February 3, 2004 – Kona Cyclo-cross star Ann Knapp, put in a stellar ride to finish 4th in the 2004 World Cyclo-Cross Championships in Pont-Chateau, France. In front of an estimated crowd of 50,000 Knapp was the top finishing USA rider of all the riders selected to this year's worlds team. She bested the rest of her women teammates including one of the pre-race favorites, Alison Dunlap, who would finish fifth.

Despite a mishap on the first lap in which she found her shifter entangled in the snow fencing Knapp found her legs and powered back into contention by the second lap of the race. Knapp seems to go better when facing early race adversity as it somehow allows her to get in the zone and scrap and claw and focus solely on the task at hand. Her race mentality is always the same, ride each race to the last pedal stroke regardless of where you think you are, because you never know what can happen. She revealed in a post race interview that she wasn't even aware of her placing until she crossed the finish line.

Knapp was extremely pleased with the result because this has been one of the toughest seasons of her career. She battled the flu before cyclo-cross nationals and as defending national champion had a disappointing fifth place finish. Her father, whom she had an incredibly close and special relationship passed away just weeks before she left for Worlds and she was not at all sure of where her form would be. In spite of it all she wanted to give it a go saying, “We're only young once.”

Ann Knapp is a very special racer and a very special person. She has accomplished more in cycling and especially cyclo-cross than many will ever dream of. All the while holding down a full time job as a physical therapist. Kona and all of our team sponsors extend her a well-deserved and hard-earned congratulations.