May 13, 2006 (Madrid, Spain) – The UCI World Cup MTB cross-country race gets underway again tomorrow in Madrid, Spain, after over a month since the series opener. All of the heavy hitters are on the start lists, including current men’s and women’s series leaders Bart Brentjens (NED, Giant) and Gunn-Rita Dahle (NOR, Multivan-Merida).

The women’s start list includes a whopping 109 names, while the men’s list has a massive field of 221 registrants. Eleven Canadians will contest for the podium at tomorrow’s races.

For women Marie-Hélène Prémont (CAN, Rocky Mountain-Business Objects), Alison Sydor (CAN, Rocky Mountain-Business Objects), Kiara Bisaro (CAN, Team R.A.C.E.), Wendy Simms (CAN, Kona-Velo Bella), Trish Sinclair (CAN, Scott USA-Kenda), Martina Feldmann (CAN, X.O-Felt) and Sandra Walter (CAN, X.O-Felt) will line up for the women’s start at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. EST)

On the men’s start line look for Geoff Kabush (CAN, Maxxis), Seamus McGrath (CAN, Felt), Marty Lazarski (CAN, Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) and Mathieu Toulouse (CAN, Maxxis) as the men’s competition begins at 1 p.m. local time (7 a.m. EST).

Forecasters are calling for slightly overcast conditions with a high of 28 degrees. The seven-kilometre course is located in one of the capital’s city parks, Casa de Campo. Seven kilometers in length, it’s fast, dry and has a fun, twisty, hard-packed rollercoaster feel. With such a central location (the Madrid region is home to nearly 6 million people), the route is guaranteed to be lined with enthusiastic cycling fans. They were already out practicing while riders pre-rode the course this morning.

Lap numbers will be finalized at this evening’s team manager’s meeting, but they will likely be the same as last year: five for the women, seven for the men. Last year’s men’s winner, World MTB and Olympic Champ Julien Absalon (FRA, Bianchi Agos) was averaging 18-minute laps, while women’s defending champion Dahle averaged just over 20 minutes per lap.

Race Factoids

РThe next three World Cups (Madrid, Spa and Fort William) are a Canadian National Team project under the direction of National Team Coach, Michel Leblanc. Six riders are part of the project: Sydor, Kabush, Bisaro, McGrath, Pr̩mont and Toulouse.

– Trish Sinclair was pre-riding the course on Kelli Emmett’s (USA, Ford Racing) Scott Scale today. Sinclair flew into Madrid on Thursday and has been nervously waiting for her bike to arrive.