September 1, 2009 (Canberra, Australia) – Frances Pauline Ferrand Prevot has taken the first individual gold of the 2009 UCI Mountain Bike and Trails World Championships. Ferrard Prevot and Michelle Hedinger (Sui) took the early and commanding lead on the rest of the field opening up a minute gap on Candice Neethling (South Africa) in 3rd with the field chasing. The two continued to battle it out until the cardiac climb on the third lap where Ferrard Prevot passed Hedinger and never looked back. 

Ferrard Prevot who won silver in both the Individual Time Trial and the Road Race at the 2009 UCI Junior Road World Championships took home her first rainbow jersey in 1:05:23. Hedinger came in second 33 seconds behind and Neethling completed the podium at 1:06.

The three Canadians had a tough day with Cayley Brooks finishing in 21st at 9:39, Laura Bietola was 23rd at 10:36 and Natasha Oldcorn experienced a mechanical on the 2nd lap and was pulled.

This afternoon Canada’s Emily Batty and Mikeala Kofman will lead the Maple Leaf charge in the Women’s U23 XC race.

Results

1. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) 1:05
2. Michelle Hediger (Sui) 0:33
3. Candice Neethling (Rsa) 1:06
4. Helen Grobert (Ger) 3:08
5. Noga Korem (Isr) 3:23
6. Elise Marchal (Bel) 4:25
7. Rebecca Henderson (Aus) 4:47
8. Vania Schumacher (Sui) 4:57
9. Julie Berteaux (Fra) 4:58
10. Yue Bai (Chn) 5:01
11. Anne Terpstra (Ned) 5:38
12. Mariske Strauss (Rsa) 5:43
13. Rozanne Slik (Ned) 6:43
14. Nicole Hanselmann (Sui) 6:47
15. Yana Belomoyna (Ukr) 7:31
16. Jill Behlen (Usa) 8:17
17. Ekaterina Anoshina (Rus) 8:18
18. Barton Essence (Usa) 8:49
19. Daniela Rojas (Chi) 8:59
20. Mona Eiberweiser (Ger) 9:25
21. Cayley Brooks (Can) 9:39
22. Alexa Peters (Nzl) 9:46
23. Laura Bietola (Can) 10:36
24. Shelly Flood (Aus) 10:40
25. Lisa Mitterbauer (Aut) 11:51
26. Gillian Burgess (Aus) 13:15
27. Sarah-kate Mcdonald (Nzl) 15:24
28. Sasha Smith (Nzl) 15:46
29. Natasha Oldcorn (Can) -1 lap
DNF Natalia Simorova (Svk)