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National Mountain Bike Series 7 (NMBS-AMBC) - 1
Snowmass, Colorado, USA, August 10-12, 2007
Main Page Results Overall standings Previous Stage Next Stage
Race 7 - August 11: Pro Men Cross Country,
Kabush takes tight win over Bishop and wraps up series title
By Sue George
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The top two men from the last Sugar Mountain NMBS round were left to battle it out again in Colorado for the final race in the series. Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis) had a shadow in the form of Jeremiah Bishop (Trek / VW), whom the Maxxis rider could not shake.
Kabush, sponsored by a tire manufacturer, made a calculated gamble by choosing to race with super light tires. He hoped the gains he would experience on the climbs would offset any caution he'd have to employ not to flat on the downhills, and no matter what happened, he'd still win the series, if not the race.
Kabush had raced the tires before, like at Sea Otter, and he said they're great for climbing courses. He'll often use them on the short track. "When I can use them, it drops over a pound from my bike."
"I already had the series wrapped up, so there was less pressure," said Kabush. "The course at Snowmass was pretty incredible. It had lots of climbing which is generally not my strength. I ran superlight Maxxis 310 g. It was craziest (rockiest) course I've ever ridden them on. I tried to use them to go uphill as fast as I could and crack the guys, but Jeremiah was riding really well."
"Kabush was running a risky setup in my opinion," said Bishop after the race. "The one thing that would have derailled his day was a double flat or a slashed sidewall. The wheelset was a shock to me when we started the race and I saw what he was running. I can't believe he didn't flat." After seeing the course, Bishop ran a full 2.2" mountain bike tire on the rear, which he said paid off on the descents.
Organizers changed the course just before the event, so instead of climbing just halfway up the mountain and descending each lap, racers went all the way, on a more old-school style course.
Kabush would sometimes shake Bishop on or just after the climb, but Bishop would always get him back on the downhill, so inevitably the race would turn into a sprint finish, won by Kabush. Bishop finished just one second behind.
"Every climb, I'd get a bit of a gap, 20-30 seconds," said Kabush. "On the last time over the top it was 45 seconds or even a minute. It was a 25 minute descent to the finish. He caught up with me seven or eight minutes to go."
"It made for an intense finish. I'd push it on any uphill, but he kept coming back to me. On the final grass sweeping corner to the finish, we were neck and neck. We were both drifting on the gravel in the corner," recalled Kabush.
"It made for a really interesting race, probably the most exciting race of the year," said Bishop. "We would yo-yo back and forth. I would catch up to him and he'd pull away on steep climb, and I'd think I was done and dropped, and then I'd rip downhill at a steady place, and I'd see him slowing down for a stream crossing and I'd blast right through and catch back up."
Kabush said he was not bothered by the altitude. When not travelling for racing, he lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at 6,000 feet altitude, not quite as high as the 9,000 feet at Snowmass. He'd had over a week to re-acclimated after racing in North Carolina. In contrast, Bishop, who resides nearer to sea level, chose the arrive-at-the-last-minute strategy and said he felt fine at altitude Saturday, but suffered Sunday.
National champion Adam Craig (Giant) finished third, back 2'30". Todd Wells (GT) and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru - Gary Fisher) rounded out the podium for fourth and fifth.
The Canadian Kabush claimed the overall national series title with Horgan-Kobelski in second. Bishop's strong two series-ending performances helped him step up to third overall, and he said he felt on track for the rest of the major races for the season. Wells (GT) and Barry Wicks (Kona) finished off the series podium.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Dave McElwaine/www.trailwatch.net
- Barry Wicks (Kona)
- Newly crowned US cross country national champion Adam Craig (Giant)
- NMBS series leader Geoff Kabush (Maxxis)
- Jeremiah Bishop (Trek/VW) tries to repeat his 2006 victory.
- Jeremiah Bishop (Trek/VW) climbs at 9,000 feet elevation
- Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) ran ultralight 330 gram tires for better climbing
- The peloton heads into the Aspen groves.
- Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) and Bishop (Trek) lead at 10,000 feet elevation.
- Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Gary Fisher/Suburu) chases in fourth place.
- Adam Craig (Giant) has a good race in third place.
- Jay Henry (Tokyo Joes) in sixth place leads Sam Jurekovic (U23 National Team) .
- Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) outsprints Jeremiah Bishop (Trek/VW) for the race win and series championship.
- Jeremiah Bishop (Trek/VW) and Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) post race
- Jay Henry (Tokyo Joes) finishes seventh.
- Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru / Gary Fisher) finished fifth (shown with wife Heather Irmiger).
- Cody Peterson (Scott) who finished 11th and Sam Jurekovic (U23 National) who finished sixth, had their best races ever.
- Snowmass cross country race podium (left to right): Todd Wells, Jeremiah Bishop, Geoff Kabush, Adam Craig, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski
- Geoff Kabush and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski wore "Dopers Suck" socks to the podium.
- NMBS series podium (left to right): Todd Wells, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Geoff Kabush, Jeremiah Bishop, Barry Wicks.
Results
1 Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis 1.38.20
2 Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Trek/VW 0.01
3 Adam Craig (USA) Giant 2.30
4 Todd Wells (USA) GT Bikes 3.10
5 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 4.29
6 Sam Jurekovic (USA) U23 National Team 5.52
7 Jay Henry (USA) Tokyo Joes 7.22
8 Jeff Hall (USA) Salsa Cycles 8.28
9 Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona/Lesgets 9.31
10 Carl Decker (USA) Giant 9.33
11 Cody Peterson (USA) Scott Bicycles 10.25
12 Barry Wicks (USA) Kona 10.57
13 Andy Schultz (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 11.06
14 Alan Obye (USA) Jamis 11.15
15 Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona 11.18
16 Sam Schultz (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 11.50
17 Brian Smith (USA) Trek/VW 11.59
18 Tad Elliott (USA) U23 National Team 12.46
19 Colin Cares (USA) U23 National Team 12.47
20 Charles Pendry (USA) Inland - Btd 13.00
21 Alex Grant (USA) Titus/Pearl Izumi 13.24
22 Bryan Alders (USA) Mona-Vie/Cannondale 13.33
23 Mathieu Toulouse (Can) Team Maxxis 14.01
24 Mitch Hoke (USA) Tm Radical Racing 14.22
25 Erik Tonkin (USA) Kona Les Gets 14.46
26 Adam Snyder (USA) 3-D Racing 14.50
27 Peter Stetina (USA) Tokyo Joes 15.03
28 Barkley Robinson (USA) Giant 16.19
29 Andrew Lee (USA) 16.44
30 Spencer Paxson (USA) Discover Bicycles Hood River 16.45
31 Thomas Turner (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 16.48
32 Ignacio Torres-Acosta (Mex) Turbo 16.57
33 Jeff Schalk (USA) Trek VW- East 17.49
34 Cale Redpath (USA) 3D Racing 18.31
35 Sean Donovan (USA) Cytomax/Khs 19.20
36 Adrian Garcia Velarde (Mex) Crazy Cat 20.32
37 Brett Morgan (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 20.47
38 Mcconnell Franklin (USA) Devo 20.56
39 Jesse Swift (USA) 21.00
40 Todd Helmick (USA) Trek/VW 21.01
41 Tim Olson (USA) Trek/VW 21.21
42 Travis Woodruff (USA) Momentumendurance.Com 22.24
43 Bryan Fawley (USA) Kenda/X-Fusion/Titus 22.34
44 Ryan Artale (USA) Maverick/Mafiaracing.Com 22.37
45 Jake Wells (USA) Mafiaracing.Com 23.17
46 Dana Weber (USA) Jax Bicycle Center 23.21
47 Brandon Draugelis (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 24.14
48 Jamie Morgan (USA) Moots Cycles 25.41
49 Ryan Lynch (USA) James Frames/Mafia 25.42
50 Mike Phillips (USA) Alterra/Specialized 26.35
51 Michael Raney (USA) Voo-Doo 27.00
52 Chris Peariso (USA) Titus / Muddy Cup 27.39
53 Dave Harrison (USA) Reddrox/Tamarack Resort 27.51
54 Trevor Downing (USA) Team Devo 28.40
55 Blake Zumbrunnen (USA) Revolution/Crank Bros 30.30
56 Nick Martin (USA) Trek/VW 31.10
57 Bear Perrin (USA) Kenda 31.27
58 Matt Freeman (USA) Pass Pt/Gary Fisher 31.56
59 Eric Neat (USA) Schampa 32.01
60 Keith Hickerson (USA) Tamarack 33.40
61 Rotem Ishay (Isr) Spider Cc 34.44
62 Paul Hanson (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 34.45
63 Aroussen Laflamme (Can) Cbsf/Normandin/Faire 36.57
64 Aaron Snyder (USA) South Mountain Cycles 40.32
65 Mitchell Peterson (USA) Devo 40.54
66 Jason Sager (USA) Monavie/Cannondale 44.04
67 Yuki Saito (USA) Fuentes Design/Walt Works 47.58
68 Fabio Dias (USA) Brazil 48.13
DNF Nat Ross (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher
DNF Jeffery Mccullough (USA) Ruby Canyon/Mrp/MTB StrenGTh/Smith/Maxxis
DNF Brian Fuentes (USA) Waltworks/Fuentes Designs
DNF Ken Burt (USA) Motionbased/Garmin MTB
DNF Colin Osborn (USA) Team Gofast/Bikeparts.Com
DNF Josh Bezecny (USA) Target Training
DNF Kevin Rice (USA) Tokyo Joes
DNF Micah Joseph (USA)
DNF Kelly Magelky (USA) Bmc/Sports Garage
DNF Troy Wells (USA) Tokyo Joes
Final NMBS Standings
1 Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis 900 pts
2 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 836
3 Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Trek/VW 771
4 Todd Wells (USA) GT Bikes 761
5 Barry Wicks (USA) Kona 739
6 Carl Decker (USA) Giant 668
7 Adam Craig (USA) Giant 616
8 Andy Schultz (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 600
9 Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona 600
10 Mathieu Toulouse (Can) Team Maxxis 590
11 Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona/Lesgets 585
12 Sam Jurekovic (USA) U23 National Team 535
13 Jeff Hall (USA) Salsa Cycles 507
14 Cody Peterson (USA) Scott Bicycles 507
15 Sam Schultz (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 468
16 Jeff Schalk (USA) Trek VW- East 459
17 Ross Schnell (USA) Trek/VW 431
18 Adam Snyder (USA) 3-D Racing 423
19 Thomas Turner (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 409
20 Dana Weber (USA) Jax Bicycle Center 399
21 Colin Cares (USA) U23 National Team 379
22 Alan Obye (USA) Jamis 355
23 Brian Fuentes (USA) Waltworks/Fuente 339
24 Charles Pendry (USA) Inland - Btd 331
25 Cale Redpath (USA) 3D Racing 328
26 Sean Donovan (USA) Cytomax/KHS 327
27 Erik Tonkin (USA) Kona Les Gets 319
28 Ryan Woodall (USA) Industrynine/Titus 316
29 Matthew Hadley (Can) Rocky Mountain 309
30 Max Plaxton (Can) Rocky Mountain 287
31 Michael Broderick (USA) Kenda/Seven Cycle 274
32 Keith Hickerson (USA) Tamarack 268
33 Roddi Lega (Can) United Cycle 264
34 Tad Elliott (USA) U23 National Team 258
35 Jay Henry (USA) Tokyo Joes 248
36 Bryan Fawley (USA) Kenda/X-Fusion/Titus 225
37 Ryan Lynch (USA) James Frames 219
38 Brandon Draugelis (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 201
39 Travis Livermon (USA) Cycling Spoken 191
40 Tristan Uhl (USA) Team Hotel San 186
41 Chris Winn (Aus) Gt/SRAM Australia 171
42 Travis Woodruff (USA) Momentumenduran 163
43 Paul Hanson (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 160
44 Brent Miller (Aus) Kenda/X-Fusion/Titus 159
45 Bryan Alders (USA) Mona-Vie/Cannondale 156
46 Mcconnell Franklin (USA) Devo 156
47 Mitchell Peterson (USA) Devo 156
48 Christian Ball (USA) Yeti/Mafia 153
49 Troy Wells (USA) Tokyo Joes 153
50 Eric Ransom (USA) Team Tamarack 151
51 Ken Burt (USA) Motionbased/Garmin 144
52 Spencer Paxson (USA) Discover Bicycles 141
53 Bruce Muhlfeld (USA) Trek-VW 136
54 Mitch Hoke (USA) Tm Radical Racing 134
55 Michael Raney (USA) Voo-Doo 132
56 Burry Stander (RSA) Gt Bikes 132
57 Charles Jenkins (USA) Ie Bikes Racing 131
58 Yuki Saito (USA) Fuentes Design 127
59 Rick Wetherald (USA) Tamarack Resort 126
60 Todd Helmick (USA) Trek/VW 125
61 Barkley Robinson (USA) Giant 122
62 Aren Timmel (USA) Team Chico 122
63 Seamus Mcgrath (Can) Rocky Mountain 122
64 Kevin Smallman (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 112
65 Mike Phillips (USA) Alterra/Specialized 111
66 Samuel Koerber (USA) Pro Bikes 108
67 Brig Brandt (USA) Bend Elite 104
68 Michael Lee (USA) Trek/VW West Coast 102
69 Brian Smith (USA) Trek/VW 99
70 Tim Olson (USA) Trek/VW 97
71 Scott Keller (USA) Schampa/Jamis 97
72 Jesse Swift (USA) 96
73 Kevin Bradford Parish (USA) Lapirre USA 96
74 Chance Noble (USA) Cal Giant/Specialized 95
75 Nat Ross (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 93
76 Nicholas Stevens (GBr) Orbea USA 92
77 Neal Kindree (Can) Kona 90
78 Leonardo Sandoval (USA) Socal Specialized 90
79 Alex Grant (USA) Titus/Pearl Izumi 87
80 Adrian Garcia Velarde (Mex) Crazy Cat 84
81 Mike Andres (USA) Trek VW 84
82 Brett Morgan (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 81
83 Ben Thompson (USA) Bend Elite 78
84 Shun Matsumoto (Jpn) Trek Japan 78
85 Hal Helbock (USA) Cytomax/KHS 78
86 Tim Heemskerk (Can) United Cycling Race 78
87 Nick Martin (USA) Trek/VW 76
88 Chris Peariso (USA) Titus / Muddy Cup 74
89 Aaron Snyder (USA) South Mountain 74
90 Miguel Valadez (Mex) Tecate Mex 73
91 Bear Perrin (USA) Kenda 71
92 Peter Stetina (USA) Tokyo Joes 69
93 Brett Racine (USA) Bliss Racing 69
94 Bart Gillespie (USA) Mona Vie/Cannondale 69
95 Paul Freiwald (USA) Titus Cycles 68
96 Ryan Artale (USA) Maverick/Mafiaraci 67
97 Kyle Hammaker (USA) Cadence 66
98 Andrew Lee (USA) 63
99 Blake Zumbrunnen (USA) Revolution/Crank 62
100 David Yakaitis (USA) Garmin/Jamis 60
101 Grant Kier (USA) Redbarnbicycles 60
102 Greg Randolph (USA) Team Road & Dirt 58
103 Tristan Schouten (USA) Trek/VW 58
104 Ignacio Torres-Acosta (Mex) Turbo 56
105 Dave Harrison (USA) Reddrox/Tamarack 56
106 Dustin Wanstrath (USA) Team Tamarack 55
107 Damian Calvert (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 54
108 Jamie Morgan (USA) Moots Cycles 53
109 Dylan Alesio (USA) Wild Blues 52
110 Jake Wells (USA) Mafiaracing.Com 51
111 Daniel Corum (USA) Inland/Btd 50
112 Trevor Downing (USA) Team Devo 47
113 Kamden Reedy (USA) Titus Cycles 46
114 Andrew Alesio (USA) Wild Blues 44
115 Shawn Altizer (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 42
116 Christian Helmig (USA) Mad Duck 42
117 Eric Neat (USA) Schampa 41
118 Alex Ryan (USA) Land Rover/Cannodale 41
119 Colin Osborn (USA) Team Gofast/Bike 39
120 Andy Johnston (USA) Kenda/KHS/Cycle 38
121 Kevin Day (USA) Bikers Edge 38
122 Stephen Iles (USA) Comotion Sports 37
123 Kelly Magelky (USA) BMC/Sports Garage 34
124 Chris Heinrich (USA) Bicycle Johns 33
125 Thomas Spannring (Aut) Cannondale/Mona 32
126 Lucas Livermon (USA) Inland/Bto 28
127 Noah Holcomb (USA) Bear Naked/Cannondale 28
128 Sloane Anderson (USA) Clifbar/Smith 27
129 Shannon Boffeli (USA) Revolution Mtn 25
130 Kevin Rice (USA) Tokyo Joes 23
131 Matt Freeman (USA) Pass Pt/Gary Fisher 22
132 Andrew Freye (USA) Bikeman.Com/Salsa 22
133 Steve Kinney (USA) Big Bear Lake 21
134 Rotem Ishay (Isr) Netanya 19
135 Aroussen Laflamme (Can) Sunnyvale 17
136 Joshua Powers (USA) Flagstaff 17
137 Kristophe Holden (USA) Spokane 15
138 Jason Sager (USA) Boulder 14
139 Fabio Dias (USA) Colorado Springs 12
140 Masashi Imai (Jpn) Okayama-Shi 11
141 Kirk Turner (USA) Harrison 10
142 Miles Venzara (USA) Durango 9
