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2004 MTB World championships - CM
Les Gets, France, September 8-12, 2004
Main Page Results Previous Race Next Race
Race 10 - September 11: 4-Cross Men
Carter at long last
By Rob Jones in Les Gets
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Eric "E.C." Carter finally won the world title that has been eluding him for years in the men's 4-Cross, beating Mickael Deldycke (France), Michal Prokop (Czech Republic) and Roger Rinderknecht (Switzerland) in the final.
The course was considered very fast - almost too fast - by the racers. "At the bottom section I could feel the G-Force twisting my tires, and almost losing control, and I could see the same thing happening to Mickael (Deldycke) when I was behind him in the semi, said Carter. "I think we should go fast and jump big, but we have to have a slower part at the bottom to have some passing. This one you could only do it in the first two corners."
Carter attributed his win to being "the smartest rider. I don't think I was the fastest, but I rode smarter. (In the final) I didn't want to line up next to Prokop, because his starts are electric, they're so fast. I could have taken lane four, but I chose lane three instead.
"Prokop and Deldycke were faster out of the gate then me, but over the first jumps we were pretty much beside each other. I drifted in a bit (on Prokop) and he dropped down, then Mickael (Deldycke) came up and they tangled, and then I went underneath them and then just pedaled for my life."
Carter stayed away to take the title, while Deldycke and Prokop battled for the silver, with the former taking it.
Photography
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Images by Birke Ulrich/www.alakarte.de
- Eric Carter (USA) styles it up
- Mike King (USA) gets a little air in qualifying
- Robin Baloochi (USA) on the way to qualifying tenth
- Eric Carter (USA) and Michal Marosi (Czech) play follow-the-leader
- Lukas Tamme (Czech) leads Eric Carter (USA) and Michal Marosi (Czech) in an early round
- Mickael Deldycke (France) does a pre-flight check
- Mickael Deldycke (France) takes off from off the log platform
- "Cedric! Come down from there at once!"
- "I think I can still land this…"
- "... maybe not."
- Bruised but unbowed Cedric Gracia picks himself up
- Eric Carter (USA) is a very happy man after finally winning a four-cross world's
- The men's podium - (L to R) Mickael Deldycke (France, 2nd), Eric Carter (USA, 1st) and Michal Prokop (Czech Republic, 3rd)
- Eric Carter flies during the qualifiers
- John Kirkcaldie in orbit
- Kirkcaldie touches down
- Just some of the crowd massed to watch the finals
- Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee…
- Romain Saladini of France looks for a landing spot
- Carter sits in a safe position, waiting
- Nathan Rennie flips-out
- Nathan Rennie slides out
- Sebastien Autale is chased by Scott Beaumont
- Kiwi John Kirkcaldie in the 16ths
- Sorry John, this is the end of your race
- Guido Tschugg styles it up
- Michal Marosi chases EC
- Ross Milan about to drop in
- Sick Mick Hannah made it as far as the 1/4 finals
- Karim Amour has a second of saddle time
- EC sits in with a couple of Czechs
- Looking down on the finals
- Mike King and eventual silver winner Mickael Deldycke
- King about to fly
- And the crowd watched on
- Michal Prokop lead most of the way to the podium
- Air time
- Dale Holmes finished the hard way
- Mickael Deldycke leads EC…
- … but EC has plans for the final
- Swiss rider Roger Rinderknecht
- Just some of the photographers watching the carnage
- Birke Ulrich takes the high-ground
- Somebody forgot to say "Bags not going home in the back of an ambulance"
- This is not how you want to finish your Worlds
- At least you have a story to tell the kids
- Ross Milan; wheels one way, look the other
- One of the Athertons shows some style
- What are you lookin' at?
- Roger Rinderknecht and his shadow
- Note to self: Don't try that again
- A rider flies into the sunset
- A rider flies into the sunset
- A rider flies into the sunset
- A rider flies into the sunset
- A rider flies into the sunset
- A rider flies into the sunset
- A rider flies into the sunset
- Fireworks at the worlds
- Deldycke drope in and heads for the podium
- Cedric Gracia known if you can't win, you put on a show
- OK, that's where I want to put the bike
- Bugger, not there, that won't work!
- OOOMPH! Gracia has a little lie down
- It's all good! A little dust is all
- Dust, bike, and a dissapointed CG
- EC looks VERY happy with his gold
- EC puts on the rainbow jersey
- Excellent Smithers
- Mickael Deldycke gave France a silver
- Michal Prokop placed third for the bronze
- Eric Carter listens to the US anthem
- Three happy boys on the podium
Results
Final 1 Eric Carter (USA) 2 Mickael Deldycke (France) 3 Michal Prokop (Czech Republic) 4 Roger Rinderknecht (Switzerland) Small Final 5 Mike King (USA) 6 Lukas Tamme (Czech Republic) 7 Michael Robinson (Australia) 8 Chris Powell (USA) 1/4 Finals 9 Ross Milan (USA) 10 Jared Graves (Australia) 11 Karim Amour (France) 12 Michal Marosi (Czech Republic) 13 Mick Hannah (Australia) 14 Scott Beaumont (Great Britain) 15 Carmine Falco (France) 16 Dale Holmes (Great Britain) 1/8 Finals 17 Matej Vitko (Slovakia) 18 Filip Polc (Slovakia) 19 Thomas Allier (France) 20 Bas De Bever (Netherlands) 21 Janis Vanags (Latvia) 22 Thomas Schafer (Germany) 23 Sidney Gerber (Switzerland) 24 Brian Schmith (USA) 25 Brian Lopes (USA) 26 Sebastien Autale (France) 27 Romain Saladini (France) 28 Kamil Tatarkovic (Czech Republic) 29 Leiv Ove Nordmark (Norway) 30 Gee Atherton (Great Britain) 31 Aivars Buris (Latvia) 32 Peter Prajczer (Hungary) 1/16 Finals 33 Guido Tschugg (Germany) 34 Dan Atherton (Great Britain) 35 John Kirkcaldie (New Zealand) 36 Remo Heutschi (Switzerland) 37 Pablo Galan Carrasco (Spain) 38 Marcel Beer (Switzerland) 39 Yuta Kurise (Japan) 40 Sascha Meyenborg (Germany) 41 Rudiger Jahnel (Austria) 42 Paulo Domingues (Portugal) 43 Geza Kinda (Roumania) 44 Frans Sjöblom (Sweden) 45 Sorin Parau (Roumania) 46 Manuel De Vecchi (Italy) 47 Gabor Vigh-Kiss (Hungary)
