NORBA Series #1 - E1

Big Bear, California, USA, May 17-18, 2003

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Race 3 - May 18: Short track cross-country

Haywood & Bonilla demonstrate short-track smarts

By Andy Lee, USA Cycling

Susan Haywood (Trek Volkswagen), and Jose Adrian Bonilla (Costa Rica) each took home gold medals today in the Short Track Cross Country event at the NORBA National Championship Mountain Bike Series in Big Bear Lake, CA.

Haywood, who placed fifth in yesterday's Cross Country event, benefited from a brilliant tactical move with two laps to go to seal the victory in the women's race. Early on, it was Katerina Hanusova (RLX Ralph Lauren) who held a steady gap on a group of eight riders, including Haywood, and yesterday's winner, Alison Dunlap (Luna Women). Kim Anderson (T-Mobile) led the chase back to Hanusova for much of the way, opening the door for the decisive move. With two laps to go, it would come down to a show of tactics as Haywood closed the gap to Hanusova with Dunlap right on her wheel. Coming into the first turn just past the start-finish, Haywood took a tight line beneath Hanusova on the inside of the corner. Dunlap was left with only one option, to take the outside route around a tiring Hanusova, but by the time she had made it around it was too late. Haywood had powered away and solo'd the final lap for a well earned win.

Afterwards, a thrilled Haywood said, "This just feels awesome. I've been waiting to win a short track race for a while. It's a really big deal for me. It's so cool, it's just the best feeling. In 2001 I was the Short Track National Champion without winning a round of the series. So for me it means a lot to finally get a win. Now I feel I have a chance of winning the series title as well as the national championship."

Dunlap, perhaps tired from yesterday's hard fought victory, seemed happy with the second spot on the podium, "The race went according to plan. Katerina did just what we'd planned she'd do, and it was all perfectly positioned, but I just didn't have the legs. "I'm not disappointed, I just didn't have enough juice today."

The men's race was fast immediately from the gun, as Roland Green (Trek Volkswagen) attacked on the first lap. Still nursing a serious shoulder injury sustained at last months Tour of Georgia road race, Green pushed the pace and remained off the front for the first few laps, until Todd Wells (Mongoose Hyundai) closed the gap on Green for good. Throughout the next few laps, the pace remained extremely high as Wells, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (RLX Ralph Lauren), and Jeff Hall (Salsa Cycles) all took turns on the front with hopes of a victory. With five laps to go, a group of six distanced themselves from the rest of the riders and the winning move was formed. Horgan-Kobleski, Wells, Hall, Bonilla, Chris Sheppard (Haro Lee Dungarees), and Carl Swenson (RLX Ralph Lauren) were all there. Mirroring the women's race, two laps to go seemed like the right time to make a move as Bonilla attacked hard through the start-finish with Horgan- Kobelski right on his wheel. On the tight turn at the top of the course, Horgan-Kobelski went down, and although he recovered immediately, the damage had been done and Bonilla was on his way to winning his first NORBA NCMBS event after placing second here in Big Bear last year.

An elated Bonilla explained his winning move, "My coach said to make sure I was in the top two in the last couple of laps, so I made sure I was. When I attacked with two to go, all the other guys sort of looked at each other without immediately responding, "I can't believe it, I am so happy"

Horgan-Kobelski accepted his misfortune on the last lap, " I crashed when attempting to pass at the top of the course, I was passing on the inside on the loose dirt, my front tire washed out and I went down. It was a super-aggressive move, so I'm not really complaining. This is the best I've ever felt in a short track race before. That's racing"

Photos

Images by Bob Wilson/www.wilsonsphotography.com

Katerina Hanusova (Luna Chix)
Mary McConneloug (Seven Cycles)
Susan Haywood (Trek-VW)
Alison Dunlap (Luna Chix)
Kim Anderson (T-Mobile) raced through the field
Susan Haywood keeps pushing it
Jimena Florit (RLX Ralph Lauren)
Second last lap and the race for third is on
Susan Haywood wins, the OLN cameraman gets second
Susan Haywood looking like she was tail-ended by a Kombi
The rest of the podium sprint for their spots
Mary McConneloug post race
Alison Dunlap, chirpy as ever
Susan Haywood looks exhausted
From out of nowhere; Jose Adrian Bonilla
And it's on! The first of many short laps
Fighting for the inside line
Bonilla was in form from the start
Seamus McGrath (Haro Lee Dungarees)
Ryder Hesjedal just wasn't on the money today
Into a U-Turn, and it's shoulder to shoulder
Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (RLX Ralph Lauren) and Todd Wells (Mongoose/Hyundai)
Mid-race, and it's still 110%
Down into the dirt section
The men's second last lap
Todd Wells heads for third place
Jose Adrian Bonilla takes the win
An exhausted Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski in second
Bonilla is as happy as a rooster in a henhouse
Todd Wells looking more like a boxer than a cyclist
Roland Green could only manage 11th
The women's field chilling post-race
A serious looking Susan Haywood lets loose
The Women's podium
The Men's podium

Results

Women
 
1 Susan Haywood (USA) Trek-VW                   25.59.0
2 Alison Dunlap (USA) Luna Women                 0.11.7
3 Mary Mcconneloug (USA) Seven Cycles            0.12.0
4 Katerina Hanusova (USA) Luna Women             0.13.6
5 Jimena Florit (Arg) RLX Ralph Lauren           0.13.9
6 Kim Anderson (USA) T-Mobile                    0.16.8
7 Alison Sydor (Can) Trek-VW                     0.27.7
8 Dara Marks (USA) Sobe/Cannondale               0.35.9
9 Lanie Mason (USA)                              0.41.1
10 Chrissy Redden (Can) Subaru-Gary Fisher       0.45.8
11 Kiara Bisaro (Can) Gearsracing                0.46.6
12 Karen Matamoros Zungiga (CRc) Costa Rica      0.47.9
13 Mary Grigson (Aus) Subaru/Gary Fisher         0.48.6
14 Jamie Whitmore-Cardenas (USA) Feltfssa M      0.58.3
15 Willow Koerber (USA) Rlx Ralph                1.03.0
16 Rhonda Quick (USA) Clif Bar                   1.05.7
17 Kerry Barnholt (USA) Sobe Canno               1.09.2
18 Gina Hall (USA) Clif Bar                      1.15.8
19 Trish Sinclair (Can) Gearsracin               1.16.5
20 Karen Dewolfe (Can) Cal Dried                 1.16.8
21 Sara Bresnick (USA) Team Dried                1.23.3
22 Jennifer Todd (USA) Sobe Canno                1.27.4
23 Gretchen Reeves (USA) Rocky Moun              1.31.8
24 Melanie Mcquaid (Can) Ford Outfi              1.32.9
25 Heather Irmiger (USA) Ritchey/K2              1.33.3
26 Kelli Emmett (USA) Hillenbran                 1.44.3
27 Lisa Matlock (USA) Ford Outfi                 1.52.5
28 Dellys Franke (Aus) Rocky Moun                lapped
29 Lesley Tomlinson (Can) Rocky Moun
30 Tonya Laffey (USA) Mtbchick.C
31 Sonia Lopez (Mex) Telcel-Spe
32 Susy Pryde (USA) Specialize
33 Sally Warner (USA) Biogen
34 Lorenza Morfin (Mex) Turbo
35 Barbara Howe (USA) G6
36 Kathy Sherwin (USA)
37 Tiffany Kenny (USA) Ford Outfi
38 Annemarie Huisman (USA) Sobe/Canno
39 Becca Blay (USA) Tram Deam
40 Nina Baum (USA) Lenz Sport
41 Judy Freeman (USA) Sobe/Canno
42 Joan Orgeldinger (USA) Redhook
43 Rachel Massey (USA) Ford Outfi
44 Shannon Gibson (USA) Crazy Cat
45 Kimberly Flynn (USA) Team Peggy
46 Julie Emmerman (USA) Ritchey Ro
47 Robin Mcgee (USA)
48 Shari Hausbeck (USA)
49 Lisa Peck (USA) Biogen
 
Pro Men
 
1 Jose Adrian Bonilla (CRc) Costa Rica          25.19.5
2 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) RLX Ralph lauren  0.01.8
3 Todd Wells (USA) Mongoose/Hyundai              0.04.9
4 Seamus Mcgrath (Can) Haro Lee Dungarees        0.06.3
5 Jeff Hall (USA) Salsa Cycles                   0.06.9
6 Carl Swenson (USA) RLX Ralph Lauren            0.10.9
7 Paul Rowney (Aus) Sobe Cannondale              0.19.0
8 Chris Sheppard (Can) Haro Lee Dungarees        0.22.4
9 Geoff Kabush (Can) Kona                        0.33.1
10 Andreas Hestler (Can) Rocky Mountain          0.40.8
11 Roland Green (Can) Trek/VW                    0.51.4
12 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Subaru-Gary Fisher       0.51.8
13 Frank Mapel (USA) Specialized                 0.56.9
14 Travis Brown (USA) Trek/Volks                 1.01.5
15 Jay Henry (USA) Specialize                    1.06.0
16 Ryan Trebon (USA) Krystal/Wc                  1.09.2
17 Doug Swanson (USA) Trek/Vw/Jb                 1.13.3
18 Ricky Federau (Can) Gearsracin                1.14.4
19 Jimi Mortenson (USA) Specialize               1.22.2
20 Mathieu Toulouse (Can) Gearsracin             lapped
21 Carl Decker (USA)
22 Cody Peterson (USA) 3 D Racing
23 Jeremiah Bishop (USA)
24 Ziranda Madrigal (Mex) Turbo
25 Brent Miller (Aus)
26 Walker Ferguson (USA) Subaru - G
27 Peter Wedge (Can) Kona Usa
28 Alan Obye (USA) Team Balan
29 Adam Craig (USA)
30 Nick Waite (USA) Team West
31 Brent Bookwalter (USA) Balance Ba
32 Michael Broderick (USA) Seven Cycl
33 Barry Wicks (USA) Kona-Clark
34 Eric Jones (USA) Team Bioge
35 Christian Cuesta Navarrete (Mex) Team Morat
36 Derek Wilkerson (USA) Hillenbran
37 Deiber Esquivel Benavide (CRc) Costa Rica
38 Julian Hine (Can) Gearsracin
39 Diego Garavito (USA)
40 Matt Shriver (USA) 3D Racing/
41 Scott Keller (USA) Speedbikes
42 Stefano Barberi (USA) Mapei
43 Russ Tiles (USA) Sling Shot
44 Neil Shirley (USA) Trek West
45 Micheal Lee (USA) Trek/Vw/Jb
46 Salvador Barriga Vidales (Mex) Turbo
47 Matt Pacocha (USA) Ritchey/K2
48 Amon Pease (USA) Trek/Vw Jb
49 Brad Van Orden (USA) Ritchey/No
50 Dan Swanson (USA) Nature Val
51 Ben Moody (USA) Team Dried
52 Josh Bezecny (USA)
53 Charles Pendry (USA) Krystal
54 Grant Berry (USA) 3D Racing/
55 Mike West (USA)
56 Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona
57 Troy Barry (USA)
58 Jesse Rients (USA) Penn Cycle
59 Brian Astell (USA) Independen
60 Ladd Mcclain (USA) Subaru/Gar
61 David Binker (USA) Ritchey/No
62 Adam Bucklin (USA) Dried Plum
63 Steve Kinney (USA)
64 John Foley (USA) Team Dried