June 22, 2008 (Val di Sole, Italy) – The sun is shining for the XC Elite Women’s race as 62 riders line up for the start. It’s another sunny day and hot already with huge crowds on hand, helicopters above and 22 TV camera crews on course. Riding for Canada are World Cup series leader, Marie-Hélène Prémont (QC), Catharine Pendrel (BC), and Kiara Bisaro (BC) – racers will complete five (5) laps of the 6.2km circuit – and they’re off.

Lap 1
It’s Sabina Spitz (Ger) leading the charge half way through the first lap with Margarita Fullana (Spain) in second Blaza Klemencic (Slo) is third, Irina Kalentieva (Rus) is 4th, and Prémont is in 5th. China’s Ying Liu is in 6th, Georgia Gould (USA) is 7th – we missed Pendrel – Bisaro is 24th.

Lap 2
Spitz and Fullana are exchanging the lead as they start lap 2 with Kalentieva close behind – Prémont follows in 4th with Klemencic in 5th and Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesja (Nor) alond in 6th at 10 seconds – Canada’s Pendrel is in the top 10.

Halfway thru it’s Spitz and Fullana at the front with Kalentieva at 8 sec. Prémont at 15 sec and Dahle-Flesja at 29 sec. – Pendrel is 7th at 42 sec. with Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) in 8th at 43 sec., Gould is 9th at 1:07 and Liu is 10th at 1:08 – Bisaro is in the top 30.

Lap 3
Fullana comes through first with Spitz just behind – Fullana puts pressure on climbs and creates a gap, but Spitz comes back on the downhills and flats. Kalentieva is in 3rd at 4 sec. and Prémont is 5th at 35 sec. with Dahle-Flesja in 6th at 44 sec. and Wloszczowska with her in 6th at 45 sec. Next it’s Klemencic in 7th at 58 sec. with Pendrel 8th at 1:11 – Bisaro is 28th at 4:23.

1/2 way thru it’s still back and forth with the leaders as the others follow behind – Pendrel has moved into 7th looking strong and focused. Katerina Nash (Cze) is now in 9th at 1:44 and Austria’s Elisabeth Osl is 10th at 2:05.

Lap 4
Spitz, Fullana come through together on the next to final lap with defending world champ Kalentieva in 3rd. Wloszczowska has taken over 4th at 14 sec with Canada’s Prémont in 5th at 24 sec., Dahle-Flesja is 6th at 42 sec., Canada’s Pendrel is 7th at 1:24, Osl is 8th at 2:11, Klemencic is 9th at 2:23 and Gould rounds out the top 10 at 2:28. Bisaro has fallen back to 37th at 7:31.

Now Fullana attacks again but this time it looks like Spitz may not be able to counter – she’s at 12 sec. Kalentieva is at 25 sec. in 3rd, Wloszczowska is at 56 sec. in 4th with Prémont in 5th at 1:09 and Dahle-Flesja is 6th at 1:56 with Pendrel in 7th at 2:09 – the gaps are increasing but positions are maintaining.

Lap 5 Final
Spain’s Fullana looks strong, determined and is charging – Spitz is second at 48 sec. with Kalentieva in 3rd at 1:10, Wloszczowska in 4th at 1:44, Prémont 5th at 2:02, Dahle-Flesja is 6th at 2:59 and Pendrel is 7th at 3:21.

At the 1/2 point on the final lap it’s Fullana leading – Canada’s Prémont has attacked and taken over 4th, can she catch Kalentieva in 3rd at 1:58? Pendrel has also made a move and looks like she’ll catch Dahle-Flesja in 6th at 4:05. Osl is 8th at 4:53.

Results

1. Margarita Fullana (Spain) 1.39.01 (17.66 km/h)
2. Sabine Spitz (Germany) 1.43
3. Irina Kalentieva (Russian Federation) 2.20
4. Marie-Hélène Prémont (Canada) 2.52
5. Maja Wloszczowska (Poland) 3.46
6. Catherine Pendrel (Canada) 4.51
7. Gunnrita Dahle Flesjaa (Norway) 5.16
8. Elisabeth Osl (Austria) 5.29
9. Georgia Gould (United States Of America) 6.18
10. Blaza Klemencic (Slovenia) 6.38
11. Katrin Leumann (Switzerland) 6.49
12. Katerina Nash (Czech Republic) 7.11
13. Lene Byberg (Norway) 7.50
14. Laurence Leboucher (France) 8.46
15. Petra Henzi (Switzerland) 9.04
16. Anna Szafraniec (Poland) 9.29
17. Ying Liu (People’s Republic of China) 9.48
18. Eva Lechner (Italy) 10.02
19. Lea Davison (United States Of America) 10.03
20. Mary Mc Conneloug (United States Of America) 10.27
21. Marielle Sanerguinchard (Switzerland) 11.09
22. Esther Süss (Switzerland) 11.47
23. Helene Marcouyre (France) 11.49
24. Magdalena Sadlecka (Poland) 11.55
25. Adelheid Morath (Germany) 12.09
26. Anna Villar Argente (Spain)
27. Elena Gaddoni (Italy) 12.48
28. Francisca Campos Salas (Chile) 13.05
29. Heather Irmiger (United States Of America) 13.17
30. Rosara Joseph (New Zealand) 13.45
31. Jingjing Wang (People’s Republic of China) 13.59
32. Laura Turpijn (Netherlands) 14.10
33. Maroussia Rusca (Switzerland) 14.18
34. Sabrina Enaux (France)
35. Kiara Bisaro (Canada) 15.19
36. Cécile Rode Ravanel (France) 15.46
37. Dellys Starr (Australia) 16.56
38. Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Spain) 17.34
39. Rie Katayama (Japan) 18.34
40. Willow Koerber (United States Of America) 18.43
41. Yolande Speedy (South Africa) 19.01
42. Anna Ferrari (Italy) 19.03

1 Lap behind

43. Pavla Havlikova (Czech Republic)
44. Oxana Rybakova (Russian Federation)
45. Sylwia Kapusta (Poland)
46. Janka Stevkova (Slovakia)
47. Kelli Emmett (United States Of America)
48. Mitsumi Yazawa (Japan)
49. Claudia Seidel (Germany)
50. Erika Gramiscelli (Brazil)
51. Viviana Andrea Maya (Colombia)
52. Sara Muhl (South Africa)
53. Inbar Ronen (Israel)
54. Fiona Macdermid (Great Britain)
55. Daniella Bunzli Rojas (Chile)

2 Laps behind

56. Maria Osl (Austria)
57. Barbara Oberdorfer (Italy)
58. Kaytee Boyd (New Zealand)

3 Laps behind

59. Senem Guler (Turkey)
DNF Nina Homovec (Slovenia)
DNS Evelyn Staffler (Italy)
DNS Alexandra Hober (Italy)