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| Event type

Cross-Country, Women

Date27 August 2004 — 11:00
StatusOlympic
LocationOlympiaki Eukatastasi Oreivis Podilasias Parnithas, Akharnes
Participants30 from 24 countries
Format31.3 km. (19.4 miles).

Since the 2000 Olympics, Norwegian Gunn Rita Dahle had established herself as the best women mountain biker in the world. She won the World Championship in 2002 and 2004, and the European Championshisp in 2002-2004. In 2003 she won all five of the World Cup races, extending a streak she had begun in 2002 to eight consecutive wins in the World Cup. She was likely the heaviest favorite in any cycling race in Athina. The course was five laps after a start loop, covering a total of 31.3 km. Dahle went right to the front of the pack, and by the end of the first lap had opened a 32-second lead over Canadian Marie-Hélène Prémont. Dahle had the fastest split time on four of the five laps and won by 59 seconds over Prémont. Dahle continued her winning ways at the 2005 and 2006 World Championships. Before her major successes, Dahle had been struggling with anorexia.

PosCompetitorNOCTimeMargin
1Gunn Rita DahleNOR1-56:51Gold
2Marie-Hélène PrémontCAN1-57:50Silver
3Sabine SpitzGER1-59:21Bronze
4Alison SydorCAN1-59:47
5Elsbeth van Rooy-VinkNED2-01:41
6Maja WłoszczowskaPOL2-02:08
7Ivonne KraftGER2-05:18
8Laurence LeboucherFRA2-05:34
9Mary McConnelougUSA2-06:12
10Lisa MathisonAUS2-07:01
11Anna SzafraniecPOL2-07:44
12Jimena FloritARG2-08:42
13Irina KalentyevaRUS2-08:57
14Bärbel JungmeierAUT2-09:22
15Kiara BisaroCAN2-09:50
16Robyn WongNZL2-10:59
17Ma YanpingCHN2-13:18
18Jaque MourãoBRA2-13:52
19Katrin LeumannSUI2-16:07
20Maria ÖstergrenSWE2-16:16
21Karen MatamorosCRCat 1 lap1
22Yukari NakagomeJPNat 1 lap
23Jenny McCauleyIRLat 1 lap2
24Elina SofokleousCYPat 2 laps
DNFMarga FullanaESP
DNFMagdalena SadłeckaPOL
DNFBarbara BlatterSUI
DNFMette AndersenDEN
DNFPaola PezzoITA
DNFJanka ŠtevkováSVK