Dietz, Lorblanchet win XTERRA Czech

Press Release / 15.08.2011

Two great efforts put in today. In my pre-race report I mentioned a local Czech racer Helena Erbanova. In her case the promise was fulfilled. Helena came out of the water in 9th place for the women; proceeded to pedal the 4th fastest bike time and smoked the women by putting in the fastest run of the day and passing eventual 3rd place Renata Bucher on the last of three run laps. The 32-year-old recent mom is the product of a long line of Czech athletes with Father, Mother and Grandfather all being Olympians in winter sports. She’ll be in Zittau next week to race the XTERRA one day European Championship and I would not bet against another podium finish. Marion “Bubu” Lorblanchet rode past swim leader Jacqui Slack on the initial climb to get into first place and never let it go. World Champ Shonny Vanlandingham had a bad day in Czech being uncomfortable in the very cold water.

“It was a good thing it was only 1,000m," the world champ said.

Shonny has been racing with a severely sprained thumb since she hit it on a rock during the swim in Richmond.

“This course was just so bumpy with a lot of elevation changes and was jarring my thumb so much that I simply could not hold on,” explained Vanlandingham, who managed a 5th place after she was passed by Austria’s Carina Wasle late in the run. The women’s podium had Bubu first followed by Erbenova, Bucher, Wasle and Vanlandingham. Five places, five different nations.

I also mentioned German Ronny Dietz was having a great year and was second in the XTERRA European Tour standings behind three-time Olympian Olivier Marceau. Well, he is now in first place with a fantastic win in the mud and rain of Spindleruv Mlyn. Marceau started fine but said later that he just did not have anything in his legs today. Normally among the fastest riders, the two time European Champ could muster no better than 19th on the bike. American Seth Wealing came here after a great win in Mexico and his form has been so good I was thinking he could sweep all three internationals in a row. And he darn near did with a great second place only 35 seconds behind Dietz.

“Ahh” said Wealing “This course was just not right for me. Too short a swim and too long a bike”.