WORLD MTB CHAMPS, DAY 1
Fort William, Scotland
usacycling.org
The 2007 Mountain Bike World Championships were opened by the U.S. National Team, which won the first American medal in the Team Relay.
The winning team of Switzerland’s winning team and the runner-up Poland were joined by Georgia Gould (Ketchum ID/Luna Chix), Ethan Gilmour, Sam Schultz (Ludlow VT/Devo Okemo), Sam Gilmour (Ludlow VT/Devo Okemo), Adam Craig (Bend OR/Giant), and Ethan Gilmour (Ludlow VT/Devookemo).
The Team Relay includes four laps of cross-country circuit. Each lap is contested by an elite male or female and a junior male from each country. This event was included for the first time in the World Championship program at 1999 edition in Are (Sweden). The fourth-place performance by the United States was the best American entry to the World Championship program up until now.
The U.S. team was allowed to decide the order in which its representatives would start, and the U.S. team chose to open with Gould. The other 14 teams chose to begin with their elite or U23 male competitors. Gould was the fastest lap over the 4.9-mile loop, clocking 25 minutes and 19 seconds. This was the slowest lap of the first wave but it was also the fastest among elite women. Rus’ Irina Kalentieva (Rus), won those honors with a 2
Gilmour, the U.S. squads junior-male entry, took over from Gould, and moved the U.S. one place to 14th at the midway point. Gilmour managed a 2
After Gilmour’s departure, Schultz improved Team USA’s position. He moved the team from 14th place to eighth after posting a 2
Craig was required to fill in five spots to win the first U.S. relay medal. He anchors the American team with a 2
The U.S. contingent finished the event in a time of
The U.S. made the right strategic decision to send Gould first and give up a lead early. Team was the only team to choose a slow start and fast finish.
Craig explained that we would be better off letting Georgia ride alone because she has been doing it all year. It was possible for her to time-trial it, and the younger boys could pick off one or two people per lap. I thought that if I was on my last lap with several people to catch, it would be a good way to get fired up. It’s great for morale to pass people.
The U.S. team will have four competitors competing in their individual events this week: Gilmour in junior men’s cross country on Thursday and Schultz in U23 men’s cross country on Friday. Gould will be running in elite women’s crosscountry on Saturday, while Craig will be running in elite mens.
The 2007 Mountain Bike World Championships will continue with the U23 and junior womens cross-country. The United States will have Stephanie White (Bedford NH/Velo Bella), and Amy Cox, (Scottsdale AZ/Strada) representing the junior womens section. For Team USA, Chloe Forsman will compete in the U23 womens contest (Boulder CO/Luna Chix), and Caitlyn Tiel (Boulder CO/Trek VW).
Bronze medal for the USA in the Team Relay at 2007 Mountain Bike World
Championships is the 12th American medal won at World Championship events this season. Sarah Hammer (Temecula) is joined by Gould Gilmour, Schultz, Taylor Phinney (Conroe), TXGold Medalist for elite women’s individual pursuit), Kyle Bennett, Taylor Phinney, and Jonathan Page (Northfield), COGold Medalists, elite mens cyclocross), Danny Caluag, Brad Huff (Fair Grove), MOBronze Medalists, elite mens cyclocross), Jerika Hutchinson, CABronze Medalists, CABronze Medalists, mens BMX), and elite womens BMX), and Jerikah, BMX), Randy Stumpfhauser, CABronze Medalists,, mens BMX), Randy Stumpfhauser, CABronze Medalists, elite BMX), Randy Stumpfhauser, CABronze Medalist (Sanger, CABronze Medalist), Jerika Hutchinson, mens BMX), Jerika. Shasta, CABronze medalist, junior women’s time trial; George Sowers, Glendale, AZBronze medalist, junior mens cruiser BMX.
RELAY RESULTS WORLD MTB CHAMPS TEAM
1. Switzerland 2. Poland+ 3. Usa 4. France 5. Germany 6. Czech Republic 7. Italy 8. Russia 9. Great Britain 10. Ukraine Krompets
