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VN Awards: Dunlap North American female cyclist of the year

By The Editors
Published: Nov. 27, 2002
The VeloNews Awards appear in the December 16 issue
The VeloNews Awards appear in the December 16 issue

Photo: Marc Dawson

The argument for Alison Dunlap as North American Female Cyclist of the Year really started in 2001 when she signed her then-new deal with Luna.

Originally, the contract was for two years, but when Dunlap reminded her new bosses that cyclo-cross season was just heating up, they added three extra months so she could race their colors during the fall ’cross campaign. The move paid off, as Dunlap blitzed her way to her fifth straight U.S. national ’cross title, then headed to Europe where she won the Grand Prix of Holland and was the top North American finisher (fourth overall) at the world cyclo-cross championships in Zolder, Belgium.

But Dunlap’s biggest impact came in the spring and summer of 2002, when she put together arguably the best overall season of her mountain-bike racing career. Bolstered by the presence of the rainbow jersey she’d earned at the world championships in Vail the previous year, Dunlap started right where she left off in 2001, winning the Sea Otter Classic stage race.

On the NORBA circuit Dunlap engaged in a season-long battle with good friend Jimena Florit. And while the Argentine Polo Sport rider would get the better of Dunlap in the cross-country ledger, Dunlap had no problem taking the topAmerican spot, giving her another national title. On the short track, it was pure dominance for the Colorado native. Dunlap won the season’s first four races, giving her the overall and national titles, while upping her career wins total to an all-time best 11, five more than anyone else.

But it was Dunlap’s performance on the cross-country World Cup circuit that really got her noticed in 2002. Though she didn’t win any races (two seconds were her best results), she was on the podium at all five races, which propelled her to the first overall World Cup title of her career.

Her success didn’t come without some drama, though. Dunlap broke her wrist in a training ride crash in early August, and had to battle the injury for the rest of the season. By the time the World Cup finals came around in mid-September she was out of her cast, but the wrist was still sore and Dunlap’s lead in the overall standings was tenuous. If her closest pursuer, Sabine Spitz, had a good day Dunlap needed to finish on the podium to hold on. Spitz had that good day, taking third, while Dunlap found herself in a back-and-forth battle with Swiss rider Petra Henzi for the final podium place. At the finish Dunlap prevailed by just 11 seconds, giving her the first overall cross-country World Cup title for an American woman since Juli Furtado in 1995, and sealing her second VeloNews North American Female Cyclist of the Year award.

FINALISTS
Kim Bruckner, Laura Van Gilder, Dede Demet-Barry, Amber Neben

PREVIOUS WINNERS
Lyne Bessette (2001)
Mari Holden (2000)
Alison Dunlap  (1999)
Linda Jackson (1998, 1997)
Linda Brenneman (1996)
Juli Furtado (1995, 1994, 1991)
Rebecca Twigg (1993)
Ruthie Matthes (1992)
Connie Paraskevin-Young (1990)
Susan Elias (1989)
Inga Thompson (1988)


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