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Gravity titles awarded in Vermont
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For the past four years, Californian Kathy Pruitt has traveled to the USA Cycling national mountain-bike championships as the odds-on favorite to bring home the jersey in the women’s downhill. And from 2004-06, the 2000 junior world champion saw her chances crash and burn —literally.
In both 2004 and ’05, Pruitt flew off her bike and landed on her head while speeding down the rocky, dry course at Mammoth Mountain, California. Marla Streb and then Melissa Buhl were the primary benefactors — Pruitt finished second both years.
In 2006 a surging Tara Llanes stunned all by taking the title on the short, dusty track at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. Pruitt was out with an injury.
So when Buhl, the fastest woman to qualify at the 2007 championships, posted a finals time two seconds slower than Pruitt’s, all the Californian could do was grin.
“This feels good — I’ve never had success with the one-day format for nationals,” Pruitt said. “Every year it seemed like I’d crash on my head.”
Race organizers took extra precautions to make sure no one — Pruitt included — hit their heads on Mount Snow’s famously brutal downhill course. Just minutes before the pro finals were set to take place, crews were on the trail covering up a section of pipes and bars used for snowmaking.
“It’s good — those bars have been an issue here for a while,” said Buhl. The Arizonan claimed the runner-up position the morning after beating Pruitt to take the stars-and-stripes jersey dual slalom.
Dual slalom is not the UCI’s registered gated race — the sport’s governing body hands out world championships in four cross instead. But USA Cycling opted to hold slalom competition due to the course’s lower cost and less-intrusive nature.
The decision didn’t bode well with the country’s top male and female gated racers — World Cup leaders and GT teammates Jill Kintner and Brian Lopes skipped the championship.
“I don’t know if it’s the best race for a national championships because it would be nice to prepare riders with what we’re racing internationally,” Buhl admitted after winning the women’s title. “But on the other hand I love dual slalom. It’s always good racing and good for spectators.”
Indeed, a crowd of beverage-swilling fans lined the newly built slalom course, which featured three sharp turns and etched its way down a beginner ski run. The professional event kicked off at 7 p.m. as the sun began to set, and the riders lucky enough to make it to the finals raced in near darkness. After the event the mob retreated to a nearby parking lot to watch a small crowd of exhibitionists partake in Mount Snow’s famed naked criterium.
The crowd was treated to a surprise winner in the men’s race, as North Carolina’s Chris Herndon (Specialized-Cane Creek) out-dueled reigning NMBS champ Rich Houseman (Yeti-Fox) to take the men’s title.
Hearndon’s victory came after an evening of upsets — reigning national champ Eric Carter (Mongoose) departed early after crashing in the round of 16. Fast qualifiers T.J. Sharp, Ross Milan (both Yet-Fox), and Luke Strobel (Maxxis) also departed early.
“When Carter went down he was going to face me in the next bracket, so that was a bit of a present,” Herndon said. “I did a local race a few weeks ago and felt like things had really come together.”
A 20-year veteran of bike racing, Houseman came into the finals as the racer to beat. The 28-year-old resident of Oceanside, California, has missed much of the season recovering from multiple shoulder dislocations.
“I thought I had him beat, but Chris pulled off a really awesome race,” Houseman said. “It was cool — after the race he came up to me and told me he had looked up to me when he was younger.”
While only a handful of gravity racers still tackle both gated racing and downhill on the World Cup scene, at the U.S. championships a number of racers did both. Herndon enjoyed a third-place finish in the men’s downhill, and talented all-rounder Lisa Myklak (Leelikesbikes.com) scored podium finishes in both women’s events.
Cole Bangert emerged from the men’s downhill sporting the fastest time. The Coloradan, who was only the 36th fastest man to qualify, sped down the steep, rocky course in 3:55.9 to set the early fastest time.
As the last rider to hit the course, reigning champ Duncan Riffle (Honda-Iron Horse) looked to have Bangert beat, posting a two-second advantage on the Morewood rider at an early time check. But Riffle suffered a puncture on the course’s back half, giving the young Coloradan the win.
2007 USA Cycling National Mountain Bike Championships
Mount Snow, Vermont
July 20-22
Dual slalom
Men
1. Christopher Herndon, Specialized-Cane Creek
2. Rich Houseman, Yeti-Fox
3. George Stephenson, Northern Lights
4. Joe Haley, Eastern Bikes-Maxxis
5. Cole Bangert, Morewood
Women
1. Melissa Buhl, KHS
2. Kathy Pruitt, Jamis
3. Lisa Myklak, Leelikesbikes.com
4. Caroline Jarolimek, the Fix
5. Amelia Colasurdo, Bear Naked-Cannondale
Downhill
Men
1. Cole Bangert, Morewood, 3:56
2. Luke Strobel, Maxxis, at 0:02
3. Christopher Herndon, Specialized-Cane Creek, at 0:07
4. T.J. Sharp, Yeti-Fox, at 0:08
5. Geritt Beytagh, Morewood
6. Cody Warren, C-Dub Racing, all s.t.
7. Ryan Condrashoff, WTB-Santa Cruz, at 0:10
8. Jason Memmelar, at 0:14
9. Lars Tribus, Iron Horse
10. Chris Heather, Pedal the Peaks, all s.t.
Women
1. Kathy Pruitt, Jamis, 4:38
2. Melissa Buhl, KHS, at 0:02
3. Marla Streb, Luna, at 0:10
4. Dawn Bourque, Rhino Bikes, at 0:16
5. Lisa Myklak, Leelikesbikes, at 0:21
6. Amelia Colasurdo, Bear Naked-Cannondale, at 0:32
7. Darian Harvey, Durango Rough Riders, s.t.
8. Jackie Harmony, Brodie, at 0:33
9. Caroline Jarolimek, the fix, at 0:46
10. Karen Eagan, Vitaminwater, at 1:05
