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August 09, 2007
Top bikers return to Snowmass
By Aspen Times Staff
Aspen, CO Colorado
August 9, 2007
SNOWMASS - They've raced in suburban parks in sunny Southern California and through pouring rain in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina.
Now, after seven rounds of stiff competition, the nation's best mountain bikers are coming to Snowmass for the finale to this year's National Mountain Bike Series.
Practice rounds for cross-country, mountaincross and downhill kick off Thursday for this year's Snowmass National Finals, a four-day event that is expected to draw riders from all 50 states, as well as a large international contingent.
At the series' last stop, Sugar Mountain, N.C., a wet course made for some tough racing and was responsible for some notable changes in the overall standings of several disciplines.
Meet the contenders
One of many disciplines where the top of the podium appears to be set for this weekend's finale is cross-country.
Canadian Geoff Kabush is likely to emerge as the series champion at Snowmass despite losing to West Virginia's Jeremiah Bishop at Sugar Mountain, according to a series press release. Kabush has accumulated a commanding 718 points heading into the final, 37 more than 2005 national champion Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski of Boulder, who currently sits second in the series standings.
In the women's field, last year's national champion, Georgia Gould of Missoula, Mont., has dominated so far this year, winning all five races she has entered. Gould's experienced teammate Shonny Van Landingham of Durango is second, while Katerina Nash, a native of the Czech Republic now living in Truckee, Calif., sits in third.
The series' final overall points are calculated by throwing out the lowest score from all the races cyclists have entered - a system that benefits those who have had some bad luck. The system doesn't necessarily reward riders who have been consistent throughout the series, although it doesn't necessarily hurt them, either.
Newly designed for this year's finals, the Snowmass cross-country course features a 13-mile loop with nearly 3,500 feet of climbing. The terrain includes tough climbs, challenging descents and an abundance of technical singletrack. Pro riders will complete 1.5 laps, amounting to approximately 20 miles and 7,000 feet of climbing.
The short-track cross-country race has always been a crowd favorite, and this year's Snowmass track is expected to be one of the serie's best. The course features wide-open pavement, off-camber grassy slopes and water crossings.
Making the race even more enticing for spectators will be the battle for the overall series short-track crown expected between Kabush and Todd Wells of Durango. Only nine ponts separate the two riders, and with 182 points going to the winner of the race, the series should come down to the final lap.
In the women's field, Nash produced the win she needed at Sugar Mountain and now leads the series, although Gould could swoop in to steal the overall trophy.
The downhill course is also new this year, and features a mixture of high-speed open sections and narrow, tree-lined singletrack descents. The course rewards the rider who can be both patient and daring, according to organizers.
Australians Jared Rando and Amiel Cavalier have dominated the downhill series, and in all likelihood the overall trophy will go to one of the two. Going into the final, these two have 525 and 512 points, respectively. Recently crowned U.S. champion Cole Bangert of Twin Lakes is a long shot for the series title - the Colorado native won at Sugar Mountain and sits in third in the overall standings with 496 points.
Melissa Buhl, of Chandler, Ariz., looks to be a lock for the women's title after three straight wins. Second and third place, however, are wide open. Lisa Myklak of Boulder and last year's series champion, Joanna Petterson of South Africa have traded places in recent rounds, and just 13 points separate the two entering the final round.
The crown jewel of the new courses at Snowmass this year is the mountaincross track. Built with tight, technical sections for the elbow-to-elbow racing near the top, the course gives way to massive jumps near the bottom.
Eric Carter of Temecula, Calif., retains the series lead even though he missed the Sugar Mountain races. The 37-year-old, who was the 2004 world champion and 2006 national champion, should finish comfortably ahead in the series of Australians Jared Rando and Amiel Carver. Luke Strobel of Renton, Wash., recently won the national dual slalom title and is third in the series mountaincross standings.
Melissa Buhl is all lined up to claim the women's mountaincross title, following three straight wins and a second place from the four races she has entered. She should add another title to her national championship wins from 2002 and 2005. Just like in downhill, Petterson is a contender for second place, and has a reasonably comfortable 36 point cushion over teammate Jackie Harmony of Tucson, Ariz.
For more information on all sporting events in Aspen-Snowmass, please log on to www.stayaspensnowmass.com
Posted by Dina at August 9, 2007 03:14 PM
