1998 World Cup Mountain Biking
Napa Valley, California
March 28-29, 1998

CLICK FOR AUDIO INDEX Alison Sydor Alison Dunlap Paola Pezzo (In Italian)

Alison Sydor Audio

The 1998 World Cup Mountain Biking season started this weekend in beautiful Napa Valley, California. Juli Furtado, the two-time World Champion cut the ribbon before the women's race to signify the 100th World Cup Mountain Bike race. Furtado, who won that first race, was forced to retire last year after being diagnosed with Lupus.

Alison Sydor (CAN-Volvo/Cannondale) took control early in the race and never let up. From the start, Sydor seemed determined to get her first world cup win in more than a year. After being on top of the mountain biking world in the 1996, and dominating in the Sea Otter Classic last weekend, she arrived in Napa with victory on her agenda.

Caroline Alexander (GBR-Ritchey) had led in the first climb, but the determined Sydor quickly overcame her. By the end of the first lap, Sydor had surged past all the ladies even leaving World and World Cup champion Paola Pezzo (ITA-Gary Fischer), back by 40 seconds. Sydor continued to push through the next three laps extending her lead on Pezzo and the rest of the women's field. In the second lap, her gap on Pezzo continued to grow to 1:15 seconds and in the third lap, the gap rose to over a minute-and-a-half.

Alison Dunlap Audio

Pezzo was able to maintain good form and finished second at 2:07.22. Happy with her finish, Pezzo said she had started to train late and her aim for this season is clearly set on the Worlds and not on the World Cup. Pezzo had a tough off season when drug charges circulated though she was eventually cleared.

Alison Dunlap (USA-GT Bicycles) climbed ahead of Caroline Alexander and maintained her lead for most of the race. Dunlap, who was named USA Cycling's Athlete of the Year and won the Hawaii Mountain Tour a couple of weeks ago, finished third at 4:16.87. In her second season on the mountain bike world cup, this former "roadie" will be one to watch for the rest of the season.

Alexander took the fourth spot at 5:58.68 getting a feel for the podium again. She had broken her collarbone at Mount Snow, Vermont last year and missed most of the season. Laurence Leboucher (FRA-Peugeot) arrived fifth at 6:18.59 and climbed on the oak barrel podium of Napa.

—Brent Brookler, staring at shiny spandex for The Mountain Zone