July 1/01 12:58 pm - Norba Short Track #3 Report

Posted by Editor on 07/1/01
 

Norba #3 Short Track Report
Courtesy Paul Skilbeck - USA Cycling

Ryder Hesjedal completed another Canadian XC double today while Jimena Florit finally produced the short track win she's looked capable of all season.

Men

Canada's Ryder Hesjedal emulated his compatriot and training partner Roland Green by winning both the Cross Country and the Short Track races at round three the Chevy Trucks National Off-Road Bicycling Association National Championship Mountain Bike Series at Deer Valley Resort.

Green accomplished the same feat only one week ago at round two, but was absent here in favor of preparing at home to defend his lead in the world cup series in Vancouver, 7 July.

Hesjedal's accomplishments this weekend earned him the overall series lead in both the Cross Country and the Short Track series.

Hesjedal's blistering pace, sustained throughout the intensive 18-lap Short Track race on a half-mile circuit saw him finish ahead of major names such as two-times world cup series champion Cadel Evans of Australia and the Swiss champion Christophe Sauser, both of the Volvo-Cannondale team.

Evans and Sauser did not start in the front row of the grid and therefore were unable to get into the early break. Despite a valiant effort they couldn't close the gap to the leaders.

The task of winning suddenly and unexpectedly became easier for Hesjedal just two laps from the end when Geoff Kabush, Canada (Kona/Ford) collided with his team-mate, fellow Canadian Peter Wedge, reducing the leading grou p from six to four.

Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski and Carl Swenson of the RLX Polosport team worked together for the win, but in the end it was a furious attack starting the final lap that gave Hesjedal the gap he needed to claim victory. Kobelski finished second, while Canada's Chris Sheppard (Haro/Lee Dungarees) took third, one place ahead of Swenson.

Women

After waiting for what must have felt like an eternity, Argentina's Jimena Florit (RLX-Polosport) finally produced the Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Mountain Bike Series Short Tr ack win for which she hard tried so hard and for so long. Florit's best results in the Short Track discipline had been two second places last year.

This win makes Florit the series leader, although being foreign she is not eligible to become the US short track national champion.

Repeated attacks by several riders in the fast 16-lap race whittled the lead group down to only three riders with three laps remaining. Among those that could not quite stand the pace were three-times world champion Alison Sydor, Canada, who had not fully adjusted to the 7,000 feet altitude at Deer Valley Resort, and finished fourth.

Early leader Alison Dunlap, Colorado Springs (GT), exited the race on lap 11 with a flat tire, the same way in which she exited the cross country race yesterday. Both yesterday's and today's results inflicted severe damage on her chances of winning the five race championship series in both cross country
and short track, the latter of which she had been expected to do with reasonable ease. Dunlap had missed round two of the series to compe te in the HP Women's Challenge.

Susan Haywood, Davis, W.Va. (Trek/W Va. Tourism), having the best race of her career, launched an attack with three laps remaining, which sent Chrissy Redden, Canada (Subaru/Gary Fisher), off the back leaving just Florit and Haywood to duel for the win.

Florit attacked with 400 yards remaining, and opened a gap that was good enough to ensure she was first across the line.

Post race quotes

Men

Ryder Hesjedal, first

"I woke up this morning and my legs felt good. At breakfast I had lots of grease, which maybe helped. Unfortunately the Kona boys clipped each other while trying to jump me and took each other out. As a junior I wasn't finishing races, I had a lot of problems. Last year was a good year for me and I wanted to improve on that."

Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski second

"My (prior) best result was 2nd at the NORBA finals at Mammoth last year, and I'm thrilled about taking second place here today - I've been searching for a podium spot this year. This result reinforces my confidence that I should be up there."

Chris Sheppard, third

"I was riding on my own for five laps, trying to catch up with the lead group. There was a lap and a half when I said maybe I should give up chasing and wait for some help, but people were cheering so loud that it was har d to give up." "I was just coming up on the inside when those two guys went down, it was like an act of god!"

Women

Jimena Florit, first

"When Susan Haywood attacked it was perfect for me. I didn't want to go, but we needed to get rid of Chrissy Redden. Normally I am always attacking, making the race, and then I am cooked by the last lap. Today I spent the least amount of time possible at the front and it worked - I made it!"

Susan Haywood, second

"I'm kinda motivated, I'm hoping to get the national championships series title in short track. With Alison Dunlap out of the running, my main rival now is Shonny Vanlandingham."

Chrissy Redden, third

"If you don't go for it, you're never going to win. It was bad luck for Alison Dunlap - she had fresh legs after not finishing the race yesterday. She would definitely have won."

Men
1 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Subaru/Gary Fisher 22:41
2 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) RLX-Polosport at 0:01
3 Chris Sheppard (Can) Haro/Lee Dungarees 0:03
4 Carl Swenson (USA) RLX-Polosport 0:16
5 Jose Adrian Bonilla (CoR) Café de Costa Rica 0:18
6 Peter Wedge (Can) Kona/Ford 0:19
7 Geoff Kabush (Can) Kona/Ford 0:21
8 Bart Bowen (USA) Kona/Ford 0:22
9 Jeff Hall Apple (USA) Salsa Cycles s.t.
10 Jimi Killen (USA) Schwinn 0:23

Women
1 Jimena Florit (Arg) RLX-Polosport 22:53
2 Susan Haywood (USA) Trek/WV Tourism at 0:01
3 Chrissy Redden (Can) Subaru/Gary Fisher 0:14
4 Alison Sydor (Can) Trek/Volkswagen 0:28
5 Mary Grigson (Aus) Subaru/Gary Fisher 0:30
6 Rachel Lloyd (USA) SunRace/SantaCruz 0:36
7 Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) SoBe Headshok 0:39
8 Ruthie Matthes (USA) Trek/Volkswagen 0:59
9 Gina Hall (USA) Zeal Optics 1:06
10 Dellys Franke (Aus) Merida 1:23

NORBA Standings

Cross Country

Women
1 Mary Grigson (Aus) Subaru/Gary Fisher 586 points
2 Ruthie Matthes (USA) Trek/Volkswagen 522
3 Chrissy Redden (Can) Subaru/Gary Fisher 486
4 Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) SoBe Headshok 438
5 Trish Sinclair (Can) Ford/Devinci 436

Men
1 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Subaru/Gary Fisher 544 points
2 Pavel Cherkasov (Rus) Subaru/Gary Fisher 502
3 Paul Rowney (Aus) Yeti/Pearl Izumi 434
4 Carl Swenson (USA) RLX/Polosport 422
5 Seamus McGrath (Can) Haro/Lee Dungarees 420

Short Track

Women
1 Jimena Florit (Arg) RLX-Polosport 572 points
2 Susan Haywood (USA) Trek/WV Tourism 516
3 Chrissy Redden (Can) Subaru/Gary Fisher 510
4 Mary Grigson (Aus) Subaru/Gary Fisher 462
5 Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) SoBe Headshok 452

Men
1 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Subaru/Gary Fisher 544 points
2 Jose Adrian Bonilla (CRC) Cafe de Costa Rica 474
3 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) RLX-Polosport 460
4 Carl Swenson (USA) RLX-Polosport 450
5 Paul Rowney (Aus) Yeti-Pearl Izumi 418