August 22, 2008 (Beijing, China) – The women’s MTB cross-country final is underway with 30 riders on the start line who will complete 6 laps of the 4.3km course. Riding for Canada are top-ranked Marie-Hélène Prémont and Catharine Pendrel. It’s 27 degrees in Beijing with clear and sunny skies for today’s race.

Lap 1
At the front it’s Eva Lechner (Italy) with Prémont in second and Margarita Fullana (Spain) in third. Pendrel was up front but did not have a good start and is riding about 15th. There was an early crash with some riders at the back going down.

Prémont has moved to the front with Fullana in 2nd and Sabina Spitz (Germany) now in 3rd. Irina Kalentyeva (Russia) and Maja Wloszczowska (Poland) have moved up just behind the leaders as the riders are strung out behind. Now Spitz takes over the lead with Fullana in 2nd Prémont in third while Pendrel is moving up.

Lap 2
Spitz continues to lead and is pulling ahead with Kalentyeva, Fullana, Wloszczowska (Poland) and Pr̩mont in 5th РPendrel is now about 8th or 9th.

Prémont has dropped off and may have crashed or had a mechanical. Spitz is still in front with a lead of about 30 seconds. Prémont is out of the race and has DNF’d.

At the 1/2 way point Spitz continues to expand her lead with Kalentyeva in 2nd and China’s Ying Liu moving into 3rd, Wloszczowska is in 4th and Pendrel is in 5th.

Spitz’s lead is about 1 minute as the riders approach the end of the lap. Pendrel is riding well and has now taken over 4th place. Tereza Hurikova (Cze) has also dropped out.

Lap 3
Spitz, 36, comes through to start lap 3 with Wloszczowska, Liu, Pendrel and Kalentyeva behind. Fullana has also dropped out.

Spitz’s lead is now about 1:15 at the halfway point as the riders behind keep jostling positions trying not to lose ground.

Lap 4
Over halfway Spitz is looking strong and continues to lead at 1:15 minute over the four chasers behind Wloszczowska with a slight lead (15 sec.) over Liu, Kalentieva and Pendrel who looks strong.

Pendrel has passed Kalentyeva as the riders continue through the lap. Spitz looks smooth and focused.

Lap 5
Spitz continues to dominate as Wloszczowska trails in second at 1 minute with Pendrel now in 3rd another 30 sec. back and Kalentyeva in 4th, Ren Chengyuan (China) in 5th as Liu has dropped back into 6th – Petra Henzi (Switzerland) is 7th.

Lap 6 Final
Germany’s Spitz has come through to start her final lap – Olympic gold is within her grasp. Wloszczowska of Poland is 55 sec. behind with Pendrel in 3rd at 1:54 and Kalentyeva very close behind in 4th at 1:58. Chengyuan is in 5th and Henzi is now in 6th as Liu drops back further. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Norway) has also DNF’d.

About 2km to go for Spitz as Wloszczowska has closed the gap by 10 seconds but it won’t be enough to catch Spitz. The real race is for the bronze between Pendrel and Kalentyeva and it looks like it will come down to a sprint finish. Spitz falters and comes out of the pedals but it’s a minor slip up and she back on her way.

Apparently Prémont has said she had trouble breathing which lead to a crash and her decision to leave the race.

Spitz, who took the bronze in Athens in 2004, takes the gold in Beijing.

Results

1. Sabine Spitz (Germany) 1:45.11
2. Maja Wloszczowska (Poland) 0:41
3. Irina Kalentyeva (Russia) 1:17
4. Catharine Pendrel (Canada) 1:26
5. Ren Chengyuan (China) 2:29
6. Petra Henzi (Switzerland) 3:30
7. Mary McConneloug (United States) 5:23
8. Georgia Gould (United States) 5:40
9. Rosara Joseph (New Zealand) 5:56
10. Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Poland) 6:10
11. Elisabeth Osl (Austria) 6:28
12. Ying Liu (China) 6:50
13. Lene Byberg (Norway) 8:08
14. Elsbeth Van Rooy (Netherlands) 8:19
15. Nathalie Schneitter (Switzerland) 8:31
16. Eva Lechner (Italy) 13:11
17. Laurence Leboucher (France) 15:44
18. Adelheid Morath (Germany) 17:14

1 Lap Behind

19. Jaqueline Mourao (Brazil)
20. Rie Katayama (Japan)
21. Blaza Klemencic (Slovenia)

2 Laps Behind

22. Yolande Speedy (South Africa)
23. Vera Andreeva (Russia)
24. Janka Stevkova (Slovakia)
25. Francisca Campos (Chile)
26. Dellys Starr (Australia)
DNF Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Norway)
DNF Margarita Fullana (Spain)
DNF Marie-Hélène Prémont (Canada)
DNF Tereza Hurikova (Czech Republic)