9-7-07 // News: Riders Prepare for 2007 World Championships

Peatey charging hard through a Ft. Bill corner kathy Sessler

The doors are wide open for Sam Hill to repeat as world champion this year. Hill enters this week’s contest in Fort William with a lock on the overall World Cup title and with two of his toughest competitors—local favorite Steve Peat and two-time world champion Fabien Barel—recovering from serious injuries.

But Hill won’t be a lock for the podium’s top spot. The 2004 world champ, South African Greg Minnaar, has found success on the Forth William course and should be a podium contender again this year. Same goes for Nathan Rennie. Then there’s Cedric Gracia, who has suffered a few bad results this year, but has a long history of strong finishes at Fort William. He has stood on the podium four of the past five years here, and won in 2003. And watch for Gee Atherton of the U.K. He finished second at the most recent World Cup race in Schladming, Austria, and will be looking to impress the home crowd at Fort William.

But the course won’t be the only factor in deciding the downhill champions. Injuries may play a deciding factor too. Two-time world champ Fabien Barel broke his foot six weeks ago and only this week announced he would compete. Steve Peat is in even more questionable condition. He badly dislocated his ankle six weeks ago, severing tendons and muscles in the process, and only recently began putting pressure on it.

On the women’s side, last year’s world champion Sabrina Jonnier dominated the World Cup this year and will be the favorite to win again on Sunday. Tracy Moseley, currently ranked second in the world, will be competing on her home soil in Fort William and will no doubt be breathing down Jonnier’s neck. Tracey Hannah, just 19 years old, is also a podium contender. And Rachel Atherton, also from the U.K., will return to World Cup competition for the first time since breaking her arm earlier this year. If she’s close to top form, she could pose a significant threat to Jonnier.

The men’s cross-country race will be held Saturday and Julien Absalon will be looking for his fourth-consecutive World Championship title. But Cristoph Sauser, who finished second to Absalon in the World Championships in 2005 and 2004, is fresh off a world marathon title and looks strong for Fort William. American men have flirted with a few top-ten finishes this season, but only Adam Craig (winner of the Singlespeed World Championships on Saturday) enters the World Championships ranked in the top 20 and represents America’s best shot at a podium.

In the women’s XC race, the absence of Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesja leaves the door open. Dahle Flesja has been the most dominant figure in women’s XC racing in the past five years, winning all but five of the 25 World Cup races she has entered since 2003, including four of the past five world championships. In her absence, Irina Kalentieva, who finished second to Dahle Flesja at the 2006 world championships, has assumed the field’s staring role, followed closely by German Sabine Spitz (who won the world championships in 2003) and 21-year-old Ren Chengyuan of the rapidly emerging Chinese team. Georgia Gould has dominated on American soil this year and is currently ranked fourth in the world. If she has a good day, she could easily land on the podium. Fellow Americans Mary McConneloug and Willow Koerber have also delivered some solid World Cup performances and should be competing at the front of the pack in Fort William.

Unless something goes wrong, the women’s four-cross race will come down to Jill Kintner and Anneke Beerten. The two have dominated international competition, with Kintner winning the past two world championships. Even though Beerten finished second to Kintner last year, it would still rank as a major upset if Beerten, or anybody else, took down Kintner.

On the men’s side, Brian Lopes will be fighting to regain his 2005 world championship title. With Lopes sidelined due to an injury, Michal Prokop took the world title last year. In head-to head-competition, the two have been evenly matched. And since 2002, when four-cross replaced dual slalom at the world championships, Lopes and Prokop have each won two world titles.

In all, more than 700 riders representing 49 countries will battle in Fort William. As many as 70,000 spectators are expected to line the course and fill the grandstands. Opening ceremonies kicked off on Wednesday, and racing begins Friday with the men’s and women’s four-cross.

Stay tuned for daily updates from the Worlds, starting Friday evening, September 7.

For a complete world’s schedule, check HERE.