Gould takes 2nd at USA XC Nations "Mud Fest" Dover, Vermont

Friday, July 20: Elite Women Cross Country

Georgia has already had a dream season! It would have been nice to see her defend the XC Nationals for the second year in a row, but this is racing, and taking a 2nd is still super!

McConneloug crowned cross country queen in a real mud race. Yesterday's rain, combined with today's occasional patches of sunshine, left the already challenging course spotted with vicious little sections of mud and rock, including a virtually un-rideable climb that had the entire field running up it!

An upbeat 2nd place, Georgia Gould (Luna Women's MTB), explained at the finish: "This course was really hard to get in any kind of rhythm - there's no real sustained climbs, so that was more the problem for me." Georgia has had an unreal season, as she is still ranked 4th in the World.

Instead of letting Gould and Koerber back into the race, McConneloug shut the door, thriving in the muddy single track that she would bubble about after the race - terrain which her fellow riders had very few positive things to say about.

Gould, having time in cyclocross, dropped Koerber when she ran a section that Koerber chose to ride, but McConneloug was too strong, leaving the lanky Luna sensation to settle for second.

Willow Koerber came in four minutes down, with her teammate, Heather Irmiger fourth, and Luna's Shonny Vanlandingham, rounding out the top five.

Results:

1. Mary McConneloug (Kenda / Seven)
2. Georgia Gould (Luna Chix) Wobble-naught & Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfiah
3. Willow Koerber (Subaru / Gary Fisher)
4. Heather Irminger (Subaru / Gary Fisher)
5. Shonny Vanlandingham (Luna Chix) Wobble-naught & Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish