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NORBA wraps up in Mammoth
Mammoth Mountain, California. - The final day of competition at the 2005 national mountain bike championships saw professional riders contest the short-track cross-country and the downhill events. Finishing atop the podium in the STXC were Shonny Vanlandingham (Luna) and Adam Craig (Giant), while Cody Warren (Haro) and Melissa Buhl (KHS) claimed their victories in the downhill.
Vanlandingham, the most dominant female cross-country racer on the 2005 NORBA circuit (four cross-country and two short-track victories), came into the day’s event looking for a win after a heartbreaking flat tire in the final mile of the cross-country sent her into fourth in that event.
Nontheless, all eyes were focused on Vanlandingham’s Luna teammate Alison Dunlap, who was racing in the final event of a storied career. The last rider called to the starting line, Dunlap was presented with a special jersey commemorating her success at the Olympics and on the World Cup circuit, not to mention that historic 2001 world championship victory.
From the gun, a motivated Georgia Gould (Tamarack) pushed the pace around the half-mile course, which featured a steep climb peppered with three leg-busting mini inclines, a winding descent and a concrete straightaway. Gould’s efforts eventually drew out race favorites Heather Irmiger (Tokyo Joes-GoLiTe), Susan Haywood (Trek-Volkswagen), Dara Marks-Marino (Ford Cycling), Vanlandingham and Mary McConneloug (Seven-Kenda).
Midway through the 25-minute race, continued efforts by Vanlandingham whittled the front group down, with only Marks-Marino and Haywood able to keep pace. With three laps remaining, the Luna rider, still sporting a bandage from a frightening fall in the cross-country, threw in the winning attack, and soloed to victory a full 25 seconds ahead of Marks and Marino.
The men’s event featured another showdown between America’s two top cross-country riders, Maine native Adam Craig (Gaint) and Coloradan Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski. After a commanding four-minute victory in the cross-country, Horgan-Kobelski entered the race as the odds-on favorite. JHK displayed a commanding presence at the outset of the cross-country; always holding firm in second or third position as Cody Peterson (3-D Racing) and Michael Broderick (Seven-Kenda) took turns at the front.
Eventually, the pace whittled the front group down to just four: Horgan-Kobelski, Craig, Carl Decker (Giant) and Todd Wells (GT-Hyundai). However, an unfortunately timed slow leak sent JHK off the back with less than five minutes remaining in the event, and the four-time national cross-country champion was forced to complete the remainder of the race on a flat front tire. Horgan-Kobelski ran his bike in for a seventh-place finish.
Ahead, Craig and Wells took turns pushing the pace around the dusty track as Decker see-sawed off the back. Hoping his Giant teammate would make contact with the group, Craig eased up on the flats, forcing Wells to accelerate on the steep climb. Both flew up the incline in their big rings, and midway through the final lap it was evident that Decker was not going to make contact. Craig threw in the decisive attack of the day at the base of the climb, and was able to hold of Wells by a scant five seconds.
DOWNHILL
After suffering two painful crashes during the mountain-cross event, Haro’sr Cody Warren came into the downhill looking to score a respectable result at the 2005 national championships. Widely regarded as the most-talented young gravity rider in the U.S., Warren was the top American finisher at the 2005 world championships in Livigno, Italy.
The Haro rider did not disappoint at Mammoth. Justin Havukainen (Iron Horse-MadCatz) set an early fast mark that withstood the efforts of downhill favorites Ross Milan (Yeti), Duncan Riffle (Yeti), Chris Del Bosco (Lens Sport) and Rich Houseman (Yeti). Finally, Chris Van Dine (Go-Ride.com), second-to-last to go, bested Havukainin’s time by just 0.01 second with only Warren remaining.
Despite washing out early in his run, Warren beat Van Dine’s time by a whopping eight seconds to take the biggest win of his young career.
Also scoring the biggest victory of her career was Buhl, who scored her first NORBA gravity win earlier this year at the NORBA No. 6 in Brian Head, Utah, where she claimed the dual slalom. The KHS rider had a near flawless on a course that punished even small mistakes.
While former junior world champion Kathy Pruitt (Luna) came into the race as the overwhelming favorite for the crown, a painful crash midway down the dusty course cracked Pruitt’s helmet and derailed her hopes at her first national champion’s jersey. Despite the disaster, Pruitt still managed to ride in for second place.Oh, what might have been.2005 National Mountain Bike Championships, Mammoth, Ca
Short-Track Cross-Country
Men
1. Adam Craig, Giant, 26:55
2. Todd Wells, GT-Hyundai, at 0:05
3. Carl Decker, Giant, at 0:19
4. Cody Peterson, 3D Racing, at 1:06
5. Alan Obye, U23 National, at 1:29
6. Brian Laiho, Dean, at 1:49
7. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Subaru-Gary Fisher, at 2:04
8. Ross Schnell, Tokyo Joes-GoLite, Lapped
9. Chris Eatough, Trek-Volkswagen, Lapped
10. Michael Broderick, Seven-Kenda, Lapped.Women
1. Shonny Vanlandingham, Luan, 26:25
2. Dara Marks-Marino, Ford Cycling, at 0:24
3. Susan Haywood, Trek-Volkswagen, at 0:43
4. Mary McConneloug, Seven-Kenda, at Heather Irmiger, Tokyo Joes-GoLiTe, at 1:06
6. Georgia Gould, Tamarack, at 1:07
7. Kerry Barnholt, Subaru-Gary Fisher, at 1:35
8. Alison Dunlap, Luna, at 1:48
9. Kathy Sherwin, Biogen-IDEC, at 1:49
10. Sara Bresnick-Zocchi, Ford Cycling, Lapped.Downhill
Men
1. Cody Warren, Haro, 4:05.88
2. Chris Van Dine, GoRide.com, 4:14.28
3. Justin Havukainen, Iron Horse-MadCatz, 4:14.29
4. Duncan Riffle, Yeti, 4:14.37
5. Evan Turpen, Specialized, 4:15.95Women
1. Melissa Buhl, KHS, 4:46.39
2. Kathy Pruitt, Luna, 4:52.66
3. April Lawyer, Maxxis-Intense, 4:53.17
4. Amelia Colasurdo, Cannondale, 5:13.15
5. Wendy Reynolds, Cannondale, 5:15.22
