July 4/98 6:34 am - Reports from Canmore World Cup #6

Posted by Editor on 07/4/98
 

Report 1

11:50 am MTN time - The womens XC race is just about to start.

All of the top riders are in Attendance with the exception of Spanish rider Margarita Fullana.

There was a small amount of rain overnight which has had very little effect on the course, except for the area call „The Chute‰. This area has gotten extremely slippery and treacherous. Rune Hoydhal fell while training this morning and though he suffered no injuries had to be helped out by some spectators.

The weather is perfect for racing: 21 degrees C, slightly overcast and NOT RAINING.

Report 2

The start was fast an furious, with Alison Sydor charging off the front followed by Gunn-Rita Dahl and Pezzo. They will do a short intro lap and then go out for 4 laps. There is no serious climb before „The Chute‰ (The chute is a wild technical steep that follows the climb off the Start line. No time for resting, it drops down through a rooted, mossy technical section, that terminates in a nice sharp left at the bottom. ) and this could make a significant impact on the race. With no climb serious enough to break up the group it may mean that whoever gets to the chute first will either gain on the group or hold everyone else up (depending on the riders technical ability)

Report 3

At the top of the first climb, Alison Sydor maintains the lead. Following her are Leboucher, Daucourt, De Negri and Pezzo in that order with Pezzo about 15 seconds behind Alison. Chrissy Redden is 9th, Melanie Dorian 17th, Melanie McQuaid 25th and Leslie Tomlinson 26th.

Report 4

6 km into the 8 km lap, Alison Sydor maintains her lead. Going through the „Devonian Drop‰ she has 20 seconds on Chantal Daucourt, then it is Dahle at 25 seconds, Caroline Alexander at 50 seconds and Pezzo at about a minute. Chrissy Redden was 7th at 1:10 but fell down a 5 foot embankment just after „the drop. She is back in the race but has lost a place to Alla Epifanova.

Report 5

At the top of the climb lap 2 Alison Sydor has extended her lead over 2nd place Chantal Daucourt to 1:30. Leboucher is 3rd and right on Daucourt‚s wheel. Pezzo is sitting in 4th at about 1:50 back. De Negri is 5th, Dahle 6th. Chrissy Redden is comfortably 10th, Dorian 17th and Tomlinson 25th.

Report 6 - 1:15 pm MTN time

Going through the „Devonian Drop‰ (A steep, rooted section covered in moss drops down to a small lake. The forest here is really intense - lots of downed trees interetwining on either side of the descent, forcing the trail to twist through them.), lap 2, Sydor continues to open up the gap. She now has 1:53 on Daucourt, Leboucher maintains 3rd, but has dropped back to 2:35, Dahle in 4th at 3:10 and Pezzo at 3:15. Redden is still in 10th

Report 7 - 1:36 MTN Time

At the end of the „Nector Noodle‰ Sydor still leads Daucourt by 2:00. Leboucher is 3rd at 3:35 and Pezzo has moved into 4th at 4:30. Chrissy Redden is holding onto 10th with Melanie Dorian in 16th.

This is the 3rd lap. When the riders go through the start finish they will be starting their final lap

Report 8 - 1:51 pm MTN time

Going into the final lap Alison Sydor has a commanding lead of 2:50 over Chantal Daucourt. The sun has just come out for the final lap.

Report 9 - 2: pm MTN time

1. Alison Sydor (CAN) Volvo-Cannondale
2. Chantal Daucourt (SUI) Volkswagon/Trek
3. Paola Pezzo, (ITA) GAry Fisher
4. Laurence Leboucher, (FRA)
5. Annabella Stopparo (ITA) Volvo-Cannondale (today is her birthday)
6. Mary Grigson (AUS) A.I.S.
8. Chrissy Redden (CAN) Ritchey


- Alison Sydor was born in Calgary, so she did her hometown proud with the win today
- Pezzo overtook Leboucher just before „the Chute‰ on the last lap.
- Chrissy Redden managed to make up 2 places in the last lap