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MTB world championships - CM
Rotorua, New Zealand, August 22-27, 2006
Main Page Results Previous Race Next Race
Race 7 - August 25: Four-cross
Kintner returns for gold; Prokop claims men's title
By Rob Jones in Rotorua
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It is quite clear that Kiwis are gravity fans, with an estimated 7,000 showing up to watch the 4-Cross competition. The organization had done a tremendous amount of work on the course, carving it out of the side of Mount Ngongotaha. The weather also proved to be extremely cooperative, with blue skies and sunshine making the event the first of the week which could be watched comfortably without a jacket.
Both Michal Prokop (Czech Republic) and Jill Kintner (USA) were able to progress without too much difficulty, riding off the front in each heat and not having to struggle.
However, the story behind was one of crashes and collisions, with some favoured riders exiting early as a result. Cedric Gracia (France) was the first to go, in the opening round, when he and Hayden Lee (New Zealand) tangled in the banked turn after the third straight away. Gracia finished off his run with a crowd pleasing run up high on the Red Bull Wall, proving once again that he is the consummate entertainer.
That turn at the end of the third straight proved to be a problem for a number of riders, as riders behind tried to cut low and up in front of ones in ahead of them - sometimes unsuccessfully. Guido Tschugg (Germany) and Dan Atherton went down here in the men's Final as Tschugg came up. Tschugg managed to get up and finish ahead of Atherton for bronze, but could easily have been disqualified.
Defending world champion Brian Lopes (USA) also crashed out in the semifinals, disappointing fans who were hoping to see World Cup leader Prokop and Lopes go head to head in the Final. Lopes blamed Michal Marosi (Czech Republic) for his early exit.
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"I didn't get the greatest start really, but. You know that's just my fault. Roger (Rinderknecht - Switzerland) got a good start and we were going into the first turn. I didn't want to slam him, so I just let him go. I slotted in behind him and coming into the second turn I was behind him again. He kind of squared up a bit to get the inside line but I went in as far as I could...you know, that's the only way to pass and f***ing Marosi...I think he just jumped and just ploughed right into me. It was exactly what I knew could happen on this course. It doesn't make for too clean a pass."
Lopes skipped the small final for fifth through eighth ("For fifth? No, I don't care about fifth"), which was won by Joost Wichman (Netherlands).
The small women's field of nine riders featured only two rounds of racing, with Kintner and Jana Horakova (Czech Republic) advancing in one heat, and Anneke Beerten (Netherlands) and Anita Molcik (Austria) in the other. Tara Llanes (USA), the bronze medalist last year, crashed.
Kintner easily took the final, followed by Beerten. Horakova looked to have the bronze medal locked up until she misjudged a corner halfway down the course and crashed out of contention, opening the door for Molcik. Joey Gough (Great Britain) took the small final for fifth.
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Kintner was pleased with her win. "Yeah, this is amazing. I was looking down at the start and I was thinking, 'I'm so happy to be here in this amazing place and the sun's out. I just had fun out there today. In the final I got a little bit squirrelly on one of the jumps on the third straight and I thought I was going to throw it away, but start to finish I was feeling really strong. I felt like I had all the pieces and I just had to put them together. I'm so happy."
The men's final saw Prokop well out in front, with Rinderknecht comfortably in second. Tschugg and Atherton had their aforementioned tangle at the rear, with Tschugg claiming the bronze.
Atherton shrugged off the incident. "The final was pretty dirty. Everyone wanted it. Crashes everywhere. I was behind Lopes (in the semifinal) and whoever took him out, and I just slipped past them and took the opportunity. It was like that all day. That's the World's though, everyone's just so hungry."
Prokop, on the other hand, was one rider who was pleased with the course. "The course was good, I liked it. It had everything; maybe a couple of the jumps were too short on the third straight, but it was a good track for me."
He also commented on rival Brian Lopes not being in the Final. "I think that if he was in the final it would have been more challenging, but that's racing. Last year I crashed (breaking his leg) and he won. This year he crashed and I won. But I'm pretty happy with how this year has gone - I've won almost everything; the World Cup and now the world title."
Race Notes
Brian Lopes waxed eloquent after his early exit:
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On the course: "It's not really that big. The biggest jump here is probably the table-top here at the end and it's about 30 feet. It's not really far at all for how fast we're going. The takeoffs are huge but the jumps aren't far enough. You really have to slow down for the jumps. It's probably too big for some people, but it's not because they are too big, it's because they're not built right. You shouldn't build jumps that are only 20 feet apart when you're going 35 miles an hour into them, they need to be 50 feet with a nice big safety-case. The only danger is how fast you hit them."
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On defending his title: "I'm not too happy really, again. The start in that last race wasn't that great and again I can only blame that on myself. Other than that I was feeling good. My speed was pretty good on the track but again, from the start in knew anything could happen on this course - there's like three turns that someone could take you out on and ruin your day if they want to and that's what Marosi wanted to do to me so I'll chalk him up as another one I'll pay back, just as Guido Tschugg is on my list to pay back. At this point in my career, I'm all done having fun and if I don't win another World Cup or another World Championship it's not going to tarnish what I've done in the past so if they want to play dirty then hey, I can play dirty too."
Local hope John Kirkcaldie exited in the first round. "Firstly there was a bit of bumping in the first turn where I managed to get ahead but went into the second turn in second. Into it I went pretty tight but Rich [Houseman] came bombing up the inside and just blew me out of the way. We didn't crash but we both came to a stop. I just went nuts from there - I've never ridden so fast. I put in a hell of a pass on Rich. From there I knew I could get the last guy but as I went into the berm he swung out and hit me. He pushed me into the poles on the exit. Eventually they DQ-ed me for that and I can't protest so I'll just keep my mouth shut and worry about tomorrow." [JK was not DQ-ed for this, it was for missing a gate at the top of the course.]
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mike Heydon/www.jetphotography.co.nz
- Crash during finals of 4-cross event.
- Crash near the top of the course during 4-cross event.
- The new world champion of womens four-cross Jill Kintner (USA) celebrates after crossing the line in the final with second place Anneke.
- Riders fly during the 4-cross event.
- A huge crowd turned out in the sun to watch the four-cross finals.
- Brian Lopes (USA) leading his heat at the top of the course.
- Riders have no time to enjoy the view during the heats.
- Brian Lopes (USA) during the finals.
- Former downhill world champion Cedric Gracia (france) riding during the final heats.
- Mountain bike legend Brian Lopes (USA) riding from the front during the heats.
- The new world champion of womens four-cross Jill Kintner (USA) riding in front of big crowds during the semi-final.
Images by Mikkeli Godfree/Cyclingnews.com
- Cedric Gracia (France) snaps out of the gate.
- Brian Lopes (USA) slips down the course.
- Lopes stops and checks out some lines.
- Practice was closed almost as soon as it was opened with a Brazilian boy breaking his arm.
- Gracia lays down some style at the end of the home straight.
- Jill Kintner (USA), left
- Lopes leads out in practice...
- ... and ex world champion Michael Prokop (Czechoslovakia) does the same.
- Gracia turning in.
- Kintner in her seeding run which saw her take top spot ahead of Dutchwoman Anneke Beerten.
- Spectators enjoying the 4X.
- Lopes in seeding where he ended up 0.25 seconds behind Prokop.
- Prokop does his thing.
- Brian Lopes (USA) over the last table top in practice.
- Looking up the spectator-lined course.
- Alex Lloyd (Australia) in his first major 4X meet up against the best in the world.jpg
- Michal Prokop (Czech Republic) dominated from the gun.
- Lopes looked so comfortable on the course all day.
- Mickael Daldycke (France) was strung but it was not his race.
- Eventual second place getter Roger Rinderknecht (Switzerland) in the heats with Kirckaldie struggling to stay in touch.
- Third place getter Guido Tschugg (Germany) soaring above the crowd.
- Lopes again , in the third straight.
- Jill Kintner leading Jan Horakova (Czech Republic) and Tara Llanes (USA) in the heats.
- Third place getter Anita Molcik (Austria) soaring.
- Prokop leading Will Longden (Great Britain) in the heats. Longden ended up 6th.
- The start-gate for the semi-final , which would see Lopes get knocked out.
- Marosi tries to cut in on Lopes and it all ends in disaster.
- Lopes trying to pick up the pieces of a broken dream.
- Joost Wichman ahead of Longden.
- The gate drops on the women’s final.
- Kintner leads Beerten and Horakova.
- The men’s final! Prokop shows a clean set of wheels at turn two as the rest scramble for his wheel.
- Tschugg aims it right for the berm and cuts off Atherton in the process.jpg
- Dan Atherton making some kid’s day signing a t-shirt.
- Atherton after the finish.
- Kirkcaldie the Oceania 4X champion had his last major 4X race today.
- Prokop getting ready to slip into something more comfortable and rainbow coloured.
- Anneke Beerten (Netherlands) took home silver with a strong ride
- Molcik clung on for third.
- It gives you wings apparently.
- Tschugg didn’t make friends with Lopes today but earned himself a bronze medal.
- Your new Men’s 4X World Champion Michal Prokop.
Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com
- Michal Prokop (Czech Republic)
- Mike Haderer (USA) avoids a crash
- Gee Atherton (Great Britain) goes wide to avoid a crash
- Gee Atherton (Great Britain)
- Guido Tschugg (Germany) & Will Longden (Great Britain)
- Kamil Tatarkovic and Alex Lloyd advanced through the first round
- Kamil Tatarkovic and Alex Lloyd advanced through the first round
- Cedric Gracia went down in the first round, much to the disappointment of the crowd
- Gracia runs up high on the Red Bull Wall, entertaining the crowd after his crash
- Gracia takes the wall high
- For Brian Lopes a repeat as World Champion was not to be
- Lars Sternberg (USA)
- Mickael Deldycke (France) & Michal Marosi (Czech Republic)
- Craig Pattle (New Zealand)
- Jurg Meijer (Netherlands)
- Kiwi's are gravity fans, with an estimated 7,000 showing up to watch the 4-Cross competition
- Brian Lopes (USA)
- Lars Sternberg (USA)
- Roger Rinderknecht (Switzerland) added to the Swiss medal haul
- Michal Prokop (Czech Republic)
- Will Longden (Great Britain) goes high
- Dan Atherton (Great Britain)
- Joost Wichman (Netherlands)
- Michal Prokop (Czech Republic)
- Michal Prokop (Czech Republic)
- Guido Tschugg (Germany)
- Guido Tschugg (Germany)
- Dan Atherton (Great Britain)
- Podium '- Roger Rinderknecht, Michal Prokop, Guido Tschugg
- Podium '- Roger Rinderknecht, Michal Prokop, Guido Tschugg
- Jill Kintner (USA) defended her title
- Tara Llanes went down hard
- Tara Llanes was shaken, but not seriously injured
- Anneke Beerten (Netherlands), silver medalist
- Joey Gough (Great Britain)
- Joey Gough (Great Britain) & Melissa Buhl (USA)
- GOOD crowd!
- Jill Kintner (USA) easily took the Final
- Anneke Beerten (Netherlands)
- Jana Horakova goes down
- Jana Horakova, down in the women's final while in third place
- Podium '- Anneke Beerten, Jill Kintner, Anita Molcik
Results
Women
Final
1 Jill Kintner (USA)
2 Anneke Beerten (Netherlands)
3 Anita Molcik (Austria)
4 Jana Horakova (Czech Republic)
Small Final
5 Joey Gough (Great Britain)
6 Melissa Buhl (USA)
7 Tara Llanes (USA)
8 Jessica Vogt (USA)
9 Diana Marggraff (Ecuador)
Qualifications
DNS Katrina Miller (Australia)
DNS Fionn Griffiths (Great Britain)
DNS Sabrina Jonnier (France)
DNS Tracey Hannah (Australia)
DNS Mio Suemasa (Japan)
DNS Renee Junga (Australia)
DNS Céline Gros (France)
Men
Final
1 Michal Prokop (Czech Republic)
2 Roger Rinderknecht (Switzerland)
3 Guido Tschugg (Germany)
4 Dan Atherton (Great Britain)
Small Final
5 Joost Wichman (Netherlands)
6 Will Longden (Great Britain)
7 Michal Marosi (Czech Republic)
8 Brian Lopes (USA)
1/4 Finals
9 Jurg Meijer (Netherlands)
10 Gee Atherton (Great Britain)
11 Mickael Deldycke (France)
12 Kamil Tatarkovic (Czech Republic)
13 Lars Sternberg (USA)
14 Cody Warren (USA)
15 Alex Lloyd (Australia)
16 Daniel Auerswald (Germany)
1/8 Finals
17 Cédric Gracia (France)
18 Filip Polc (Slovakia)
19 John Kirkcaldie (New Zealand)
20 Amiel Cavalier (Australia)
21 Lukas Tamme (Czech Republic)
22 Richard Houseman (USA)
23 Jared Rando (Australia)
24 Tom Holland (New Zealand)
25 Reon Boe (New Zealand)
26 Cameron Cole (New Zealand)
27 Craig Pattle (New Zealand)
28 Luke Strom (Australia)
29 Hayden Lee (New Zealand)
30 Sascha Meyenborg (Germany)
31 Wyn Masters (New Zealand)
32 Mike Haderer (USA)
Qualifications
33 Yuta Kurise (Japan)
34 Rafael Alvarez De Lara Lu (Spain)
35 Eric Carter (USA)
36 Scott Geater (New Zealand)
DNS Michael Hannah (Australia)
DNS Wade Bootes (Australia)
DNS Luis Lancellotti (Brazil)
DNS Markolf Berchtold (Brazil)
DNS Nathaniel Giacomozzi (Brazil)
