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Sea Otter Classic - NE
USA, April 6-9, 2006
Main Page Results Overall standings Previous Race Next Race
Race 2 - Friday, April 7: MTB stage race #2, Time Trial
McConneloug and Naef take Sea Otter time trial
By Steve Medcroft
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Clean starts, bike handling and momentum were the keys to winning both the men and women's MTB time trial at Sea Otter on Friday morning. Mary McConneloug (Kenda/Seven) managed to finish the muddy, technical Sea Otter sub two-mile course 1.6 six seconds faster than world cross-country mountain-bike champion Gunn-Rita Dahle-Flesjaa (Multivan/Merida). In the men's race, Dahle-Flesjaa's team-mate Ralph Naef nipped yesterday's stage winner, Jean-Christoph Peraud (Team Orbea) by exactly the same margin.
Although the sun had been shining since Thursday afternoon, it did nothing to clear the time trial course. Held on the same grassy hillside as part of yesterday's Super XC, the course remained a boggy, sloppy mess that reeked like bilge water and completely disrupted the rhythm of even the most accomplished riders.
Departing the start house thirty-seconds apart (one minute for the top ten), riders knew a good position would increase their standings in the weekend's MTB omnium (riders earn points toward the omnium overall in each of the weekend's four events; which has its own prize purse of $4,000).
“I had a good start,” Naef said about the short. “I took the right line in the downhill. It felt perfect.”
McConneloug said she felt good in the challenging environment. “I only got two laps on the course in the morning but you could tell where the mud pits were. I charged up the hill at the start and took a really high line which dropped me into the final downhill before I knew it. I had a couple of places where I felt like I lost a second or two but overall, I think I did well.”
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Both racers put 1.6-second margins on the winners from yesterday's race, climbing their way up the omnium standings (McConneloug to third, Naef to second). And both say their early-season success has them optimistic about the rest of the year.
“Whether I do well on Sunday may depend on how many laps we do,” Naef said about his fitness. “I'm always strong in short races. In longer races, I always go down a little bit in the end. If we have to do two laps, and the course is this muddy, then it will take two hours and forty minutes or so. There are really strong guys here – like Bart, Peraud, Jose, and also the Americans. I'll just try to race tactically, try to conserve my energy and stay with the lead group if I can.”
Understanding the omnium
A number of riders seem to be confused about the new scoring rules for the Sea Otter stage race. Alison Sydor, second in the general classification, said “I've been reading the Sea Otter Web site and I'm not sure I have it figured out. It seems to make sense but someone was saying there were bonuses for the first few places and I didn't read anything about that.”
So here's how the scoring goes: For the weekend, riders had the option of signing up for only Sunday's UCI C1-rated cross-country race or for a separate four-race omnium prize purse (of $4,000). Racing as many or as few of the four races as they want, competitors earn points based on the number of people who registered for the event (as of the first stage). 106 riders signed up for the men's race, so the winner of each men's stage earns 106 points. Every placing afterwards earns one point less (105 for second, 104 for third, and so on all the way to last place). In the women's competition, 69 points go to the winner.
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The bonus structure Alison Sydor was alluding to awards 8 bonus points to first place in a stage, 5 to second, 3 to third. Points are awarded at the same level through each of the stages regardless of how many riders drop out or how many registered for only the Sunday cross country race.
For the Short Track, Stage 3, there will be two heats; heat one will be the bottom 50% of the field based on the GC from Stage 2. Heat 2 will consist of the top 50% of the field based on the GC from Stage 2. The top one-half of the points system will be awarded to the higher heat and the lower half of the points system will awarded to the lower heat. The same system is applied to the women's race, with points earned based on their final registration numbers. There will be only one heat for the women's race.
The person with the most total points after Sunday's cross-country wins the omnium.
Race notes
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• Specialized Factory team racers Christoph Sauser, Sabine Spitz and Liam Killeen rolled out to the time trial start on pink Specialized S-Works Epic frames. Identical to their team-issue bikes, the frames were coloured to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the first mass-produced mountain-bike; the Specialized Stumpjumper. “The very first Stumpjumper was pink,” says Kevin Franks of Specialized. “We're using them here at Sea Otter and then at the Garda Festival in Italy later this month. After that, they're going into the Specialized museum.”
• With the time trial being such a short day on the bike, many racers were looking for a little extra saddle time to make it a full training day on Friday. Many pros warmed up, did the time trial and pre-rode Sunday's nineteen-mile cross-country course. Think that would be enough right? Not if you're the current world champion and meticulous about your training regimen. As well as all of the above, Gunn-Rita Dahle-Flesjaa spent 60 minutes on a set of rollers at her team tent immediately following her 4:29 time trial.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Rob O'Dea/onetrak@gmail.com
- This is the best the Dual Slalom course looked all day…with more rain, the pros are going to have their hands full on Saturday!
- Mary McConnelough attacked the technical corners enroute to the TimeTrial win!
- Gunn-Rita Dahle motors on to an impressive 2nd place
- Be all you can be - including a mud-slogging MTB racer!
- Conditions brought a nervous smile to World Champ Thomas Frishcknecht's face as he inspected the TT course.
- SoulCraft team rider Aren Timmel practiced his gymnastics
- Bart Brentjens was all business in the mud.
- Peraud looked strong again today as he rode on to 2nd place.
- Dark skies and heavy afternoon rains couldn't keep the kids from having fun!
- Adam Craig's Giant sported prototype XTR hardward
- A glimpse of the future of XTR shifter/disc brake controls…
- In 15 years I'm guessing he'll be in the rainbow jersey!
- Riders braved the afternoon rain to test out the all new Mountain Cross course.
Images by Steve Medcroft/Cyclingnews
- Pink Specialized S-Works Epic as ridden by members of the company's sponsored team to commemorate the very first Stumpjumper.
- Chloe Forsman demonstrates the delicate balancing act needed to get out of the start house at the Sea Otter Classic MTB time trial on Friday morning.
Results
Men 1 Ralph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team 3.45 2 Jean Christoph Peraud (Fra) ORBEA 0.02 3 Sam Schultz (USA) U23 National Team 4 Geoff Kabush (Can) Jittery Joe's-Kalahari 5 Liam Killeen (GBr) SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING 6 José Antonio Hermida (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team 0.04 7 Bart Brentjens (Ned) Giant-Racing-Team 0.05 8 Michael Broderick (USA) SEVEN CYCLES/KENDA 9 Max Plaxton (Can) Rocky Mountain/ Business Objects 10 Matt Kelly (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 0.06 11 Karl Platt (Ger) Rocky Mountain Business Objects 0.08 12 Antonio Ortiz (Spa) Specialized Spain 13 Chris Jongewaard (Aus) Australian National Team 0.09 14 Simon Richardson (GBr) Subaru-Gary Fisher 0.10 15 Mat Toulouse (Can) Team Maxxis 0.11 16 Matt Martindill (Can) NA 17 Shaun Lewis (Aus) Australian National Team 18 Christophe Sauser (Swi) SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING 19 Thomas Frishcknecht (USA) Sycip Racing 20 Ricky Federau (Can) TEAM R.A.C.E. COM 0.12 21 Alban Lakata (Aut) SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING 0.17 22 Roddi Lega (Can) Norco Factory Team/United Cycle 0.18 23 Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Dolphin Bike Team 24 Sid Taberlay (Aus) Dolphin Bike Team 25 Paolo Montoya (CRc) Santa Ana 26 Ken Onodera (Jpn) Subaru-Gary Fisher 27 Michael Weiss (USA) SRM Simplon Team 0.19 28 Tristan Schouten (USA) PCW Cycling team 29 Carl Decker (USA) Broadmark Capital 30 Bryan Fawley (USA) University of Montana 31 Barry Wicks (USA) Kona Les Gets 0.20 32 Adam Craig (USA) GIANT 0.21 33 Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona Les Gets Factory Team 34 Sam Jurekovic (USA) U23 National Team 0.22 35 Todd Wells (USA) GT Bicycles 36 Justin Robinson (USA) Cal Giant /Village Peddler 0.24 37 Jeremiah Bishop (USA) TREK/VW 38 Tim Olson (USA) Unattached 0.25 39 Kevin Bradford-Parish (USA) Bicycle Butler/Rocky Mountain 40 Clint Muhlfeld (USA) Sportsman Ski Haus-Cannondale 41 Troy Misseghers (Can) Mountain Bike City 42 Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Dolphin Bike Team 0.26 43 Dana Weber (USA) JAX Bicycle Center 44 Chris Eatough (USA) Unattached 45 Nick Waite (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies 46 Jason Sager (USA) Hotel San Jose/Cannondale 47 Dallas Morris (Can) DeadGoat Racing 0.27 48 Kris Holden (USA) Wheelsport 49 Neal Kindree (Can) Kona Factory 0.28 50 Walker Ferguson (USA) Scott/Spinner 0.30 51 Perry Paolini (USA) Trek-VW West 52 Eric Ransom (USA) Tamarack Resort/ Intense 0.31 53 Osvaldo Olmos (USA) BMC Racing Team 54 Colin Cares (USA) U23 National Team 55 Bjorn Jordas (Fin) Vemma Scandinavia 0.32 56 Noah Singer (USA) Cannondale Mountain Bike Team 57 Pierre-Yves Facomprez (Fra) A.S Fourchambault 0.34 58 Craig Richey (Can) Cove Bikes 0.35 59 Nat Ross (USA) Subaru-Gry Fisher 60 Burry Stander (RSA) GT Bicycles 0.36 61 Michael Lee (USA) TREK VW JBL 62 Jeff Schalk (USA) Trek-VW East 0.38 63 Charles Jenkins (USA) cytomax/KHS 64 Christian Favata (USA) campmor/hutchinson 65 Adam Snyder (USA) Balance Bar/DEVO 0.39 66 Aren Timmel (USA) SOULCRAFT 67 Patrick Bush (USA) clif bar 0.40 68 Brendan Macintosh (Can) Brendan MacIntosh 0.41 69 Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona/Clarks/LesGets 0.42 70 Michael Andres (USA) Team Chico 71 Matthew Cottrell (Can) On The Edge Race Club 0.43 72 Miles Venzara (USA) H & S Bicycles 73 B. Perrin (USA) Unattached 74 Sean Donovan (USA) cytomax/KHS 75 Cody Peterson (USA) 3D Racing/ SRAM/ LFP&Co 76 Anastasio Flores Jr (USA) Another Bike Shop .com 0.44 77 Tj Woodruff (USA) Litespeed/PCW 78 Nick Martin (USA) Unattached 0.45 79 Cale Redpath (USA) 3D Racing 80 Andy Schultz (USA) Cannondale Mountain Bike Team 0.47 81 Unknown Unattached 0.49 82 Bruce Muhlfeld (USA) TREK/VW 0.50 83 Ben Thompson (USA) Santiam Bicycles / Breakaway Consulting 84 Geoff Huber (USA) anvil/diamondback 0.51 85 Hal Helbock (USA) Unattached 0.52 86 Leonardo Sandoval (USA) Bicycle John's/KENDA/MGTEC 0.53 87 Lucas Musselman (USA) Cannondale 88 Oyvind Aas (Nor) Team Stifinner/Giant 0.54 89 Jason Moeschler (USA) NA 90 Austin Carroll (USA) TEAM DEVO 0.55 91 Arlo Buijten (USA) TITUS-SCHWALBE 92 Cameron Chambers (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 0.56 93 Lucas Livermon (USA) Cycling Spoken Here 94 Mitchell Peterson (USA) Balance Bar/ Devo 0.57 95 Charlie Pendry (USA) Inland Construction/BTD 0.58 96 Daniel Corum (USA) Inland Construction/BTD 1.01 97 Matt Freeman (USA) Team K&N Performance 1.03 98 Paul Hanson (USA) NA 1.05 99 Warren Gravely (USA) California Giant 1.07 100 Gordon Yanota (USA) Ellsworth Bicycles 1.09 101 Josh Powers (USA) Unattached 1.10 102 Jose Antonio Riquelme Gutierrez (Chi) GIANT CHILE 1.30 103 Noah Holcomb (USA) Cannondale Mountain Bike Team 1.42 Women 1 Mary McConneloug (USA) SEVEN CYCLES/KENDA 4.27 2 Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team 0.02 3 Alison Sydor (Can) Rocky Mountain/Business Objects 0.07 4 Wendy Simms (Can) Velo Bella - Kona 0.08 5 Katerina Nash (USA) Luna Women's MTB Team 6 Jimena Florit (USA) Luna Women's MTB Team 0.10 7 Georgia Gloud (USA) Luna Women's MTB Team 0.14 8 Kiara Bisaro (Can) TEAM R.A.C.E. COM 0.15 9 Sabine Spitz (Ger) SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING 0.16 10 Irmiger Heather (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 11 Sue Hayward (USA) Trek VW 0.17 12 Melanie McQuad (USA) ORBEA 0.20 13 Cecile Rode (Fra) Lapierre Factory Team 0.22 14 Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Lapierre Factory Team 15 Mical Dyck (Can) Terrascape Racing 0.24 16 Nina Baum (USA) Cannondale Mountain Bike Team 0.25 17 Jenny Copnall (GBr) Subaru-Gary Fisher 0.26 18 Sara Bresnick-Zocchi (USA) Ford Cycling 0.28 19 Catharine Pendrel (Can) Norco 20 Kelli Emmett (USA) Ford Cycling 0.30 21 Judy Freeman (USA) Cannondale MTB Team 0.32 22 Lea Davison (USA) Unattached 23 Stacey Scanlan (USA) Tamarack 0.34 24 Pia Sundstedt (Ger) Business Objects/ Rocky Mountain 0.35 25 Kathy Sherwin (USA) Ford Cycling 0.36 26 Asa Erlandsson (Swe) Subaru-Gary Fisher 27 Dara Marks Marino (USA) Titus/Kenda 0.40 28 Patricia Sinclair (Can) Scott USA/Kenda 0.43 29 Kristin Danielson (USA) Velo Bella - Kona 0.44 30 Jenna Zander (USA) Cannondale Mtn Bike Team 0.46 31 Krista Park (USA) Colavita/Addictive Cycles 0.47 32 Jennifer Gersbach (USA) Tokyo Joe's 0.48 33 Tomarra Muhlfeld (USA) TREK/VW 0.51 34 Josie Beggs (USA) Starbucks 35 Christine Misseghers (Can) Mountain Bike City 0.55 36 Rie Katayama (Jpn) TREK 37 Ann Fitzsimmons (USA) Schwalbe Tires 0.56 38 Willow Koerber (Can) Subaru-Gary Fisher 39 Megan Monroe (USA) Colo Preimier Training 0.57 40 Chrissy Bono (USA) Bicycle Johns Serious Cycling 41 Lara Kroepsch (USA) T-Mobile 0.59 42 Kyia Malenkovich (USA) Headmethod.com 1.02 43 Mandy Eakins (USA) NA 44 Carolyn Popovic (USA) mtbchick.com/Cannondale 1.04 45 Christy Love (Can) Sugoi/Giant 46 Cristina Begy (USA) Spot 1.05 47 Caitlyn Tuel (USA) Penn State 1.06 48 Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) rocky mountain 1.07 49 Shannon Holden (USA) Velo Bella - Kona 1.08 50 Theresa Richardson (USA) Cannondale Mountain Bike Team 1.09 51 Christie Pleiss (USA) Team K&N Performance 1.10 52 Chloe Forsman (USA) Tokyo Joe's/Go Lite 1.13 53 Mary-Ellen Ash (USA) 3 Rox Racing 1.14 54 Meggan Flaherty (USA) Bicycle John's Serious Cycling 1.15 55 Niki Gudex (Aus) SRM Simplon Team 1.16 56 Heather Svahn (USA) Reno Wheelmen/The Backcountry 1.20 57 Jennifer Tilley (USA) Velo Bella - Kona 58 Linden Kimmerer (USA) SOULCRAFT 1.24 59 Erin Duggan (USA) Velo Bella - Kona 60 Kim Passafiume (USA) Velo Bella-Kona 1.25 61 Christy Murphy (USA) SOULCRAFT 1.33 62 Sami Fournier (USA) Velo Bella - Kona 1.41 63 Noel Weddle (USA) Velo Bella - Kona 1.42 64 Melanie Meyers (USA) Ford Cycling 1.51 65 Teri Strayer (USA) Team K&N Performance 2.00 66 Christy Roberts (USA) Paragon Ski & Sport 2.30 Omnium standings after two races
Women 1 Gunn-Rita Dahle-Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan-Merida 150 2 Alison Sydor (Can) Rocky Mountain/Business Objects 143 3 Mary McConneloug (USA) Kenda/Seven 138
Men 1 Jean-Christoph Peraud (Fra) Team Orbea 224 2 Ralph Naef (Swi) Multivan-Merida 217 3 Bart Brentjens (Ned) Team Giant 210
