After a one-month respite following the NORBA season opener in Waco, America’s professional mountain bike circuit reconvenes this week at the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California. Racing commences Thursday with the opening stage of the four-event cross-country stage race. The gravity gang gets into the act Saturday with dual slalom.

The opening XC event is the new-for-2004 super cross-country, a hybrid criterium-style race where competitors will split time between dirt trails and the Laguna Seca Raceway tarmac. The women will race for 75 minutes, while the men will be out there for 90 minutes. The ensuing three days will bring a time trial on Friday, short track Saturday, and finally Sunday’s 36-mile cross-country. Time bonuses will be handed out for the top three in the super XC and short track.

As has annually been the case, the 2004 Sea Otter has drawn out a strong men’s field that includes reigning world champions Filip Meirhaeghe (cross-country) and Thomas Frischknecht (marathon). European World Cupper Christoph Sauser is also in town to do battle with the top Canadians save Ryder Hesjedal (he’s in Europe racing on the road for U.S. Postal), plus America’s quartet of Olympic hopefuls, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Adam Craig, Jeremiah Bishop and Todd Wells.

The four U.S. riders are locked in a tight battle for the country’s two male MTB Olympic spots, giving the D2 rated event (60 points for first overall) added importance.

This is also the case on the women’s side, where Alison Dunlap is trying to overcome substantial odds and close down the UCI points gap between herself and fellow Americans Sue Haywood and Mary McConneloug. Only one U.S. woman will go to Athens, with the selection being based on UCI ranking at July 12. Right now McConneloug has a solid lead over Haywood, with Dunlap well off the pace after missing the bulk of the 2003 season with a shoulder injury.

McConneloug will take a pass on Sea Otter, opting to stay in Europe where she’s been since February on a points-chasing mission. Top Canadian Alison Sydor is also in Europe.

The opening day super XC is essentially a replacement for the famed -- and sometimes infamous -- fat-boy criterium, which endured a healthy amount of criticism over the years, with many riders questioning its safety. Last year saw a nasty crash during the women’s race that left Luna’s Shonny Vanlandingham out of action for several months with a broken collarbone.

Over on the gravity side, the pros will be contesting their first big North American race of the season (there was no gravity racing on the Waco slate), battling for the overall omnium title. The winners will be based on finishes in the slalom, downhill and mountain cross, with the lowest combined score (riders get one point for a win, two for second, etc.) deciding the overall champ. Any ties will be broken by the results of the mountain cross.

Among the big names in northern California are reigning World Cup champs Nathan Rennie (downhill) and Eric Carter (four-cross), 2003 Red Bull Rampage winner Cédric Gracia and two-time defending world junior DH champ Sam Hill.

Almost as notable are the names missing from the start list. On the men’s side Brian Lopes and Chris Kovarik are both out following offseason injuries (Lopes broke his leg in an ATV accident, Kovarik snapped his ankle jumping his motocross bike). On the women’s side, top British rider Tracy Moseley is out with a broken wrist, the result of an offseason training crash.

Top women gravity specialists at this year’s Sea Otter include Marla Streb, Fionn Griffiths and Sabrina Jonnier. Also in town is retired former world downhill champion Leigh Donovan. Donovan left the racing game after the 2001 campaign to open a clothing boutique in Southern California, but will be making her second straight post-retirement appearance at Sea Otter. A year ago the one-event schedule paid off with an overall omnium title.

Check back to VeloNews.com all week for full reports, results and photos.

2003 SEA OTTER WINNERS
MEN’S XC OVERALL: Roland Green
TIME TRIAL: Roland Green
FAT BOY CRIT: Steve Tilford
SHORT TRACK: Roland Green
CROSS COUNTRY: Roland Green
WOMEN’S XC OVERALL: Alison Dunlap
TIME TRIAL: Chrissy Redden
FAT BOY CRIT: Alison Dunlap
SHORT TRACK: Alison Dunlap
CROSS COUNTRY: Barbara Blatter
GRAVITY OMNIUM OVERALL
MEN: Eric Carter
WOMEN: Leigh Donovan
DUAL SLALOM
MEN: Cédric Gracia
WOMEN: Tai-Lee Muxlow
DOWNHILL
MEN: Mike King
WOMEN: Tracy Moseley
MOUNTAIN CROSS
MEN: Chris Kovarik
WOMEN: Jill Kintner