The series will be visiting Houffalize in Belgium for the 17th consecutive time in its 19-year history as the Nissan UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. Houffalize was awarded the Rainbow Award for best cross-country race, which has been won six times. This is a classic event in mountain biking that racers work hard to win.
Houffalize will host for the first-time a 4-Cross World Cup race and its traditional cross country competition. The 4-Cross pros will be racing in their second race this evening, while cross-country competitors will compete in their third event one week after round 2 in Offenburg, Germany.
The weather cleared up after the rains earlier in the week made the circuits a slippery, muddy mess. It is expected that the weather will be dry and clear the rest of this weekend.
HOUFFALIZE 4-CROSS PREVIEW
After round one in Pietermaritzburg (South Africa), Jared Graves (Yeti Fox Shox Factory), and Anneke Beerten(Suspension Center), they will be at the start line for the 4-Cross as leaders in the mens and ladies competitions. However, they could lose their lead in the ro-ugh and tumble action that 4-Cross racing offers.
Jill Kintner, former world and World Cup champion from the United States, did not reach the final of the women’s race in Pietermaritzburg. She is likely to be eager to return to contention for the World Cup title. After qualifying first Friday night ahead of Beerten, she proved that she is capable. Czech riders Jana Horakova and Romana Labounkova qualified third and fourth, respectively, ahead world champion Melissa Buhl of KHS. Qualifying was a great success with 24 women. All will race tonight.
Graves is more known for his Downhill skills. He qualified first ahead of Roger Rinderknecht and Joost Wichman, the Dutch riders. Rafael Alvarez de Lara Lucas, Specialized Factory Team’s defending World Cup champion, finished 16th in qualifying.
The track is 450 metres long and drops 120m. This gives the track an average grade of more than 25%. It guarantees fast action even at night. Some riders may not be as enthusiastic about the small jumps which limit their ability to clear entire sections. Kintner predicts that there will be many snipers. This is referring to the large opening corners which will give chasers the chance to pass.
She suggested that maybe being the first to leave the gate will not be an advantage. I’ll need to spend a lot of time watching out for anyone coming up behind me.
PREVIEW HOUFFALIZE Cross Country
Cross-country at Houffalize begins with an uphill sprint from the middle of town that ends in a heartbreaking sprint before the riders are funneled onto the dirt track. The riders then begin the 7.4 km circuit. The women typically complete four laps while the men take five. It looks like this year the number of laps for women will be three.
Houffalize has seen both dry, choking dust, and slippery mud. This year’s modifications to the course include slippery roots sections, one of which is unrideable. It will remain dry, so riders will go crazy.
Although the course layout is identical to previous years, certain sections have been slightly redesigned and re-cut. It has created some bumpy sections, especially on the downhills. The braking bumps can make it jarring and riders are still trying out the best line.
The women’s race will see Austria’s Elisabeth Osl (Central Ghost Pro Team), try to increase her time in the leaders jersey by winning two events. A win by Marga Fullana (Massi), or Irina Kalentieva(Topeak Ergon), could earn them the jersey. They are both only 40 points behind Osl. After two thirds, Lene Byberg (Specialized Factory Racing), who is consistent, is only 70 points behind Osl. Last week’s winner Ren Chengyuan from China could also be in the lead with a second win.
Ren said that this is a course she likes and that she would love to win.
Willow Koerber, Subaru-Gary Fisher, is the highest ranked North American. She finished in sixth place after two events. The technical track and steep climbs at Houffalize will suit her. Canada’s Catharine Pendrel will try to improve her start position (20th), to take better than her sixth place last weekend. Pendrel remains ranked number 1 in the UCI world rankings. Emily Batty (Toronto Trek Store), will try to repeat her U23 win from last week. This could put her in the lead jersey for the U23 World Cup.
The men’s race series lead for Julien Absalons is slightly stronger with a 110 point advantage over Wolfram Kurschat of Topeak Ergon and a 140 point gap over Burry Stander (Specialized Factory Team). Absalon, the Olympic champion who won a record 18th World Cup win last weekend in Offenburg, has a weak history in Houffalize. He had only won there once last year. Absalon will likely retain his World Cup jersey in Houffalize but the bragging rights of being the champion of this classic race’s 2009 event are open to all.
Jose Hermida, the winner of round 1, confirms that he is now healthy after dropping out in Offenburg. I had fever in Offenburg and couldn’t breathe, but I was treated with antibiotics for the week and am now ready to race again.
His teammate Ralph Nf was a great ride in Offenburg. He moved up from 72nd place to finish fifth. He is now 15th on this start grid. I hope to have a similar ride with this new position.
Canadian champion Geoff Kabushs, Maxxis-Rocky Mountain, eighth place last weekend, has moved him up from 30th to thirteenth in the start grid. This should make a significant difference in the mad scramble for the start. U.S. champion Adam Craig, Giant, starts at 29th and will be looking to use his technical skills in order to move up.
NOTES ON HOUFFALIZE RACE
It appears that the Felt International team is in financial trouble. Kashi Leuchs, the top rider, has made an appeal to the UCI about not being paid. This is the same situation that faces other riders and staff members (mostly absent, with a few replacements). Three riders will race in Blaza Klemencic team colours for women and Connor McConvey for men, while Emil Lindgren and Emil Lindgren will be the three male competitors. Jurg Graf, 36th highest ranking member of the team, will race wearing Swiss national colors. Senior team staff insist that this situation will be resolved quickly.
2000 Olympic champ Miguel Martinez will race . After being convicted in France of assaulting his wife, Felt fired him before South Africa. Rumours circulated that Felt had hired him again, but he will race in a plain jersey with Olympic rings.
-It is worth noting that Christoph Sauser, Specializeds, broke one of the brake levers in his race-ending accident at Offenburg last week. We now know what happened to Sausers bike after the crash . There were several versions from the team, but this one is the most definitive. He broke the left brake lever, damaged the frame, and destroyed the rear wheel.
Women’s Clothing Rachel Atherton is the Downhill World Champion (Animal-Commencal). Atherton is currently here with Dan and Gee, but she will not be racing in the near future. Atherton, who was injured in her California crash earlier this year, will need surgery in two weeks. We shouldn’t expect her to race again until at least the Worlds.
