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News 2006

WEEK 51 (Tuesday December 19, 2006)
MERRY CHRISTMAS – WE’RE CELEBRATING AT HOME
We’re still missing a Christmas tree in our living room, but apart from that we’re all set up for a great holiday and a good old traditional celebration together with family and relatives. Isak and Petruss are particularly pleased with the Christmas decorations, wrapping paper, and especially ribbons which are to be tied around the presents, but also a bit of extra good Christmas food. To be completely honest we’re still missing another important Christmas ingredient, and that’s the scent of homemade gingerbread cookies. We’ll just have to visit one of our neighbours to experience that! Read more.

WEEK 47 (Sunday November 19, 2006)
PACKED DAYS AT HOME
Many hours of exercise, various meetings, and exciting days full of activities for sponsors fill up my autumn days here at home. Christmas is rapidly approaching, and before we know it we’ll be leaving for another trip for training, signalling the start of the 2007 season. Read more.

21.11.2006
Photo
Photos from Curacao, spinning with Shell and from the party after Sola Open is now avilabel. Look more.

Week 42 (Saturday October 21, 2006)
HOME AT LAST
In the season of 2006 so far, we have travelled for a total of 266 days, visited 17 different countries and crossed a dizzying number of time zones. Even our holiday is over now, and we’re looking forward to a period with more time at home in Stavanger and Norway. Right now it’s just a huge luxury to be allowed to be at home in our own sitting room. Read more.

Week 39 (Friday, September 29, 2006) One week in China
STRIKING CONTRASTS
They say that no two days are alike, but we have now entered a period of truly striking contrasts – everything from bike-races in Estonia and class-work at school in Oslo, to spectacular bike-rides in the middle of the noisy and busy city of Beijing. We’re enjoying every single exciting challenge that meets us these days. Read more.

22.09.2006
Photos
Tom Moran have taken some pictures of Gunn-Rita in action. Look more.

18.09.2006: News report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa wins in Estonia, Nina Göhl runner up at MTB Bundesliga
Christoph Soukup (A) and Irina Kalentieva (RUS) won the final race of the MTB Bundesliga in Bad Slzdefurth (A). Best rider from the Multivan Merida Biking Team was Nina Göhl on the excellent second place. Read more.

10.09.2006
New photos
Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa wins World cup xc 2006. See more.

10.09.2006 News report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa wins worldcup overall, Ralph Näf third in the final race
At the final race of 2006’s mountain bike worldcup in Schladming, Austria, a total of six riders of the Multivan Merida Biking Team made it to the respective podiums. Finishing second, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa defended her lead in the worldcup overall, José Hermida secured his third overall place by finishing fourth and Ralph Näf rode to a third place at the season’s final. In the season’s team classification, the Multivan Merida Biking Team dominated the women’s competition, while the men finished second to Team Giant. Read more.

WEEK 35 (29.08.2006)
Flight home from New Zealand
FROM THE PLANE-SEAT – A SHORT SUMMARY
Here I sit on my small aeroplane seat, savouring the tired feeling in my whole body. We’ve already been travelling for a good 20 hours, and there’s still a long way to go. The most important race of the season is already history, and we can look back on an extremely exciting and challenging period which has taught us a lot and given us a lot. Read more.

27.08.2006 NEW XC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GOLD MEDAL:
“WILD AND WONDERFUL”
It was absolutely fantastic to become XC World Champion once again, and way round on the other side of the world this time. Even though there were only a few Norwegians lining the tracks, all the spectators were wonderful here in Kiwi-land. This was my best and most incredible race-day in the whole season of 2006. Read more.

27.08.2006
New photos
World Championships XC 2006. See more.

27.08.2006 News report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa defends world champion title
At the mountain bike world championships in Rotorua (NZL), Norway’s Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa successfully defended her title. She superiorly won the women’s race ahead of Russia’s Irina Kalentieva and Canada’s Marie-Hélène Premont. This is the seventh world championship title the Norwegian puts on her name, having won the rainbow jersey in both the Olympic cross country and the marathon discipline in the recent three years. Read more.

27.08.2006 Press:
Worlds Gold in XC
Read more: www.mtbsector.com, www.bikesportnews.de, www.cyclingnews.com and www.uci.ch.

WEEK 34 ? NEW ZEALAND (Thursday, August 24th, 2006)
READY FOR A NEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
We're all set for a new World Championship in Cross Country, and this time we'll be competing on the soil of New Zealand. Our preparations have gone as expected, and I'm in good shape. The countdown has started, and I feel excitement and nervousness increasing every day that passes. Read more.

13.08.2006
New photos
World Championships Marathon 2006. See more.

13.08.2006: News report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Marathon world championships: Double victory for «Multivan Merida Biking Team»
Ralph Näf and Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa are the new marathon world champions. Read more.

07.08.2006: News report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa and Nina Göhl win in Switzerland and Germany
At the same time when Norwegian Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa wins the final race of the Swisspower Cup in Bern (CH) with a lead of incredible 4.27 minutes, Nina Göhl triumphes at the MTB Bundesliga in Wetter (D). With a lead of over three minutes she won nearly with the same style of her teammate. Read more.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS ALPAGO, JULY 30
SILVER MEDAL at European Championships in XC
It was a very tough struggle for the medals at the European Championships today. After two days of suffering with diarrhoea, I was lacking a lot of power in my legs, and I could feel it right from the start of the race. So on a difficult day, this was a very uplifting result. Read more.

30.06.2006
New photos
EM 30 july 2006. See more.

30.06.2006 News report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
European Championships: Ralph Näf wins three medals, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa becomes second
At the Cross Country European Championships, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa became runner-up behind Spaniard Marga Fulla. Dahle was suffering the days before the race from diarrhea and she spent more time on the toilet than on the bike. «Under this circumstances I am really happy with the silver medal», the Norwegian analyzed her race at the finish. She had no power at all even she told herself that you win a race with the legs an not with the stomach. Read more.

30.06.2006
New photos
EM Marathon 2006. See more.

WEEK 30 (Wednesday, July 26, 2006)
GOLD MEDAL COLLECTION COMPLETE
It was an awesome experience to become European Champion in Marathon cycling. It was the only gold medal which was missing from our collection. The day was extra special for Multivan Merida Biking Team too, as my Swiss team-mate Ralph Näf won the men’s class. Read more.

24.07.2006: News report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Gunn-Rita Dahle and Ralph Näf are European marathon champions
At the European mountain bike marathon championships, Norway’s Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa and Switzerland’s Ralph Näf secured themselves a golden medal each. Both dominated their respective races from the start, not granting their opponents a single chance. Read more.

WEEK 29 (Thursday June 20, 2006)
EXCITING CHAMPIONSHIP PERIOD
We are now entering a very exciting and challenging period of cycling championships. Four international championships in five weeks, in three different countries, on three different continents, await us. It demands full concentration on every level from both of us. Read more.

26.06.2006
New photos
WC 2006 is new photos and under misc. 2006 is there many new photos. See more.

26.06.2006:
News report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Mont Sainte Anne Worldcup: Dahle second, Hermida fourth. Read more.

WEEK 25 (Tuesday June 20, 2006)
NEW EXCITING CHALLENGES
Our last week at Boulder turned out to be exciting and fun in many different ways. Great days of training, record high temperatures, an encounter with a rattlesnake, hail-storms, and an interesting evaluation of the first half of the season of 2006. Read more.

WEEK 23 (Sunday, June 11 2006. Boulder)
EXERCISE CAMP AT HIGH ALTITUDE
Fantastic nature, friendly people, a lovely town, supreme training conditions, sun and summer. We are back at Boulder in Colorado where we, as ever, are enjoying ourselves to the max with great conditions for training no matter what we have on the program for the day. This is a very important break from competing for us after the first half of the season which has now passed. Read more.

23.05.2006 Film
Film from the race this weekend
Fons MTB. Look more.

21.05.2006: Race report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Three podium finishes for the Multivan Merida Biking Team at Spa’s worldcup
At the mountainbike worldcup race in Spa, Belgium, the Multivan Merida Biking Team claimed all three podium positions. While Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesja wins her 25th worldcup race in the women’s competition, José Hermida and Ralph Näf finish second and third respectively behind Julien Absalon in the men’s race. Read more.

14.05.2006: Race report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Dahle and Näf with podium finishes at Madrid’s worldcup race
Gunn-Rita Dahle-Flesja and Ralph Näf each secured a podium finish for the «Multivan Merida Biking Team» at Madrid’s mountainbike worldcup race. While Dahle-Flesja dominated the women’s race from the start, distancing her closest follower Marga Fullana by almost two minutes at the finish, Näf finished third, one position ahead of his team mate José Hermida. Read more.

WEEK 19 (Sunday 14.05.2006
FIRST PLACE IN MADRID
It was an amazing experience for both of us to win the World Cup race here in Madrid today. This is the third year running that we take first place at this race track, which has become a classic of sorts within mountain biking. We’ve entered an exciting and important phase of the 2006 season, with three World Cup weekends in a row. Read more.

09.05.2006: Race report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
«Multivan Merida Biking Team» with high ambitions for next weekend’s worldcup race
The «Multivan Merida Biking Team» finished off it’s preparations for the mountainbike worldcup with two podium finishes at the MTB Bundesliga race in Heubach, Germany. Norway’s Gunn-Rita Dahle won the women’s race despite a flat tire, distancing Russia’s Irina Kalentieva and her team mate Nina Göhl by two minutes. Read more.

05.05.2006
GOOD EXPERIENCE IN NALS
The Sunshine Cup at Nals in Italy was a tough experience on a demanding course, including lots of climbing and tough descents. Even though I'm not feeling totally on top of things physically, I still felt strong and managed to master my goals for the day very well. Many of the best riders were not present at the start, but still it was a great experience for me to win the race. Read more.

30.04.2006: Race report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Multivan Merida Biking Team scores five podium finishes
The «Multivan Merida Biking Team» has seen a weekend rich on podium finishes: All five riders succeeded to place themselves within the top-three at their respective races. At Winterthur’s Swisspower Cup race, Germany’s Nina Göhl won the women’s race undisputedly, while Moritz Milatz missed out on the victory at the same race by a mere two seconds. Ending up third, Ralph Näf secured another podium finish for the team. Read more.

WEEK 16 (Sunday, April 23, 2006)
NEW EXCITING TRAVELS
A brand new ”round-the-world” ticket is lying in my suitcase, and we’re looking very much forward to the upcoming exciting period of competing and racing. After a good week on Norwegian soil with relaxing days at home in Stavanger, we are now looking forward to nine weeks of travels again. Read more.

23.04.2006: Race report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Dahle, Gujan win Münsingen, Germany’s MTB Bundesliga race
In Münsingen, Germany, Swiss Martin Gujan and Norwegian Gunn-Rita Dahle have won the second race of the «MTB-Bundesliga». Dahle showed another unchallenged victory, taking the lead from the start and giving her competitors not a hint of a chance. The men’s race was much closer, as last year’s winner Martin Gujan managed to beat Fredrik Kessiakoff and José Hermida no sooner than in the very end of the race. Hermida had been leading until the beginning of the final lap, but as his power faded, he lost several positions. Read more.

10.04.2006: Race report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Sea Otter Classic: Dahle and Peraud win Sea Otter Classic
On the final cross country race at the «sea otter classic» Gunn-Rita Dahle and Liam Killeen win the final stage each solo. Dahle secures her leading position in the overall ranking. In the mens category Frenchmen Jean Christophe Peraud defends the lead in the overall ranking with a third place in the final stage. Read more.

09.04.2006: Race report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Sea Otter Classic: Gunn-Rita Dahle wins shortrace, Hermida third
At the Sea Otter Classic Gunn Rita Dahle continued her triumphant march with a win in shortrace, ahead of Katerina Nash and Mary McConneloug. On the extremly muddy racetrack Dahle attacked on the second lap, taking Katerina Nash with her. Dahle is now leading the overall ranking with 227 points, while McConneloug on 208 points moved up into second place ahead of Alison Sydor. Read more.

08.06.2006: Race report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Sea Otter Classic: Ralph Näf beats the clock
At Sea Otter Classic Swiss Ralph Näf wins the second stage, a two-mile time trial. Näf covered the course 1.6 seconds faster than Jean-Christophe Peraud, winner of yesterday's mountain cross. The Sea Otter Classic is one of the most prestigious mountainbike races on the world. After two of four stages Ralph Näf is placed second behind Frenchman Jean-Christophe Peraud. Read more.

07.04.2006: Race report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Sea Otter Classic: Gunn-Rita Dahle dominates, Ralph Näf gets 4th
At the Supercross Mountainbike Race at the Sea Otter Festival (Monterey, USA) Norway's Gunn-Rita Dahle opened up a gaping lead in Day 1 of the MTB Omnium today at the 2006 Sea Otter Classic, the world's largest cycling festival. The 2004 Olympic gold medalist got to work right away in the first lap with a strong effort in the first climb, which motivated her to step on her pedals even harder. Read more.

WEEK 13 (02.04.2006 Curacao)
FANTASTIC DAY ON MY TWO-WHEELER
It was a wonderful experience to win the first World Cup race of the season yesterday. The hot weather, the extreme humidity, and the race-course itself reminded me a lot of the race in Athens during the Olympics. The entire world elite was gathered there and it was very tough day for most of us. Read more.

02.04.2006: Race report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Worldcup Curaçao: Gunn-Rita Dahle continues her winning streak
At the first race of this year’s mountain biking worldcup on the Antille’s island of Curaçao, world champion Gunn-Rita Dahle outclassed the entire world elite, as she has done in the past. Her winning margin on Germany’s Sabine Spitz was more than one and a half minutes, and three minutes separated her from the third podium spot, which was occupied by Spain’s Marga Fullana coming back to form. Read more.

WEEK 12: (Curacao 25.03.06)
HOT
Many things are different here on the Caribbean island of Curacao, but the biggest challenge for me is the heat and the high humidity. The World Cup race track doesn’t include many climbs, but it’s a tough course even so. We have one week to go until the opening of the World Cup, and I’m looking very much forward! Read more. Photos

WEEK 11 (Saturday 18.03.2006)
SUCCESSFUL TRAINING PERIOD IN ITALY.
2 weeks of very effective training and competitions here in the north of Italy were concluded today with a fantastic race in the Liquigas Cup. On Monday, Kenneth and I will be leaving for Curacao for the first World Cup race of the season. Read More.

20.03.2006
New photos today
Read more.

19.03.2006 Race report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
Dahle wins Liquigas Cup race, Hermida finishes second
At the Italian Liquigas Cup race in Maser, Sweden’s Fredrik Kessiakoff and Norway’s Gunn-Rita Dahle each mastered very strong fields. While Kessiakoff had to fight hard to the last lap to secure himself a 20-second winning margin on Spain’s José Hermida, Gunn-Rita Dahle once again set the standard impressively in the women’s race: She won by no less than five minutes, showing the best early-season form ever in her career. Read More.

07.03.2006
Race report from Multivan Merida Biking Team:
«Multivan Merida Biking Team»’s outlook to the 2006 season. Read more.

WEEK 9 (Montebelluna Sunday March 5)
START OF THE SEASON IN ITALY
It’s great to be on the go again with a new season of cycling. The menu for first race of the year included lots of mud and freezing cold weather, but it was wonderful even so to take part in the Italian winter championships in Cross Country today. Read more.

06.03.2006
New photos today
Read more.

WEEK 8 (Sunday February 26, 2006)
BACK ON THE “OLYMPIC TRACK”
On Friday we were back on our “Olympic Track” here on Majorca, and the experience gave us a little extra enthusiasm on a terribly wet and chilly day. It was the first time we experienced white mountaintops here on Majorca, but we’ve brought along all the necessary gear for this kind of treatment from the weather gods. Read more.

WEEK 6 no. 2 (Sunday, February 19)
WHO TOOK MY BICYCLE?!
It’s never a nice experience to have one’s bike stolen, whether it was brand new or old. This time it was my brand spanking new road racer that disappeared in the course of the night. There are only 6 like it in the whole of Europe today, and I had only had a couple of trips on this wonderful new machine of mine. Read more.

19.02.2006
New updated seasonplan
Read more.

18.02.2006
New photos today
Read more.

WEEK 6 (Majorca, Wednesday 15.02.06)
FIRST TEAM GATHERING
The first gathering with the pro bike team, Multivan Merida Biking Team, has been exciting, action-packed and fun. Training-camp combined with the media and the press always means a lot of interviews and photographs from morning till night. I still feel a childlike joy and excitement at getting a new bike, and also at being able to show the wonderful machine off together with the new uniform for the season. Read more.

WEEK 5 (05.02.2006)
ACTIVE DAYS AT HOME
It was a cold and uncomfortable transition, coming home to a Norwegian winter after 3 whole weeks on Lanzarote. Even so, we’ve had full days both inside and outside since we came home, and naturally with a somewhat different focus from that which is usual for a heavy period of concerted training. Read more.

27.01.2006
Seasonplan
Gunn-Rita Race Schedule 2006. Read more.

WEEK 3 (16.01.2006)
TRAINING ON LANZAROTE
It’s great being back at the office again! Our exercise schedule here on Lanzarote and at Club La Santa is commencing as planned. We’re enjoying these days of hard work, doing exactly what we’re supposed to be doing in order to be well prepared for the upcoming season. Read more.

16.01.2006
New photos today
Read more.