DUNLAP JUST MISSESFEB 2.
DUNLAP JUST MISSESFEB 2.
2004’s first World Championship event is complete. Although it was the Cyclocross Worlds event, the field was filled with enough mountain bikers that we were happy. In Pont-Chateau in France, America’s best hope was Alison Dunlap, 2001 World XC Champion. Alison quickly recovered from her shoulder injury which caused her to miss the majority of 2003 XC season. By the time fall arrived, she was already in winning form. Dunlap won every domestic event and was the National Cyclocross champion.
WHAT BRINGS US TO FRANCE
Alison felt strong and was showing her winning spirit. We believed in Alison. What happened next? When Laurence Leboucher, the French race leader, made her second lap attack, Alison wasn’t in a position for to respond. Alison was then held up by a crash, while Leboucher made another of her early race surges. The gap was too big for the top three females. Dunlap also admitted that she didn’t have the most powerful legs during the weekend. Alison believes that even though she doesn’t have the best legs, it is still possible to ride hard enough for Ann Knapp to finish fifth. Knapp was the American with the highest performance at Pont-Chateau. Leboucher, a former Mountain Bike and Cyclocross World Champion and will be racing in the Athens Olympics. In 2004, she was the only non-Belgian rider who won a Worlds CX title.
The Elite Mens race came to a sprint finish between Belgians. Compatriots Bart Wellens (Belgium) and Mario De Clercq (France) fought it out until the finish. Wellens won the race by just one inch. Bart is the current Belgian National Cyclocross Champion as well as the World Cyclocross Champion. Belgian third place rider Sven Vanthourenhout was also placed. Sven Nys, the current World Cup Cyclocross Series overall winner, is also from Belgium. He has a cramped leg and is currently leading the series.
We added MTB information to the results after riders’ names.
ELITE WOMENS
1 Laurence Leboucher, (Fra),4 2 Maryline Salvetat, (Fra),at 0.37
3 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger)at 0.51
4 Ann Knapp 5 Alison Dunlap 12 Gina Hall 14 Rachel Lloyd 17 Carmen Dalusio
WOMEN’S NATIONS RANKING
1 France11 points
2 United States21
3 Netherlands27
4 Great Britain50
5 Belgium54
ELITE MENS
1 Bart Wellens (Bel) 2 Mario De Clercq (Bel)same time
3 Sven Vanthourenhout, 4 Daniele Pontoni, (Ita), 5 Ben Berden(Bel), 32 Jonathan Page 33 Andrew Jacques Maynes, 42 Jackson Stewart- 1 lap
Men Nations Ranking
1 Belgium6 points
2 Czech Republic39
3 Netherlands41
4 France43
5 Switzerland46
10 United States107
UNDER 23 RESULTS
1. Kevin Pauwels (Bel)4 2. Mariusz Gil (Pol) 3. Martin Zlamalik (Cze) 4. Sebastien Minard (Fra)same time
5. Lukas Fluckiger (Swi) 39 Jeremy Powers5.29
40 Jesse Anthony 41 Matt White DNF : Alan ObyeMTB worlds Espoir rider
DNF: Michael Cody
U23 NAIONS RANKING
1. Belgium20 points
2. Czech Republic27
3. France32
4. Italia35
5. Switzerland41
9. United States120
JUNIOR RESULT
1. Niels Albert (Bel)4 2. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) 3. Clement Lhotellerie (Fra) 4. Clement Cid, (Fra). Petr Novotny, (Cze), 22. Jamey Driscoll 38. Konrad Lebas 46. Tucker Thomas 50. Adam Switters DNF Andy Brooks
JUNIOR NAIONS RANKING
1 Czech Republic13 points
2 France16
3 Netherlands36
4 Belgium40
5 Switzerland58
9 United States107
