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Short-track and Dual Slalom Action from MTB National Opener
Randolph, Grigson Score at Chevy Trucks National Short-Track; Kovarik, Elliott Take SoBe Dual Slalom Wins
SNOW SUMMIT, Calif. (May 20, 2000) -- Not one to settle for second, Greg Randolph (Boulder, Colo. -- Team GT), who took the runner-up position in Friday's cross-country race, claimed his second short-track cross-country win at the Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Series, Saturday, May 20, at Snow Summit Resort, Calif.
Australian Mary Grigson (Gary Fisher-SAAB), still hot from her cross-country win Friday, snagged the women's short-track cross-country top spot from Ann Trombley (Golden, Colo. -- Team Koulius Zaard) by less than five seconds.
In the evening's SoBe Dual Slalom National Championship Series event, Australian Chris Kovarik won the men's race, while two-time national dual slalom (1996, 1998) Cheri Elliott (Cameron Park, Calif. -- Cheri Elliott/Maxxis/ODI) was the women's winner.
Randolph held back at the start of Saturday's short-track cross-country, testing the other riders and allowing them to lead the pack for the first few laps. By mid-race though, it was Randolph who pulled forward, putting a narrow 7-second lead on the field.
"I let the other guys battle it out at the start and just held on their wheel until I felt I could attack. When I knew I had little gap on the field, I put on the gas and just went for it," said Randolph, who won his first national short-track race in 1999 at Mammoth Mountain Resort, Calif. "I was hurting out there. It was never easy, and I suffered for it. But, I went out hard and pushed it toward the end. I suffered like a dog though."
A group of international riders, nearly 20 seconds behind Randolph by the final laps of the race, took turns at third through fifth place. Italy's Pavel Tcherkassov (Gary Fisher-SAAB), New Zealand's Kashi Leuchs (Volvo-Cannondale) and Canada's Geoff Kabush (Kona) jockeyed for position, but Tcherkassov and Leuchs would end up second and third, respectively.
"This was my first experience with the short-track. This 20-minute effort is completely different than the two-hour race yesterday. It's a real short effort and a very interesting race. I was going full power, but I knew I couldn't catch Greg (Randolph). He was very strong and put a good gap between himself and the field."
For Randolph, Saturday's win was the break he needed in his 2000 season.
"I had a tough early season, especially psychologically. I wasn't doing too well, but now I'm not trying so hard. I'm going to let it happen and just do it my way," Randolph said.
Grigson and teammate Chrissy Redden (Campbellville, Ontario, Canada -- Gary Fisher-SAAB) took turns at the helm of the women's race, using serious team tactics against Trombley in hopes of a 1-2 finish. Still, Trombley, a 2000 U.S. Olympic Long Team member, was able to attack and carry the group for part of the race.
"I could tell Chrissy (Redden) and Mary (Grigson) were working against me, and it made me mad. I thought 'I'm not taking this.' I came around on the hill, and I just attacked Chrissy (Redden). I could tell she wasn't feeling strong enough to hold, but then Mary (Grigson) attacked," said Trombley, who placed third in Friday's cross-country race. "It was difficult with the two of them working together. I put it all out there in the last lap, but Mary (Grigson) was so strong."
Grigson, however, admitted that the race pushed her limits.
"Today's race was twice the intensity of yesterday's race. There was no let up because it was so bloody short," Grigson said. "The difference between a cross-country race and the short-track is that I was riding in that zone where I felt I could pass out the entire time. I was riding at the World Cup level, but those races are two hours and this was a hard, 20-minute effort."
In dual slalom action, Kovarik won his first SoBe national dual slalom race in a tight match-up with local Rich Houseman (Temecula, Calif. -- Tomac). Elliott, who beat last year's Snow Summit winner Leigh Donovan (Laguna Beach, Calif. -- Schwinn Toyota RAV4), didn't have an easy time getting to the finals. The '97 national downhill champion crashed in an earlier round, was thrown from her bike and hit her head. After being examined by first aid, Elliott decided to go with the race.
Action at the Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Series picks up Sunday, May 21, with the VISA Pro Downhill. For the most up-to-date in formation on the Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Series, please visit www.usacycling.org/mtb.
CHEVY TRUCKS NORBA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES, MAY 20, SNOW SUMMIT RESORT, CALIF.
SHORT-TRACK CROSS-COUNTRY
Pro Men: 1. Greg Randolph, Boulder, Colo. (Team GT); 2. Pavel Tcherkassov, Italy (Gary Fisher-SAAB); 3. Kashi Leuchs, New Zealand (Volvo-Cannondale); 4. Geoff Kabush, Victoria, BC, Canada (Kona); 5. Ryder Hesjedal, Canada (Gary Fisher-SAAB); 6. Carl Swenson, Boulder, Colo. (RLX Polo Sport); 7. Roland Green, Victoria, BC, Canada (Team GT); 8. Jason Tullous, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Giant/Domenics); 9. Mathieu Toulouse, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Team Ford Devinci); 10. Carl Decker, Bend, Ore. (Deschutes Brewery).
Pro Women: 1. Mary Grigson, Australia (Gary Fisher-SAAB); 2. Ann Trombley, Golden, Colo. (Team Koulus Zaard); 3. Chrissy Redden, Campbellville, Ontario, Canada (Gary Fisher-SAAB); 4. Jimena Florit, Argentina (RLX Polo Sport); 5. Melanie Dorian, Canada (Team Ford Devinci); 6. Carmen Richardson, Bethel, Conn. (SoBe/HeadShok); 7. Shonny Vanlandingham, Pagosa Springs, Colo. (SoBe/HeadShok); 8. Rachel Lloyd, San Anselmo, Calif. (VooDoo Cycles); 9. Amber Chorney, Vancouver, BC, Canada (Team Ford Devinci); 10. Gina Hall, Richmond, Calif. (Team Koulius Zaard).
SOBE DUAL SLALOM NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Pro Men: 1. Chris Kovarik, Australia (Intense); 2. Rich Houseman, Temecula, Calif. (Tomac); 3. Dave Cullinan, Mission Viejo, Calif. (Schwinn Toyota RAV 4); 4. Mike King, San Diego (Haro/Lee Dungarees)
Pro Women: 1. Cheri Elliott, Cameron Park, Calif. (Cheri Elliott/Maxxis/ODI); 2. Leigh Donovan, Capistrano Beach, Calif. (Schwinn Toyota RAV4); 3. Elke Brutsaert, Durango, Colo. (Schwinn Toyota RAV4); 4. Nicole Grant, San Diego (Fox/Intense)
Overall Standings are the same as the final results. |
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