August 31, 2013 (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa) – The Elite Women’s race is underway with 47 riders on the start line in sunny conditions. Former MTB Worlds champ in 2011 Catharine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) and Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing) lead the Canadians battling many top women including defending champ Julie Bresset (Fra) BH Suntour, Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Unior Tools Team, Eva Lechner (Ita) Team Colnago Sudtirol, Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Giant Pro Xc Team and more… Sabina Spitz (Ger) is out breaking her collarbone while training. Also on the start line for Canada are Sandra Walter, Mikaela Kofman and Andréanne Pichette – the women will complete 6 laps for a total of 29.7km…
Lap 1
Engen takes the holeshot with Lechner and Zakelj just behind…
Leumann takes over the lead up the climb… in 2nd is Lechner with Engen 3rd.
Lechner takes over the lead… Pendrel is 14th at 17s and Batty is 18th at 20s.
Wloszczowska takes over the lead now as Bresset moves into 2nd.
Pendrel moves up crashes on downhill section…
Now 3 leaders Bresset, Lechner and Wloszczowska followed by Zakelj in 4th.
Lap 2
It’s Bresset, Lechner and Wloszczowska coming thru in 17:29 with followed by Zakelj , Engen and Nash.
Kalentieva is 7th with Stirnemann 8th, Dahle in 9th and Pendrel 10th – Batty is 17th.
The six leaders are together… Kalentieva is at 6s with Stirnemann behind – sorry it’s Esther Suss in 9th.
Pendrel is 10th at 27s and Batty is now 16th at 48s…
Wloszczowska takes the lead up the climb but Bresset re-takes it on the descent….
Lechner goes down hard…
Bresset and Wloszczowska forge ahead have a small gap on Zakelj
Lechner is ok and is back on course with Batty just behind her ….
Lap 3
The time is 34:49 as Bresset, Wloszczowska, Zakelj coming thru with Kalentieva in 4th at 6s.
Then it’s Suss, Engen, Nash, … Stirnemann, Davison has moved up with Dahle in 10th – Pendrel is 11th, Batty’s 15th.
No change halfway thru the lap…
Zakelj takes over the lead followed by Wloszczowska with Bresset in 3rd.
The three leaders have gapped the chasers as Wloszczowska is now leading.
Zakelj crashes…
Thru the Shark section Zakelj is trying to pull away…
Lap 4
Wloszczowska and Bresset come thru in 52:00… Suss is 3rd at 16s, Kalentieva is 4th at 18s, Engen is 5th.
Batty is 16th at 2:45 w/Pendrel 17th at 2:28… Mikaela Kofman and Amanda Sin are in the 20s.
Bresset and Wloszczowska are out front on their own…
Suss is in 3rd at 29s back.
Pendrel crashed again which caused her to drop back…
Lap 5
Bresset and Wloszczowska start the penultimate lap in 1:08:56…
Suss is 3rd at 35s, Kalentieva is 4th at 36s, Engen is 5th at 1:00 – Zakelj is 6th at 1:04.
Dahle is 7th together with Stirnemann in 8th at 1:34… Davison is 9th and Nash is 10th
Batty is 16th at 3:23 and Pendrel is 19th at 3:47
Suss and Kalentieva are gaining on the leaders…
Wloszczowska attacks thru the Tree House section and takes over the lead…
Suss is alone in 3rd..
Lap 6 FINAL
Final lap it’s Bresset and Wloszczowska at 1:26:24…
In 3rd Suss is at 25s – then it’s Kalentieva in 4th at 34s – Zakelj is 5th at 59s – Engen is now 6th at 1:13.
Stirnemann is 7th, Dahle is 8th, Davison is 9th and Lechner has recovered and is now 10th…
Bresset continues to lead – she looks smooth but so does Wloszczowska…
Bresset is trying to escape but Wloszczowska is hanging on…
Final climb it’s Bresset leading Wloszczowska… now down the Tree House and she gaps Wloszczowska
Bresset takes it.
Unofficial
1. Julie Bresset (France) 1:42:54
2. Maja Wloszczowska (Poland) 0:05
3. Esther Süss (Switzerland) 1:06
4. Irina Kalentieva (Russian Federation) 1:29
5. Tanja Zakelj (Slovenia) 2:03
6. Katrin Leumann (Switzerland) 2:57
7. Kathrin Stirnemann (Switzerland) 3:05
8. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Norway) 3:23
9. Lea Davison (United States of America) 3:41
10. Eva Lechner (Italy) 3:58
17. Emily Batty (Canada) 6:16
20. Catharine Pendrel (Canada) 8:15
23. Mikaela Kofman (Canada) 8:56
24. Amanda Sin (Canada) 9:22
38. Andréanne Pichette (Canada) – 1 lap
40. Sandra Walter (Canada) – 3 laps
Full results here.