Mammoth Mountain, California - For the second-consecutive year, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Gary Fisher) stormed to the men’s professional cross-country national championship. After riding two laps at the front of the field alongside Adam Craig (Giant) and Walker Ferguson (Scott USA), on Friday, the 27-year old Horgan-Kobelski launched his decisive attack near the summit of the day’s long climb.

“My plan coming into this race was to put in a huge effort on the second or third lap,” Horgan-Kobelski said. “I wanted to get a gap and hoped to demoralize some people. I think I stuck to the plan. This was the race on my calendar that I wanted to win”

Horgan-Kobelski increased his gap on the third and fourth laps, coming in a full four minutes ahead of Todd Wells (Hyundai-Mongoose) who clawed his way from fourth to third on the final lap. Craig finished third, with Ferguson, who flatted, coming across fourth.

Rounding out the men’s podium was the seemingly ageless Ned Overend (Specialized), who attacked and passed marathon regular “Jungle” Jay Henry (Ford) on the final lap.

“I think it was a good full-suspension course,” Overend. “I was bummed I had to fight Jay ‘cause I think of him as a teammate. I attacked the hill on the last lap and got into the singletrack descent first.”

A real master: We hope you realize that Overend is now eligible for AARP membership.

The American rivalry between Horgan-Kobelski and Craig was the much-hyped topic coming into Friday’s cross-country. With his impressive showing at the 2005 world championships and on the World Cup circuit, Craig was the favorite in the eyes of many.

But while the 24-year old had little trouble maintaining pace on the descents, Craig suffered on the long fire road climbs.

“Flying home Sunday after givin ‘er in Scotland didn’t exactly give me too much rest coming into this race,” Craig said. “Here I was feeling pretty crappy. I wanted to win. I seem to race up at the World Cups. It I had to choose which races to race up at, I’d choose the international ones.”

WOMEN
In the women’s race Shonny Vanlandingham (Luna) appeared to have the national title wrapped up after two of three laps around the 6.2-mile course, and held a one-minute gap over a four-woman chase group midway through the final descent. Less than a mile from the finish, Vanlandingham’s front tire abruptly went flat, and she rode the final technical section on her front rim, with Mary McConneloug (Seven-Kenda) in hot pursuit. “I held her of for a while, I just kept my weight back,” Vanlandingham said. “I was really hoping to do well here. I’ve been lucky all season and haven’t had a flat.”

As Vanlandingham and McConneloug hit the final pavement straightaway, Vanlandingham’s flattened tire fell off the rim and the Luna rider hit the asphalt hard, sustaining minor cuts and bruises.

“I kind of did the rag doll thing pretty hard,” Vanlandingham said. “I probably couldn’t have beaten her in a sprint with a flat front tire anyway, but I had to give it a shot.”

McConneloug soloed in for the victory ahead of a streaking Alison Dunlap (Luna) and Willow Koerber (Subaru-Gary Fisher). Vanlandingham limped home in fourth place.

U23 MEN
After one lap of the men’s U23 cross-country race, 22-year old Andy Schultz (Cannondale) found himself battling for second place, chasing none other than his younger brother Sam (US National), who held a one-minute advantage on the field.

But midway through the second lap, the streaking younger Schultz lost a whopping two minutes after a puncture derailed his lead. A charging Nick Ranno (Trek-Volkswagen) and the elder Schultz quickly gapped the rest of the field, and with one lap remaining headed out on the six-mile course side by side.

Suffering on the final climb, Ranno watched as the elder Schultz escaped near the summit. Putting time into the tiring Trek-Volkswagen rider, Schultz soloed to victory by almost a minute.

“I was really bummed that [Sam] had a mechanical up there. He’s the future of the sport,” said Andy Schultz. “He looked like the strongest rider today. Generally he shows more flashes of brilliance than I do, but depending on the day it always comes down to who is luckier between us.”

Race Note
Trek-Volkswagon cross-country rider Jeremiah Bishop was a no-start for the cross-country rider. The 29-year old is still suffering from several cracked vertebra sustained in a stack up at the NORBA finals at Mount Snow in Vermont on August 27.

NATIONAL CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
MEN
1. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Subaru-Gary Fisher, 1:50:39
2. Todd Wells, GT-Hyundai, at 3:57
3. Adam Craig, Giant, at 4:59
4. Walker Ferguson, Scott USA, at 5:29
5. Ned Overend, Specialized, at 5:45
6. Jay Henry, Ford, at 6:29
7. Michael Broderick, Seven-Kenda, at 9:25
8. Carl Decker, Giant, at 9:38
9. Cody Peterson, 3D Racing, at 10:59
10. Erik Tonkin, Kona-Les Gets, at 11:20WOMEN
1. Mary McConneloug, Seven-Kenda, 1:40:54
2. Alison Dunlap, Luna, at 0:09
3. Willow Koerber, Subaru-Gary Fisher, s.t.
4. Shonny Vanlandingham, Luna, at 0:45
5. Susan Haywood, Trek-Volkswagen, at 0:59
6. Heather Irmiger, at 1:02
7. Dara Marks-Marino, Ford Cycling, at 2:32
8. Georgia Gould, Tamarack, at 4:22
9. Kathy Sherwin, Biogen-IDEC, at 4:39
10. Kelli Emmett, Ford cycling, at 7:32U23 MEN
1. Andy Schultz, Cannondale, 2:00:52
2. Nick Ranno, Trek-Volkswagen, 2:01:43
3. Sam Schultz, U23 National, 2:02:04
4. Alex Hageman, Cannondale, 2:06:19
5. Eric Ransom, Tamarack, 2:06:28
6. Perry Paolini, AMGEN, 2:10:22
7. Spencer Paxton, DEVO-Balance Bar, s.t.
8. Nick Waite, U23 National, 2:15:44
9. Andy Brooks, DESALVO, 2:16:05
10. Adam Snyder, Balance Bar, 2:20:23