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USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships - CN
Mt. Snow, Vermont, USA, July 17-22, 2008
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Race 2 - Thursday, July 17: U23 women's cross country
Chloe Forsman wins her second U-23 Championship
By Dave McElwaine in West Dover, Vermont
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Chloe Forsman (Luna Women's MTB) won another title at Mt. Snow over a determined Jamie Dinkins (Devo/Vanta), who kept the race quite interesting. Forsman completed the redesigned course in 1:41:02 with Dinkins 1:35 behind. Kylie Krauss (Pro Bikes) finished third at 9:25.
Forsman, who competes in the entire National Mountain Bike Series (NMBS) racing with the elite women, is now one of the most prolific winners in recent history. She has won a total of nine national championships; two in the U23 class, four in collegiate, and three as a junior. She has also, on occasion, cracked the top ten in national-level racing against elite women. Forsman turns 21 next week and will have yet another shot at a U23 championship in 2009.
Dinkins and Forsman were clearly in a class of their own in this race. With the exception of the first half lap, Forsman led the race. When asked about the newly designed course, she said, "I think the new course is great. It's plenty challenging….but you know you can ride everything so that's a huge plus."
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A couple of the technical uphill climbs have been eliminated from the cross country course this year. They have been replaced by fire road climbs, some of which are extremely steep. As the racers approach the top of the climb, the last two fire road climbs become fairly technical with lots of rounded rock.
The descent is very similar to last year, but the final section of trail has been replaced with fire road as it typically was full of mud pits.
"I tried to go hard where it was steepest, then rest up a little bit on the flats," said Forsman. "Jamie and I were pretty much climbing together on the first lap and I pulled away from her a little on the downhill."
At the end of lap one, Forsman had a seven second lead. At the end of two laps, her lead over Dinkins had increased to 40 seconds. Forsman stretched her lead by nearly another minute on the final lap.
Rounding out the podium were Kylie Krauss in third, Lydia Tanner (Tokyo Joe's) in fourth , and Amanda Miller (Vandrekitt) in fifth.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Dave McElwaine/www.trailwatch.net
- Chloe Forsman (Luna Women's MTB) is the defending U-23 champion.
- Lydia Tanner (Tokyo Joe's)
- Jamie Dinkins (Devo/Vanta)
- Chloe Forsman (Luna Women's MTB) wins the start.
- Chloe Forsman (Luna Women's MTB) breaking away with Jamie Dinkins (Devo/Vanta).
- Jamie Dinkins (Devo/Vanta) leading Chloe Forsman (Luna Women's MTB) after a quater of a lap.
- Chloe Forsman (Luna Women's MTB) in the lead.
- Kylie Krauss (Pro Bikes) leads some chasers.
- Chloe Forsman (Luna Women's MTB) leading after the first lap.
- Lydia Tanner (Tokyo Joe's) riding in third place.
- Kay Sherwood riding through the feed zone.
- Jamie Dinkins (Devo/Vanta) concentrating on the single-track.
- Amanda Miller (Vanderkitt) goes on to finish fifth.
- Kay Sherwood climbing on the course.
- Kylie Krauss (Pro Bikes) moving up to third place.
- Chloe Forsman (Luna Women's MTB) with one lap to go.
- Jamie Dinkins (Devo/Vanta) 40 seconds behind Chloe Forsman (Luna Women's MTB) with one lap to go.
- Lydia Tanner (Tokyo Joe's) riding three minutes behind Jamie Dinkins (Devo/Vanta).
- Chloe Forsman (Luna Women's MTB) wins the U-23 Championship by 1'35".
Results
1 Chloe Forsman (Luna Women) 1.41.02 2 Jamie Dinkins (Devo/Vanta) 1.35 3 Kylie Krauss (Pro Bikes) 9.25 4 Lydia Tanner (Tokyo Joes) 9.31 5 Amanda Miller (Vanderkitten) 14.28 6 Kay Sherwood 18.21 7 Rose Long (UVM Cycling) 22.41 8 Rachel Throop (Team Devo) 31.31 Lapped 9 Becca Finley (Vaderkitten) Back to top
