July 4, 2004 (Calgary, Alberta) -The sixth round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series proved to play an integral role in Olympic selection as reigning U.S. National Champion, Mary McConneloug (Fairfax, Calif.), increased her lead in the UCI standings amongst Americans with a superb second place finish. McConneloug finished second, 46 seconds behind the seemingly untouchable Gunn-Rita Dahle (NOR), who won her tenth consecutive World Cup cross country race, and a convincing two minutes ahead of third-place finisher, Annabella Stropparo (ITA). More importantly for McConneloug, she finished ahead of the only other candidate mathematically eligible for the sole U.S. women’s Olympic mountain bike nomination, Sue Haywood (Davis, W. Va.). Haywood finished 15th.

Entering round six, McConneloug led Haywood by a mere single point in the UCI standings with only today’s World Cup and next weekend’s UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships remaining on the calendar prior to the Olympic selection date of July 12. For today’s effort, McConneloug will receive 130 UCI points while Haywood gets 75.

Although McConneloug currently has the advantage, the deciding event will likely be next weekend’s Marathon World Championships in which a win is worth 200 UCI points.

McConneloug’s silver medal performance is the best finish by an American in a World Cup this year, a distinction she shares with Alison Dunlap (Colorado Springs, Colo.), who placed second at World Cup #2 earlier this year in Belgium.

An equally close battle for the two men’s Olympic start positions meant that today’s World Cup was also a pivotal event in deciding which two riders will emerge as the frontrunners for Olympic nominations. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo.) is a virtual lock for the Olympic team thanks to his lead amongst Americans in both the UCI standings and the overall World Cup standings, the first two applicable selection criteria. But the second spot was considered a toss-up between Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va.) and Todd Wells (Durango, Colo.). Also, if Adam Craig (Bangor, Maine) could manage a top-five finish he’d essentially re-enter the mix of Olympic hopefuls.

Today, the three leading candidates finished close together with Bishop leading the way in ninth place followed by Wells in tenth and Horgan-Kobelski in 11th. The most significant result amongst Americans was the tenth place finish by Wells as that performance now moves him into the top-25 in the World Cup standings and makes him eligible for Olympic selection under the third selection criterion. That particular criterion gives an automatic nomination to the leader amongst Americans in the World Cup standings that isn’t selected by virtue of UCI points provided they are in the top-25 in the World Cup standings.

Wells began the day ranked 36th in the World Cup standings, but his strong performance moved him into 21st place.

The race was won by World Cup leader and current World Champion, Filip Meirheaghe (BEL).

Even if Horgan-Kobelski loses his hold as the top-ranked American in the UCI standings, he is still assured a nomination as the leader amongst Americans in the World Cup standings. The second slot is still very much up for grabs between Wells and Bishop.

Bishop can claim the second spot if he accrues enough points to eclipse Horgan-Kobelski in the UCI standings at the Marathon World Championships as can Wells. If neither Wells nor Bishop surpass Horgan-Kobelski in UCI points, then Wells would get the nomination through his World Cup standing.

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