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Photo ©: Bettini

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NORBA NCS Series #1 - E1

Waco, TX, USA, March 11-14, 2004

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Race 3 - March 13: Short Track - 20mins/30 mins + 3 laps

Canadians do it again

By Kristy Scrymgeour

Sydor
Photo ©: Mike Gladu

Alison Sydor (Rocky Mountain) was successful in defending her lead in the three-stage race at the Waco NORBA today. She took the sprint in the criterium style race from Alison Dunlap (Luna Chix). In the men's race it was fellow Canadian Ryder Hesjedal (Subaru Gary Fisher) who won the sprint to the line in the men's crit from yesterdays time trial winner Seamus McGrath (Haro Bikes).

The course consisted of two long straights with one very tight harpin going into the finish line and two tight corners at the other end. It started on pavement and consisted of pavement and grass.

The women's race was stopped after the first lap due to a fall 200m into the race. Two riders went down and needed to be taken to hospital, one with a suspected broken hand. Half an hour later the race was re-started and it was as aggressive as ever. Sarah Noble (Rocky Mountain) took off after shortly into the race and remained away for about four laps before being reeled in.

Later in the race Jimena Florit attempted to go alone but was quickly reeled in. Finally the race came down to a sprint with Noble's teammate, Sydor, leading into the final corner and holding off Alison Dunlap (Luna Chix) to the line.

After the race Sydor looked happy with her win, which she said, was aided by the early break away of her teammate.

"When Sarah broke away it allowed me to sit in and conserve my energy," she said," as I knew it was going to be a bunch sprint."

Sydor explained that she was happy with her form for this time of the year. "This is my first race for the season, but yesterdays [time trial] result was certainly a confidence booster."

In the men's race the Canadian trio of McGrath, Hesjedal and Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) took off in the first five minutes of the race with local rider Jason Sager (Thunderbird Motel). They all worked hard together never to be caught. Sager was able to stay with them until about 10minutes to go in the race when he fell off the pace and it became a bunch sprint between the three maple lovers.

McGrath led into the final hairpin turn but the crafty Hesjedal took the inside line going underneath. With a good jump out of the corner he was able to hold off McGrath to take the win. Kabush took third trailing by about five seconds.

Ryder Hesjedal
Photo ©: Mike Gladu

Ryder was happy with his final move. "I was getting really good traction on that corner all race long," he said, "so I went as hard as I could into it on the last lap."

Hesjedal, who said he had been training hard all off season so that he could have a good start to the year explained that the break worked really well together to stay away for the entire race.

Another good performance was that off 18 year old, John Devine, who made the podium taking fourth place in his first ever pro race. Divine belongs to the newly formed US U/23 MTB squad.

The three day event will finish tomorrow with the cross country race. The course is seven miles long and consists of 1000 feet of climbing per lap. The men will race four laps and the women three.

Photography

Images by Mike Gladu/www.velodrome.com

  • Todd Wells of Mongoose gets the hole shot on the Men's Short Track start
  • Ryder Hesjedal ramps up the pace on the return to the start, with Seamus McGrath (#3) never more than two bike lengths away
  • Hesjedal rounding the downhill turn enjoyed perfect, dry conditions on the pavement
  • Jason Sager represented the locals by joining the leaders as they formed a breakaway
  • Hesjedal, Geoff Kabush, McGrath and Sager put plenty of time on the group, but Kabush took it upon himself to weed Sager out.
  • Down to three riders with only 2 laps to go, McGrath takes the pace
  • Liam Killeen moved to the front of the main group to block for treammate Hesjedal with one lap to go
  • McGrath and Hesjedal side by side up the final climb at two laps remaining
  • Kabush still hooked up to the McGrath/Hesjedal freight train
  • McGrath with the advantage 200 meters and one hairpin turn away from the line
  • Hesjedal comes by on the inside for the sprint win
  • Ryder Hesjedal is all smiles after moving into the stage race lead,
  • Pro Women Short Track start number one had to be brought back
  • Three riders didn't make it to the first turn - two needing medical transport that shut the course down
  • On the restart, nothing up front has changed: #8 Susan Haywood on point of the group led by Alison Dunlap (#40), Alison Sydor (#9) and Katerina Hanusova (#2) and Chrissy Redden (#2)
  • Haywood sets the pace with Dunlap and Sydor on the first laps
  • Sydor leans into the final turn of the "Mixmaster"
  • Dunlap whips around the pavement turns
  • Dunlap paces Kiara Bisaro and Sydor
  • Chrissy Redden takes a pull
  • Two laps to go and Dunlap is looking for position on the outside
  • Haywood leads the group into the final lap, with evntual winner Sydor on her wheel, Hanusova and Redden to her right and Dunlap passing on the outside

Results

Men
 
1 Ryder Hesjedal (Subaru-Gary Fisher)    0.25.25
2 Seamus McGrath (Haro Bikes)               0.00
3 Geoff Kabush (Maxxis)                     0.05
4 Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mtn)               0.36
5 John Devine (U23 Mational team)               
6 Chris Sheppard (Haro)                         
7 Liam Killeen (Subaru/Gary Fisher)             
8 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (RLX Ralph Lauren)     
9 Todd Wells (Mongoose/Hyundai)                 
10 Mathieu Toulouse (Gearsracing)               
11 Peter Wedge (Kona/Clarks)                0.41
12 Max Plaxton (Rocky Mtn)                  0.42
13 Jason Sager (Thunderbird)                0.43
14 Carlos Gennero (Gennero Cycles)          0.44
15 Jeremiah Bishop (Trek/VW)                0.45
16 Travis Brown (Trek/VW)                       
17 Douglas Ryden (Pro Cycling)                  
18 Roland Green (Trek/VW)                       
19 Sam Schultz (U23 National)                   
20 Brent Miller (Bianchi)                   0.46
21 Cody Peterson (3 D Racing)               0.47
22 Alan Obye (U23 Nation)                   0.48
23 Jesse Jakomait (Gearsracin)              0.49
24 Tristan Schouten (Pcw Cyclin)            0.52
25 Frank Mapel (Specialized)                0.52
26 Nathan Phillips (Solar Ecli)             0.53
27 Eric Jones (Biogen-Ide)                  0.55
28 Steve Tilford (Moots/Shim)                   
29 Nick Waite (U23 Nation)                      
30 Chris Eatough (Trek/Vw)                      
31 Scott Wingo (123Bikes.com)                   
32 Jay Henry (Specialize)                       
33 Charles Storm (Btd Racing)               1.00
34 Derek Wilkerson (Specialize)             1.02
35 Barry Wicks (Kona-Clark)                 1.24
36 Doug Swanson (Trek/Vw)                       
37 Brent Brookwalter (Balance Ba)           1.24
38 Charles Pendry (Btd Racing)                  
39 Damian Calvert (Cannondale)              1.27
40 Jimi Mortenson (Specialize)              1.28
41 Ryan Trebon (Konaclarks)                 1.30
42 Mike West (Giant Oso)                    2.08
43 Brian Astell (Independen)                    
44 Bart Gillespie (Biogen-Ide)                  
45 Rob Scott (Cannondale)                   2.20
46 Ariel Lindsley (Subaru/Gar)                  
47 Dan Swanson (Nature Val)                 2.28
48 Mark Weir (Wtbsantacr)                       
49 Dave Wiens (Rlx Ralph)                       
50 Eric Atwood (Bri Cyclin)                     
51 Amon Pease (Intense)                         
52 Ean Bradley (Southeaste)                     
53 Patrick Bush (Clif Bar/T)                    
54 Edward Ceccolini (Titus/Maxm)                
55 Adam Hoppe (Ochsner)                         
56 Mitch Moreman (Hassle Fre)                   
57 Nat Ross (Subaru- Ga)                        
58 Evan Plews (E-Caps/Rud)                  2.35
59 Josh Bezecny (Dean Bicyc)                    
60 Bryan Fawley (Team Wv Bo)                    
61 Billy Holmes (Intense Cy)                2.46
62 Warren Gravely (Dean Bicyc)              2.49
63 Clint Muhlfeld (Big Mounta)              2.51
64 Jesse Rients (Penn Cycle)                3.01
65 Joshua Powers (Speedbikes)               3.19
66 Wade Bootes (Trek/Volks)                 3.21
67 Cesar Grajales (Maxxis)                  4.06
68 Jacob Fetty (John Deere)              1.04.06
69 Brandon Ott (Tailwind)                       
 
Women
 
1 Alison Sydor (Rocky Mtn)               0.25.04
2 Alison Dunlap (Luna Women)                0.01
3 Katerina Hanusova (Luna Women)            0.04
4 Susan Haywood (Trek-VW)                       
5 Chrissy Redden (Subaru-Gary Fisher)           
6 Kimberly Anderson (T-Mobile)              0.06
7 Kiara Bisaro (Gearsracing)                0.08
8 Sarah Noble (Rocky Mtn)                   0.08
9 Kelli Emmett (Specialized)                0.09
10 Kerry Barnholt (Subaru-Gary Gisher)          
11 Jimena Florit (RLX Ralph Lauren)             
12 Trish Sinclair (Gearsracing)                 
13 Sally Warner (Biogen-Ide)                    
14 Shonny Vanlandingham (Luna Women)            
15 Willow Koerber (Rlx Ralph Lauren)            
16 Jenny Copnall (Subaru-Gary Fisher)           
17 Gretchen Reeves (Rocky Mtn)              0.15
18 Josie Beggs (Starbucks)                  0.15
19 Dara Marks-Marino (Ford Racing)          0.17
20 Julie Emmerman                           0.18
21 Rhonda Quick                             0.52
22 Lisa Matlock (Ford)                      0.56
23 Catherine Walberg (Kenda)                0.58
24 Erin Winter (Orbea)                          
25 Jennifer Wilson                              
26 Michele Niles-Benedetti                      
27 Tonya Laffey (Mtbchick.C)                1.00
28 Alicia Hamilton (Giant/ Dar)                 
29 Abigail Hippely (Klein Mave)                 
30 Jennifer Todd (Cannondale)                   
31 Kristy Mantz (P Towne Ra)                1.15
32 Nicole Habay (Speed Bike)                1.23
33 Heather Irmiger (Tokyo Joes)             1.28
34 Nina Baum                                1.32
35 Judy Freeman (Cannondale)                1.36
36 Shari Hausbeck                           1.36
37 Rachel Massey                            1.37
38 Kathy Sherwin (Cannondale)               1.42
39 Hana Fiserova (Mtbchick.C)               2.12
40 Kristi Lewis (Sun & Ski)                 2.15
41 Shannon Tupa (Tokyo Joes)                2.24
42 Mandi Riddle (Team Wv Bo)                2.56
43 Becca Blay (Team Dean)                       
44 Ellen Carroll (Atlanta Pr)                   
45 Alexandra Robinette (Bicycle Sp)         3.08
46 Lora Heckman (Laurel St)                 3.13
47 Leslie Gilmore (Soulcraft)                   
48 Lisa Peck (Biogen-Ide)                       
49 Kimberly Flynn (Defeet)                      
50 Darcy Cornell- Foley (Jansko Whe)            
51 Jessica Kisiel (Mtbchick.C)