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NORBA Series #5 - E1

Durango, CO, USA, August 16-17, 2003

2002 results     Race List

The Races

  • Race 1 - August 16: Cross-country
  • Race 2 - August 16: Mountain cross
  • Race 3 - August 17: Short-track cross-country
  • Race 4 - August 17: Downhill

National Championships on the line in Durango

By Kristy Scrymgeour

Over the jump
Photo ©: Cyclingnews

This weekend, Durango Mountain Resort hosts the final round of the NORBA series and will determine both the winner of the series for each event and the US National Champion. The historic mining town of Durango has, in recent years, become one of the most popular high-altitude training bases for elite off-road cyclists at 8900 feet (2700meters).

The weather is beautiful and the courses that were wet during the week have since dried up and the conditions are near perfect. Just three weekends before the World MTB Championships to be held in Lugano, Switzerland from September 31 -9, this weekend's events will be a good indicator of riders form.

The first pro event of the weekend is the Cross Country where Ryder Hesjedal (Subaru Gary Fisher) and Jimena Florit (RLX Ralph Loren) will be fighting to maintain their lead of the series with riders such as Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (RLX-Ralph Loren) and Seamus McGrath (Haro Lee Dungaree) in the men's event and Chrissy Redden (Subaru Gary Fisher) in the women's. Horgan-Kobelski is the leading American in the series and Sue Haywood is leading the women's race for the US title.

Saturday afternoon the Mountain cross riders will hit the course that is longer than usual which will see the best times at about 40seconds. Leading the series for the men's is Eric Carter (Hyundai/Mongoose) and in the women's is Jill Kintner (Fox Shox). Threatening their leads are Mike King (Haro Lee Dungarees) and Sabrina Jonnier (Intense/Fox) respectively.

The cross country riders are back on the slopes Sunday morning for the short track where Paul Rowney (Sobe Cannondale), with a broken hand, and Seamus McGrath (Haro Lee Dungarees) will be aiming to take the lead from Horgan Kobelski in the men's race and Chrissy Redden (Subaru Gary Fisher) and Katerina Hanusova (Luna Chix) will be out to get Susan Haywood (Trek-Volkswagen).

The downhill event is the last but not least, where Chris Kovarik (Intense Fox) presently leads over Greg Minnar (Haro Lee Dungaree) by only 12 points in the men's event and Marla Streb (Luna Chix) will race to defend her lead over Fion Griffiths (Foes Azonic).

Photography

Images by Kristy Scrymgeour/Cyclingnews

Images by Beth Seliga