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NORBA national series #3 (NE)

Snowshoe Mtn, West Virginia , June 21-23, 2002

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Day 2 - June 22. Short track Cross-country

Results

Dunlap's turn on the podium, Hesjedal Scores

A day after a disconcerting defeat delivered by Jimena Florit (RLX Polo Sport), World Champion Alison Dunlap returned the favor with a victory in the Balance Bar Short Track.

In the men’s race, Ryder Hesjedal (Subaru/Gary Fisher) pounced on the opportunity when World Champion Roland Green dropped his chain on the final lap. The lean British Columbian beat fellow Canadian Seamus McGrath (Haro/Lee Dungarees) in the sprint. Green finished third.

The buzz of the reporters, however, was about the women’s field. This talented group features a world-class dual for leadership and a churning up of new stars, young and old.

The third round of the Chevy Trucks Nationals saw another turn in the knock-em, sock-em robot racing between Florit and Dunlap. A read of the series results to date is like the tapping of Morse Code. Florit, Dunlap, Dunlap, Dunlap, Florit … Dunlap has won all three short tracks, but the queen of short track, Florit, has scored two smashing victories in cross country.

In today’s short track contest Dunlap, the captain of the Luna Chix squad, pulled away from the field with a bees nest of challengers, including local hero, Sue Haywood (Trek/Volkswagen), the reigning national short track champion.

Haywood, mired in the rankings due to poor showings in the first two rounds, needed a big result. She returned to her native West Virginia and clung to the Dunlap missiles.

Having flown to victory in yesterday’s cross-country, Florit knew she was in for punishment at the start. Still, she clung to Dunlap’s opening assaults. Also present was Chrissy Redden (Subaru/Gary Fisher) who has returned to world-class form.

But Dunlap, the five-time national cyclocross champion in an event that last 45 minutes, excels at short track mountain bike racing, which lasts just 30 minutes. Coming off of a frustrating 2001 season punctured with flat tires, Dunlap got a new team with Luna Chix and switched to tubeless tire systems. She has won all three BALANCE Bar short tracks this season.

After boiling down the breakaway to four riders, Dunlap blasted off alone and stuck.

Dunlap finished just nine seconds up on Florit. Reddin followed in seven seconds later for third. Haywood scored a fourth place spot. Mary McConneloug (Seven Cycles), the surprise of the season who has been top 10 in every showing to date, nipped at the heels of the lead group to score the final podium spot.

In the pro men’s race, Hesjedal opened with his characteristic front-line assault at the gun. If this socket-popping attack doesn’t snap the field, Green’s push usually snaps the bone of the field. But in this edition things changed. Having to start from mid-field due to his DNF at Snow Summit, Green took a few laps to reach the front. Once at the front, he fired up the road with Hesjedal and one rider in tow, Seamus McGrath, the consistent podium finisher overdue for a win.

This lead group ratcheted up a 20-second gap on the field, driven by Jose Adrian Bonilla (Café de Costa Rica/Pizza Hut) and the surging Kashi Leuchs (Volvo/Cannondale).

As the three leaders started the cat-and-mouse for the final lap, Green dropped his chain. Hesjedal took the hint, and went hard, driving to the line for his second short track win of the season. Green barely fended off Leuchs and Bonilla who finished within seconds of the world champion.

Results

Men

1 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Subaru-Gary Fisher                       23.52.5
2 Seamus McGrath (Can) Haro Lee Dungarees                           2.6
3 Roland Green (Can) Trek/Volkswagen                               21.5
4 Kashi Leuchs (NZ)  Volvo Cannondale                              23.5
5 Adrian Bonilla (Cr) Cafe De Columbia                             24.6
6 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski  RLX Polo Sport                           25.2
7 Jeff Hall (USA) Salsa Cycles                                     25.6
8 Todd Wells (USA) Mongoose/Hyundai                                40.9
9 Marc Gullickson (USA) Mongoose/Hyundai                           46.0
10 Mathieu Toulouse (Can) Gears Racing                             49.8

 
Women

1 Alison Dunlap (USA) Luna Women                                24.57.4
2 Jimena Florit (Arg) RLX Polo Sport                               10.8
3 Chrissy Redden (Can) Subaru-Gary Fisher                           5.9
4 Susan Haywood (USA) Trek-Volkswagen                               5.7
5 Mary Mcconneloug (USA) Seven Cycles                               8.7
6 Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) SoBe/Cannondale                       16.0
7 Katerina Hanusova (USA) Luna Chix Women                          11.6
8 Susy Pryde (NZ) Velo Bella                                       20.5
9 Mary Grigson (Aus) Subaru-Gary Fisher                          Lapped
10 Lanie Mason (USA) Cane Creek                                  Lapped
 

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