From VeloNews:
Add two-time Olympic champion Paolo Pezzo to the growing list of riders who are setting their sites on the first-ever mountain-biking marathon world championship. And don't be surprised if Pezzo follows that with a run at a third Olympic title in the summer of 2004.
According to Gary Fisher's Dean Gore, while Pezzo will not be "an official member of the Subaru-Fisher team" this season, she will be "structuring her own European-based program that will focus on European Grand Fondos and marathon events, with the new UCI sanctioned marathon world championships date highlighted on her calendar."
This is especially noteworthy, considering Pezzo retired from high-level racing following the 2000 season, then gave birth to her first child - a boy named Kevin - last fall. But now it appears the 33-year-old Italian is feeling the lure of racing once again.
"With the marathon worlds as the major goal of the summer, Paola will have the chance to test her resolve and motivation to juggle motherhood and high level training," Gore added. "[That will leave] the decision to attempt to win a third straight Olympic gold medal until this fall or winter."
The world's marathon race is slated for August 31, the Sunday before the rest of the mountain bike world championship events commence in Lugano, Switzerland. The new event will be a point-to-point cross-country race that covers a minimum distance of 60km, starting from Via Ciani and ending at Cornaredo Stadium. Other notable riders who are targeting the marathon medal include American Tinker Juarez and Canadian Leslie Tomlinson.
Add two-time Olympic champion Paolo Pezzo to the growing list of riders who are setting their sites on the first-ever mountain-biking marathon world championship. And don't be surprised if Pezzo follows that with a run at a third Olympic title in the summer of 2004.
According to Gary Fisher's Dean Gore, while Pezzo will not be "an official member of the Subaru-Fisher team" this season, she will be "structuring her own European-based program that will focus on European Grand Fondos and marathon events, with the new UCI sanctioned marathon world championships date highlighted on her calendar."
This is especially noteworthy, considering Pezzo retired from high-level racing following the 2000 season, then gave birth to her first child - a boy named Kevin - last fall. But now it appears the 33-year-old Italian is feeling the lure of racing once again.
"With the marathon worlds as the major goal of the summer, Paola will have the chance to test her resolve and motivation to juggle motherhood and high level training," Gore added. "[That will leave] the decision to attempt to win a third straight Olympic gold medal until this fall or winter."
The world's marathon race is slated for August 31, the Sunday before the rest of the mountain bike world championship events commence in Lugano, Switzerland. The new event will be a point-to-point cross-country race that covers a minimum distance of 60km, starting from Via Ciani and ending at Cornaredo Stadium. Other notable riders who are targeting the marathon medal include American Tinker Juarez and Canadian Leslie Tomlinson.
but supposedly her child is old enough now where she can start to train fully and kinda get back into things. the world of cycling just hasn't been the same w/ out seeing those glittery gold shorts