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05.24.06 - Mountain Bike News - Marie-Hélène Prémont (QC) takes bronze SPA's UCI World Cup.
Ottawa, ON, May 24, 2006 - Québec's Marie-Hélène Prémont took her first mountain bike World Cup medal last Sunday winning the bronze in the cross-country event at Spa Francorchamps, in Belgium's Ardennes region.
The athlete from Château-Richer (QC) Marie-Hélène Prémont completed the course at 3'11mn from winner Gunn-Rita Dahle from Norway, the current World Champion. Irina Kalentieva from Russia took the silver, at 2'10 mn.
Prémont had respectively earned the 4th and 10th positions at World Cup stages #1 and #2 in Curaçao and Madrid, where a flat had pulled her away from the silver medal. "I feel somewhat released to be on the podium, she said. It is what I was aiming at." With her first podium of the season, Prémont climbed in 5th in UCI world rankings.
Rocky Mountain Business Objects team mate Alison Sydor (North Vancouver, BC), took the 9th position. Wendy Simms (Nanaimo, BC) ended 16th, followed by Kiara Bisaro (Courtenay, BC), 29th, Trish Sinclair (Victoria, BC) 59th, Sandra Walter (Coquitlam, BC) 75th and Martina Feldmann, 79th.
On the men's field, France's Julien Absalon (Bianchi Agos) took victory at Spa along with Norway's Gunn-Rita Dahle (Multivan Merida) as they did the weekend before in Madrid, both padding their respective lead on the World Cup standings.
The 250-strong men's field meant that there was a huge scramble on the opening half of the lap race to get to the front.The top North American finisher was Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Gary Fisher) in 16th place. Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) started strong, finishing the start loop in 7th, but then began to struggle with the running, eventually finishing 47th.
"Like last week, if you miss the train off the start, then you can't catch up." commented Horgan-Kobelski.
Kabush admitted that his problem was the running: "I read the start well - I just surfed the wave at the front. I felt comfortable up there, but after that, when I tried to settle in, I couldn't get a rhythm. I like to ride my bike more, so I was struggling."
Mathieu Toulouse (Montréal, QC) did not start the race due to a throat infection, said Canadian Mountain Team coach Michel LeBlanc. Seamus McGrath (Victoria, BC) did not finish the race and Martin Lazarski (Toronto, ON) ended in 128th place.
The next MTB World Cup will be a triple event featuring 4-X, XC, and DH, presented this weekend on the legendary site of Fort William, Scotland, with the same cross-country riders in action. Canadian downhillers will include Tyler Morland, Derrick Chambers, and on the women's side, the great hopeful Danika Schroeter, presently 8th on UCI rankings, Claire Buchar (11eth- UCI rankings), Katrina Strand, Micayla Gatto and Brook Baker.
RESULTS - Spa-Francorchamps UCI Mountain Bike World Cup
Women: 23.50 km
1. Gunn-Rita Dahle (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team 1:36:51
2. Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak-Ergon at 2:10
3. Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Rocky Mountain Business Objects at 3:11
9. Alison Sydor (Can) Rocky Mountain Business Objects 8:21
16. Wendy Simms (Can) Velo Bella - Kona 9:28
29. Kiara Bisaro (Can) Team R.A.C.E. 12:17
59. Trish Sinclair (Can) Scott 19:07
75. Sandra Walter(Can) XO Felt 26:11
79. Martina Feldmann (Can) XO Felt 30:40
Men: 35.50 km
1. Julien Absalon (Fra) Bianchi Agos 2:14:53
2. Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan Merida Biking Team at 0:27
3. Ralph Näf (Sui) Multivan Merida Biking Team 2:13
47. Geoff Kabush (Can) Maxxis at 14:59
128. Martin Lazarski (Can) Rocky Mountain Business Objects
DNF. Seamus McGrath (Can)
DNS. Mathieu Toulouse (Can) Maxxis
For more information, visit: www.uci.ch
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