Check here often for the latest updates on Kashi's exploits
Saturday, June 30, 2001
CHEVY TRUCKS NORBA CROSS-COUNTRY, Deer Valley, UT. June 29.
More results and story at Velonews
Pro men: 1.
Ryder Hesjedal (Can), Subaru-Gary Fisher, 26.7mi in 2:05:36
2. Cadel Evans (Aus), Volvo-Cannondale, at 1:10
3. Kashi Leuchs (NZ), Volvo-Cannondale, at 2:19
4. Pavel Cherkassov (Rus), Subaru-Gary Fisher, at 2:52
5. Steve Larsen, L.L. Bean-Mongoose, at 3:18
6. Tinker Juarez, Volvo-Cannondale, at 3:38
7. Todd Wells, at 3:49
8. Seamus McGrath (Can), Haro-Lee Dungaree, at 4:20
9. Carl Swenson, RLX Polo Sport, at 4:38
10. Paul Rowney (Aus), Yeti-Pearl Izumi, at 5:33.
Kashi's Report
Hi. Its hot hot hot, and dry as a desert up here in Park City Utah. My throat has been bad all week after a rough flight, then the dryness has just made it worse. With memories from two years ago when I won this race, I was all amped up for a good race. The course had changed, but it still had the trademark torturous climbs from the past. My start was terrible as per usual and I had to deal with a lot of dust in the first (of 4.5) laps. By the second lap I had moved up well, and was riding steady, to avoid blowing in the 90+F heat. By lap 3, Ryder Hysdale was off the front, then my team mate Cadel Evans, and I followed just behind. I tried hard to catch Cadel so we could work together, but he was too strong. By the end I was happy to just ride home easy, loosing a bit over a minute, but no worries.
Today we raced the short (narrow, twisty, dangerous, fast, no passing) track. Because none of us on Volvo/Cannondale had raced the first two NORBA rounds, our starting positions sucked. I was last back in 48th place! Thegun went off, and on the first corner I got stuck behind a big crash. Well, at least I was behind it and not in it! I tried to get past riders, but it was near impossible to move up much. Also, I got pretty scared when seeing 3 very painful looking crashes right in front of me! I got pulled out (because we were getting lapped) after 13min or so, quite happy to have all my skin remaining! Ryder kicked butt to make the double. Cadel was the best of us in 12th. Glad that ones over! Onto Vancouver now, and hoping to keep my good luck going in Canadian World Cups!
bye,
Kashi
posted by
jeff lyall
6/30/2001 12:37:03 PM
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
24 June 01 - Sigriswil, EUROPEAN CUP, Switzerland (E1)
This is a brand new series in Europe which has attracted good feilds in both the first two rounds. Sigriswil is the home town of Christoph Sauser, so I had to try and help him take a home victory! The course went within meters from his house, and during a practise lap, Helena and I stopped off for fresh fruit salad and some awsome walnut cake!!
My start was typical of this year, terrible! I was bullied back out of the top 20, and had to fight hard during the first lap to get back into the top 10. It was a really hot day, so I was happy to ride tempo and catch the riders slowely to avoid blowing. The course was fast and seemed like it had twice as much climbing as decending! I managed to hold onto the pace of the leaders, and could see when on lap 4 (of 7) Christoph rode of the front. Feeling good, I passed by Bart Brentjens, Jerome Chioti, Thomas Hochstrasser, and to my surprise I found myself with Perazoli Nirko in 2nd place. Christoph was still off the front, so I just sat on until the final lap, when I made my attack. To my amazment, my legs were still really fresh, and I opened a huge gap straight away and even caught up the 40sec I was behind Christoph. By the end I could take it easy and let Christoph take his home win, while I rode in about 10m behind for a great Volvo/Cannondale day.
17 June 01 - Silvaplana, SWISS CUP (E1)
One of the best things about living in Annecy is that we are just 40min from Switzerland, and all their great races! At this round of the Swiss Cup there were probably 10 of the top 20 riders in the world! It was a very wet, muddy course, with one long climb, and a very technical decent. Bart Brentjens won ahead of his Giant team mate, Thomas Hochstrasser and Christoph Sauser. I came in 10th after struggling round the final lap.
Helena also raced and finished 16th, despite having a really bad shoulder injury! Tim Vincent finished about 30th, but Andy Reid crashed hard and had a good sized tomato on his cheek!
2-4 June 01 - Dala Tour, SWEDISH CUP (E2)
I decided to stay in Sweden with Helena and her family to do this 3 day, 4 stage MTB tour. It was held in Burlange, in the region of Darlanger ( where all the Dala horses are made!). I stayed toether with Helena and her two brothers, Kim and Johan in a caravan, which brought back many memories of 98 and 99, when we did this most weekends. The area was flat, like most of Sweden, and all the tracks were very twisty, rooty, and dry. I knew I would have a big challenge ahead, as this is where the Swedish riders rule, and I usually suck!
And this is basically what happened.
2.5km Prolog (14th) In such a small race I knew it would be hard. I actaully finished 2nd of the caravan, because Johan beat me (he is one fast 16 years old!!!) 30km Criterium (5th) After a small crash near the start, I had to fight back from about 30th position. I finally caught the leaders and attacked them, but I could not get away! 48km Cross Country (25th) After almost missing the start, I was fighting hard just to stay in the top 10. After 20km and a million and one sharp, rooty corners, I was dazed, and I could only ride thought the stage at very easy pace. 17km TimeTrial (8th) I was still very tired, but determined not to give up, so I gave every thing I had, even though I didn't want to be near these tracks ever again!
Helena did well, finishing 4th again, just as she did in the first two rounds of the Swedish cup.
27 May 01 - Skovde, SWEDISH CUP (E2)
Charlie (our manager), Christophe and myself came to Gothenberg to visit the Volvo headquarters, and to compete in the best (the only one with halfway decent climbs!) Swedish XC of the year. The volvo visit was a lot of fun, as they treated us to a trip out on one of the Volvo Ocean Race sailing boats. Actually it was one of the old Whitbread, round-the-world sailing boats, and there was a crew that helped us to sail it for about 3-4 hrs! Afterwards we visited the factory, and took a tour watching how the robots did there things! Pretty cool actually.
On Sunday the weather was nice, which is rare in Swedish races! Charlie made it clear that I needed to win here, so I had a few more nerves then usual! The field included all the Swedes (although many of them had raced a marathon the day before!) and Hakon Austad from Norway, who would be my main threat. It felt pretty cool that our team was here in Sweden, so they could see what its like where I am doing so much of my racing.
It was a fast start round a wide running track, then already up the first hard climb, Hakon attacked. I stuck to his wheel and hung on. My heartrate was topping 195, so I knew I was on the limit. We opened a 30sec margin almost immediatly, and that continued to grow to about 2min during the next 2 (of 5) laps. I was pulling the pace through the rough sections (the full suspension made quite a difference), and Hakon streatched me out on every climb. Finally on the 3rd lap I was unable to hold Hakons high pace, so was forced to ride alone. I managed to hold a good steady speed through till the end, to finish about 2 min down in 2nd place.
Kashi.
The European Cup SIGRISWIL 24/06/20001
1 SUI19760313 Sauser Christoph Volvo - Cannondale
2 NZL19780630 Leuchs Kashi Volvo - Cannondale
3 FRA19770522 Peraud J-Christophe Lapierre
4 SUI19760713 Hochstrasser Thomas Giant
5 FRA19720118 Chiotti Jérôme Lapierre
6 GER19740627 Hanisch Marc Orbea
7 ITA19771017 Bui Marco Mahh
8 ITA19751001 Zoli Yader Mahh
9 FRA19750321 Vollet Gregory Sport Manik
posted by
jeff lyall
6/27/2001 07:02:33 PM
Saturday, June 09, 2001
Check out this link if you want to keep an eye on the fortunes of the other Kiwi riders in Europe. Could be up to five for the next Swiss Cup. http://www.kiwimtb.blogspot.com/
posted by
jeff lyall
6/9/2001 08:48:09 PM
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