MTB World Cup XC #5, DH #4, 4X #4 - CDM

Mont Ste Anne, Canada, June 24-25, 2006

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Race 3 - June 24: Women's four-cross

Miller takes the win as Kintner stumbles

By Mike Badyk & Rob Jones

Katrina Miller (5)
Photo ©: Rob Jones

There's nothing like a perfect evening to bring out a huge throng of spectators. Being Quebec's national holiday of St. Jean Baptiste Day meant people were in a very festive mood. The racers didn't disappoint. Great action. A revised race course. And lots of fun. There were only a couple of crashes, but no serious injuries.

The women's field had 8 qualifiers. The big surprise was the 5th place finish of defending World Champion Jill Kintner (USA), who was unbeaten so far this season in World Cup action. Kintner crashed in qualifying which didn't give her first choice in lane selection. She felt that this was her undoing. "I was in second (in her first round) and could have just chilled and gone to the finals, but Tara Llanes was going too slow and I went around the outside and got into the last flag all square and got passed. I don't believe it, but I can't take it back. I've never been 5th. I'm dealing with it."

Katrina Miller (Aus) dominated the Final handily. "It was good racing. It was kind of like one line in the beginning but if you didn't give up you could stay close and even make passes in the last turn. The first turn here is so critical. That first straight is 90% of the race. If you don't get a perfect gate you're playing catch up. You just have to get out front and keep clicking gears. You can't worry about what's going on behind you. You just sprint as hard as you can." In second was Tara Llanes (USA) with Anneke Beerten (NED - Specialized Factory Racing) third and Melissa Buhl in fourth.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com

Katrina Miller (5) kept Jill Kintner (8) from moving on
Katrina Miller - very wide-eyed ahead of Kintner and Llannes
Melissa Buhl (3) & Anneke Beerten (2)
Anita Molcik (7) & Fionn Griffiths (6)
Anita Molcik (7) leads Fionn Griffiths (6) and Sabrina Jonnier (4)
Miller & Llanes in the women's final
The women's popdium - Melissa Buhl, Tara Llanes, Katrina Miller, Anneke Beerten, Jill Kintner

Results

Final
 
1. Katrina Miller (Aus)
2. Tara Llanes (USA) Giant
3. Anneke Beerten (Ned) Specialized Factory Racing
4. Melissa Buhl (USA) KHS
 
Qualification

1 Tara Llanes (USA) Giant                                0.38.34
2 Anneke Beerten (Ned) Specialized Factory Racing        0.38.51
3 Melissa Buhl (USA) KHS                                 0.38.69
4 Sabrina Jonnier (Fra) Monster/Iron Horse/Mad Katz      0.38.81
5 Katrina Miller (Aus)                                   0.39.22
6 Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Norco                            0.39.42
7 Anita Molcik (Aut) Arbö Rsp Downhill Racing            0.41.97
8 Jill Kintner (USA) GT                                  0.44.75
DNS Kathleen Pruitt (USA)