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NORBA National series #2 - E1
McDowell Mountain Park, Arizona, March 17-20, 2005
Main Page Results Previous Day
Day 4 - March 20: Cross country
Kabush sweeps up in Arizona; Vanlandingham XC finale - GC to Haywood
By Eric Wallace
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Cross-country racing in the desert requires constant concentration, commitment to your lines and a good amount of luck. With both the athletes on course and the cactus lining the singletrack out to get you, it is imperative to maintain your composure and your line of focus. The pro cross county stage race culminated with the long course cross-country event. The course itself was 6.2 miles in length and featured tight and twisty singletrack, one major climb and lots of ups and downs.
The women’s event comprised 4 laps of the course that many competitors regarded as one of the most fun on the circuit. GC leader Susan Haywood (Trek-VW) held a small advantage over Willow Koerber (Subaru-Gary Fisher), the Luna Women’s MTB Team triumvirate of Shonny Vanlandingham, Alison Dunlap and Katerina Hanusova, and a hard charging Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven Cycles). Heading out on to the course and diving into the opening section of singletrack the group was led by the top GC protagonists. An unusual face made herself known at the front of the event as Luna’s gravity expert and former DH junior World Champ Kathy Pruitt thundered her way to the front of the race, helping to set the pace for her teammates.
Significant gaps started to form at the top of the climb as the leaders began small surges to purge the group of weaker riders. McConneloug led the group through the start finishing structure to complete the first lap with Dunlap, Haywood, Vanlandingham, Hanusova, Koerber and Heather Irmiger (Tokyo Joes) in a pace line behind. A large chase group of a dozen riders had formed with a gap of 45 seconds to the leaders. Throughout the second lap, these riders traded jabs and pushed the pace, continuing to distance themselves from the chasers. Dunlap led the same group back into the desert to start their third lap. Just after the feed zone and before the really technical sections began, Vanlandingham kicked it up a notch and launched a blistering attack catching all but her teammates unaware. The 2004 NORBA number 1 plate immediately opened a solid gap and continued to drive herself to gain every precious second before the climb.
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Hitting the start-finish for the bell lap, Vanlandingham held a small, 10-second lead over a chase group that was patrolled by former world champion teammate Dunlap. Over the ridgeline GC leader Haywood bridged across to the leader taking Dunlap along with her. Koerber and McConneloug couldn’t quite match the pace and settled in, hoping for mistakes at the front of the race. At the final sprint, Vanlandingham kicked first, easily taking the victory over Dunlap and Haywood in third. Koerber came through at another 5 seconds followed at the same time gap by McConneloug.
“I’m really shooting to keep this number 1 plate,” said the race victor Vanlandingham. “I got a small gap on the downhill and intentionally missed a feed to maintain my lead. I started cramping just at the end but luckily I had enough to get to the line." Haywood was able to hang on to her GC lead with Koerber in second, Dunlap in third, Vanlandingham in fourth and Hanusova rounding out the steps.
Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis) had already won the previous two stages and was looking for a sweep of the weekend. Looking at the overall GC, a number of top-level riders had other intentions and looked to keep both the race and the overall from the orange clad Canadian. At the starting pistol, Kabush immediately launched himself to the front with Adam Craig (Giant), Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Gary Fisher) and Todd Wells (Hyundai-GT). This elite group immediately distanced themselves from the pack and began to settle in for a long race.
Up the climb and through the rolling twisties, these four held a small gap over the chasing Specialized duo of Liam Killeen and Sid Taberlay with Chris Sheppard (Haro) a further 5 seconds in arrears. Kabush led the leaders under the banner and started their second of the five laps on slate for the day. Around the course and across the line again, the lead foursome worked smoothly together trying to ration off their exertions while keeping the chasers at bay. Just nearing the climb on the third lap, the Specialized riders Killeen and Taberlay made contact with the front, swelling the lead pack to six.
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Chris Sheppard dangled at the 3 second mark and was finally able to tag onto the coattails of the leaders at the top of the climb. Pinning it down the backside, Kabush figured enough was enough and launched a solid acceleration, enough to distance himself from his fellow breakaways to the tune of 20 seconds by the time they hit the line and hearing the bell. Craig, Wells, JHK, Taberlay and Killeen looked one to another, hoping that somebody - anybody - would try to bring back the Maxxis number 1 plate.
At the base of the climb the gap had extended to 40 seconds, by the top it had stretched to 45. It was evident once again that the winner and flown the coop and that the group was racing for the silver medal. At the line, K-bomb Kabush wiped off his NORBA Number 1 plate and crossed the line making it a sweep of 3 for the weekend. Back up course, Killeen jumped a bit early, clearing the way for second place with JHK in third, Craig in fourth and Wells in fifth.
“I just wanted to keep it steady and be patient” said Kabush. “I was really able to roll it on the twisty stuff and just settle in up the climb”.
Kabush took the honors in General Classification with Killeen in second, Horgan-Kobelski in third, Taberlay in fourth and Wells taking fifth.
NORBA racing takes a brief hiatus and returns to the trails in mid-June at Deer Valley, UT.
Eric Wallace is manager of Team Maxxis.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us
- Riders are silhouetted against the late afternoon sun.
- Kelli Emmett leads a group on the first lap.
- Lyne Bessette star road racer tries her hand at mountain bike racing.
- Willow Koerber fits right in with the AZ wildflower theme.
- Jenny Copnall concentrates through the tight desert singletrack.
- Jacqueline Mourao working hard to make up some time.
- Alison Dunlap puts the hammer down and splits up the field.
- Sue Haywood rode strongly today and tied up her GC win for the weekend.
- Shonny Vanlandingham rides solo on her way to first place.
- Alison Dunlap keeps the tempo high and the group in check
- Dara Marks-Marino from Flagstaff, AZ leads a chase group on the second lap.
- Kathy Sherwin makes her way through the countryside.
- Shonny Vanlandingham fighting to hold the gap she created on the last lap.
- Shonny Vanlandingham takes the win as excited teammate Alison Dunlap comes in second and Sue Haywood third.
- Geoff Kabush and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski lead the group from the gun.
- Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski catches some air on one of the courses big drops.
- Andy Mills (Trek/VW Southeast) plays it a little safer on the rocky drop off
- Juan Hernandez finds a smooth line around the rocks.
- The group winds its way through the scenic desert.
- Mathieu Toulouse riding smooth midway through the race.
- Roddi Lega leads a group after scraping up his elbow in an early crash.
- Matt Unger enjoying the sunny AZ weather.
- Geoff Kabush gets in front to pick up the pace.
- Peter Wedge leads a Kona teammate with one lap to go.
- Nick Ranno leads a late race chase group.
- Whitey Debroux rides by himself through the unusually green desert.
- Sam Jurekovic was out representing the U23 national team.
- Riders make their way through the plush and colorful countryside.
- Geoff Kabush continued to keep the pressure on throughout the race.
- Geoff Kabush rides off into the sunset.
- Geoff Kabush takes another NORBA win
Images by Ryan Atkinson
- Willow Koerber (Subaru-Gary Fisher) knows that you can't always trust signs.
- They were umbrellas at Texas - this week they're sunshades
- Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) ready to open a can of whoop ass on his opposition. Again.
- And they're off!
- Trent Lowe (Subaru-Gary Fisher) looking right at home in the dusty conditions
- Liam Killeen (Specialized) won the group sprint for second after Kabush fled the coop.
- JHK (S-GF) follows GK through the ST in the XC
- Jeremiah Bishop (Trek/VW) in hot but ultimately vain pursuit.
- Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) leads the front group
Results
Women 1 Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) Luna Women’s MTB Team 2 Alison Dunlap (USA) Luna Women’s MTB Team 3 Susan Haywood (USA) Trek-VW 4 Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 5 Mary McConneloug (USA)Kenda-Seven Cycles Men 1 Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis 2 Liam Killeen (GBr) Specialized 3 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 4 Adam Craig (USA) Giant 5 Todd Wells (USA) Hyundai-GT Overall General Classification Women 1 Susan Haywood (USA) Trek-VW 2 Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 3 Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) Luna Women’s MTB Team 4 Alison Dunlap (USA) Luna Women’s MTB Team 5 Katerina Hanusova (Cze) Luna Women’s MTB Team Men 1 Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis 2 Liam Killeen (GBr) Specialized 3 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 4 Sid Taberlay (Aus) Specialized 5 Todd Wells (USA) Hyundai-GT
