Saturday, September 23, 2000
Cycling News Online

Former skier rules the mountains

Paola Pezzo of Italy retained her Olympic mountain bike title when she finished alone after 35.7km of hard work at Fairfield City Farm.

The former Olympic cross-country skier took her chance when she and co-leader Margarita Fullana of Spain collided on a narrow section. Fullana slid off the course, but Pezzo quickly regained her balance and raced away to repeat her Atlanta triumph with 27 seconds to spare.

Fullana lost the tussle for silver to Switzerland’s Barbara Blatter, who had set the pace for the first two laps on a circuit over hilly bushlands, and beat her Spanish rival by nearly six seconds.

PETER WATTS
Sunday Times