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NORBA NCS #3 - E1

USA, May 21-23, 2004

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Stage 1 - May 21: Time Trial, 4.5 miles

Irmiger, Mortensen descend to Big Bear wins

U.S. U23 National Team post strong times

By Andy Lee, USA Cycling

Jimi Mortensen
Photo ©: USA Cycling

The third round of the 2004 NORBA National Mountain Bike Series began in unique style this afternoon as cross country riders tested their descending capabilities in a downhill time trial. The opening stage, a 4.5 mile technical descent down the singletrack of Snow Summit Resort, welcomed two new faces to the top step of the podium as Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo.) and Jimi Mortensen (Eagle, Colo.) took the honors, their first in a NORBA National event.

Although some of the familiar names that have become mainstays at Big Bear were instead contesting the opening round of the UCI World Cup series, a pleasantly strong and competitive start list included several top pros.

With 28 riders remaining in the field of 86, former downhiller Mark Weir (Santa Cruz, Calif.) posted the first sub-15 minute time descending the course in 14:54.8. Two riders later, Mike West (Boulder, Colo.) did one better riding a 14:54.4, good enough to eventually secure a place on the podium. With 15 riders left, Carl Decker (Bend, Ore.) clocked a 14:56.1. The next rider down the trail then set the standard as Mortensen put up a 14:46.6, a time that would go unchallenged except by the efforts of Ryan Trebon (Ventura, Calif.) whose 14:49.1 was good enough for second place. The only riders to break the 15 minute barrier at the end of the day were the five podium finishers.

Continuing their remarkable season, the U.S. National U23 Mountain Bike Team finished just off the podium as Sam Schultz (Missoula, Mont.) placed sixth with a time of 15:05.7. John Devine (Colorado Springs, Colo.) finished eighth clocking a 15:09.2 and Alan Obye (Colorado Springs, Colo.) rode a 15:17.9, good enough for 16th place.

Heather Irmiger
Photo ©: USA Cycling

In the women’s event, Irmiger was one of four riders to crack the 17 minute mark with a winning time of 16:39.1, four seconds ahead of runner-up Shonny Vanlandingham (Durango, Colo.). Katerina Hanusova (CZE), and Kerry Barnholt (Boulder, Colo.) placed third and fourth respectively with the only other sub-17 minute rides. Kelli Emmet (Colorado Springs, Colo.) completed the women’s podium in fifth place with a time of 17:06.3.

Absent from the domestic scene today were U.S. Olympic hopefuls, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo.), Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va.), and Todd Wells (Durango, Colo.) as well as Alison Dunlap (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Sue Haywood (Davis, W. Va.), and Mary McConneloug (Fairfax, Calif.) who are all contesting the world cup opener in Madrid this weekend.

Traditional cross country racing returns on Saturday as Mortensen and Irmiger take their overall leads into the second stage before finishing up with Sunday’s short track event.

Entering the third round of the NORBA National Mountain Bike Series, Horgan-Kobelski and Dunlap currently hold the overall series lead in both the men’s and women’s cross country and short track events.

Photography

Images by Andy Lee/USA Cycling

Men

• Cesar Grajales
• Jimi Mortensen
• Douglas Ryden
• Canadian Max Plaxton
• Carl Decker sporting the goggles.
• U23 National Team rider, Sam Schultz finished just off the podium in sixth place.
• Aussie Paul Rowney
• Andreas Hestler
• Ryan Trebon finished in second place.
• Jay Henry
• Frank Mapel
• Jason Sager
• Travis Brown
• Brent Miller suffered a flat.
• Chris Sheppard
• Barry Wicks
• Peter Wedge
• Alan Obye
• John Devine
• Carl Swenson
• Derek Wilkerson
• Mike West rode to third place.
• Charles Jenkins
• Warren Gravely
• Curtis Keene
• Troy Wells
• Charles Pendry
• Men's TT Podium: (L to R) Decker, Trebon, Mortensen, West, Weir.

Women

• Heather Irmiger rode to her first NORBA win.
• Ford Cycling's Lisa Matlock
• Gretchen Reeves
• Katerina Hanusova
• Kerry Barnholt
• Jimena Florit used sufficient protection.
• Dara Marks-Marino
• Kelli Emmett.
• Willow Koerber
• Women's Podium: (L to R) Emmett, Vanlandingham, Irmiger, Hanusova, Barnholt.

Results

Men
 
1 Jimi Mortensen             14:46.6
2 Ryan Trebon                14:49.1
3 Mike West                  14:54.4
4 Mark Weir                  14:54.8
5 Carl Decker                14:56.1
6 Sam Schultz
 
Women
 
1 Heather Irmiger            16:39.1
2 Shonny Vanlandingham       16:43.2
3 Katerina Hanusova          16:45.9
4 Kerry Barnholt             16:46.2
5 Kelli Emmet                17:06.3