April 15, 2007 (Monterey, CA) — The Elite Men’s XC race is about to start at 12 noon local time under sunny skies but with a very strong headwind which is expected to play a big factor in the race. There are 90 riders on the men’s start list – 65 women are on their start list and they begin at 12:25 pm local time.

The men and women will each do two laps for a total of 38 miles/61km. We spoke with Liam Killeen (Gbr) Specialized Factory who rode the course earlier today and he said it’s clean for the most part but muddy in sections and added, “team tactics may play a bigger part in today’s race give the strong winds.” Canada has strong podium contenders in both fields.

In between the Elite Men’s XC and the Elite Women’s XC a semi-pro men’s xc race started as well – so there will be three groups of riders on the course at the same time.

We just spoke to Canada’s Mical Dyck (Trek/Terrascape Racing) as the women’s race will soon begin and she rode the course this morning as well and she says yesterday’s rain has packed down the course so it’s going to be fast racing today. Notably missing from the women’s field is powerhouse Gunn-Rita Dahle-FlesjÃ¥ (Multivan/Merida) who won the overall here last year.

Lap 1

Women: The elite women began 27 minutes after the men and Kristina Maier (USA) BMC/Sports Garage jumped into the lead right away and holds a slight gap.

There are 150+ riders on the course with 90 elite men, 65 elite women and about 50 semi-pro men.

Men: In the men’s race there’s a lead group of about 10-11 riders as they reach the half way pt. of the first lap – two Canadians are in this lead group Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) and Max Plaxton (Rocky Mountain-Haywood) – other riders include Burry Stander (RSA) GT Bicycles, Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Trek/VW, Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Factory, Thomas Frischknecht (Sui) Swisspower MTB Team, Jean Christophe Peraud (Fra) Orbea and Todd Wells (USA) Targetraining…

Lap 2

Men: At the end of Lap 1 and the start of Lap 2 it’s Burry Stander (RSA) GT Bicycles, Geoff Kabush (Can) Maxxis and Todd Wells (USA) Targetraining leading the men – the first lap took the men 1:10 to complete. There’s a big chase group behind the leaders including Canada’s Max Plaxton (Rocky Mountain-Haywood), Seamus McGrath (Rocky Mountain-Haywood), Mat Toulouse (Maxxis) and Matt Hadley (Rocky Mountain-Haywood).

Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Factory and Jean Christophe Peraud (Fra) Orbea have now joined the three leaders a few kms into Lap 2 and Canada’s Kabush is leading.

1. Geoff Kabush (Can) Maxxis
2. Todd Wells (USA) Targetraining
3. Burry Stander (RSA) GT Bicycles
4. Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Factory
5. Jean Christophe Peraud (Fra) Orbea

Women: Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Women’s MTB Team is leading the women’s race in Lap 2 by 2.5 minutes ahead of Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Women’s MTB Team in second and Canada’s Kiara Bisaro (Opus) in third. Several chase groups are behind.

Melanie McQuaid (Can) BMC/Nature’s Path has crashed soon after crossing the finish line to start her second lap and may have broken her hand.

Men – 1/2 Lap to go
Geoff Kabush (Can) Maxxis is still leading as Jean Christophe Peraud (Fra) Orbea is now in second and Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Factory is in third as this trio has gapped Wells and Stander.

At the finish it was a 3-up sprint with Kabush surging in the final corner to take the win.

Women: Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Women’s MTB Team kept up her winning ways expanding her lead to over 4 minutes to take the women’s event while Kiara Bisaro (Can) Opus was able to overtake Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Women’s MTB Team for second place.

“I had no idea that I had that much of a lead,” said Gould. “I heard that I had about a minute. Yesterday I didn’t feel well but this morning I felt better and the legs were good.”

Men Unofficial

1. Geoff Kabush (Can) Maxxis 2:21:50
2. Jean Christophe Peraud (Fra) Orbea
3. Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Factory
4. Todd Wells (USA) Targetraining
5. Burry Stander (RSA) GT Bicycles

Women Unofficial

1. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Women’s MTB Team 2:43:39
2. Kiara Bisaro (Can) Opus 4:02
3. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Women’s MTB Team 4:04