August 3, 2008 (Bromont, Que.) – It’s been raining all night and continues this morning as the Elite women’s XC World Cup race will soon be underway on a muddy and slippery course. Canada’s top riders are Marie-Hélène Prémont (Can) Rocky Mountain hoping to repeat her MSA win and Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Women’s MTB Team in the hunt for another podium. There are 42 starters and the women will complete 4 laps of the 4.6km course – preview.

Lap 1
The women are off and at the front are Canada’s Prémont with Pendrel just behind Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Women’s MTB Team leading the charge, with Mary McConneloug (USA) Kenda-Seven, Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna MTB and Sandra Walter (Can) XO Felt up front as well.

Lap 2
Pendrel is leading as they start lap 2 with Prémont behind followed by Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Women’s MTB Team in 3rd, Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Factory Racing in 4th, Gould in 5th and Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher in 7th.

The course is quite muddy and slippery and apparently Prémont had to dismount to get up one of the climbs.

Lap 3
Pendrel has opened up her lead to 52 seconds (correction not 30 sec.) at the start of lap 3 with Prémont in 2nd and Nash close behind her in 3rd.

Lap 4 Final
Looking for her first World Cup win Canada’s Pendrel has a commanding lead of about 2 min. as she starts the final lap – the second rider has not come through yet – it’s Prémont with Nash in 3rd about 40 seconds back and Byberg in 4th another 30 seconds back – the rain has eased up a bit.

Prémont is chasing and at the top of the climb Pendrel’s lead is 1:45… can Prémont catch her?

Pendrel wins her first MTB World Cup…

Overall standings pdf here.

Results – 18.4km

1. Catherine Pendrel (Can) Luna Women’s MTB Team 1:37:43
2. Marie-Hélène Prémont (Can) Rocky Mountain 1:53
3. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Women’s MTB Team 2:39
4. Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Factory Racing 3:56
5. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Women’s MTB Team 7:06
6. Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 8:47
7. Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna MTB 9:49
8. Katrin Leumann (Sui) 9:53
9. Cécile Rode Ravanel (Fra) Team Lapierre International 10:31
10. Lea Davison (USA) Trek-VW 10:36
11. Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Team Ghost International
12. Mary McConneloug (USA) Kenda-Seven 11:5
13. Rosara Joseph (Nzl) Team Ghost International 12:34
14. Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Team Lapierre International 13:53
15. Amanda Sin (Can) 3 Rocks Racing 15:09
16. Laura Metzler (Fra) BH-SR. Suntour 15:43
17. Jean Ann McKirdy (Can) Rocky Mountain 15:59
18. Emiliy Batty (Can) Trek Store Toronto 16:07
19. Helene Marcouyre (Fra) BH-SR. Suntour 17:04
20. Wendy Simms (Can) Kona 17:37
21. Rie Katayama (Jpn) 17:39
22. Mical Dyck (Can) Trek/Terrascape 18:22
23. Marie-Claude Surprenant (Can) 18:36
24. Laura Turpijn (Ned) 20:21
25. Kelli Emmett (USA) Giant Mountain Bike Team 21:27
26. Sandra Walter (Can) XO Felt 23:18
27. Julie Krasniak (Fra) Team Lapierre International 24:52
28. Caroline Villeneuve (Can) 24:54
29. Laura Lorenzamex Morfin Macouzet (Mex) 25:35
30. Marie Allaire (Can) 26:07

1 Lap Behind

31. Kathleen Villeneuve (Can)
32. Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher
33. Carla Salgado Gonzalez (Mex)
34. Catherine Vipond (Can)
35. Véronique Fournier (Can)
36. Mikaela Kofman (Can)
37. Marie Kunst (Den)
38. Kyia Anderson (USA)

2 Laps Behind

39. Jamie Dinkins (USA)
40. Lisa Morgan (Nzl)
DNF Karine Travaillaud (Can)
DNS Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan/Merida