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Cross Country

Telluride 360 Adventure Festival, USA , July 12, 2002

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The usual suspects win.

Womens report by Micah Joseph

The Pro womens race at the Telluride 360 Adventure Festival looked as easy and pre-planned as 1, 2, 3. 1. Allison Dunlap (Luna Chix), 2. Shonny Vanlandingham (SoBe Cannondale), and 3. Jimena Florit (RLX Polo Sport). The field also included Chrissy Redden and Mary Grigson (Subaru/Gary Fisher), Susan Haywood (Trek/VW) and Katerina Hanusova (Luna Chix).

Florit immediately bolted at the start, dragging the rest of the field up the first of several steep climbs. "I started like I would at sea level," said Florit. Telluride is anything but sea level. The small, Colorado mining town sits at an elevation of 8,400 feet. The race starts at an impressive 9,600 feet.

"I was amazed at Jimena's start," said Dunlap. "I just kept telling myself 'remember the altitude, remember the altitude'".

Soon, Florit remembered the altitude. "I experienced big time blowing, like a mushroom cloud," said Florit. Dunlap took the lead midway through the first of three laps. Vanlandingham followed in second, and florit held on to third. "I ride better when someone is just within reach," said Vanlandingham. "Altitude is tough," said Dunlap, "a real equalizer" If the women felt the lack of oxygen during the start, they must have been in real pain when the course topped out at over 10,000 feet. "I just had to turn off my mind and let the body do the work," said Vanlandingham.

At the finish things sat much as they had begun; Dunlap, Vanlandingham then Florit. "Awsome festival," Dunlap concluded, "but when are we women going to get a $10,000 prize list?"

Sauser wins clear

Mens report by Rob Karman

Under an beautiful alpine backdrop tainted with forest fire smoke, Christoph Sauser (Volvo/Cannondale) attacked from the gun and never looked back to take the first ever Telluride 360 festival Elite Mens Cross Country by over 3 minutes to his team mate Kashi Leuchs. Early on there was pressure from Canadian Ryder Hesjedal (Subaru / Gary Fisher) but the 9,000 foot plus altitude proved too much for him as he faded to 5th.

The combination of heat and altitude was a major factor on the shortened course as riders dropped out left and right. The race was originally slated to be 6 laps of a 5.1 mile course with 1,000 feet of climbing per lap, but was shortened to 4 laps of a 4.4 mile course due to rider and manager concerns over a particularly technical section.

Results

Women

1 Alison Dunlap (Luna Chix)                1.45.21
2 Shonny Vanlandingham (SoBe Cannondale)       .48
3 Jimena Florit (RLX Polo Sport)              3.01
4 Mary Grigson (Subaru Gary Fisher)           4.50
5 Katerina Hanusova (Luna Chix)               6.11
6 Susan Haywood (Trek-VW)                     8.02
7 Melissa Thomas (Ritchey)                    9.22
8 Jamie Whitmore-Cardenas                     9.31
9 Heather Iminger                            10.36
10 Katherine Zambrana (Ionic)                13.47
11 Gina Hall (Luna Chix)                     14.44
12 Julie Emmerman (Ritchey Roots)            15.11
13 Sarah Tescher (3D Easton)                 18.52
14 Lyn Damato-Franklin (Tokyo Joes)          19.10
15 Kelli Emmett (Luna Chix)                  20.22
16 Nina Baum                                 21.44
17 Becca Blay (Aspen Velo)                   22.45
18 Heather Szabo (Tokyo Joes)                27.34
19 Lorien Lightfield (Richards)              41.30

Men

1 Christoph Sauser (Volvo Cannondale)      1.54.04
2 Kashi Leuchs (Volvo Cannondale)             3.25
3 Travis Brown (Trek VW)                      6.04
4 Jay Henry (Specialized)                     6.48
5 Ryder Hesjedal (Subaru Gary Fisher)         9.54
6 Frank Mapel (Specialized)                  11.19
7 Marc Gullickson (Mongoose Hyundai)         13.51
8 Carl Swenson (RLX Polo Sport)              13.59
9 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (RLX Polo Sport)    14.35
10 Skyler Reeves (Specialized)               14.53
11 Cody Peterson (Cost River)                16.07
12 Josh Bezecny (Fox-Dragon)                 16.33
13 Dave Weins (RLX Polo Sport)               18.44
14 Jason Moeschler (Giant)                   19.30
15 Matt Pacocha (Ritchey Roots)              20.59
16 Brandon Dwight (Ritchey Roots)            22.12
17 Jon Brown (Clif Bar)                      25.10
18 Nat Ross (Subaru Gary Fisher)             40.45
   Adam Craig                                  DNF
   Paul Rowney
   Ariel Lindsey
   Walker Ferguson
   Jamey Yanik
   Daniel Gillespie
   Eric Jones

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