August 23, 2008 (Beijing, China) – The day began without a cloud in the sky but it was like a sauna on the ground (27 degrees) with a slight breeze in the finishing stretch. The start/finish began on asphalt but as soon as Canada’s Marie-Hélène Prémont was off it, she was in the lead into the woods for the first climb on the women’s MTB 4.3km course. Sabine Spitz of Germany, who won the bronze in Athens in 2004, was right on her, followed by 3-time MTB world champion Margarita Fullana of Spain, and Canada’s Catharine Pendrel. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Norway), who won Olympic gold in Athens, was mid-way in the pack.

Prémont pushed the pace on the next climb, and the field started to string out behind. Her descents were equally quick, as were Spitz’s and Fullana’s. Pendrel, who did not have the best start, was now in 13th place, 13 seconds back as Prémont led the charge into a series of descents. Following a short climb at the 12-minute mark, Fullana of Spain had taken the lead, now chased by Spitz and Prémont.

Then Spitz asserted herself and took over the lead. By the rocky descent before the finishing ring on lap 1, she had 21 seconds on Irina Kalentyeva of Russia, and Fullana, while Maja Wloszczowska of Poland followed closely at a second back. Prémont came through in fifth at 34 seconds with Pendrel at 39 seconds as Spitz completed her first lap in 16:51.

The German rider looked relaxed and in complete control as she commenced the second lap, but could she hold the pace given the heat and demanding course? Less experienced riders in the field were crashing and simply running with their bikes.

By the mid-way point on the second lap Spitz had a time of 25:19 with the chase group behind led by Fullana, Kalentyeva, Wloszczowska, Ying Liu of China with Canada’s Pendrel looking strong and moving up into 5th. By the end of the second lap Spitz had increased her lead to almost a minute with the chase group lead by Wloszczowska separated by mere seconds as Fullana dropped back – but Prémont had disappeared with possibly a mechanical, a crash, or”¦?

Through the third lap Pendrel took over fourth from Kalentyeva as the two riders exchanged places with Pendrel working hard to stay with the chase group. Spitz’s bike handling continued to be superb and near the 1/2 way point of lap Liu and Wloszczowska were at 53 seconds back, with Kalentyeva at 59 seconds back and Pendrel back in 5th at 1:06.

At this point, nearing the half way point of the race, Wloszczowska made a decisive move and jumped from the chase group to claim second place. Pendrel reacted and didn’t let up and as she stayed with Liu and Kalentyeva, but Wloszczowska was gone. Going in to start the fourth lap, Spitz came through in 51:11, Wloszczowska was next at 52 seconds with Kalentyeva at 1:15, and Liu and Pendrel close behind a further two seconds back.

After almost 3.5 laps, Spitz was on pace at 59:58 as Wloszczowska trailed at 51 seconds with Pendrel now in third at 1:30 and Kalentyeva only two seconds behind her as Liu had been dropped and was 2:13 back. The rest of the field, including defending Olympic champ Dahle, was several minutes behind. With Spitz in command, the race for bronze was shaping up to be the exciting element in the competition, and it looked like it could come down to a sprint between Kalentyeva and Pendrel.

Spitz was truly magnificent on this day, powering up hills like it was a cool fall day, descending like a mountain goat, and hitting the start of the fifth lap in 1:08:46. Wloszczowska was just over a minute behind, but Pendrel came in at 1:40 – she had gained slightly on Wloszczowska, while Kalentyeva was five seconds behind her. Pendrel was dropping the Russian on each climb but Kalentyeva was making back the time on the descents. After 5.5 laps, Spitz came through at 1:17:41, Wloszczowska was 58 seconds back, with Pendrel at 1:52 and the Russian at 1:56.

Finally it was revealed that Prémont had experienced breathing problems that forced her to stop racing and eventually abandon as she could not continue.

Meanwhile Spitz was closing in on gold and came through to start her final lap at 1:26:46. Wloszczowska had gained slightly on her, coming through at 55 seconds while Pendrel was next, at 1:50 being chased by Klaentyeva, who was only two seconds behind her.

At the finish, the Europeans prevailed as Spitz took the race in 1:45:11, for an average speed of 15.23 km/per/hr. Wloszozwska had gained time on the leader during the final lap and came in 41 seconds back, while Kalentyeva took the bronze at 1:17, having dropped Pendrel who finished an excellent fourth place at her first Olympic Games.

Along with Prémont, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesja (Nor), Fullana (Spain) and Tereza Hurikova (Czech Republic) also DNF’d. The heat and humidity were high, and the air still problematic even if the day was “clear” by Beijing standards.

“It was the worst thing that could happen, having to stop at the Olympics. I’ve never stopped at any race since I began racing. Even when I fell or broke something, I’ve always finished. Here it was a physical problem. I couldn’t do anything else,” commented Prémont.

For Pendrel it was a great day even if the bronze medal eluded her. “It was an awesome race. I had a bit of trouble shifting on the last climb and Irina was right on my wheel. I had to put my foot down. She got by me and that was the bronze,” said Pendrel.

“I rode well today. It was exciting to be up there. I feel like I belong up there. So I’m just going have to come back next time and get the job done,” added Pendrel.