March 17, 2012 (Pietermaritzburg, RSA) – It’s a beautiful day hot and sunny for round one of the MTB World Cup temperature around 30C as the Elite Women’s xc race is underway. All eyes are on Canada’s Catharine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) racing for the first time in her rainbow jersey. Battling her will be France’s Julie Bresset (BH-SR Suntour – Peisey Vallandry) and Poland’s Maja Wloszczowska (CCC Polowice). Also racing for Canada is Emily Batty (Subaru-Trek) and Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mt.-Maxxis). The women will complete 5 laps (5.5km). Sorry we’ve had technical problems this morning.

Lap 1
The women are underway as Pendrel and Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Sudtirol take to the front. Behind are Elisabeth Osl (Aut)  Ghost Factory Racing Team) with Annie Last (Gbr) Milka Brentjens MTB Racing Team up there.

Last takes over the lead followed by Lechner with Pendrel in the top 10 along with Batty and Bresset.

As the lap ends it’s Last followed by Karen Hanlen (Nzl) with Pendrel followed by Bresset and Batty, Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team, Wloszczowska and Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt Oetztal -Bionic Team.

Lap 2
Last and Pendrel drop Hanlen as Pendrel takes over the lead thru the second lap.

Behind chasing at 10s are Batty, Bresset, Nash, Wloszczowska and Klemencic.

Pendrel and Last are off the front but the chasers are gaining… Wloszczowska and Batty are moving up.

Lap 3
Pendrel is at the front followed by Last then there’s a group of 5 riders at 10s including Bresset, Batty, Nash, Wloszczowskaa and Klemencic.

Now the 5 have caught the leaders and there are 7…

Wloszczowska attacks and takes over the lead as Pendrel and Batty respond and the three gap the others.

Lap 4
Wloszczowska is leading with Pendrel and Batty on her wheel.

Now Pendrel takes over the lead with Batty  in second…

It’s a three-rider race as they exchange the lead thru the lap.

As the laps ends it’s Wloszczowska back leading.

Lap 5 FINAL
It’s Wloszczowska at the front as they start the final lap with Pendrel in second and Batty in third.

It’s 48s back to the chasers with Bresset in 4th and Nash in 5th – Premont is there.

Wloszczowska continues to lead with Batty now in second and Pendrel in 3rd.

Wloszczowska and Batty are on 29ers with Pendrel on 26″ wheels.

Batty is destined for her first WCup podium…

Wloszczowska is the 2010 World Champion and has won 2 WCups in her career…

Batty attacks and takes over the lead before the rock garden – Wloszczowska is there but Pendrel is fading a bit.

Batty takes the A line thru the garden for the first time  while Wloszczowska takes the B line – faster – and takes over the lead.

Wloszczowska has a lead of 3 bike lengths… they hit the final straight.

Wloszczowska won’t be caught and takes the win.

Results

1. Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice 1:34:01
2. Emily Batty (Can) Subaru-Trek 0:04    
3. Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team 0:23  
4. Esther Süss (Sui) Wheeler-Ixs Team 1:03
5. Julie Bresset (Fra) BH-SR Suntour-Peisey Vallandry 1:17
6. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team 1:24
7. Sabine Spitz (Ger) Sabine Spitz Haibike Team 2:02
8. Karen Hanlen (Nzl) 2:17
9. Annie Last (Gbr) Milka Brentjens MTB Racing Team 2:35
10. Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team 2:42
11. Rosara Joseph (Nzl) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team 3:05
12. Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Ghost Factory Racing Team 3:32
13. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team 3:36
14. Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing 3:59
15. Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Trek 4:21
16. Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) Notebooksbilliger.De Team 4:38
17. Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Sui) Bikepark.Ch Scott 5:01
18. Annika Langvad (Den) Team Fujibikes Rockets 5:27
19. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team 5:43
20. Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Pol) CCC Polkowice 6:12
21. Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Rocky Mountain-Maxxis 6:12   
22. Katrin Leumann (Sui) Ghost Factory Racing Team 6:20
23. Rie Katayama (Jpn) 6:27
24. Lene Byberg (Nor) GT Skoda Chamonix 6:37
25. Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Specialized Solodet Vosges 6:53
26. Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Sudtirol 7:19
27. Adelheid Morath (Ger) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team 7:22
28. Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Salcano Factory Team 7:34
29. Nathalie Schneitter (Sui) Colnago Sudtirol 7:35
30. Julie Krasniak (Fra) Focus Mig Team 7:53
31. Anna Szafraniec (Pol) CCC Polkowice 8:08
32. Judy Freeman (USA) 8:35
33. Katarzyna Solus-Miskowiez (Pol) 8:52
34. Elisabeth Sveum (Nor) Team Crampfix Nakamura 9:00
35. Laura Metzler (Fra) BH-SR Suntour-Peisey Vallandry 9:17
36. Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) CCC Polkowice 9:30
37. Anne Terpstra (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team 9:36
38. Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Sabine Spitz Haibike Team 9:45
39. Hanna Klein (Ger) 10:31
40. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team 10:54
41. Mary Mcconneloug (USA) Kenda Seven Notubes 11:19
42. Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team 11:33
43. Laura Turpijn (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team 11:41
44. Kathrin Stirnemann (Sui) Sabine Spitz Haibike Team 11:45
45. Alexandra Engen (Swe) Ghost Factory Racing Team 11:50
46. Amanda Sin (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing 11:56   
47. Heidi Sandsto Rosaasen (Nor) Team United Bakeries 12:30
48. Ivonne Kraft (Ger) 13:15
49. Vera Andreeva (Rus) Rus Suvary Provelo 13:40
50. Rowena Fry (Aus) 14:04
51. Samantha Sanders (RSA) 14:06
52. Chloe Woodruff (USA) 16:11
53. Cécile Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix 16:34
54. Willow Rockwell (USA) Trek World Racing 17:07
55. Jodie Willett (Aus) 17:36
56. Fanny Bourdon (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix 18:35
57. Caroline Mani (Fra) -1 lap
58. Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) BH-SR Suntour-Peisey Vallandry -1 lap
59. Julia Colvin (RSA) -2 laps
60. Melanie Palframan (RSA) -2 laps
61. Lee Craigie (Gbr) -3 laps
62. Lauren Hoyer (RSA) -3 laps
DNF Anja Gradl (Ger) Team Bulls
DNF Kseniya Kirillova (Rus) Rus Suvary Provelo
DNF Stephanie Wiedner (Aut)
DNF Sabrina Maurer (Sui) Bskgraf Rollmat-Koba MTB Team
DNF Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team
DNF Jenni King (Aus)
DNS Krista Park (USA)
DNS Oksana Rybakova (Rus) Dinamo-Russia