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Cycling at the 2000 Sydney Summer Games:

Women's Mountainbike, Cross-Country

Cycling at the 2000 Summer Games: Previous Summer Games ▪ Next Summer Games

Events:
Phases:

Host City: Sydney, Australia
Venue(s): Fairfield City Farm, Abbotsbury, New South Wales
Date Started: September 23, 2000
Date Finished: September 23, 2000
Format: 35.7 km. (22.2 miles).

Gold: ITA Paola Pezzo
Silver: SUI Barbara Blatter
Bronze: ESP Marga Fullana

Summary

No strong favorite existed as the women’s international events had been spread among several different riders since 1996, although Spain’s Margarita Fullana had been World Champion in 1999 and earlier in 2000. The race was conducted over five laps of 7.1 km. each. The early leader was Switzerland’s Barbara Blatter but Fullana took the lead on the third lap. On the fourth lap, defending champion Paola Pezzo (ITA) passed Blatter and challenged Fullana for the lead. On a tight downhill section Pezzo and Fullana collided, and Fullana crashed. Pezzo managed to stay upright and powered away to her second gold medal. Fullana accused Pezzo of intentionally colliding, as this had happened before at the 1999 Europeans. Pezzo had declared this to be her last mountainbike race, but also competed in Athens. Her preparation for the Olympics had been remarkable, training alone on a track similar to the Olympic course, purposely built near her home.

Final Standings

Rank Athlete Age Team NOC Medal M T
1 Paola Pezzo 31 Italy ITA Gold 1-49:24.38
2 Barbara Blatter 29 Switzerland SUI Silver at 27.04
3 Marga Fullana 28 Spain ESP Bronze at 33.01
4 Alla Yepifanova 23 Russia RUS at 1:21.05
5 Alison Sydor 34 Canada CAN at 2:54.94
6 Mary Grigson 29 Australia AUS at 3:58.19
7 Alison Dunlap 31 United States USA at 4:28.67
8 Chrissy Redden 34 Canada CAN at 4:43.00
9 Sabine Spitz 28 Germany GER at 5:22.11
10 Ruthie Matthes 34 United States USA at 5:51.70
11 Chantal Daucourt 34 Switzerland SUI at 7:25.15
12 Caroline Alexander 32 Great Britain GBR at 7:26.24
13 Hedda zu Putlitz 35 Germany GER at 8:55.27
14 Silvia Rovira 32 Spain ESP at 9:34.99
15 Louise Robinson 35 Great Britain GBR at 9:58.89
16 Ann Trombley 36 United States USA at 10:18.74
17 Corine Dorland 27 Netherlands NED at 10:34.98
18 Laurence Leboucher 28 France FRA at 11:14.51
19 Lesley Tomlinson 40 Canada CAN at 11:19.70
20 Jimena Florit 28 Argentina ARG at 11:24.67
21 Anna Baylis 23 Australia AUS at 11:28.82
22 Ragnhild Kostøl 31 Norway NOR at 12:26.68
23 Sophie Villeneuve 30 France FRA at 13:07.33
24 Flor Marina Delgadillo 28 Colombia COL at 13:52.72
25 Erica Green 29 South Africa RSA at 14:07.99
26 Hiroko Nambu 31 Japan JPN at 16:49.50
27 Yeung Alexandra 27 Hong Kong HKG at 22:05.41
28 Ma Yanping 23 China CHN at 1 lap
29 Tarja Owens 23 Ireland IRL at 1 lap
AC Susy Pryde 26 New Zealand NZL DNF