Scott
25-03-2007, 07:42 AM
Van der Ploeg dominates in Oceania U19 mens XCO
In the morning the Under 19 Olympic Cross Country riders headed out into heavy rain. Mt Beauty’s Paul van der Ploeg delivered yet another dominant display to claim the Oceania Championships Under 19 Men’s Title over five laps of a grueling Thredbo course.
In driving rain van der Ploeg led the field by almost two minutes after just one lap and, while his lap times gradually increased in comparison to Canberra’s Nathan Hass’s consistent laps, the reigning National Champion was never worried.
Hass was himself well clear of Peter Braunsteins, who spent the early laps in a battle for third with leading New Zealand rider Connor MacFarlane.
New Zealand’s national champion, James Williamson, suffered in the wet conditions and was only able to finish 7th.
While the New Zealanders presented a polished team in their matching Silver Fern uniforms, they were unable to make any kind of dent on the outstanding performance of van der Ploeg, who remains unbeaten in the under 19’s over the Australian season.
With fine conditions expected tomorrow the Elite Olympic Cross Country will get underway. The downhill race will be run now as a final run with the track expected to be slippery.
Mountain Bike Downhill seeding cancelled from cold
Weather conditions at Thredbo caused cancellations of the Downhill seeding run. UCI Chief Commisaire, Derek McCarthy made the decision at 2.54 pm to cancel the ranking run for all the elite and Under 19 riders with the temperature at 8.3 degrees and with the wind chill factor or minus 3.
“Already since we made the decision the temperature has dropped one degree. The decision was made on safety with a cold front coming through and they are predicting snow,” he said, ” said McCarthy. By late afternoon the temperature plummeted to 2 degrees. Several elite riders had done practice runs in the rain but all agreed with the decisions.
Under 19 Men
1 601 Paul Van Der Ploeg (AUS, Felt Bicycles, SRAM, Hutchinson) 1:50:06.1
2 606 Nathan Haas (AUS, Orbea Australia, Actas ) 1:51:52.1
3 604 Peter Braunsteins (AUS, Richmond cyclery ) 1:52:32.0
4 610 Conor MacFarlane (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 1:54:13.1
5 607 Benjamin Dyball (AUS) 1:55:49.3
6 613 Jordan Blake (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 1:56:56.1
7 609 James Williamsonnz (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 1:58:52.2
8 603 Daniel Hallam (AUS, Greg Swain (Coach).Advance Traders.Merida.Nerang Mountain Bike Club) 1:59:33.7
9 611 Scott Green (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 1:59:40.9
10 615 Alex McGregor (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 2:00:37.5
11 605 Luke Knox (AUS, Bendigo Bank Academy of Sport Villawood ) 2:03:02.7
12 602 Robbie Hucker (AUS, Cannondale maxxis mountain bike racing team , sram,sugoi,enervit,giro) 2:03:44.2
13 612 Ashley Hough (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 2:04:23.4
14 616 Jonathan Coates (AUS) 2:05:45.9
15 608 Jarrad Burrell (AUS, Kalamunda Cycles ) 2:08:18.5
16 614 George Bennett (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 2:13:08.4
In the morning the Under 19 Olympic Cross Country riders headed out into heavy rain. Mt Beauty’s Paul van der Ploeg delivered yet another dominant display to claim the Oceania Championships Under 19 Men’s Title over five laps of a grueling Thredbo course.
In driving rain van der Ploeg led the field by almost two minutes after just one lap and, while his lap times gradually increased in comparison to Canberra’s Nathan Hass’s consistent laps, the reigning National Champion was never worried.
Hass was himself well clear of Peter Braunsteins, who spent the early laps in a battle for third with leading New Zealand rider Connor MacFarlane.
New Zealand’s national champion, James Williamson, suffered in the wet conditions and was only able to finish 7th.
While the New Zealanders presented a polished team in their matching Silver Fern uniforms, they were unable to make any kind of dent on the outstanding performance of van der Ploeg, who remains unbeaten in the under 19’s over the Australian season.
With fine conditions expected tomorrow the Elite Olympic Cross Country will get underway. The downhill race will be run now as a final run with the track expected to be slippery.
Mountain Bike Downhill seeding cancelled from cold
Weather conditions at Thredbo caused cancellations of the Downhill seeding run. UCI Chief Commisaire, Derek McCarthy made the decision at 2.54 pm to cancel the ranking run for all the elite and Under 19 riders with the temperature at 8.3 degrees and with the wind chill factor or minus 3.
“Already since we made the decision the temperature has dropped one degree. The decision was made on safety with a cold front coming through and they are predicting snow,” he said, ” said McCarthy. By late afternoon the temperature plummeted to 2 degrees. Several elite riders had done practice runs in the rain but all agreed with the decisions.
Under 19 Men
1 601 Paul Van Der Ploeg (AUS, Felt Bicycles, SRAM, Hutchinson) 1:50:06.1
2 606 Nathan Haas (AUS, Orbea Australia, Actas ) 1:51:52.1
3 604 Peter Braunsteins (AUS, Richmond cyclery ) 1:52:32.0
4 610 Conor MacFarlane (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 1:54:13.1
5 607 Benjamin Dyball (AUS) 1:55:49.3
6 613 Jordan Blake (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 1:56:56.1
7 609 James Williamsonnz (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 1:58:52.2
8 603 Daniel Hallam (AUS, Greg Swain (Coach).Advance Traders.Merida.Nerang Mountain Bike Club) 1:59:33.7
9 611 Scott Green (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 1:59:40.9
10 615 Alex McGregor (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 2:00:37.5
11 605 Luke Knox (AUS, Bendigo Bank Academy of Sport Villawood ) 2:03:02.7
12 602 Robbie Hucker (AUS, Cannondale maxxis mountain bike racing team , sram,sugoi,enervit,giro) 2:03:44.2
13 612 Ashley Hough (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 2:04:23.4
14 616 Jonathan Coates (AUS) 2:05:45.9
15 608 Jarrad Burrell (AUS, Kalamunda Cycles ) 2:08:18.5
16 614 George Bennett (NZL, Bike New Zealand ) 2:13:08.4