August 16/98 5:48 am - Mountain Bike Nationals XC Mid-Race Update

Posted by Editor on 08/16/98
 

Mountain Bike Nationals Update

We just received a mid-race update for the Cross-country national championships race. As the riders start their third lap (of 4 for the women, 5 for the men), it is Chris Sheppard (Catera-Pure Energy) and Roland Green (Mapei-Kona) swapping back and forth at the front of the men‚s race. Sheppard led at the end of the first lap by 25 seconds, but Green has moved up and overtook about two-thirds of the way through the second lap to carve out a slim 5 second lead. Solidly in third place is Seamus McGrath (Haro), at 1:30 - McGrath is the top placed Espoir rider. Andreas Hestler (Volvo-Cannondale) and Peter Wedge (Mapei-Kona) were together at the end of the first lap, 1:20 down on the leader, but Hestler is now on his own in 4th, 2:30 back at the start of lap 3. it looks like Hestler had a crash in the first lap.

In the women‚s race, it is, no surprise, Alison Sydor (Volvo-Cannondale) with a commanding lead of 3:10 over Chrissy Redden (Ritchey). In third place is B.C. newcomer Amber Chorney, at four minutes. Rounding out the top five are Melanie Dorion (Oryx) at 4:20 and Melanie McQuaid (Rocky Mountain) at 4:40. Trish Sinclair (Kona) is next at 5:50, and Lesley Tomlinson (Polo Sport) at 6:00. There was little change from laps one to two - the first three were the same, with Dorion swapping positions with McQuaid.