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Craig, Pendrel take Pan American Gold

American Adam Craig and Canadian Catherine Pendrel won the 2007 Pan AmericanGames cross-country race, held Saturday, July 14 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.American Mary McConneloug and Brazilian Rubens Valeriano took home thesilver.The 15th edition of the Pan American Games featured a newly built cross-countrycourse called Morro o Outeiro, or Outeiro Hill. Heavy rainstorms two beforemountain biking event transformed the course into a muddy quagmire. Howeversunshine on the day of the event dried out the course enough to preventa rescheduling.The course appeared perfect for Craig, who competed in his first-everPan American Games. The 25-year-old from Bend, Oregon surged to the frontof the men’s cross-country race from the gun and, with Valeriano in tow,built a two-minute advantage on the field. The American held the advantageto the line.Craig’s American teammate Todd Wells was not present for the Pan AmericanGames due to a scheduling conflict.Craig is currently ranked No. 18 in the UCI standings and is hot offa 10th place finish at the No. 5 round of the UCI World Cup, held July7 in St. Felicien, Quebec. The American looks primed for a top result atthe July 19-23 USA Cycling National Mountain-bike championships, held inMount Snow, Vermont."It was great to come down here and win the first time around," Craigsaid after his victory.  "Maybe that's good luck for next year. Itis great to be competing with the best athletes in the Americas."Pendrel, who rides on the Norco bikes trade team, seized the lead fromMcConneloug on the second and final lap after the American suffered a seriesof mechanical problems and a crash. Pendrel finished with a minute advantage.The win marked a career-best result for Pendrel, 26, who hails from Kamloops,British Columbia.“I tried to imagine there was a World Cup field out there to push myselfto go harder,” Pendrel told Canadiancyclist.com. “That was the first timeI have had the national anthem played for me and it was great to sharethe podium with Mary, a rider I respect a lot.”The silver medal came as a disappointment for McConneloug, who finishedsecond at the previous Pan American Games in 2003."I did not have a perfect race due to several mechanical problems butmy body felt great and my head was into it," McConneloug remarked later."I am happy to have taken home the silver, but it makes me hungry for more.I had great support here and it is an honor to line up against all of thesetop women.”