World Cycling Stars Set For NCS Round 2

SNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN, W.Va. (June 10, 2003) With international cycling stars in abundance, three Olympic prospects will make a media appearance at Fat Tire Cycle in Elkins, West Virginia on Thursday June 12, 2003 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., when the NORBA National Championship Mountain Bike Series rolls into town.

Jimena Florit (San Diego, Ca., RLX-Ralph Lauren), Mary McConneloug (Fairfax, Ca., Seven Cycles) and Todd Wells (Phoenix, Az., Mongoose-Hyundai) are all top competitors on the NORBA NCMBS in the Cross Country discipline and have made Olympic Team selection a major goal in each of their prospective careers.

Florit, who resides in San Diego, is an Argentine National and has already competed for Argentina in the Olympics. She hopes to obtain USA citizenship in time to be considered for the 2004 USA team. Florit has been a consistent performer with her results improving each year and finally culminating with the 2002 NORBA NCMBS overall Cross Country Championship.

McConneloug is originally from Northern California and lives part of the year in Massachusetts near her sponsor Seven Cycles. She is having her best year to date and has embarked on a “race tour” with her Seven Cycles teammate and companion Mathew Broderick. The duo is traveling across the country in a van from race to race in pursuit of her Olympic dream. McConneloug has been known to train without a coach or hear rate monitor, relying more on “feel.” She also holds a degree in vocal performance making her a diverse personality on the race circuit.

Wells makes his training base in Arizona after leaving is full time job at IBM in 2001 to become a full-time mountain bike racer in his quest for the Olympic team. Having spent the past two seasons building up, he is now a legitimate contender on the world scene and is consistently one of the top performing Americans.

As well as Florit and McConneloug, 2001 world champion Alison Dunlap (Colorado Springs, Co., Luna Chix) and Kiara Bisaro (Courtney, BC, Gears Racing), first and second, respectively, at the series-opener race at Snow Summit, will make an impact in the Pro/Elite women’s Cross Country. In the women’s Short Track, local favorite Sue Haywood (Davis, W.Va., Trek-VW) is hot off the World Cup circuit in Europe, and definitely will be a factor after winning four weeks ago at Snow Summit..

Along with Wells, the Canadian training partners of World Champion, Roland Green (Victoria, BC, Trek-VW), and Snow Summit winner, Ryder Hesjedal (Victoria, BC, Subaru-Gary Fisher), will push the pace in both the Cross Country race on Saturday as well as the Short Track Event on Sunday. Geoff Kabush (Victoria, BC, Kona-Clarks) and top American Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Co., RLX-Ralph Lauren) will by vying for the win as well. Snow Summit Short Track winner Jose Bonilla (San Jose, Costa Rica, Costa Rica National Team) will also be one to watch.

The gravity events will be without injured World Champion Brian Lopes (Trabuco Canyon, Ca., Hyundai-GT-Fox) who recently broke his leg while in Europe. This invites World Cup and NORBA Series leader Eric Carter (Temecula, Ca., Mongoose-Hyundai) to capitalize on his Snow Summit “double.” In women’s Mountain Cross, expect bmx-crossover Jill Kintner (San Jose, Ca., Staats-Fox Shox) to challenge Australian Katrina Miller (Jamis). In women’s Downhill, Britons Tracy Mosely (Kona-Clarks) and Fionn Griffiths (Foes-Azonic) are both prepared, as is Australian Tai-Lee Muxlow (Tioga Orange).

The NORBA National Championships Mountain Bike Series is North America's premier off-road cycling series. The series crowns USA Cycling's Mountain Bike Champions. USA Cycling is the national governing body for cycle sport. GaleForce Sports Marketing is the series management and promotions company, and is recognized as the USA's leading cycling and events management group.

About NORBA & USA Cycling
NORBA is the mountain bike member association of USA Cycling, the national governing body for cycle sport. Recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling Promotes American cycling through its 80,000 members and 2,000 annual events. For more information, visit www.usacycling.org, or contact Communications Coordinator Andy Lee at 719 866 4867.