Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski prevented Todd Wells from collecting another title out-sprinting the cross-country champion in Sunday’s short track event on the final day of the 2011 USA Cycling Mountain Bike Cross-Country National Championships. Katie Compton powered to win her second consecutive women’s pro short track title, while Adam Craig and Lea Davison took home pro Super D national titles.
Photos: John Ker
Super D
The Super D started the day's races and Adam Craig and Lea Davison took home the gold.
Craig collected his sixth national title in the Super D by posting a time of 19:37, 1.71 seconds faster than silver medalist Carl Decker and 16 seconds faster than Mike West, who earned the bronze medal.
"Super D is the essence of mountain biking," Craig said. "You have to be fit, but you still get to shred. It's the most entertaining way from the top to bottom."
Davison was nine seconds faster than Allison Mann and nearly 21 seconds faster than Kelli Emmett, who earned the silver and bronze medals.
Pro Men’s Short Track Cross Country
Yesterday’s cross-country champ Todd Wells jumped out front in the early going of the 20 minute, plus three-lap affair, but, Horgan-Kobelski, Ryan Trebon, Sam Schultz, Jeremiah Bishop and Stephen Ettinger were able to hold his wheel. Eventually the lead group split into two leaving Wells, Horgan-Kobelski and Trebon to battle it out in the second half.
Just when it appeared Wells, who rode on the front the majority of the race, would take it home, Horgan-Kobelski attacked and sprinted to the title.
“I did not expect that today so it’s a nice little surprise actually,” said Horgan-Kobelski. “I never saw the front of the race (until the last lap). Todd was riding pretty powerfully, but I knew he was hurting. I figured I was in perfect position (on the final lap) so I got by Trebon going into that off camber climb then came by Todd in the trees and sprinted as hard as I could and did the best I could to control the two-wheel drift. It turned out great.”
Schultz came in chasing hard for fourth and Bishop picked up fifth after a crash on the pavement. Ettinger turned in a strong result in sixth.
Pro Women’s Short Track Cross Country race
Chloe Forsman and Judy Freeman cranked up the pace early and managed to get a gap on the first lap, but it wasn’t long before the reigning champ Compton attacked off the wheel of Kelli Emmett.
“I got a little gap and just stayed on the gas,” explained Compton. “I felt good today so I thought I’d just give it a go and push the whole time.”
After Compton took control Forsman suffered an untimely flat, removing her from the race. Heather Irmiger and yesterday’s cross-country champ Georgia Gould mounted a chase but the a seven-time cyclo-cross national champion’s speed was too much for the superstar cross-country pair. Irmiger won the final lap sprint to take the silver.
“We rode together for about four laps – just kind of feeling each other out and seeing when to make the move,” said Irmiger. “I decided to go ahead and pass her before the dirt started because I felt like the 29er was rockin it on the loose corners. I felt like I had an advantage there, so I just made sure I got in front on the last lap and I held on to it. I’m really stoked.”
Super D Results:
Pro Men
1. Adam Craig (Bend, OR/Rabobank-Giant)
2. Carl Decker (Bend, OR/Giant)
3. Mike West (Boulder, CO/Yeti)
4. Aaron Bradford (Santa Cruz, CA/FamilyCycling/Specialized/SRAM)
5. Macky Franklin (Taos, NM/Yeti-SRAM)
Pro Women
1. Lea Davison (Jericho, VT/Specialized Factory Racing)
2. Allison Mann (Murrieta, CA/)
3. Kelli Emmett (Colorado Springs, CO/Giant Bicycles)
4. Elizabeth English (Bend, OR/)
5. Sarah Tescher (Durango, CO/)
Short Track
Pro Men
1. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, CO/Subaru/TREK)
2. Todd Wells (Durango, CO/Specialized)
3. Ryan Trebon (Bend, OR/0)
4. Sam Schultz (Missoula, MT/Subaru-Trek)
5. Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, VA/CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING)
Pro Women
1. Katherine Compton (Colorado Springs, CO/RaboBank - Giant Off Road Team)
2. Heather Irmiger (Boulder, CO/Subaru/TREK)
3. Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, CO/LUNA PRO TEAM)
4. Katherine Sherwin (Heber City, UT/NoTubes Elite Womens Team)
5. Teal Stetson-Lee (Durango, CO/Sweet Elite Rocky Mountain Chocolate Fac)