June 24/01 12:00 pm - NORBA Short Track

Posted by Editoress on 06/24/01
 

NORBA National at Snowshoe West Virginia
Short Track - Canadians on a Rampage

Courtesy Paul Skilbeck, NORBA Media

SNOWSHOE, West Virginia., 23 June 2001 - Roland Green spearheaded a Canadian domination of the second day of competition at round two of the Chevy Trucks National Off-Road Bicycling Association National Championships Mountain Bike Series, at Snowshoe Mountain Resort, West Virginia, 23 June.

After winning both Friday's cross country and Saturday's short track cross country, Roland Green (Trek Volkswagen), Victoria, BC, now leads the Chevy Trucks NORBA series in both disciplines.

Green bided his time early in 21-lap Short Track Cross Country race after his friend and training partner Ryder Hesjedal (Subaru/Gary Fisher), Victoria, BC, had a mechanical problem and lost contact with the leading group of 14. Other riders attacked at kept the pace sufficiently high to prevent Hesjedal from regaining contact.

On lap six, Australia's Paul Rowney (Yeti/Pearl Izumi) made a solo breakaway which lasted until Green brought the lead bunch up to him on lap 16.

As the race entered the final three laps Green attacked and opened a slim, ten-yard gap which the combined efforts of Rowney and Russia's Pavel Cherkassov (Subaru/Gary Fisher) could not close. Rowney beat Cherkassov in the sprint for second place.

In the 19-lap women's race Chrissy Redden (Subaru/Gary Fisher), Campbellville, Ont. proved too fast for Argentina's Jimena Florit (RLX Polo Sport) and Susan Haywood (Trek/WV Tourism), Davis, West Virginia, in a race that came down to a battle between these three.

Haywood was the first to make a bid for victory, three laps from the finish. Starting the final lap Florit jumped into the lead, acting as a slingshot to Redden who took a winning advantage half a lap from the line.

QUOTES

Chrissy Redden, first place pro women "I knew I had to be first into the final corner, and I figured out that there was no opportunity to pass on the downhill leading to it, so the place I had to be in front was coming out of the corner at the start of the downhill. It was good for me that Susan Haywood took the lead for two laps, because when Jimena attacked I was almost slingshot into that corner."

Roland Green, first place pro men "The Victorians are doing good! Ryder was leading the series before today, and when he had mechanic al problems I was in a position to take over." "When Ryder had his mechanical (problem) I didn't want to attack." "You wouldn't believe how hard we train. We do 5-6 hour road rides, we train as much as road racers do - we've got a really good work ethic."

Pro Men's Short Track Cross Country:
1. Roland Green, Victoria BC, Canada (Trek/Volkwagen), 7.15 miles, 23:15
2. Paul Rowney, Sydney, Australia (Yeti/Pearl Izumi)
3. Pavel Cherkasov, Russia (Subaru/Gary Fisher)
4. Jose Adrian Bonilla, San Jose, Costa Rica (Cafe de Costa Rica)
5. Geoff Kabush, Victoria, BC Canada (Kona/Ford)
6. Carl Swenson, Boulder, CO USA (RLX/PoloSport
7. Ryder Hesjedal, Victoria BC, Canada (Subaru/Gary Fisher)
8. Todd Wells, Tuscon, AZ USA (Hildebrand)
9. Andreas Hestler, Vancouver, BC Canada (Rocky Mountain)
10. Marc Gullickson, Boulder, CO USA (Mongoose Hyundai).

Pro Men's Cross Country Overall Standings:
1. Roland Green 374 points
2. Ryder Hesjedahl, 344
3. Pavel Cherkasov, 338
4. Jose Antonio Bonilla, 320
5. Paul Rowney, 302


Pro Women's Short Track Cross Country:
1. Chrissy Redden, ON Canada (Subaru/Gary Fisher), 6.5 miles, 23:45
2. Jimena Florit, San Diego, CA USA (RLX/Polo Sport)
3. Sue Haywood, Davis, WV USA (Trek/WV Tourism)
4. Mary Maconnelloug, Fairfax, CA USA (Jamba Juice)
5. Rachel Lloyd, Fairfax, CA USA (Sunrace)
6. Carmen D'Alusio, Watsonville, CA USA (Volvo/Cannondale)
7. Shonny Vanlandingham, Pagosa Springs, CO USA (Sobe/Headshock)
8. Ruthie Matthes, Boulder, CO USA (Trek/Volkswagen)
9. Julie Emmerman, Boulder, CO USA (Gary Fisher)
10. Mary Grigson, Wheatridge, CO USA (Subaru/Gary Fisher)

Pro Women's Cross Country Overall Standings
1. Mary Grigson, 400 points
2. Ruthie Matthes, 248
3. Chrissy Redden, 330
4. Trish Sinclair, 296
5. Shonny Vanlandingham, 28