Dunlap is riding into sunset

Alison Dunlap knew the 2004 Olympic Summer Games would be her last shot to win a medal for the United States.

But that last chance literally went downhill in June 2003, when Dunlap was tossed over her mountain bike after losing her grip heading down a steep, muddy descent. Dunlap dislocated her shoulder and could not compete for the rest of the summer.

That fall ultimately led to the end of Dunlap's top-level competitive career. Since she won the national road racing collegiate championship with Colorado College in 1991, Dunlap has competed in two Olympics (1996 in road racing, 2000 in mountain biking), won the 2001 Mountain Biking World Championships and was inducted into the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

When Dunlap suffered the injury she was not aware it would cost her a chance at another Olympics. A combination of her not riding due to the injury and other riders opting out of European races resulted in the U.S. team only having enough points to send one representative to the Olympics. In 2000 it sent three.

The women's Olympic cross country mountain bike race is today. Dunlap failed to win the lone U.S. spot.

"Had I known (that she would not be able to race) in June 2003 it would have been much more devastating," Dunlap said. "It really was an oversight on the riders' part and USA Cycling. They weren't aware of the rules, riders didn't understand how important the European races were, (and) everyone assumed we'd have more than one spot."

Her shoulder is 100 percent now, but it's no consolation. At 35, she's taking a low-key approach to next season before calling competitive cycling quits for good.

"I think I'm tired of the huge commitment it takes to compete on the World Cup level," Dunlap said. "I'm definitely at the twilight of my career. This will be a good way to ease my way into retirement instead of going fullon-100-percent to absolutely nothing. Mentally and emotionally it would be too hard to deal with."

Right now Dunlap is competing in Durango for the National Off- Road Bike Association finals. She is third in the cross country standings, while leader Jimena Florit is competing in the Olympics.

Dunlap plans to focus more on the Alison Dunlap Adventure Camps she began with her husband and professional mountain biker Greg Frozley. The camp is in Moab, Utah, and runs three different weeks in October but she wants to offer more weeks.

The couple also plans to start a family in upcoming years and Dunlap has considered going back to school to get her master's degree to become a teacher.

"When you look at the big picture, the Olympics are great, but it's not everything," Dunlap said. "I will still ride hard because I love it. It's just going to be different because I will be doing it for fun. If you don't feel like riding you don't have to go."

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0215 or snorris@gazette.com

Copyright 2004
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.