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MTB News and notes: Getting focused on the Olympics
Concerns about venue readiness at this summer’s Olympics have been well documented, but it appears that at least the cross-country mountain-bike course is ready to go. That was certainly the sentiment following this past weekend’s E1 test event at the Parnitha Olympic Venue where Frenchman Julien Absalon and Norway’s Gunn-Rita Dahle each grabbed victories.
Absalon outgunned a field that included reigning Olympic champ Miguel Martinez, and 1996 Games victor Bart Brentjens. Absalon’s final mark of 1:57:07 was 11 seconds better than Martinez, with Swiss rider Ralph Näf in third at 0:57, followed by Brentjens at 0:58.
“It was a very difficult and complex course,” said Absalon. “Exceptionally interesting. Everything is ready and it makes me think that everything will be even better during the Olympic Games. Miguel Martinez is a great athlete and it is very important for me to beat him. The best man usually wins and today it was my turn.”
With rain falling off and on, Canadian Roland Green took an early lead during the first turns around the 6.1km course. But the two-time world champion faded badly, winding up 18th. Meanwhile, Absalon worked his way up from sixth at the end of the first lap, and launched an attack with two laps to go, hauling in Martinez in the process.
“Julien was stronger at the end,” Martinez admitted. “I felt a little bit fatigued.”
American Adam Craig ended up 15th and called the race “a true test for the Games procedures, security, the works.”
“The course has two main climbs that are short and steep, and a bunch of cool singletrack linking it all together,” Craig said. “It’s definitely eroding fast, though. It’s going to be rough.”
In the women’s race, Dahle pulled a move reminiscent of her dominant 2003 World Cup season, taking a commanding early lead in Greece and never looking back. At the finish the 2002 world cross-country champion owned a 1:52 lead over Poland’s Magdalena Sadlecka, with Canadian Alison Sydor in third at 2:40.
“It is very beautiful, although I expect a higher temperature in August,” Dahle said. “The course is complex with some difficulties and it is possible to be overtaken even in the final few meters. I was impressed by the security measures. It is the first time in my life that I felt so safe in such a long race. There was an impressive police force and the staff helped a lot during the race.”
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Paolo Pezzo settled for fifth at 3:55, after a late-race crash cost her a shot at third place. “It’s a difficult course and the summer heat will make it even harder,” Pezzo predicted.
ADAM’S ANGLE
Giant-Pearl Izumi rider Adam Craig was the first American to get an up-close look at this year’s Olympic cross-country course. Here’s some of his thoughts about the track will play host to this year’s most important mountain-bike races.
“The course is all in the forest, with lots of coniferous trees and dry rocky ground. Hardtail or full suspension will be a tough call. I raced the hardtail, but it's getting very rough very fast. Loose ground and lots of ruts and braking bumps. The climbs are smooth, though, and there’s not too much flat rough stuff.
“They tired to spice things up with a bunch of dirt jumps. The stadium is a big smooth BMX track with berms, reasonably safe, but kind of dumb and impossible to jump properly. In one of the fields on the stair-stepping climb, there's a short downhill with four huge whoops. One woman got an ambulance ride and I was scared every time, and I have good jumping skills for a cross-country weenie. Stupid, dangerous stuff that needs to be changed.
“There are two main climbs per lap, one stair steps for about six minutes; the other is steep for around four minutes, both good tests.
“To do well you’ve got to be a powerful rider who can climb explosively. The climbs are substantial enough that the little guys are stoked. The strongest riders will win.”
LATEST UCI XC RANKINGS
On May 17 the UCI released the latest set of cross-country rankings, but you have to question their accuracy. Missing from the rankings were results from any of the big American races thus far in 2004, including the NORBA season opener in Waco, the Sea Otter Classic or last weekend’s NORBA race in Sonoma, California.
In the men’s cross-country Bart Brentjens maintained his perch at the top, with Julien Absalon, Roel Paulissen, Lado Fumic and Filip Meirhaeghe completing the top five.
Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski is the top American in 16th, just one spot behind top Canadian Roland Green. Ryder Hesjedal (20th), Todd Wells (21st), Jeremiah Bishop (26th) and Geoff Kabush (36th) are the other North Americans in the top 40. American Adam Craig is 59th.
In the women’s rankings Norway’s Gunn-Rita Dahle owns the top spot, with Sabine Spitz, Alison Sydor, Petra Henzi and Maja Wloszczowska rounding out the top five.
American’s Mary McConneloug and Sue Haywood, and Canadian Marie-Helen Premont are ninth, 10th and 11th respectively. Kiara Bisaro (21st), Chrissy Redden (23rd), Willow Koerber (36th) and Shonny Vanlandingham (37th) are the other North Americans in the top 40. Alison Dunlap is 57th.
TRANSSEXUALS ELIGIBLE FOR OLYMPICS
Under a proposal approved by the IOC executive board on Monday, athletes who have undergone sex-change surgery will be eligible for the Olympics if their new gender has been legally recognized and they have gone through a minimum two-year period of postoperative hormone therapy, according to an Associated Press report.
This ruling falls in line with one already handed down by the UCI stemming from protests over the participation of Canadian downhiller Michelle Dumaresq. Dumaresq, who won the 2003 Canadian national downhill title, had sexual reassignment surgery seven years ago and has been racing pro the last three years.
The IOC decision, which covers both male-to-female and female-to-male cases, goes into effect starting with the Athens Olympics in August. Some members had been concerned whether male-to-female transsexuals would have physical advantages competing against women. Men have higher levels of testosterone and greater muscle-to-fat ratio and heart and lung capacity. However, doctors say, testosterone levels and muscle mass drop after hormone therapy and sex-change surgery.
Until 1999, the IOC conducted gender verification tests at the Olympics but the screenings were dropped before the 2000 Sydney Games.
