Husband and wife duo shine on day two of Mountain Bike Nationals
July 18, 2009 (Granby, Colo.) – The husband-wife duo of Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher) and Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher) grabbed their second set of Stars-and-Stripes in as many weeks, earning Saturday’s pro men’s and women’s cross country national titles in dramatic fashion. Coming off wins at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Marathon National Championships on July 4, the Colorado couple stayed on form to win the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Pro Cross Country national titles on Saturday at SolVista. In the nightcap, BMX Olympian Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash./GT) earned another pro 4-cross national title while 16-year-old Mitch Ropelato (Ogden, Utah/Café Rio-Canfield Bros) pulled off the surprise victory in the men’s pro 4-cross competition.
In the men’s pro cross country race Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher) came out on top of a fierce battle with Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized) to win the men’s pro cross country national title on Saturday. Wells and Horgan-Kobelski were neck-in-neck until Wells literally lost his crank on the fifth and final lap of the race. Riding strong and steady throughout, last year’s champion, Adam Craig (Bend, Ore./Giant) moved into second following Wells’ mechanical. Twenty-four-year-old Sam Schultz (Missoula, Mt./Subaru-Gary Fisher) snagged third in largest field of the event, nearly 80 riders. “I threw everything I had into that last lap,” stated Horgan-Kobelski. “I had to work really hard to stay with him (Wells) in the middle part of the race.”
Despite a flat tire, Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher) earned her sec
ond national title in as many weeks, surging to win the women’s pro cross country contest. Irmiger, fresh off her first-ever national title at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Marathon National Championships on July 4, added another Stars-and-Stripes to her collection passing the fading Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo./Independent Fabrication) on the final lap.
ond national title in as many weeks, surging to win the women’s pro cross country contest. Irmiger, fresh off her first-ever national title at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Marathon National Championships on July 4, added another Stars-and-Stripes to her collection passing the fading Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo./Independent Fabrication) on the final lap. “After the crowd started cheering and I realized I was only 30 seconds back on the third lap I really started pushing it,” explained Irmiger. “I pushed hard and was able to pass Katie on the climb staring the fourth lap.”
Compton, suffering from asthma and cramps, lost spots to both Irmiger and Willow Koerber (Asheville, N.C./Subaru-Gary Fisher) on the fourth and final of the 4.5-mile loops, forcing her to settle for third. Last year’s runner-up and Olympian Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./Luna) also had issues with her chain and lost several spots trying to ride through it and into the pits. Gould also recovered in impressive fashion, chasing hard and making up several spots to take fourth behind Irmiger, Koerber and Compton. Battling the altitude, defending champion Mary McConneloug (Chilmark, Mass.) also took fifth ahead of Pua Sawicki (Yucaipa, Calif./Ellsworth), who will be representing the United States at the UCI Marathon Mountain Bike World Championships later this summer.
The evening at SolVista provided plenty of entertainment, crowning the 4-cross pro and category one men’s and women’s national title winners. It was no surprise that it came down to Kintner and 2008 World Champion Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz./KHS) in the women’s pro 4-cross race. It was however an exciting surprise to see up-and-comer Ropelato take the win over a stacked pro men’s field, including silver medalist, veteran Rich Houseman (Temecula, Calif./Intense). J Clark (Colorado Springs, Colo./ProCycling) and Jennifer Wilson (El Paso, Texas) showed their skills, earning national titles in the singlespeed cross country category. National champions were also awarded in various age divisions of category one cross country and 4-cross on Saturday.
Sunday’s final day of racing at the 2009 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships will feature the Super D national championships at 9:30 a.m. followed by the short track cross country national title races beginning at 10:00 a.m. The pro downhill national championship will cap off the action awarding the final national titles of the event.
For full results, click here and to view photos from the event, click here.
Check out video from the event on our You Tube page, here.
Check out video from the event on our You Tube page, here.
USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships
Granby, Colo.
July 17-19, 2009
Day Two
Pro Men’s Cross Country
1. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher) 2:02:10
2. Adam Craig (Bend, Ore./Giant) 2:08:57
3. Sam Schultz (Missoula, Mt./Subaru-Gary Fisher) 2:09:34
4. Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va./Monavie-Cannondale) 2:09:55
5. Jay Henry (Avon, Colo./Tokyo Joes) 2:10:19
Pro Women’s Cross Country
1. Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher) 01:55:40
2. Willow Koerber (Asheville, N.C./Subaru-Gary Fisher) 01:57:58
3. Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo./Independent Fabrication) 02:00:09
4. Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./Luna) 02:00:35
5. Mary McConneloug (Chilmark, Mass./Kenda-Seven) 02:01:39
Junior 15-16 Men’s Cross Country
1. Howard Grotts (Durango, Colo./Durango Devo) 01:44:58
2. Michael Vigers (Boulder, Colo./Dale’s Pale Ale) 01:47:38
3. Keegan Swenson (Park City, Utah/Cole Sport Racing) 01:48:24
Pro Men’s 4-Cross
1. Mitch Ropelato (Ogden, Utah/Café Rio-Canfield Bros)
2. Rich Houseman (Temecula, Calif./Intense)
3. Brian Buell (Boulder, Colo./Team Geronimo)
Pro Women’s 4-Cross
1. Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash./GT)
2. Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz./KHS)
3. Kathy Pruitt (Santa Cruz, Calif./Jamis)
Men’s Singlespeed Cross Country
1. J Clark (Colorado Springs, Colo./ProCycling) 2:19:11
2. Travis Woodruff (Tucson, Ariz./Adventure 212) 2:20:47
3. Cameron Brenneman (Sante Fe, N.M./NM Bike n Sport) 2:22:39
Women’s Singlespeed Cross Country
1. Jennifer Wilson (El Paso, Texas) 2:08:01
2. Amy Hermes (Edwards, Colo./Team High Maintenance) 2:11:16
3. Cristina Begy (Honolulu, Hawaii/Dales Spot Brand) 2:13:29
CATEGORY 1 CROSS COUNTRY NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Category 1 Men’s Cross Country 19-24
1. Jon Vivolo (Fort Collins, Colo./Ellsworth-Road 34) 02:20:56
Category 1 Men’s Cross Country 25-29
1. Clinton Classsen (Sacramento, Calif./Team Mad Cat) 02:32:15
Cat 1 Men’s Cross Country 30-34
1. Krit Fitzpatrick (San Francisco, Calif./Sexual Camel) 02:26:56
Cat 1 Men’s Cross Country 35-39
1. Kyle Dixon (Reno, N.V./Bicycle Warehouse) 02:27:23
Cat 1 Men’s Cross Country 40-44
1. Dario Fredrick (San Anselmo, Calif./Whole Athlete) 02:26:30
Cat 1 Men’s Cross Country 45-49
1. Joseph Prinzivalli (Albuquerque, N.M./Café Giuseppe) 02:22:57
Cat 1 Men’s Cross Country 50-54
1. Keith Sanders (Winterpark, Colo./Chipotle-Titus) 01:51:28
Cat 1 Men’s Cross Country 55-59
1. Mark Soderberg (Sandy, Utah) 01:42:46
Cat 1 Men’s Cross Country 60-64
1. Steve Becker (Prescott, Ariz.) 01:46:42
Cat 1 Men’s Cross Country 65+
1. Bruce Bates (Golden, Colo.) 01:51:41
Cat 1 Women’s Cross Country 19-24
1. Sage Wilderman (Fraser, Colo.) 02:12:02
Cat 1 Women’s Cross Country 25-29
1. Anna Fortner (Livermore, Calif.) 02:08:42
Cat 1 Women’s Cross Country 30-34
1. Rebecca Tomaszewski (Boone, N.C./Niner-Ergon) 2:09:04
Cat 1 Women’s Cross Country 35-39
1. Heidi Godsil (Nederland, Colo./Chipotle-Titus) 02:12:19
Cat 1 Women’s Cross Country 40-44
1. SyRae Weikle (Denver, Colo./Rio Grande-Sports Garage) 02:06:30
Cat 1 Women’s Cross Country 45-49
1. Anne Gonzales (Aspen, Colo./Basalt Bike & Ski) 01:48:32
Cat 1 Women’s Cross Country 50-54
1. Susan Lynch (Medfield, Mass./Union Velo) 02:04:48
Cat 1 Women’s Cross Country 55+
1. Deborah Martin-Wille (Flagstaff, Ariz./Red Rock Racing) 02:33:14
CATEGORY 1 DOWNHILL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Cat 1 Men’s Downhill 15-16
1. Andy Proctor (Dillon, Colo./RPM-Yeti) 02:26:97
Cat 1 Men’s Downhill 17-18
1. Mitch Ropelato (Odgen, Utah/Café Rio-Canfield) 02:18:36
Cat 1 Men’s Downhill 19-24
1. Tyler Immer (Rancho Murieta, Calif.) 2:20:47
Cat 1 Men’s Downhill 25-29
1. Colin Tobin (Bellingham, Wash./Plunder) 2:33:04
Cat 1 Men’s Downhill 30-34
1. Damion Smith (Golden Colo./Yeti) 2:26:51
Cat 1 Men’s Downhill 35-39
1. John Lewis (Henderson, Colo./Wheatridge Cyclery) 2:33:01
Cat 1 Men’s Downhill 40-44
1. Michael Darter (Topanga, Calif.) 2:40:19
Cat 1 Men’s Downhill 45-49
1. Darrell Jamieson (La Center, Wash./Project 529) 2:38:99
Cat 1 Men’s Downhill 50+
1. Les Price (Scottsdale, Ariz./No Brakes Racing) 2:51:99
Cat 1 Women’s Downhill 19-29
1. Alisha Gibson (Durango, Colo.) 3:08:06
Cat 1 Women’s Downhill 30-39
1. Chelsey Stevens (Seattle, Wash./Wheel Sport East) 3:06:31
CATEGORY 1 4X NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Cat 1 Women’s 4X
1. Johanne Tuttle (Etowah, N.C./Sycamore Cycles)
Cat 1 Men’s 15-18 4X
1. Garrett Rose (Lakeside, Calif.)
Cat 1 Men’s 19-29 4X
1. Shawn Eason (Mojo Wheels)
Cat 1 Men’s 30-39 4X
1. Eric Landis (Grandjunction, Colo./Grass Toots Cycles)
Cat 1 Men’s 40+
1. Chris Cawley (Breckenridge, Colo./Breck Velo)
About USA Cycling
Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX, and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization, USA Cycling consists of 64,000+ licensees including 1,500 coaches, 4,000 student-athletes, 2,200 officials, 1,800 clubs and teams, 350 professional cyclists, 200 certified mechanics, and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions 2,500 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year and is responsible for the identification, development, and support of American cyclists through various initiatives and programs. Additionally, USA Cycling conducts national championship events for all categories of amateur and professional cycling. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit www.usacycling.org.
This Article Published July 18, 2009 For more information contact:
