American Jill Kintner took her third-consecutive four-cross world title at the 2007 UCI world mountain-bike championships in Fort William, Scotland. Despite crashing during a warm-up run and suffering a hyper extended arm, Kintner dominated the finals, winning every round she entered by a sizable margin.

The success came on the heels of Kintner’s return to BMX racing. A former BMX world champion, Kintner swore off the little bike after successfully transitioning to gated mountain-bike racing. Even in 2006, when the first-ever Olympic BMX race was just two years away, Kintner said she wasn’t interested in racing on 20-inch wheels.

But after a year that saw the untimely passing of her father, Kintner says she changed her mind. Now, the Beijing Olympics and a head-to-head meeting with her off-road predecessor, Frenchwoman Anne-Caroline Chausson, are on Kintner’s horizon. VeloNews caught up with Kintner the day after she successfully defended her title.

VeloNews: Okay, so a year ago you said you had no plans to race BMX. Now you’re jet-setting around the world with your BMX bike. What changed?

Jill Kintner: The whole time I thought there wasn’t enough support in BMX for me to go back to it, but USA Cycling is starting to come around, but they are just throwing money into the program, not really the support you need for the highest performance. The potential is there — Mike King, the BMX program director, was pretty influential with convincing me to try for it. They funded me for the first trips based off of one result, which was surprising, so I know I have some internal support now as well. My personal sponsorship support from Red Bull and GT has stepped up a lot to see that I get what I need to pursue a medal in Beijing, so that got me more excited about it. BMX has never carried the professional atmosphere that four cross has, but after seeing the last couple races and being in China at the [Olympic] venue, BMX is getting a facelift for professionals. The Olympics are a once in a lifetime opportunity and an awesome challenge, so it’ll be worth it.

VN: So you just won your third four-cross world title and you made it look easy. You’re obviously a lot better than the other girls out there — do you feel that way?

JK: At times you doubt yourself, but I know that any time I show up I can win, because I work really hard with my training. New people will come in and spice things up I’m sure. I still feel like I’m riding conservative, not my full speed. In finals — no. Not at all — you have to take all the insides and bloc. My turns could always be faster, start could always be better, and I’m never satisfied, honestly. Until you’re really pushed, you never find your best.

VN: Do you feel that splitting time between BMX and Four cross has hurt your mountain-bike racing?

JK: Mentally it’s tiring doing two sports. I come back for my next race and I’m completely drained from the BMX race. I feel revived when I’m on a mountain bike, but I haven’t had 100-percent of my time to focus. The more I switch bikes, the easier it gets to switch, but the confidence on either bike is only there with solid time riding them. I am all or nothing, so it has been a bit of a struggle in this situation.

VN: You had to skip the second round of the Jeep King of the Mountains series for BMX, which likely cost you the overall. How did you feel about that?

JK: It wasn’t a decision I could make. I had to go to China for that pre-Olympic [BMX] race to keep my chances alive at selection. I wanted to go to the Jeep round, but it wasn’t even a choice. Absolutely killed me to give that Jeep title away, any title kills me to give away so easily like that. Probably cost me $15,000 to skip that one race, and had to hear about someone else being the champion, grrrr… whatever. I consider it an investment to my future.

VN: I saw that you were racing four cross against the guys in Australia.

JK: Yeah, and Australia made some dumb rule that I can’t race the men’s series anymore, so I don’t go to all their races anymore. I did okay when I raced them. I made quarters every time at Nationals, and won a few rounds against some fast guys. When you race them there’s nothing to lose, I just do it to get better. They’re not going to take me out. But having Big ol’ [Nathan] Rennie next to you in the gate is a little intimidating.

VN: It’s been one year since the death of your father. How are you dealing with the loss?

JK: It’s miserable. Its one of those things where you’re never the same, it takes time to sort out your head and emotions. Who do you call when you win, who do you call when you lose? He was my biggest supporter. I can remember hearing things he used to say, and I use that, but it is still really sad for me. I write one on my jersey or my gloves, “4 dad.” I know last night he was there and could see it happen for my 3rd World Title. He kept safe and me smiling. Bryn is awesome too, so I am lucky, but you don’t feel life the same way when you take a loss like that. Mom’s been good but she isn’t as into it. Our family is closer at least. I started my website for pops last year because he couldn’t be there, but wanted to know everything that was going on. He really believed I could do anything I wanted to in my life. He was the greatest Dad ever.

VN: So BMX racing will put you head-to-head with Anne-Caroline Chausson.

JK: Yeah, I always wanted that challenge of racing her. I know that if she came back to mountain biking it would still be a hard to beat her. She’s good and she’s obviously had some training and support in her career. She rides like a guy, getting backsides and double pumps, squeezing every bit out. I watch her and I know she’s thinking more than anyone else. That raises the excitement of it.
Read more about Jill Kintner in VeloNews’s upcoming issue 19.

Llanes to Begin Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Therapy
American gravity great Tara Llanes, who broke her back in a crash during the September 1 Jeep King of the Mountains race, was transferred to Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado on September 18. Craig is the top spinal cord rehabilitation hospital in the country, and Llanes will undergo her rehabilitation there. Llanes is currently paralyzed from the waist down after her accident, which occurred in Beaver Creek, Colorado during the semi-finals of the Jeep KOM race.

Llanes underwent surgery at Denver Health Medical Center to address massive trauma in her lower back shortly after the crash. Doctors diagnosed a C-7 fracture, which was deemed stable going into surgery.

Friends have set up a charitable foundation to help cover the cost of Llanes’s recovery called Tara’sRoad to Recovery Fund. For those interested in wishing Llanes a speedy recovery, visit her Myspace Page.

Single speeder wins Chequamegon 40
Tattooed 28-year-old Jesse Lalonde of Madison, Wisconsin won the 2007 Chequamegon 40 cross-country race riding a single-speed Gary Fisher 29-er bike. Lalonde outlasted mountain-bike greats Travis Brown and Steve Tilford with his 36x16 gear.

“After years of riding single speeds,” Lalonde wrote on his website, “I can finally and honestly say that I have mastered the art.”

Taking the women’s race was former U23 national champion Jenna Zander of the Bear Naked-Cannondale team. Zander reeled in Trek-Volkswagen’s Susan Haywood in the final miles of the 40-mile race to win in her first Chequamegon attempt.

“I knew Sue Haywood was good at point-to-point and in the Nationals, so I thought, ‘I gotta find her wheel,’ but it was really hard with how many people were in the race,” said Zander.

Another former U23 champ, Lea Davison (Trek-Volkswagen), finished third after crashing early in the race.

Chequamegon 40
Cable, Wisconsin
September 15, 2007

Men
1.Jesse Lalonde, Gary Fisher 29-BKB, 2:11:49
2. Brian Matter, PCW Cycling, at 0:08
3. Steve Tilford, HRRC-Trek, at 0:13
4. Marko Lalonde, Gary Fisher 29-BKB, at 0:15
5. Jeff Hall, Salsa Cycles, at 0:17
6. Travis Brown, Trek-FRS, at 0:33
7. Cole House, Endeavor Cycles, at 0:38
8. Ian Stanford, A&F Pro Development, at 0:44
9. Mike Phillips, Alterra-Specialized, at 0:50
10. Chris Peariso, Unattached, at 0:53

Women
1.Jenna Zander, Bear Naked-Cannondale, 2:26:01
2. Sue Haywood, Trek-Volkswagen, at 0:08
3. Lea Davison, Trek-Volkswagen, at 0:12
4. Kyla Malenkovich, Headmethod-Cannondale, at 2:02
5. Sara Kylander-Johnson, Trek-Volkswagen, at 2:59
6. Anne Grabowski, Nature Valley-Penn Cycle, at 11:39
7. Catherine Walberg, Mesa Cycles, at 14:00
8. Katie Lindquist, Unattached, at 14:23
9. Jennifer Meyer, Unattached, at 15:23
10. Amy Thomas, Unattached, at 16:38

Lehikoinen Breaks back in training Accident
Finland’s best mountain-bike racer, downhiller Matti Lehikoinene of the G Cross-Honda team, was seriously injured during a training accident in Helsinki on September 26. The 24-year-old was descending a three-foot drop off when his rear wheel abruptly stopped, flinging Lenikoinen onto his back. He was immediately transferred to a hospital where doctors confirmed three fractured vertebrae.

Lehikoinen’s prognosis is good and doctors expect a full recovery — he has movement in all of his limbs and has no feelings of numbness. Lehikoinen’s teammate, South African Greg Minnaar, was seriously injured at the September 9 UCI world mountain-bike championships in Fort William, Scotland. Minnaar fell during the downhill finals, dislocating his shoulder and fracturing his scapula.

Tomlinson Leaves Rocky Mountain-Haywood
Longtime Rocky Mountain-Haywood rider and team director Lesley Tomlinson will step down from her post in October 2007 after six years with the team. Tomlinson won the Trans Alp Challenge and the world 24-Hour Solo championships while riding with the team. More recently, Tomlinson helped bring Canada’s best cross-country talents under the wing of the Rocky Mountain-Haywood team. Currently, the team boasts its strongest roster to date, with Marie-Héléne Prémont, Seamus McGrath, Max Plaxton, Micayla Gatto, Carsten Bresser and Wade Simmons.

BC Bike Race Registration Opens
Online registration for the 2008 BC Bike Race opened Tuesday, September. For 2008 the race will run from June 28 to July 4, taking participants from Victoria to Whistler, British Columbia.

In 2007, the race’s first year, nearly 200 racers tackled the seven-day race across British Columbia’s backwoods. For 2008 organizers are hoping to double that number. To register, visit www.bcbikerace.com.