Napa Valley - MTB World Cup #1USA, April 7 & 8, 2001Main page Course map Full results & report Latest live report Complete Live ReportWelcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the 2001 MTB World Cups, kicking off with the first round at Napa Valley California. The women's race starts at 10.30 local time, 19:30CET and the men's at 14:00/23:00CET. Men The men will ride seven 6.4km laps plus the two 1km start loops. In a much bigger field than thewomen's race it's more nearly wide-open and yesterday's time trial, won by Marco Bui (AS Marin-Helly Hansen), isn't necessarily an indicator. There's a big difference between going hard for 14 minutes and sustaining pace for two and a half hours. Nevertheless, Bui is a contender as are Ryder Hesjedal (Subaru-Gary Fisher), Roland Green (Trek-Volkswagen), Bart Brentjens (Giant) and Cadel Evans (Volvo-Cannondale). Miguel Martinez (Fulldynamix) was out of the top ten yesterday but connot be discounted at the full distance. 14:00 – Seven laps to go The race has just started and the men are in the start loop, with Marco Bui (A.S. Marin Helly Hansen) leading the charge. The weather has deteriorated significantly; rain has blown in from the Pacific. The course is dry enough that this should be an advantage — it'll keep the dust down — more than a hazard. 14:28 – Six laps to go As the first lap ends a group of four has about 15 seconds on the rest: Ryder Hesjedal (Subaru-Gary Fisher), Christophe Dupouey (Giant), Lado Fumic (T-Mobile) and Marco Bui (A.S. Marin Helly Hansen). Bui is sitting on the end of the lead group looking very relaxed, knowing this 'power course' really suits him. Spain's Jose Antonio Hermida (Bianchi Motorex) is leading the chase. The rain has stopped and it's been exactly what this course needed — the dust is gone and the surface is now very fast. 14:45 – Five laps to go Jose Antonio Hermida (Bianchi Motorex) has caught the leaders and two more riders have bridged the gap to the lead group and joined them: Ludovic Dubau (Orbea) and Bas Van Dooren (Specialized), so there are now seven riders in the lead group. They are being chased, about 15 seconds back, by a trio consisting of Filip Meirhaeghe (Specialized), Marc Hanisch (Orbea) and Cadel Evans (Volvo Cannondale). However, it looks as if this trio is very close to being swept up by a pack of ten riders lead by a very hard-charging Bart Brentjens (Giant). 14:55 – Four laps to go Jose Antonio Hermida (Bianchi Motorex) attached on the climb and now has 15 seconds over Marco Bui; Lado Fumic (T-Mobile) is another fice seconds back. behind them there is now no organised chase. Bart Brentjens (Giant) continues to look strong and Filip Meirhaeghe (Specialized) is in fifth, but the attack and the response of the leaders has broken up the previous chasing pack. Further back Miguel Martinez (Fulldynamix) has dropped out of contention and is somewhere in the 30s. 15:10 – Three laps to go Mid race and Jose Antonio Hermida (Bianchi Motorex) has taken a convincing solo lead. 30 seconds behind Marco Bui (A.S. Marin Helly Hansen) and Marc Hanisch (Orbea). 40 seconds behind Hermida, Lado Fumic (T-Mobile) is trying to catch Bui and Hanisch and at 60 seconds Christophe Dupouey (Giant), Ludovic Dubau (Orbea) and Ryder Hesjedal (Subaru-Gary Fisher) are desperately trying to close the gap to the leaders. Some 30 seconds further back, Bart Brentjens (Giant) continues to chase hard, leading a re-formed train of riders including Filip Meirhaeghe (Specialized), Gregory Vollet (77510 Bellot) and Cadel Evans (Volvo Cannondale). 15:30 – Two laps to go On the previous climb, Marco Bui (A.S. Marin Helly Hansen) pulled Marc Hanisch (Orbea) up to Jose Antonio Hermida (Bianchi Motorex), so from a solo leader we now have a lead group of three. Lado Fumic (T-Mobile) is still hanging in there, 25 seconds down on the leaders, while at 50 seconds there's the D-men, Christophe Dupouey (Giant), and Ludovic Dubau (Orbea). A further 25 seconds brings us to a group that includes Ryder Hesjedal (Subaru-Gary Fisher), Bart Brentjens (Giant), Filip Meirhaeghe (Specialized), and Gregory Vollet (77510 Bellot) and 15 seconds behind whem another small group includes Paul Rowney (Yeti/Pearl Izumi) and Roel Paulissen (GT). 15:45 – One lap to go The lead group is still Marco Bui (A.S. Marin Helly Hansen), Marc Hanisch (Orbea) and Jose Antonio Hermida (Bianchi Motorex), but a very strong-looking Hermida is constantly attacking, trying to wear down the other two. It's not working yet, as Bui is matching him pedal stroke-for-pedal stroke. Surprise performance of the last two laps has been Christophe Dupouey (Giant) who has pounded up through the field and is now a mere 16 seconds and closing from the lead group. Lado Fumic (T-Mobile) has grabbed his chance and followed Dupouey's wheel and the last lap is shaping up to be a five-way shoot-out. At 45 seconds Gregory Vollet (77510 Bellot) and Ludovic Dubau (Orbea) are hanging on, 15 seconds ahead of Bart Brentjens (Giant) and Filip Meirhaeghe (Specialized) while Paul Rowney (Yeti/Pearl Izumi) is having a good final couple of laps, picking up places and now just 90 seconds behind the leaders. 16:02 – Finish Hermida's final attack was enough to just edge out Hanisch and Bui and give him the narrow margin needed to take this first World Cup round under grey skies with intermittent light rain. The lead trio were followed in by Dupouey after a remarkable charge through the field. Results (unofficial) 1 Jose Antonio Hermida (Spa) Bianchi Motorex 2.02.06 2 Marc Hanisch (Ger) Orbea 0.03 3 Marco Bui (Ita) A.S. Marin Helly Hansen 0.06 4 Christophe Dupouey (Fra) Giant 0.45 5 Lado Fumic (Ger) T-Mobile 0.54 6 Gregory Vollet (Fra) 77510 Bellot 1.01 7 Bart Brentjens (Ned) Giant 1.25 8 Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) Specialized 1.45 9 Paul Rowney (Aus) Yeti/Pearl Izumi 1.51 10 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Subaru-Gary Fisher 2.01 Women The women will race five laps of the 6.4km course. Based on times from Saturday's time trial the race is expected to last around an hour and a half. 10:20: The riders are warming up in the staging area under a clear, sunny California sky. This race is expected to be a three-way contest between Alison Dunlap (GT) Caroline Alexander (Specialized) and Barbara Blatter (Specialized). Coming off her win at Sea Otter, and the rocky, technical Napa course makes Caroline Alexander the slight favourite. 10:45: The riders have completed their initial pair of 1km laps of the start loop and are out on the open course. Annabella Stropparo of Be-One attacked on the first climb and looks to have strong legs today. 11:05 With four laps to go the five strongest women have already clearly blown the field apart. A lead group formed very early on of Barbara Blatter (Specialized), Alison Sydor (Trek/Volkswagen), Alison Dunlap (GT) and Caroline Alexander (Specialized) with Chrissy Redden (Subaru-Gary Fisher) joining these four shortly before the end of the lap. These five have about 30 seconds on a chasing group that is being led by Annabella Stropparo (Be One) and includes Jimena Florit (RLX Polo Sport), Ruthie Matthes (Trek/Volkswagen) and Corine Dorland (Be-One) but it looks unlikely any of the chasers will catch the hard-charging lead quintet. 11:25 With three laps to go there's no change in the overall picture, except that the lead group of five — Barbara Blatter (Specialized), Alison Sydor (Trek/Volkswagen), Alison Dunlap (GT), Caroline Alexander (Specialized) and Chrissy Redden (Subaru-Gary Fisher) — has increased its lead to around 45 seconds. It looks strongly as if these riders will simply pace it out until the last lap, and then we'll see who has the legs left for a decisive attack. 11:45 With a lap and a half to go there's no change at the front. Blatter seems to be positioning herself for an attack on the last lap climb, and after Alexander's win at Sea Otter Specialized may be taking the attitude that it's the Swiss woman's turn. That said, climbing was always Alexander's big strength — if, as Sea Otter intimated, Alexander has returned to the form of her glory days she could be very hard to rein in should she decide to go for it. 12:05 As expected, Barbara Blatter (Specialized) attacked on the climb on the penultimate lap, quickly dropping the other four riders from the original lead group. With one lap to go, Blatter is solo in the lead, some 45 seconds ahead of the pair of Alisons, Sydor (Trek-VW) and Dunlap (GT). In that duo Sydor is doing most of the work to chase. 30 seconds further behind we come to Caroline Alexander (Specialized) and Chrissy Redden (Subaru-Gary Fisher). The rest of the field is some 10 minutes back. 12:28 On the last climb, Alison Dunlap put in a sprited attack to drop Sydor and attempt to close the gap to Blatter, but Blatter just managed to hold off the American woman and take the race by about 12 seconds. Results (unofficial) 1 Barbara Blatter (Swi) Specialized 1.58.07 2 Alison Dunlap (USA) GT 0.12 3 Alison Sydor (Can) Trek/Volkswagen 1.16 4 Chrissy Redden (Can) Subaru-Gary Fisher 1.25 5 Caroline Alexander (GBr) Specialized 1.59
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