World Mountain Bike Championships - CDM
Vail, Colorado, USA, September 12 - 16, 2001
2000 Results Main
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Day 4 - September 16:
Men's & Women's Elite cross country
Men: Complete live report
15:55 - 44.5km (27.8miles) to go
The weather has turned distinctly grotty and it's now overcast and threatening,
but the rain that arrived during the women's race has stopped. The men
are now almost ready to go in the start area.
They will loop round the course 3 3/4 times, for a total of just under
28 miles, expected to take around two hours. Favourites include Canada's
World Cup force of nature Roland Green, France's Miguel Martinez (though
it's doubtful how his late arrival will have affected his acclimatisation
to Vail's altitude), Cadel Evans of Australia and Spain's Jose Hermida.
16:10 - 42.5km to go
After just a couple of kilometres of start loop the riders
are still very tightly bunched. On the front as they passed our position
were Marek Galinski of Poland, Switzerland's Christof Sauser, Jose Granados
(Spain) and Roland Green of Canada.
16:30 - 34km to go
A large lead group has formed containing most of the expected
favourites and a few others. Christof Sauser leads as they leave the
village to climb out into the hills around Vail, followed by Michael
Rasmussen (Denmark), Cadel Evans (Australia) and Roland Green (Canada)
. In fifth is Kashi Leuchs (New Zealand), then Jose Hermida (Spain)
and Lado Fumic (Germany).
17:15 - 22km to go
The atmosphere here is electric, the crowds huge. It's so
unusual to see such large numbers of people turn out for a bicycle race
in the US, though of course previous world MTB champs in Colorado have
been well-attended. The big turnout of European fans has really added
to the atmosphere, though, with French fans in particular lining the
course, cherring on their countrymen and adding the clang of cowbells,
a sound not often heard in the Rockies.
With half the race gone, Roland Green of Canada and Michael Rasmussen
of Denmark have pulled away and until recently were working together
some 45 seconds ahead of the main lead bunch. As they come through our
position just below the jump, Green is a couple of hundred feet ahead,
and is clearly trying to escape from Rasmussen; the next climb will
be decisive.
The chasers are led by Thomas Frischknecht (Switzerland) who heads
a group that includes Cadel Evans (Australia), Christof Sauser (Switzerland)
and Bart Brentjens (Netherlands). There's a small gap to the next group:
Jose Hermida (Spain), Kashi Leuchs (New Zealand), Cedric Ravenel (France),
Ludovic Dubau (France) and Filip Meirhaeghe (Belgium).
Despite the hilliness of the course, a condition that usually strings
out the riders early on, this is still a very close race.
17: 40 - 5km to go
Green and Rasmussen still lead and are gradually increasing
their margin over a chasing bunch of eight consisting of the riders
mentioned above less Kashi Leuchs who seems to have faded out. As they
go out on to the last lap, it looks like the top two positions on the
podium are secured — it's going to be very hard for anyone to close
the 1.20 gap if Green has retained the form he's shown all season. That
said, many of the chasers are known for their ability to come back strongly
in the last lap. One thing is certain: whoever wins the bronze is going
to have to fight for it hard.
18:00 - 0km to go
As we look up the finish straight, it's Roland Green on his
own; he's shed Rasmussen on the final lap to take the world championships
ina powerful display of the same domonating riding we've seen from him
all season. This is truly a magnificent achievement; taking the worlds
and the World Cup in the same year puts Green into the mountain bike
pantheon with Miguel Martinez, the only other rider to accomplish that
double.
Just 30 seconds behind Green a hard-charging Thomas Frischknecht collects
the silver, and moments afterwards Christof Sauser comes in for bronze.
The following riders are separated by just seconds apiece, as the last
lap saw each of them battle to take podium positions after Michael Rasmussen
blew and eventually dropped to 11th.
Results (unofficial)
1 Roland Green (Canada)
2 Thomas Frischknecht (Switzerland)
3 Christof Sauser (Switzerland)
4 Cadel Evans (australia)
5 Ludovic Dubau (France)
6 Bart Brentjens (Netherlands)
7 Cedric Ravenal (France)
8 Filip Meirhaeghe (Belgium)
9 Martino Fruet (italy)
10 Jose Hermida (Spain)
Women: Complete
live report
13:20 - 32.6km (20.37 miles) to go
Welcome
to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the 2001 world cross country mountain
bike championships. The riders are being staged in the start area, ready
for the 2001 world championships cross-country race for women. It's
a beautiful, warm day here in Vail, with clear skies and sunshine; perfect
weather for mountain bike racing.
Riders to watch today include Caroline Alexander of the UK, her Specialized
team-mate Barbara Blatter of Switzerland, Australia's Mary Grigson,
Alison Sydor of Canada and Colorado local hero Alison Dunlap.
13:40 - 30km to go
The riders are
under way on this sweeping, loopy 11.9km course that returns several
times per lap to Vail village. Caroline Alexander of the UK has taken
the early lead. Alexander has said in the last several weeks that the
World's is a major aim for her in what has turned out to be a strong
comeback season for this rider from the hills of the English Lake District.
14:15 - 20km to go
At the end of
the first lap Alison Sydor has taken the lead and is some 10-15 seconds
ahead of Gunn-Rita Dahle. Trailing them in third by a small margin is
Alison Dunlap. Sydor has traditionally come on strong for the World's,
and Dunlap's home crowd advantage is clearly buoying her along.
14:25 - 17km to go
In typical Rocky
Mountains style, the weather has changed rapidly and an hour after sunshine
we now have rain dampening the riders' spirits. However, it's not much
affecting Alison Sydor (Canada) who has built up a 55 second lead over
second-placed Gunn-Rita Dahle (Norway). Dahle has 33 seconds on Sabine
Spitz (Germany) who is just in front of Caroline Alexander (Great Britain).
In fifth is Alison Dunlap (USA).
Of the other riders who were expected to be contenders, Switzerland's
Barbara Blatter is 15th and Australia's Mary Grigson is 18th.
14:52 - 7km to go
At the end of
the second lap there have been dramatic developments. Gunn-Rita Dahle
of Norway has moved into the lead, passing Alison Sydor who has dropped
to second. The other Alison — Dunlap — has found the strength
for a mid-race charge and moved up to third, while Caroline Alexander
continues in fourth and Sabine Spitz has moved back to fifth.
As the race enters its closing stages, it's far more open than it looked
after the first lap — the time gaps are not large and a late charge
from any of the top three could see them on top of the podium.
15:15 - 2km to go
Alison Dunlap
has moved into the lead! The crowd are of course going nuts!
15:20 - 0km to go
Dunlap hangs on
to her lead, beating Alison Sydor to the finish by a mere 12 seconds;
another 28 seconds separates Sabine Spitz from the first two.
Dunlap is utterly elated to have won in front of her home state crowd,
and the reception she's getting from the thousands of spectators is
little short of ecstatic
Results (unofficial)
1 Alison Dunlap (USA) 1.51.28
2 Alison Sydor (Canada) 0.12
3 Sabine Spitz (Germany) 0.30
Latest live report
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