NORBA National series #7 - E2

Snowmass, CO, USA, August 8-9, 2004

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Race 1 - Cross-country

Florit, Wells take top podium spots

By Keri Fagan, USA Cycling

Three Olympians used today's cross-country event as final preparation for Athens

Round seven of the NORBA National Championship Series got under way seriously this afternoon with the cross-country race that served as the final preparation for three Olympic athletes before heading to Athens.

Todd Wells reigned supreme in the men's contest, and was awarded with his first career cross-country crown. Jimena Florit took the honor in the women's race for the first time since last season.

The men lined up first for two laps of the 13 mile course. With 3000 feet of climbing per lap, the field was spread out by the end of lap one.

About half way through the first lap, Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va.) and U.S. Olympian Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo.) broke off the front and worked together sharing the lead. The second member on the men's Olympic mountain bike squad, Todd Wells, rode about 30 seconds behind.

As lap one came to a close, the chasers included Aussie Trent Lowe, Adam Craig (Corinth, Maine), Carl Swenson (Gunnison, Colo.), Jimi Mortenson (Eagle, Colo.), Jay Henry (Avon, Colo.), Travis Brown (Boulder, Colo.), Geoff Kabush (CAN) and Carl Decker (Bend, Ore.).

Lap two saw Todd Wells power to the front and take over the lead, showing great strength going into this month's Olympic Games. Kabush, Lowe, and Craig lessened their distance to the race leaders.

As Wells came into sight, the crowd cheered him on to his first career cross-country victory. JHK followed in second, and Kabush in third. The top three all finished in under two hours. Trent Lowe and Adam Craig rounded out the podium in 4th and 5th respectively.

The women toed the line next for a similar course. In lap one, Argentine Olympian Jimena Florit led after the initial climb, a position she never relinquished. Shonny Vanlandingham (Durango, Colo.), the series leader going into the seventh round, was the only one able to maintain the pace, as Florit only kept a 15 second gap on Vanlandingham.

Willow Koerber broke off from the chase group and tried to bridge the gap to the series leader and her teammate. She never caught them, but was able to maintain a respectable distance behind the two.

As the women rounded out their final lap on the brutal course, the crowd wondered if Florit had been able to sustain her position. Sure enough, she crossed through the start/finish in first place, taking her first win since last year.

Vanlandingham, who had chased for the entire race, powered across the line next. Her effort, though impressive, was not enough to maintain her lead in the overall standings. Florit now holds that distinction.

Koerber, who has become an outright contender for wins this season, came in by herself in third. Alison Dunlap (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Gretchen Reeves (Boulder, Colo.) claimed the final spots on the podium in fourth and fifth respectively.

After the winners were recognized on the podium, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Todd Wells, and Jimena Florit gathered on stage as the crowd cheered and sent them off to Athens with best wishes.

Results

Men
 
1 Todd Wells (USA)
2 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA)
3 Geoff Kabush (Can)
4 Trent Lowe (Aus)
5 Adam Craig (USA)
 
Women
 
1 Jimena Florit (Arg)
2 Shonny Vanlandingham (USA)
3 Willow Koerber (USA)
4 Alison Dunlap (USA)
5 Gretchen Reeves (USA)
 
Men's standings after round 7
 
1 Geoff Kabush (Can)
2 Travis Brown (USA)
3 Ryan Trebon (USA)
4 Chris Sheppard (Can)
5 Jay Henry (USA)
 
Women's standings after round 7
 
1 Jimena Florit (Arg)
2 Shonny Vanlandingham (USA)
3 Alison Dunlap (USA)
4 Willow Koerber (USA)
5 Kelli Emmett (USA)