• Preview
• Cross-Country
• Short Track Cross-Country & Dual Slalom
• Downhill

NORBA hosted a double header Saturday. First the Short Track Cross-Country (STXC) circled the base of the ski area, then the action shifted to the Dual Slalom (DS) course. The racing didn't stop at dusk either...the naked crit began with the fireworks, but let us not get ahead of ourselves.

STXC
The women jumped on the quarter-mile STXC course leaving the spectators chasing them in circles. Ann Trombley (USA, KZ/Residence CLU) grabbed the lead first and held it until Chrissy Redden, (yesterday's XC winner), became impatient. Redden (CAN, Gary Fisher/Saab) decided to take the helm and gave herself a bit of a gap. Eventually Alison Dunlap (USA, Team GT) reeled in Redden, and the game of leapfrog began.

The women made it a close race with the lead changing several times, sending the surrounding crowd into a frenzy.

Going into the last lap, the lead pack was nine strong, but Dunlap had a plan of her own. "I knew that to win the race you had to be first up the climb, so I charged up the hill...if you have the legs, no one can beat you." And nobody did. Dunlap displaced the others and took 1st in one of the closest STXC races ever.

Alison Sydor (CAN, Volvo-Cannondale) took 2nd by a few bike lengths and Chrissy Redden hung on for 3rd. The finish was so tight I wasn't sure who had won until the announcer piped up.

The men's race also came down to the wire with the lead changing with each lap for most of the race.

In the third lap, Steve Larsen (USA, LL Bean/Mongoose) made an impressive charge to the front, coming from the back of the lead pack. He hung tight for nearly a lap before giving up the lead. The torch was passed several times before a true winner was crowned.

When things shook out, Cadel Evans (AUS, Volvo-Cannondale) was the definitive champion. Perhaps he was hungry; he suffered two broken collarbones this year and hadn't won a race in 2000— before today.

Pavel Tcherkassov (RUS, Gary Fisher-Saab) took 2nd with a strong effort. "I just needed to stay in front, be safe and fight for a position. It's a very tactical kind of race. The guys are strong and it's very intense," he said with relief.

In 3rd was Paul Rowney (AUS, AIS/Giant).

The STXC draws quite a crowd and some of them were pounding the banners as the racers flew past. Small children made an attempt to chase the riders around the course while the adults picked a spot and stood cheering like mad as their favorite riders cruised by.

	Miller

Dual Slalom
The DS course was rebuilt for Saturday's event to avoid the pits of quicksand that had formed as a result of Wednesday night's rain storm. The course was wet in some places and dry in others, which made for technical riding.

The women started things off as the lights rolled to green, and Cheri Elliott (USA, MAXXS ODI) and Kristina Nicholas (USA, Dirtworks) busted down the gate and strolled out and around the first gate.

Katrina Miller (AUT) wove the tightest path to take 1st for the women. Elliot won her first heat and stayed strong, until the finals where she took 2nd. Tai-Lee Muxlow (AUT,) ran for 3rd.

Brian Lopes (USA, Volvo-Cannondale) may have had his toughest race early on against John Tomac (USA, Tomac), but he eventually beat Eric Carter (USA, Team GT) in the finals for 1st.

In the last heat of the day, Carter charged out of the start but clipped his pedal on a gate and went reeling over the bars, landing on his back and crossing the finish line 2nd. In the consolation finals, Steve Peat (GBR, Team GT) edged out Mike King (USA, Haro Lee Dungaree) for 3rd. By the end of the race, the sun was beginning to set, but the madness was just about to begin.

Naked Crit
As the sky grew dark, fireworks lit the sky and the men's division of the naked crit began. While many nude riders raced around the parking lot, for some reason I found myself concentrating on their helmets.

One racer was sporting bunny ears. Had he crashed, the fluffy, pink antennas wouldn't have prevented any trauma, but they sure looked silly. The beer was flowing and a few of the racers sprayed the crowd with suds as they raced by. Those that were tipsy enough found themselves picking gravel out of the oddest places after crashing!

You could tell the women were a bit intimidated at first but the crowd cleared a path and the sexier of the species began their laps. Some of them had painted torsos, but for the most part, birthday suits were the costume of choice.

The more attractive earned dollar bills as they rode, giving it that strip club atmosphere. The cutest of bunch had a fan chasing her around the track attempting to get her digits...will someone please call security?

— Lucas Kane, staring in disbelief for MountainZone.com