WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, XC REPORT
WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, XC REPORT
Rotorua, New Zealand
France Cycling Race Information
Mary McConneloug, Chilmark, MA, rode to a career-best sixth place finish to help four Americans reach the top 20 in the elite women’s cross country race at 2006 Mountain Bike World Championships. All other countries were beaten by the four United States top 20 performances. Canada was the only country that placed more than two riders in top 20.
McConneloug, who was ranked ninth around the globe, improved upon her seventh-place finish a year earlier to lead the U.S. team again for the second year in a row.
Williow Koerber, Horseshoe, NC was the next American to finish in 17th, while Dara Marks Marino (Flagstaff AZ) finished solidly in 18th. In her first World Championship appearance, Georgia Gould (Ketchum ID), was the United States National Champion.
Norways Gunn Rita Dahle, the heavy favorite in the race, dominated the 49 riders field and won her third consecutive world title. Marie-Helene Premont from Canada came in third, while Irina Kalentieva from Russia was second.
McConneloug said that there is a strong group of women racing, and it’s only a matter time before we start climbing up the podium. McConneloug spoke of a U.S. team that made a significant step forward by securing valuable international ranking point critical for Olympic selection. It’s great to be able to push our limits at an international competition. We will be able to reach the next level through international competition.
The United States entered the race as fourth place, behind Canada, Norway, and Germany.
Heather Irmiger (Boulder, CO), who placed 23rd, and Shonny Vanlandingham, (Durango, CO), who placed 33rd. Sue Haywood (Davis WV) abandoned race and didn’t finish.
McConneloug started in a slow manner despite her world ranking. However, she soon settled into a rhythm and was able to climb the leaderboard. After the first five circuits of 3.6 miles, McConneloug was in sixth place. She then set her sights on Alison Sydor, a three-time world champion from Canada.
McConneloug explained that I started with a poor start, and everyone was trying so hard. It was going be a long race, and I was going slow to pick people off. I kept moving at my own pace and moved slowly forward.
McConneloug was beaten by Sydor and Margarita Fullana (Spn), the eventual medalists in the 2004 U.S Olympic Team. Maja Wlosczzowska, 2005 silver medalist (Pol), eventually took second place. McConneloug was seventh after two laps. After lap three, the order was unchanged, but McConneloug moved past Sydor to move back into sixth. This was significant because Sydor, a Canadian legend in mountain biking, had never finished below sixth at a World Championship since 1991.
McConneloug recalls that Alison would catch me on the climb. It was all about being smooth. It was slippery on the descents. I was actually running down many of the long, slippery downhills. But by the third lap, it was dry.
McConneloug remained in sixth place on the fifth and final lap by just 14 seconds, beating Anna Szafraniec from Poland.
McConneloug stated that my energy was consistent and I knew there would be girls coming after me. I did everything I could to keep that pace.
McConneloug’s sixth-place effort was the most impressive for an American woman since 2003, when Haywood achieved that mark in Lugano (Switzerland).
Marks-Marino is a consistent strong but relatively unknown talent on the circuit. She rode a solid race and was as high as eighth after the second lap. Although she was still aiming for the top 10, she held onto ninth place after three laps but fell to a respectable 18th.
Koerber also ran ninth after the first lap, and tenth at half-time. Koerber, however, slipped back a bit in the final laps, finishing 17th.
26-year-old Gould was the youngest and least experienced member of Team USA. He claimed the fourth spot in the top 20 for Team USA.
Dahle-Fleesja finished the 18-mile race in 1 hour 55 minutes and 19 second.
WOMEN’S WORLD XC CHAMPIONSHIP RESULT
1. Gunn-Rita DahleFleesja, (Nor)Multivan Merida 2 Irina Kalentieva (Rus)+ 3. Marie-Helene Premont (Can)Rky Mtn-Biz Obj 4. Maja Wloszczowska (Pol)Lotto 5. Margarita Fullana (Spn)Spiuk Illes Balears 6. Mary McConnelougKenda-Seven1 7. Anna Szafraniec (Pol)1 8. Petra Henzi (Swi)Fischer-BMC1 9. Alison Sydor (Can)Rky Mtn-Biz Obj1 10. Rosara Joseph (NZl)Jazz Apple1 17. Willow KoerberSubaru–Gary Fisher1 18. Dara Marks-MarinoTitus-Kenda1 20. Georgia GouldLuna Chix123. Heather IrmigerSubaru–Gary Fisher1 33. Shonny VanlandinghamLuna Chix2 DNF. Sue HaywoodTrek – VW
