July 10, 2005 (New Mexico, USA) – Canada’s Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) and Geoff Kabush (CAN, Maxxis) both had sterling silver rides in today’s World Cup cross-country race. The course, held on the slopes of the Angel Fire ski resort in New Mexico, was 8.34 kilometres long, included 286 vertical metres of climbing and had a maximum elevation of a whopping 2,929 metres, making altitude a factor.

Gunn-Rita Dahle (NOR, Multivan-Merida) put another victory notch today in her belt, coming off a World Cup win last weekend in Brazil. Dahle continues to lead the series with 1,650 points. Sabine Spitz (GER, Specialized) is in second place with 1,260 points and Prémont has dropped to third because she passed on the Brazil event. She has 1,220 points. Canada’s Kiara Bisaro (CAN, Gears Racing) finished in the top 10 with ninth-place and Mical Dyck (CAN, Terrascape Racing) was 19th.

The Canadian hero of the day, Kabush, rode to a stellar second place in the men’s race, only 18 seconds behind World Cup leader, Christoph Sauser (SUI, Siemens Mobile-Cannondale). Erwin Bakker (NED, Heijdens-Ten Tusscher) pulled into third, 1:10 behind Sauser. Sauser has 1,270 points and Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (ESP, Multivan-Merida) is in second place with 935 points.

Other Canadians in the top 50 included Chris Sheppard (CAN, Haro) in 11th, Ricky Federau (CAN, Gears Racing) in 24th, Mathieu Toulouse (CAN, Maxxis) in 35th and Marty Lazarski (CAN, Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) in 37th.

Results

Women
1. Gunn Rita Dahle (NOR, Multivan-Merida) 1:54:13
2. Marie-Hélène Prémont (CAN, Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) at 1:17
3. Sabine Spitz (GER, Specialized) 4:32
4. Shonny Vanlandingham (USA, Luna Women’s Team) 4:53
5. Alison Dunlap (USA, Luna Women’s Team) 5:51
6. Mary McConneloug (USA, Kenda-Seven Cycles) 5:55
7. Willow Koerber (USA, Subaru-Gary Fisher) 5:57
8. Ivonne Kraft (GER, Ghost)
9. Kiara Bisaro (CAN, Gears Racing) 8:38
10. Dara Marks (USA, SRAM-Rock Shox-Avid) 9:17

Other Canadians:
19. Mical Dyck (CAN, Terrascape Racing) 20:01

Men
1. Christoph Sauser (SUI, Siemens Mobile-Cannondale) 2:07:48
2. Geoff Kabush (CAN, Maxxis) at 0:18
3. Erwin Bakker (NED, Heijdens-Ten Tusscher) 1:10
4. Kashi Leuchs (NZL, Bianchi-Agos) 3:46
5. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA, Subaru-Gary Fisher) 3:58
6. Fredrik Kessiakoff (SWE, Siemens Mobile-Cannondale) 5:14
7. Michael Weiss (AUT) 7:16
8. Seamus McGrath (CAN, Haro-Adidas) 8:25
9. Marti Gispert Labarta (ESP, Maxxis-MSC) 9:06
10. Milan Spesny (CZE) 10:21

Other Canadians:
11. Chris Sheppard (CAN, Haro) 11:38
24. Ricky Federau (CAN, Gears Racing) 17:08
35. Mathieu Toulouse (CAN, Maxxis) 21:24
37. Marty Lazarski (CAN, Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) 22:00
52. Jesse Jakomait (CAN, Dark Horse) 28:25
59. Roddi Lega (CAN, Norco) 33:43
62. Kris Sneddon (CAN, Kona-Les Gets) 36:03