September 03, 2011 (Champery, Switzerland) – The Elite Women’s 31.8km XC championship race is underway with 69 starters all vying for the title held by defending champ Maja Wloszczowska (Poland). Canada has six riders on the start line lead by Catharine Pendrel who is looking strong coming off her recent WCup win in Val di Sole, Italy, to finish second overall in the series. She is joined by Marie-Helene Premont, Emily Batty, Amanda Sin, Catherine Vipond, and Jean Ann Berkenpas.
Other top contenders include former champ Irina Kalentieva (Russia), Norwegian great Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa who has been coming on strong, and Eva Lechner (Italy), Elisabeth Osl (Austria) or Katerina Nash (Czech Republic) could also surprise the field. Wloszczowska has also been on form coming second behind Pendrel in Italy and won’t be easy prey… the women will complete one 3km start loop and 6×4.8km laps…
Start Loop
Dahle Flesjaa and Blaza Klemencic (Slovenia) are off the front with Wloszczowska and Pendrel up there as well…
Lap 1
Wloszczowska has taken over the lead with Pendrel right behind… Dahle Flesjaa is in 3rd with Eva Lechner (Italy) in 4th…Kalentieva is not far behind and Batty is near the front having a great start.
Wloszczowska and Pendrel have a gap up the climb …and with the 3 chasers behind… Batty is 6th with Premont in 9th.
Pendrel attacks and passes Wloszczowska to take over the lead.
Lap 2
They start the second lap with Pendrel leading in a time of 23:14 – about 15:50 for the last lap.
Lechner has taken over third at 29s with Kalentieva in 4th at 39s with Dahle Flesjaa in 5th at 41s… Batty is alone in 6th at 1:20. Chasing her are Sabina Spitz (Germany) in 7th with Alexandra Engen (Sweden) in 8th… Premont is 9th.
Wloszczowska regains the lead with Pendrel on her wheel as the two are pulling away and making it a 2-rider race… Lechner is in 3rd but Kalentieva is gaining on her – Dahle Flesjaa is not looking as strong.
Rosara Joseph (Nzl) has joined the chasers behind Batty as they’re gaining on her…
Wloszczowska and Pendrel are still out front as Kalentieva has now caught Lechner…
As the lap will soon be done it’s Pendrel taking the lead again up the climb… Lechner is leading Kalentieva with Dahle Flesjaa further back… Pendrel leads on the descent heading to the start/finish to start the third lap.
Wloszczowska has a puncture – bad luck for the Polish champ – Pendrel starts to pull away…
Lechner and Kalentieva catch Wloszczowska who is desperate to get to the pits for a tire change…
Lap 3
Pendrel comes thru alone in 39:19 and looks behind to see that Wloszczowska is not with her. It’s Lechner in second at 51s with Kalentieva on her wheel at 52… then it’s Dahle Flesjaa in 4th at 1:07.
Kalentieva has a mechanical as well and she’s in the pits with Wloszczowska – Dahle Flesjaa takes over 3rd.
Kalentieva and Wloszczowska are now back on course and are in 4th and 5th… they’ll work together to try and catch Dahle Flesjaa.
Batty has been caught and passed by Engen… Nathalie Schneitter (Sui) has also moved up and is chasing down Batty as well.
Lechner is alone in second at 48s as Wloszczowska is pushing hard to catch Dahle Flesjaa at 1:07.
It’s Schneitter taking over 6th with Joseph passing Batty as well… Premont is just behind around 10th. Canada’s Vipond, Sin and Berkenpas are in the 30s…
Wloszczowska and Kalentieva catch Norway’s Dahle Flesjaa and up the climb it’s Wloszczowska in the lead taking over 3rd and chasing down Lechner…
Lap 4
Pendrel looks smooth coming thru in 58:46 and she’s gained a bit on Lechner in second at 1:05… then it’s Wloszczowska only 10s back in 1:15 in third. Kalentieva is 4th at 1:23… then it’s Dahle Flesjaa in 5th at 1:35.
Schneitter is in 6th – Batty has charged back into 7th with Joseph just behind in 8th and Premont is in 9th. Blaza Klemencic (Slo) and Engen are behind in 10th and 11th – Lea Davison (USA) is having a good race and is just behind them.
Berkenpas has moved up to 27th… Vipond is in 30th and Sin is 34th.
Kalentieva crashes and goes down… but she’s quickly back on the bike.
Wloszczowska has caught Lechner and takes over 2nd only 1:01 behind Pendrel – she’s gained 14s during this lap.
Pendrel is now on the climb heading to the end of this lap to begin the penultimate lap. Lechner regains the lead over Wloszczowska to take back second. Kalentieva is just behind in 4th.
Lap 5
Pendrel starts the penultimate lap in 1:12:37… she takes on some water and charges ahead. It’s Lechner in second at 1:02 with Wloszczowska in 3rd – is the Polish star spent from her effort to get back up front or does she have another gear to catch Pendrel.
Kalentieva is in 4th at 1:22… then it’s Dahle Flesjaa in 5th at 2:24. It’s Schneitter in 6th at 2:57 followed by Batty in 7th at 3:23 battling with Joseph on her wheel in 8th… Premont is 9th at 3:57.
Canada’s Berkenpas is in 28th, Vipond is 30th and Sin is 33rd.
Lechner is holding on to second over Wloszczowska who is yet to make a move…
Pendrel who lives in Kamloops, BC is from Harvey Station, New Brunswick and barring any unforseen problem she’ll bring Canada it’s first MTB World title since 1996 when Alison Sydor won.
Up the final climb before the finish it’s Pendrel looking smooth… Wloszczowska passes her and takes over second – this is it for the Polish start she has to attack now.
Batty has a bit of a fumble…
Lap 6 FINAL
Pendrel starts the final lap in 1:29:37 – she has never stood on the podium at the Worlds.
Wloszczowska has made up incredible time and comes thru in second at 36s – with Lechner in third at 1:10 – but she’s in danger of being caught by Kalentieva in 4th at 1:10.
Dahle Flesjaa is in 5th but Schneitter in 6th is closing in on her… then it’s Joseph in 7th with Batty in 8th at 3:54 with Premont in 9th at 4:21.
At the 1/2 point it’s Pendrel maitaining her 30+ second lead over Wloszczowska – Lechner is holding onto 3rd with a bigger lead over Kalentieva.
Schneitter takes over 5th but Dahle Flesjaa is not giving up in 6th.
Canadian flags are waving as Pendrel hits the feed zone for the last time and is now on the final climb – she’s holding her pace over Wloszczowska.
Pendrel has finished the climb and is now on the final descent…
Pendrel has done it to win GOLD.
Results
1. Catharine Pendrel (Canada) 1:46:14
2. Maja Wloszczowska (Poland) 0:28
3. Eva Lechner (Italy) 1:36
4. Irina Kalentieva (Russian Federation) 2:05
5. Nathalie Schneitter (Switzerland) 3:27
6. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Norway) 3:50
7. Rosara Joseph (New Zealand) 4:24
8. Emily Batty (Canada) 4:35
9. Marie-Helene Premont (Canada) 5:01
10. Lea Davison (United States of America) 5:52
11. Heather Irmiger (United States of America) 6:22
12. Alexandra Engen (Sweden) 7:07
13. Blaza Klemencic (Slovenia) 7:31
14. Katerina Nash (Czech Republic) 8:02
15. Mary McConneloug (United States of America) 8:09
16. Vera Andreeva (Russian Federation) 8:23
17. Sabine Spitz (Germany) 8:46
18. Elisabeth Osl (Austria) 8:54
19. Cécile Ravanel (France) 9:28
20. Georgia Gould (United States of America) 9:39
21. Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Poland) 0:11
22. Katrin Leumann (Switzerland) 0:10:11
23. Hanlen Karen (New Zealand) 0:10:21
24. Tanja Zakelj (Slovenia) 0:10:37
25. Sabrina Enaux (France) 0:10:54
26. Katarzyna Solus-Miskowiez (Poland) 0:11:15
27. Sarah Koba (Switzerland) 0:11:47
28. Rie Katayama (Japan) 0:11:51
29. Laura Metzler (France) 0:12:08
30. Jean Ann Berkenpas (Canada)
31. Catherine Vipond (Canada) 0:13:09
32. Magdalena Sadlecka (Poland) 0:13:39
33. Janka Stevkova (Slovakia) 0:13:45
34. Esther Süss (Switzerland) 0:13:46
35. Amanda Sin (Canada) 0:14:23
36. Elisabeth Brandau (Germany) 0:15:00
37. Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Switzerland) -1 lap
38. Nina Homovec (Slovenia) -1 lap
39. Qinglan Shi (People’s Republic of China) -1 lap
40. Katherine Compton (United States of America) -1 lap
41. Noelia Rodriguez (Argentina) -1 lap
42. Judy Freeman (United States of America) -1 lap
43. Adelheid Morath (Germany) -2 laps
44. Pavla Havlikova (Czech Republic) -2 laps
45. Krista Park (United States of America) -2 laps
46. Katherine O’shea (Australia) -2 laps
47. Nataliya Krompets (Ukraine) -2 laps
48. Annika Langvad (Denmark) -2 laps
49. Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Spain) -2 laps
50. Anja Gradl (Germany) -2 laps
51. Laura Lorenza Morfin Macouzet (Mexico) -2 laps
52. Maaris Meier (Estonia) -3 laps
53. Lee Craigie (Great Britain) -3 laps
54. Viviana Andrea Maya Tabares (Colombia) -3 laps
55. Sandra Santanyes Murillo (Spain) -3 laps
56. Roberta Kelly Stopa (Brazil) -3 laps
57. Alexandra Gabriela Serrano Rodriguez (Ecuador) -3 laps
58. Elisa Maria Garcia (Chile) -3 laps
59. Yu Xin (People’s Republic of China) -3 laps
60. Gabriela Vargas (Chile) -4 laps
DNS Lene Byberg (Norway)
DNS Anna Szafraniec (Poland)
DNS Anna Villar Argente (Spain)
DNS Hanna Klein (Germany)
DNS Pavlina Sulcova (Czech Republic)
DNS Carina Kirssi (Finland)
DNS Ann Berglund (Sweden)
DNS Andrea Kirsic (Croatia)
DNS Liliana Alejandra Uzcategui Vasquez (Venezuela)
