the final lap and Alison Sydor has caught Paola Pezzo.

6:40am - Fullana Again!!!

Margarita Fullana of Spain will wear the Rainbow jersey for 1 more year.

1. Margarita Fullana (Esp)
2. Alison Sydor (Can)
3. Paola Pezzo (Ita)
4. Barb Blatter (Sui)
5. Mary Grigson (Aus)
6. Alison Dunlap (USA)
7. Chrissy Redden (Can) - sprint finish

14. Lesley Tomlinson (Can)
17. Trish Sinclair (Can)

Story to come after the men's race.

6:55am - More from Worlds

- Marie-Helen Premont finished mid 30's. Melanie Dorian 40th.

- Trish Sinclair just missed her Olympic qualification by 1 position. She needed to finish 16th or higher and her 17th place finish just not good enough. Trish and Ruthie Matthes battled it out for the entire race and in the end " I just couldn't stay with her on the climb," said a happy, yet disappointed Sinclair.

- Lesley Tomlinson came over to Spain early to train and adjust to the altitude. "I did not feel great during the race, but I did feel solid, " she said after the race. Lesley has now made her Olympic qualification and can relax a bit. She's looking forward to Canmore.

- Chrissy Redden had a bad start. She was able to gradually move up over the 3 laps. "I rode well on the flats and false flats, and I had Dunlap in my sights." Redden and Dunlap sprinted for 6th. "When I passed her on the last lap, the crowd was so loud, I couldn't hear Yuri on my headset telling me she (Dunlap) was on my wheel. When it came down to the sprint, she had a better gear."

Chrissy fell in training earlier in the week and, although the gash in her knee needed only one stitch, it started to swell and really ache toward the end of the race.

- Alison Sydor is very happy with her silver. "The last 3 k my legs were starting to cramp from the altitude. I rode my own race, a pace perhaps a little slower that usual, but I felt good."

Alison had her mechanic put extra-long brake levers on her bike for this race. "The downhill here is so long and rocky I needed the extra leverage."


- Other Notes: Many in the Canadian squad are riding full suspension. Chrissy is on a Gary Fisher Sugar, Trish is on a Marin with fs.

We are still waiting for official results.

The men's race is due to start in 10 minutes.

Official Results: Elite Women XC World Championships - Sierra Nevada Spain

1. FULLANA Marga (ESP) 2:07:42
2. SYDOR Alison (CAN) at 3:27
3. PEZZO Paola (ITA) 4:14
4. BLATTER Barbara (SUI) 4:23
5. GRIGSON Mary (AUS) 6:00
6. DUNLAP Alison (USA) 6:56
7. REDDEN Christina (CAN) s.t.
8. FLORIT-JUAREZ Jimena (ARG) 8:44
9. VILLENEUVE Sophie (FRA) 9:34
10. MARUNDE Regina (GER) 9:57
11. IAGOUPOVA Irina (RUS) 10:37
12. TROMBLEY Ann (USA) 11:15
13. EPIFANOVA Alla (RUS) 11:22
14. TOMLINSON Lesley (CAN) 11:36
15. DORLAND Corine (NED) 12:16
16. MATTHES Ruthie (USA) 13:06
17. SINCLAIR Patricia (CAN) 13:57
18. DAUCOURT Chantal (SUI) 14:26
19. SPITZ Sabine (GER) 14:55
20. STROPPARO Annabella (ITA) 15:36
33. PREMONT Marie-helene (CAN) 22:17
40. DORION Melanie (CAN) 27:46


Men's XC

7:45am - The men have started. They will do the start loop, the short lap and then out onto the course for 4 full laps.

They have completed the start lap and are now on the short lap. The pack is being led by a Spaniard (much to the delight of the crowd) who is being followed closely by Martinez - who seems content to allow him (the Spaniard) his moment of glory.

Rolland Green is 16th, Seamus McGrath 25th, Kabush and Sheppard in the 30's.

I have a special message to pass on - Peter Wedge says "Hi Mom!

8:00 am - They are starting lap 1

Martinez is leading as they head out onto the course for lap 1. 22 seconds back is a chase group of 4 riders: Marco Bui, Christophe Dupuoey, Bas VanDooren and Christoph Sauser. Roland Green is 10th about 35 seconds behind Martinez. Seamus McGrath in 25th, Chris Sheppard 44th, Eric Tourville 55th, Kabush 65th and Wedge 66th. Top American is Randolph in 40th.

The pace is REALLY fast.

8:20am - End of lap 1

. Martinez is still in the lead. Marco Bui is now solidly in 2nd at 30 seconds back, having dropped the other 3 and Roland Green has moved into 3rd. He is 1:10 back of Martinez, but is riding very well. Hubert Pallhuber is in 4th at 1:35. Seamus McGrath has moved up. He is now in 23rd.

8:25am - More lap 1

Cadel Evans is sitting in 5th. Chris Sheppard is 34th. Geoff Kabush 52nd, Eric Tourville 57th and Peter Wedge 64th.

The pace the front riders are setting is blistering!!!!

8:35 - Roland Green has moved into 2nd position He was 30 seconds behind Biu at the end of lap 1 and has now 1/2 way through lap 2, dropped Bui and put 27 seconds of space between them.

9:00am - Martinez still leading

.... but Roland Green is in the hunt at 1:14 back. Hubert Pallhuber has moved up to the 3rd place position and is 1:58 back. Jose Marquez (Esp) and Bart Brentjens are together at 2:50 back. Seamus McGrath has dropped to 25th. Sheppard has moved up to 29th. Kabush is 37th. Tourville 47th and Wedge 56th.

9:30am - End of lap 3

Martinez has extended his lead to 1:54 over Roland Green. Then a big gap to Brentjens who has taken over the #3 spot at 3:28. The Marquez at 4:15. Evans and Pallhuber at 4:59. McGrath 22nd. Sheppard 27th and Kabush 29th.

9:50 - The finish line is in sight

Martinez 1st. Green at 2:40. Brentjens at 3:50. McGrath 22nd. Sheppard 27th and Kabush 29th.

10:20am - Martinez, back on top

Martinez may have the gold, but Roland Green is over the moon with his silver medal ride. "Everything was just great... the start, the bike, my ability to pace myself.... I can't believe it."

1. Miguel Martinez (Fra)
2. Roland Green (Can)
3. Bart Brentjens (Ned)

20. Seamus McGrath (Can)
22. Geoff Kabush (Can)
27. Chris Sheppard (Can)

Official Results: Elite Men XC World Championships - Sierra Nevada Spain

1. MARTINEZ, Miguel (FRA) 2:17:38
2. GREEN, Roland (CAN) at 2:52
3. BRENTJENS, Bart (NED) 4:51
4. MARQUEZ, JOSE (ESP) 6:14
5. DUBAU, Ludovic (FRA) 6:20
6. TOLHOEK, Patrick (NED) 6:37
7. VOLLET, Gregory (FRA) 7:41
8. PALLHUBER, Hubert (ITA) 7:56
9. MEIRHAEGHE, Filip (BEL) 8:26
10. LARSEN, Tom (NOR) 8:45
11. BRAMATI, Luca (ITA) 9:27
12. FUMIC, Lado (GER) 9:45
13. EVANS, Cadel (AUS) 10:14
14. FRISCHKNECHT, Thomas (SUI) 10:44
15. CIONI, Dario (ITA) 10:50
16. TCHERKASSOV, Pavel (RUS) 11:03
17. RANDOLPH, Greg (USA) 11:15
18. WOODS, Rob (AUS) 11:37
19. HANISCH, Marc (GER) 12:05
20. MCGRATH, Seamus (CAN) 12:42
22. KABUSH, Geoff (CAN) 14:04
23. LARSEN, Steve (USA) 14:19
27. SHEPPARD, Chris (CAN) 15:15
29. GULLICKSON, Marc (USA) 15:46
38. TOURVILLE, Eric (CAN) 17:45
54. WEDGE, Peter (CAN) 25:32
Others
DUPOUEY, Christophe (FRA) DNF
HOCHSTRASSER, Thomas (SUI) DNF
RASMUSSEN, Michael (DEN) DNF
SAUSER, Christoph (SUI) DNF
VAN DOOREN, Bas (NED) DNF
MOLDAY, Kirk (USA) DNF