News 2007

WEEK 51 (Thursday, December 20, 2007)
CHRISTMAS PRESENT OF THE YEAR
The most incredible Christmas present is already standing gleaming in our living room. This package of surprises was torn open a whole week before Christmas Eve, and inside I found the prototype for the Merida “Beijing” full suspension bike. This Christmas present will be flying along with us to Boulder, where we’ll be training in a week from now. Read more.

20.12.2007
Photos
Photos from the new bike and house. Look moore.

12.12.2007
Photos
Photos from a weekend Gunn-Rita was in Lugano. Look more.

12.12.2007
Italy
Italy website online. Read more.

07.12.2007
Photos
Some more pictures from the last weeks. Look more.

WEEK 49 (Friday, December 7, 2007)
FOCUS ON TRAINING AND RESTITUTION
These days I’m focusing on doing as little as possible which isn’t directly related to training, restitution and recovery. We finished off Christmas present shopping in one afternoon, and Christmas cooking and baking will have to wait until Christmas of 2008. It feels very good to be back into the routine of training again, completing the days of training exactly as we want them to be. Read more.

20.11.2007
Media release from Multivan Merida Biking Team - for immediate release
Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå is on her way back to the world elite
After having suffered from an intractable viral infection this summer, mountain biking’s multiple world champion Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå is on her way back to the world elite. At the moment, the Norwegian is working on her return to top-class sport, going through a tough work-out schedule at home in Stavanger before she is going to travel to Boulder (Colorado, USA) for a couple of weeks in January. Read more.

WEEK 46 (Monday, November 12)
“GREAT TO BE ALIVE”
The weather-gods here on the west coast of Norway have been downright energetic this last week. Violent winds and hail storms during my outdoor training stints have been most invigorating. Simply put: this is living! Read more.

12.11.2007
Photos
Some pictures from the last week in Stavanger. Look more.

WEEK 41 (Sunday 14.10.2007)
EFFECTIVE TRAINING AT HOME
At present the doses of exercise aren’t all that big, but it certainly is wonderful to be on the move again. Next to the exercise, there’s been a moderate amount of responsibilities for my sponsors, and some time spent working on the new building project for our new house, which has just commenced. Read more.

WEEK 37 (Tuesday September 11, 2007)
WONDERFUL DAYS FISHING
We caught a big load of fish this weekend, and Kenneth was the clear winner in terms of quantity. This evening, however, it's time for revenge here on the ocean outside Stavanger. Fishing with rods from the rowing boat has provided us with valuable time off, in between all the training. Read more.

11.09.2007
Photos
Some pictures from the last week. Look more.

WEEK 35 (Thursday, August 30, 2007)
NO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – BUT DOING A LITTLE FISHING
In a good week from now the cycling World Championships will take place in Scotland. I, however, am leaving for a fishing holiday at the cabin. Together with a few others, we’ll be barbecuing freshly caught fish, and this year I won’t be packing my system with carbs in the form of pasta during the last days before the World Championships. Read more.

Week 32 (Monday August 6)
TRAINING IN ITALY
Another week of training camp here in Italy is complete. I’m still not feeling totally well, but things are moving forwards. 10 weeks with hardly any exercise has left me feeling out of shape and I have to accept that the racing season is over for me. Read more.

Week 30 (Friday, July 27, 2007)
BACK ON MY BIKE
Northern Italy and southern Tyrol are fantastic areas for those with a penchant for beautiful nature, mountaineering, wine, cycling, good food and lots of sun. It’s paradise for me as I now am back in training and cycling a bit again. Read more.

21.07.2007
Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå on her way back to racing
After a lengthy viral illness, mountain biking’s world champion Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå is on her way back to racing. A few days ago, she has gotten her doctor’s approval to restart her training schedule. Due to a gastrointestinal virus, the Norwegian had to endure a lengthy treatment with antibiotics. After her training camp in Italy, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå is going to announce the exact date of her return to racing. Read more.

WEEK 27 (Monday, July 9, 2007)
LOOOOOONG DAYS AT HOME
Five weeks usually disappear in a flash, but these days that I’ve been forced to spend at home in Stavanger in the middle of the cycling season have really dragged by. A lack of energy and strength has meant that I haven’t been able to exercise or do much of anything else. Read more.

WEEK 24 (Friday June 15, 2007)
SET-BACK DUE TO VIRUS
Apparently it’s a stomach virus that’s been ravaging my system for the past week and gradually tapping me of my strength and energy. Two weeks with very little exercise here at home in Norway has been good for my body, and the most recent tests show that the virus is on its way out of my system. The prescription for the next weeks is to “hurry slowly”. Read more.

WEEK 23 (Monday June 4, 2007 – Champery)
INTERRUPTED CYCLING SEASON – RETURNING HOME
Unfortunately I am forced to interrupt my cycling season for a spell. I have had diarrhoea and stomach pains for a good two weeks now, and my body is being sapped of steadily more energy every day. I am now returning home to have some tests to find out what’s wrong. Read more.

28.05.2007
Photos
Photos from WC 07 Offenburg. Look more.

28.05.2007
«Multivan Merida Biking Team» with strong showing in Offenburg
At the UCI worldcup race in Offenburg, Germany, the «Multivan Merida Biking Team» was one of very few teams to see all of its riders finish. Racing was characterized by intense rain that poured down during the women’s race, soaking up the course for the ensuing men’s race. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå sprinted to a third-place finish, while Nina Göhl made her return within the world’s elite finishing in fourteenth position. In the men’s race José Hermida seemed to be set for a podium finish for a long time, but the Spaniard had to settle for an eighth-place finish as his drivetrain got completely clogged due to all the mud. As a consequence of not finishing at the first worldcup race, Ralph Näf had to start way back in the field. The ensuing chase brought him to a respectable eightteenth-place finish. Read more.

WEEK 20 (Wednesday 16/05/2007 – Heubach)
RELAXING DAYS AT HEUBACH
Rest and proper restitution between races is very important, both physically and mentally speaking. Weeks of demanding races and a lot of exercise represent a good investment in the long term, but only if one allows ones body to recover totally after such a period. Read more.

WEEK 18 (Saturday May 5, 2007)
GR MARATHON – A GREAT SUCCESS
The very first Gunn-Rita Marathon race in Italy turned out to be a very memorable occasion. The organization Pedali di Marca and all the volunteer workers combined forces to make a really super happening. Elite cyclists from all over the world, along with enthusiastic amateurs, sponsors, the media and the public all contributed to a fantastic cycling festival in the beautiful town of Montebelluna. Read more.

07.05.2007
 Photo Gunn-Rita Marathon
 3 gentlemen’s from Norway was with us under the Gunn-Rita Marathon 2007.  look more.

06.05.2007
Houffa World Cup 2007
Belgium webpage with pictures and videos from the Houffa World Cup 2007. Look more.

06.05.2007
Pictures
I have taken some pictures of Gunn Rita that I would like to contribute to her website. You can check out my Houffalize 2007 pictures here. And a special gallery I have of her here. Thanks to Adri Haine.

29.04.2007
Media release from Multivan Merida Biking Team - for immediate release
José Hermida and Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå win again
Two victories for Multivan Merida Biking Team. Read more.

WEEK 17 (Wed., April 25 – Italy)
WORLD CUP HOUFFALIZE / WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MARATHON / GUNN-RITA MARATHON ITALY
The intense duelling and struggle during the first World Cup race of the season at Houffalize is still very much present in my memory. And that’s in spite of many exciting activities and great experiences during the following three days. Competitions and cycling races are literally lining up in front of me in the coming weekends, leading up to the next World Cup race in less than five weeks from now. Read more.

23.04.2007
New photos
Then we have some new photos from MTB Worldcup 2007. Look.

22.04.2007 Presseklipp
José Hermida wins sensationally at world cup opener
Spain’s José Hermida wins the World cup opener in Houffalize ahead of Julien Absalon and Switzerland’s Christop Sauser. Hermida controlled the entire race, leading by more than a minute after half of the race – when the lead-out motorbike tumbled on top of him. Due to this incident, Absalon could catch up, but Hermida answered with another attack to win his third World cup race. The women’s competition saw an embittered battle between Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå, Marga Fullana and Ren Chengyan – a battle the Chinese narrowly won aganinst Dahle. Read more.

20.04.2007
Näf, Dahle-Flesjå win classic mountain bike race in Münsingen
Both Ralph Näf and Gunn-Rita Dahle-Flesjå have won the classic spring race in Münsingen, Germany. Dahle-Flesjå started out at such a fast pace that she could build up a lead of almost one minute after the first lap. In the men’s race, Ralph Näf took over the lead from the race’s early leader, Spain’s José Hermida, after half of the race had been ridden, securing the season’s first double victory for the «Multivan Merida Biking Team». Read more.

20.04.2007
New photos
Then we have some new photos from Muensingen. Look.

31.03.2007
New photos
Then we have some new photos from Marco Trabalza, thank you for that. Look.

WEEK 11. MTB Sardinia:
APPROVED OPENING
My first off-road race for this year was a brutal encounter with the terrain here in Italy. A total of two punctures would suggest that I was riding a little harder than necessary over the technical sections today. I finally ended on a second place, which I feel is an acceptable opening for the season. Read more.

Week 11 (Thursday, March 15, 2007)
MOUNTAIN BIKING ON SARDINIA
We're back again in fantastic Italy, this time on beautiful Sardinia. Based on what we've seen and experienced here, this must be a pure Mecca for mountain bikers, no matter what level. We're here to prepare for the first mountain bike race of the year, to be held here on Sardinia, so we're quite excited about that. Read more.

WEEK 9 (1 March 2007)
SUNNY DAYS ON MAJORCA
We’re still on Spanish soil, enjoying fantastic days of exercise and training in the sun. Even though my legs are beginning to get pretty packed with kilometres, we’re glad that we postponed our return home. Our last days down here will be utilized to their fullest potential. We’d be happy to stay even longer with conditions as good as these. Read more.

19.02.2007
Photos
Photos from the official photo shooting of the Multivan Merida Biking Team 2007. Look more.

WEEK 7 (Wednesday, February 14, 2007)
PRESS CAMP ON MAJORCA
The interest in our professional team, Multivan Merida Biking Team, caused all of 43 journalists and photographers from 13 different countries to come to Majorca this last weekend. We’ve had action-packed days with press conferences, interviews and a lot of photographs! As always, it was great being able to show off my radical new bike frame for 2007. Read more.

14.02.2007
Photo and advertising poster
Photos from Majorca and some from North Wave. Look more.

13.02.2007
Sesonplan
Sesonplan for 2007 is now online. Read more.

29.01.2007
Photo
Then there are some pictures from the trip to South Africa. Look more.

WEEK 4 (Sunday, January 28, 2007)
HOME TO DEEP WINTER
The conclusion to our fantastic stay in South Africa was a four hour relaxed long-distance ride under sunny blue skies with a good 30 degrees Centigrade. Now King Winter awaits us back home in Norway, meaning indoor training for a week. Read more.

WEEK 3: Thursday, January 18, 2007 (South-Africa)
HOT SUN AND SNAKES ON THE ROAD
Here in Africa we use sun-screen with factor of 40 every time we go outside, and Lene runs over at least one snake a day. Even though we’ve all got ourselves fantastic tans, we’ve also had more thunder and lightning than we’ve ever experienced before. It pours down in torrents and the flashes light up the night every night, but in morning we awake to sun and blue skies even so. Read more.

09.01.2007
Christmas 2006
Photo from the Christmas 2006. Look more.

WEEK 1 (Thursday January 4th, 2007)
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Exercising together with monkeys and lions isn’t exactly what we’re used to. We’re only four days into the New Year and we’re enjoying some quiet days of exercise in the high South African mountains, where the sunshine has already worked wonders on our white winter skin. Read more.

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