UCI Mountain Bike World Cup

Mike and Mary’s (Continuing) Awesome Adventure

When last we checked in on our erstwhile heroes, they were at MTB nationals in Pennsylvania. Since then they’ve been to race the World Cup at Mont Ste. Anne in Quebec on their custom IMX 29 SLs and are now, briefly, at home for a week of rest before heading to South Africa for more World Cup at Pietermaritzburg. Part of really appreciating the effort these guys put in to compete at the elite level is understanding that most of their exploits are based from an RV. They rarely sleep in their own beds, and have elevated mobile mechanic/office/home living to an art form.

Mike and Mary have also been selected to the US National Team for XC World Championships again, so we can look forward to more amazing stories from Team Kenda/Seven/NoTubes. We are proud, as always, to be represented by such amazing athletes (and people).

Read their full report here.

Seven on the World Cup Circuit

We recently built new Sola 650b SLX race bikes for Mike Broderick and Mary McConneloug and had them delivered to Germany where the pro mountain biking power couple are working their way around the World Cup circuit.

Mary said:

The frames turned out beautifully!

The care you all take with your work, the attention to detail and finesse is second to NONE! Rob – your design, is again, masterful! We know so many hands played a part in this project! Thank you guys for your artful work in planning, crafting and shipping these incredible frames to Mike and I over here in Europe!! Mike spent the majority of this past week carefully building the frames up at the SRAM headquarters in central Germany. Having access to a real shop (and not some outdoor RV camp spot) to build the bikes up was very much appreciated. Thanks to our awesome crew of supporting sponsors who helped with the various components – everything came together perfectly.

We feel so lucky to be backed by the best in the industry and we are honored to represent you all out in the field!

We got out on our first ride in the forests of Schweinfurt yesterday and instantly were both SMILING! The fit and balance of the frames are impeccable. My first impression of riding the 27.5 wheel size was the ease of acceleration. I could feel the relation of the pedal stroke efficiently translate my power to the smaller wheel size and it seemed easier overall to push and maintain a smooth cadence. The complete bike is also a little lighter and easier to maneuver through the tight turns of the trails…

We can hardly wait to RACE our new 27.5 Solas at the World Cup in Italy this weekend!!!

Thank you all again!!!

We are truly honored to represent Seven Cycles and ever grateful for your continued support of our team.

Yours truly,

Mary and Mike

VeloNews: Mary’s Return

On any other weekend, Vanlandingham’s opening-lap crash wouldn’t have been so costly. But with McConneloug back in North America to race the Quebec World Cup, the margin for mistake proved to be zero. McConneloug has long favored the Mount Snow woods, where she won her first NMBS event on the same course in 2003; the steep climbs and tight singletrack fit her skills perfectly. As she did three years ago, McConneloug used the extended climbs to gain an advantage while riding conservatively on the descents. Despite a strong charge by Vanlandingham that brought her back into second, McConneloug finished nearly two minutes clear.

“I heard the splits on the climb and knew I could take it easy on the descents, not push it too hard,” said McConneloug, who sported some nasty gashes on her left arm and leg from a crash into a barbed wire fence two weeks earlier in Belgium. “I felt really good at Curacao at the first World Cup, and I had some bad luck at the other World Cups, some crashes. I had good legs at those races but once you lose it at the start, you can’t get it back. I was psyched everything went smoothly today.

“Vanlandingham, who retained her overall NMBS lead despite her tumble, said not being able to see McConneloug on the climbs made the pursuit tougher. “I lost maybe 30 or45 seconds in the first little loop of the first lap,” Vanlandingham said. “I had to play catch-up, but I never saw her, she got away. She did great, she charged. I’m happy to get second. Besides the beginning I felt great the rest of the race.”

McConneloug Tops Mount Snow

Kenda-Seven racer took lead early and never looked back

In commanding fashion, reigning U.S. National Champion, Mary McConnloug (team Kenda-Seven Cycles), earned her second consecutive victory at the Mount Snow stop of the NORBA National Series this Saturday, June 17. Attacking from the start, Mary took a decisive lead in the first lap that she never relinquished and finished with a nearly two-minute cushion over second place.

Mount Snow is considered one of the most demanding courses in the series. It features approximately 1,000′ of climbing per lap, perilous descents, and ribbons of classic rocky, rooty east coast singletrack. Fresh off of the World Cup circuit in Europe, Mary said of the course, “I’ve always loved racing here.”

In the pro men’s cross-country event, teammate Mike Broderick scored an impressive 13th place, despite a poor call-up position. He and Mary have focused their season on the World Cup and have not contested any of the previous Nation Series races.

Both McConneloug and Broderick have their sights set for next weekend’s World Cup race at Mount Sainte Anne in Quebec, Canada.