New Mexico Mountain Resort Touts International Bike Competition as Huge Success
ANGEL FIRE, New Mexico (July 11, 2005) – Angel Fire Resort hosted nearly 5,000 spectators, over 300 world-class riders from more than 30 countries, and over 150 members of the press, this weekend for the 2005 UCI (International Cycling Union) Mountain Bike World Cup, one of the most prestigious and extreme competitions on the world’s mountain biking calendar.
The mountain opened its three courses for training on Wednesday, and started the amateur competitions on Friday. Amateur Jessica Vogt, from Colorado took first place in the Women’s Downhill division with a time of 8:13; Amateur Joshua Toland of California had the fastest time of the day of with a time of 6:08 in the Amateur Men’s Downhill division; while New Mexico’s own Melissa Gonzales had the fastest time of the day with a time of 1 hour 23 minutes in the Women’s Amateur Cross Country division; and Zack Vestad claimed top honors in the Men’s Amateur Expert Cross Country division with a time of 1 hour 49 minutes.
Saturday morning the resort kicked off the UCI competition with the 2 mile extreme Downhill race where the high speed action led racers through tight technical drops in the trees, across lava rock, monster jumps, and down a wide-open, high-speed ski slope before screaming into the ski base area. Twenty-four year old Sabrina Jonnier of France, with a time of 5:05, took first place in the Women’s Downhill division; in the Men’s Downhill division twenty-four year old Greg Minnaar of South Africa, with a time of 4:34, edged out second place finisher Jared Graves by .22, in the weekend’s closest race.
Number one in the world, Yeti-sponsored, Jill Kintner, from the U.S. claimed top rankings at Saturday’s Women’s Downhill 4-Cross where four riders compete at a time on a course with three foot kickers launching riders skyward, on the state-of-the-art Angel Fire world-class mountain cross course. Thirty-four year old Brian Lopes, from the U.S. took top honors in the men’s division of the 4-Cross.
The resort wrapped up the weekend with Sunday’s Cross Country competition where ultra-fit racers competed along a single- track 8-mile loop that climbed over 1000 vertical feet. Crossing the finish line first was Gunn-Rita Dahle, from Norway, in the Women’s division with a time of 1 hour and 54 minutes; while Christoph Sauser from Sweden took first place in the Men’s division with a time of 2 hours 7 minutes.
Angel Fire Resort was the only U.S. location chosen to host the 2005 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup competition. The international race has not been held in the United States in over two years. Angel Fire Resort officials were pleased with the event and the spectator turnout and hope to host the event again in the future.
For more information on the 2005 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup or other events at Angel Fire Resort check out the website at www.angelfireresort.com.
ANGEL FIRE, New Mexico (July 11, 2005) – Angel Fire Resort hosted nearly 5,000 spectators, over 300 world-class riders from more than 30 countries, and over 150 members of the press, this weekend for the 2005 UCI (International Cycling Union) Mountain Bike World Cup, one of the most prestigious and extreme competitions on the world’s mountain biking calendar.
The mountain opened its three courses for training on Wednesday, and started the amateur competitions on Friday. Amateur Jessica Vogt, from Colorado took first place in the Women’s Downhill division with a time of 8:13; Amateur Joshua Toland of California had the fastest time of the day of with a time of 6:08 in the Amateur Men’s Downhill division; while New Mexico’s own Melissa Gonzales had the fastest time of the day with a time of 1 hour 23 minutes in the Women’s Amateur Cross Country division; and Zack Vestad claimed top honors in the Men’s Amateur Expert Cross Country division with a time of 1 hour 49 minutes.
Saturday morning the resort kicked off the UCI competition with the 2 mile extreme Downhill race where the high speed action led racers through tight technical drops in the trees, across lava rock, monster jumps, and down a wide-open, high-speed ski slope before screaming into the ski base area. Twenty-four year old Sabrina Jonnier of France, with a time of 5:05, took first place in the Women’s Downhill division; in the Men’s Downhill division twenty-four year old Greg Minnaar of South Africa, with a time of 4:34, edged out second place finisher Jared Graves by .22, in the weekend’s closest race.
Number one in the world, Yeti-sponsored, Jill Kintner, from the U.S. claimed top rankings at Saturday’s Women’s Downhill 4-Cross where four riders compete at a time on a course with three foot kickers launching riders skyward, on the state-of-the-art Angel Fire world-class mountain cross course. Thirty-four year old Brian Lopes, from the U.S. took top honors in the men’s division of the 4-Cross.
The resort wrapped up the weekend with Sunday’s Cross Country competition where ultra-fit racers competed along a single- track 8-mile loop that climbed over 1000 vertical feet. Crossing the finish line first was Gunn-Rita Dahle, from Norway, in the Women’s division with a time of 1 hour and 54 minutes; while Christoph Sauser from Sweden took first place in the Men’s division with a time of 2 hours 7 minutes.
Angel Fire Resort was the only U.S. location chosen to host the 2005 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup competition. The international race has not been held in the United States in over two years. Angel Fire Resort officials were pleased with the event and the spectator turnout and hope to host the event again in the future.
For more information on the 2005 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup or other events at Angel Fire Resort check out the website at www.angelfireresort.com.