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NORBA national series #2 (NE)

Alpine Valley, Wisconsin, June 14-16, 2002

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Day 1 - June 14: Cross-country

Results

Green, Dunlap score wins in the mud

World Champions Alison Dunlap (Luna Chix) and Roland Green (Trek/Volkswagen) stormed to solo victories on a muddy Wisconsin course.

That was about the only predictable element of the finish at the second round of the Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Mountain Bike Series. This cross-country race would see old stars score redemption, newcomers press to the fore, and established favorites limp in with assorted stories of hardware and hard luck. Round two proved far different than round one.

Women

"There's a lot of things different" said Chrissy Redden (Subaru/Gary Fisher), who improved from 16th in Snow Summit, Calif., to a powerful second in Wisconsin. "Number one we're at sea level; number two, there's mud and this technical riding; and number three, I got a KX100 moto and I've been riding." In short, the key to winning on a mucky course was to keep upright.

"I had so many close calls," said Dunlap, who finished 2:40 ahead of Redden. "I ran so many little obstacles. It's not who rides everything; it's who goes fastest."

Last year's series winner Mary Grigson (Subaru/Gary Fisher) rolled in for another third place finish; off the lead but in the hunt for a later trophy, the Commonwealth Games. The Australian has set her training to peak later for those events.

"Maybe over in this country it's not so important but certainly at home it's a really big event and it's the first time they've had mountain biking," said Grigson, clearly frustrated with another bronze medal.

Another former world champion, Alison Sydor (Trek/Volkswagen) started to show her form, dropping series leader Jimena Florit (RLX Polo Sport) en route to a fourth place finish. Florit finished fifth.

A new star of the Snow Summit debut, Mary McConneloug, signed with Seven Cycles and stamped her passport with another good ride, finishing sixth. Meanwhile Shonny Vanlandingham (SoBe), having double-podiumed in California, showed the pain of a hip injury as she limped in to finish 10th.

Men

This race started in splatters of rain with a half lap of 4.6 km, followed by four circuits on a major course of 9.9 km, described by Roland Green as "fun." Then came the sun.

"At first I was a little nervous because I was so close to Trek," said Green. "Ryder (Hesjedal) and I went out pretty fast. But I think he had a seat problem and he dropped back. I just kept it steady, and had a lot of fun in the single track. There's a lot of twisty, turny stuff. I was setting up for a lot of turns and it has a lot of steep chutes. It's a really good venue I hope it comes back next year."

While Green was having a banner day, Hesjedal struggled. After riding with Green for the first full lap, he crashed hard on the second, ripping the saddle from the rails. He was forced to wrap an inner tube around the rails and continue. "There's no throw-outs so I had to keep going," said Hesjedal. "I guess that's racing."

Riding in sixth position, Marc Gullickson (Mongoose/Hyundai) lost his saddle when the post broke in two. He had to complete a lap without saddle until he discovered the seat (and post) on side of the course during the next lap. He reinserted the broken post and would manage to finish 14th.

As Hesjedal faded and Gullickson struggled, others fell behind due to mechanicals. Jose Adrian Bonilla (CafŽ de Costa Rica/Pizza Hut) was with Green until his derailleur hanger ripped off. Kashi Leuchs (Volvo/Cannondale) double flatted out of the top 10. Five riders fell from the top 10 due to mechanicals. The key beneficiary of this would be Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (RLX Polo Sport), passed the fading Hesjedal to move into second and distanced himself, as top American, from his U.S. rivals.

"I felt really good out there," said Horgan-Kobelski. "The course was really easier to ride by yourself instead of in a group. I was just glad I was able to do it for two and a half hours."

Farther back, Geoff Kabush (Kona) fended off a late surge from Travis Brown (Trek/Volkswagen) to finish third. Seamus Magrath (Haro) sprinted in for fifth. Also pouncing on the opportunity was a new name: Adam Craig (Balance Bar/DEVO). An Under-23 rider, Craig finished eighth with a celebratory wheelie (along the entire finish straight).

Results

Women

1 Alison Dunlap (USA) Luna Chix)                     2.17.26
2 Chrissy Redden (Can) Subaru/Gary Fisher               2.40
3 Mary Grigson (Aus) Subaru/Gary Fisher                 4.32
4 Alison Sydor (Can) Trek/VW                            5.41
5 Jimena Florit (Arg) RLX Polo Sport)                   6.39 
6 Mary McConneloug (USA) Seven                          7.28 
7 Susan Haywood (USA) Trek/VW)                          8.20 
8 Kerry Barnholt (USA) SoBe/Cannondale                  8.49 
9 Kiara Bisaro (Can) Gears Racing                       9.35
10 Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) SoBe/Cannondale          10.55
 
Men 
 
1 Roland Green (Can) Trek/VW                          2.25.50
2 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) RLX Polo Sport)           0.52
3 Geoff Kabush (Can) Ko                                  3.44
4 Travis Brown (Can) Trek/VW)                            3.50
5 Seamus McGrath (Can) Haro/Lee Dungarees                4.26
6 Paul Rowney (Aus) Yeti/Pearl Izumi                     6.56
7 Peter Wedge (Can) Kona                                 7.29
8 Adam Craig (Can) Balance Bar/Devo                      8.02
9 Carl Decker (USA) Deschutes Brewer                     8.45
10 Tinker Juarez (USA) Volvo/Cannondale                  9.58

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