September 5, 2009 (Canberra, Australia) – Irina Kalentieva (Russian Federation) came from behind, overcoming an early race mechanical, to secure her victory on the final lap and win her second Elite Women’s XCO MTB Worlds title. Last year’s UCI MTB World Cup Champion in Canberra, Kalentieva said winning the championship again was “a dream come true”.

Her victory was sealed on the final on lap of the race when she overtook eventual silver medalist Lene Byberg (Norway) and continued to pull away until the finish. Willow Koerber (USA) was the surprise of the podium taking home the bronze 52 seconds behind the winner. Catharine Pendrel was the top Canadian claiming 6th for the third consecutive year.

Early in the race the pace was set by Cecile Rode Ravanel (Fance) who lead out a group including Byberg, Pendrel, Koerber, Sabine Spitz (Ger), and Eva Lechner (Italy). By the second lap Spitz and Byberg made their break and put 20 seconds into the chase group. On the third lap Byberg had put her stamp on the race and it seemed like this would be her day. Koeber was also riding well at the front keeping pace with Byberg.

However, Kalentieva was quietly working her way through the pack and, with the fastest time on lap 3, put herself into the top six. On lap 4 she passed Pendrel moving into fourth overall and marked Spitz in third who was soon overtaken by the Russian at the start of the final lap.

It would only be a matter of time before Kalentiava would be up with the leaders passing Koeber on the climb and in a dramatic finish, she caught and passed Byberg in the final push towards the single track and the final two kilometers of the race for the victory.

At the finish Canada’s Pendrel said, “To sum up my day…overall disappointed, this is the third year in a row I’ve been 6th.  I felt very good but when Byberg went I didn’t have the speed to follow.”

Marie-Helene Premont was consistent on the day finishing in 12th.  Mical Dyck, who was having a breakthrough race and hovered in the top 18 throughout the competition crashed on the final lap and was forced to DNF due to an injury. The Americans had a strong day with four riders in the top 15 and three team members on 29ers, the only riders running the larger wheeled bikes at the Worlds.

Results

1. Irina Kalentieva (Russian Federation) 1:43:20
2. Lene Byberg (Norway) 0:13
3. Willow Koerber (United States Of America) 0:52
4. Sabine Spitz (Germany) 1:30
5. Anna Szafraniec (Poland) 1:37
6. Catharine Pendrel (Canada) 2:36
7. Cécile Rode Ravanel (France) 3:07
8. Esther Süss (Switzerland) 3:40
9. Eva Lechner (Italy) 3:58
10. Heather Irmiger (United States Of America) 4:12
11. Blaza Klemencic (Slovenia) 5:03
12. Marie-Hélène Prémont (Canada) 5:15
13. Magdalena Sadlecka (Poland) 5:50
14. Katherine Compton (United States Of America) 6:32
15. Georgia Gould (United States Of America) 7:01
16. Margarita Fullana Riera (Spain) 7:03
17. Petra Henzi (Switzerland) 7:28
18. Anja Gradl (Germany) 7:41
19. Laura Metzler (France) 7:46
20. Katrin Leumann (Switzerland) 7:55
21. Mary McConneloug (United States Of America) 8:31
22. Laura Turpijn (Netherlands) 9:43
23. Annika Langvad (Denmark) 10:11
24. Kate Potter (Australia) 10:13
25. Rie Katayama (Japan) 10:16
26. Amanda Sin (Canada) 10:24
27. Rowena Fry (Australia) 10:42
28. Oksana Rybakova (Russian Federation) 10:42
29. Githa Michiels (Belgium) 10:49
30. Adelheid Morath (Germany) 10:52
31. Janka Stevkova (Slovakia) 12:15
32. Joanna Harrington (Australia) 13:00
33. Pavla Havlikova (Czech Republic) 13:08
34. Katherine O’Shea (Australia) 13:12
35. Nicola Leary (New-Zealand) 13:34
36. Monique Zeldenrust (Netherlands) 13:45
37. Laura Lorenza Morfin Macouzet (Mexico) 14:22
38. Wei Fang (People’s Republic Of China) 14:59
39. Judy Freeman (United States Of America) 15:22
40. Jodie Willett (Australia) 15:23
41. Joanna Wall (Australia) 16:08
42. Elena Gogoleva (Russian Federation) 17:52
43. Suzanne Clarke (Great Britain) 18:10
44. Zoe King (Australia) 19:08
45. Jeanette Gerrie (New-Zealand) -2 laps
DNF Nathalie Schneitter (Switzerland)
DNF Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Switzerland)
DNF Maria Osl (Austria)
DNF Mical Dyck (Canada)
DNS Maja Wloszczowska (Poland)