May 29, 2011 (Offenburg, Germany) – The Elite women’s XC race is now underway in Offenburg in perfect conditions. There are 80 riders on the start line and the women will complete a short 1.1km start loop and then 5 laps of 5.1km course. Canada’s Catharine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) is looking to repeat her win from last year. China’s Chengyuan Ren (Specialized Racing) is out with a back injury but Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team is back in the mix. The U23 Women start just after the Elites so both groups are on course at the same time – the course is dry and fast…

Start Loop
Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol, Nathalie Schneitter (Sui) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol, and Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Haibike Pro Team get a good start and are at the front leading the field with last year’s winner Julie Bresset (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry there as well . Canada’s Marie-Helene Premont (Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) is around 10th and Pendrel is 14th.

Lap 1
It’s Schneitter and Lechner leading with Spitz and Bresset just behind and Premont is 10th with Pendrel just behind – both are trying to move up… a group of about 15 have formed at the front. Emily Batty (Can) Subaru-Trek is just behind Pendrel in 16th or 17th.

Schneitter is leading with Spitz in second and Bresset in third… Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Racing is 4th and Premont has moved up into 5th. Pendrel has also moved up to around 7th or 8th.

Leading the U23 race are Barbara Benko (Hun) Focus MIG Team and Elisabeth Sveum (Nor) Team Merida Smart Safety – they’re catching up to the back of the Elite race.

Lap 2
Bresset comes thru in first at 20:11 followed by Schneitter in second with Spitz in 3rd, Byberg is 4th, Premont is 5th and Pendrel is 6th… Kalentieva (Rus) absent last weekend in Dalby due to visa problems is up there as well.

A group of 13 has formed at the front – Pendrel attacks and moves into the lead with Premont in second.

It’s Bresset now taking over the lead as she Pendrel break away on their own. They have about 10s on the chasers including Premont, Spitz, Kalentieva, Lechner…

Bresset crashes… she recovers quickly but Pendrel is right on her wheel as the two are together. Thru the lap Bresset pulls away again as Pendrel trails in second with Kalentieva now in third.

Lap 3
Pendrel takes over the lead and comes thru to start the third lap in 37:23 with Bresset on her wheel… Kalentieva is in third at 11s followed by Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team in 4th at 15s, Lechner is 5th, Byberg is 6th at 21s… Premont is 9th at 25s – Batty is around 20th.

Pendrel and Bresset are still out front battling it out – now Italy’s Lechner passes Kalentieva and takes over 3rd with Gould in 4th.

Bresset is back in the lead with Pendrel in second and they have 10s on the chasers lead by Lechner in third with Kalentieva close behind in 4th then it’s Gould in 5th and Premont in 6th… Byberg and Esther Süss (Sui) Wheeler-iXS pro team are in 7th and 8th.

Annika Langvad (Den) who was second last weekend in Dalby is sitting in 19th with Batty in 20th. Canada’s Mical Dyck is 47th, Amanda Sin is 52nd.

Thru the Snake Pit it’s Bresset still leading with Pendrel close behind… Lechner is in third with Kalentieva in 4th as the group behind is gaining on her.

France’s Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Lapierre International) has taken over the lead in the U23 Women’s race Benko is second, ??? in third. Canada’s Mikaela Kofman is in the high teens, Laura Bietola ???

Lap 4
On the penultimate lap it’s Bresset and Pendrel coming thru in 54:41…

Now it’s Premont in 3rd at 45s as the chase group overtakes Kalentieva and catches Lechner… Byberg is 4th, Lechner is 5th and Gould is 6th… Kalentieva has dropped back into 11th.

Thru the switchback section it’s Bresset leading Pendrel… thru the feezone Bresset misses her water bottle. Into the Snake Pit it’s Bresset still out front as she grabs a water bottle at the end of the feed zone.

Now Byberg takes over third followed by Lechner in 4th with Premont in 5th…

Up the climb Bresset starts to pull away and is gapping Pendrel…

Lap 5 Final
Bresset comes thru to start her last lap in 1:11:44… Pendrel is now at 25s in second. Coming thru in 3rd at 1:30 it’s Lechner, Byberg and Premont at 1:31 – the battle is for third.

Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) is in 6th at just over 2min followed by Blaza Klemencic (Felt Oetztal X – Bionic Team) in 7th… we think it’s Kalentieva in 8th – yes it’s her at 2:24.

Bresset is on her own out front and is extending her lead… Lechner attacks and Premont responds as Byberg drops back.

Thru the final feed zone and the Snake Pit it’s Bresset looking strong as she’ll soon claim her second WCup win… she looks behind and sees her gap over Pendrel.

Results

1. Julie Bresset (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry 1:28:59
2. Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team 0:41
3. Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol 1:34
4. Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain 1:48
5. Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Racing 2:08
6. Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice 2:35
7. Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team 2:50
8. Katrin Leumann (Sui) Ghost Factory Racing Team 3:10
9. Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Orbea Geax 3:16
10. Esther Süss (Sui) 3:17
11. Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team 3:21
12. Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Haibike Pro Team 3:47
13. Nathalie Schneitter (Sui) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol 3:50
14. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team 4:04
15. Emily Batty (Can) Subaru-Trek 4:18
16. Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team 4:23
17. Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Central Haibike Pro Team 4:29
18. Annika Langvad (Den) Team Easton Rockets 4:34
19. Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Ghost Factory Racing Team 4:40
20. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team 4:50
21. Rosara Joseph (Nzl) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team 5:05
21. Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) Central Haibike Pro Team 5:05
23. Adelheid Morath (Ger) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team 5:31
24. Anja Gradl (Ger) Ghost Factory Racing Team 6:09
25. Anna Szafraniec (Pol) CCC Polkowice 6:25
26. Hanna Klein (Ger) Rothaus Poison-Bikes 6:30
27. Nina Homovec (Slo) Orbea Geax 6:36
28. Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing 6:44
29. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team 6:54
30. Mary McConneloug (USA) Kenda/Seven/NOTUBES 7:31
31. Sarah Koba (Sui) Giant Swiss Sr-Suntour 7:44
32. Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team 7:48
32. Silke Schmidt (Ger) 7:48
34. Anne Terpstra (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team 8:07
35. Alexandra Engen (Swe) Rothaus Poison-Bikes 8:20
36. Laura Metzler (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry 8:21
37. Janka Stevkova (Svk) 8:21
38. Karen Hanlen (Nzl) 8:24
39. Annie Last (Gbr) British National Team 9:03
40. Coralie Redelsperger (Fra) 9:12
41. Pavla Havlikova (Cze) 9:36
42. Anna Villar Argente (Esp) 9:38
43. Rie Katayama (Jpn) 9:54
44. Amanda Sin (Can) Team Canada 10:55
45. Judith Pollinger (Ita) Infotre-Bi & Esse-Leecougan 11:05
46. Vera Andreeva (Rus) 11:18
47. Nataliya Krompets (Ukr) ISD Cycling Team 11:46
48. Mical Dyck (Can) Team Canada 11:59
49. Chloe Forsman (USA) 12:04
50. Cécile Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix 12:29
51. Laura Turpijn (Ned) Team Merida Combee 12:34
52. Katherine O’Shea (Aus) 12:55
53. Daniela Veronesi (Ita) 13:23
54. Githa Michiels (Bel) Trek-KMC Trade Team Vzw 13:39
55. Gracie Elvin (Aus) 13:48
56. Sandra Santanyes Murillo (Esp) 13:54
57. Fabienne Niederberger (Sui) 14:19
58. Nicoletta De Jager (Ned) 14:44
59. Maaris Meier (Est) 15:00
60. Michalina Ziolkowska (Pol) 15:38
61. Oksana Rybakova (Rus) 16:20
62. Kristien Nelen (Bel) V.Z.W. Goeman Scott Cycling Team 17:27
63. Jenni King (Aus) 17:45
64. Krista Park (USA) 17:52
65. Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Esp) 18:16
66. Corina Gantenbein (Sui) Fischer-BMC 18:50
67. Sofia Pezzatti (Sui) -1 lap
68. Lucie Vesela (Cze) GT Czech Team -1 lap
69. Caitlin Elliott (Irl) -1 lap
70. Mette Marie Kronborg (Den) -1 lap
71. Maxine Filby (Gbr) -1 lap
DNF Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Trek
DNF Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Pol) CCC Polkowice
DNF Maria Osl (Aut) Fischer-BMC
DNF Rowena Fry (Aus)
DNF Pavlina Sulcova (Cze) Merida Biking Team
DNF Carina Kirssi (Fin) V.Z.W. Goeman Scott Cycling Team
DNF Amy Dombroski (USA)
DNS Melanie Spath (Ger)
DNS Anneke Beerten (Ned) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team

U23 Women

1. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Lapierre International 1:12:33
2. Barbara Benko (Hun) Focus MIG Team 1:26
3. Fanny Bourdon (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix 1:28
4. Mona Eiberweiser (Ger) Ghost Factory Racing Team 1:58
5. Elisabeth Sveum (Nor) Team Merida Smart Safety 2:10
6. Vivienne Meyer (Sui) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol 2:19
7. Rebecca Henderson (Aus) 2:49
8. Yana Belomoyna (Ukr) Infotre-Bi & Esse-Leecougan 3:41
9. Serena Calvetti (Ita) 3:54
10. Lisa Mitterbauer (Aut) Bikepark.ch Scott 4:19
11. Ekaterina Anoshina (Rus) 4:24
12. Helen Grobert (Ger) 4:41
13. Kathrin Stirnemann (Sui) Central Haibike Pro Team 4:52
14. Rozanne Slik (Ned) Feenstra Stevens Bike Team 5:10
15. Elise Marchal (Bel) Trek-KMC Trade Team VZW 5:24
16. Nadine Rieder (Ger) 5:42
17. Sabrina Maurer (Sui) 5:48
18. Michelle Hediger (Sui) Fischer-BMC 5:56
19. Nicole Hanselmann (Sui) 6:35
20. Karolina Kalasova (Cze) Rubena-Birell-Specialized Cycling Team 7:01
21. Paula Gorycka (Pol) CCC Polkowice 7:04
22. Mikaela Kofman (Can) Team Canada 7:55
23. Mariske Strauss (RSA) 8:05
24. Lorraine Truong (Sui) 8:09
25. Virginie Pointet (Sui) 8:13
26. Julie Berteaux (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix 8:37
27. Noga Korem (Isr) 9:36
28. Tanja Starkermann (Sui) Fischer Junior MTB Team 10:40
29. Erica Zaveta (USA) 11:54
30. Marta Tereshchuk (Ukr) Infotre-Bi & Esse-Leecougan 12:43
31. Hana Jezkova (Cze) GT Czech Team 13:20
32. Marta Pastore (Ita) Team CBE Tecnoimpianti A.S.D. 16:08
33. Elvira Khayrullina (Rus) 16:13
34. Vania Schumacher (Sui) 17:19
35. Carla Haines (Gbr) -1 lap
36. Wesley Geer (USA) -1 lap
37. Déborah Motsch (Fra) Team Veloroc Lapierre -1 lap
38. Heidi Kloser (USA) -2 laps
DNF Kseniya Kirillova (Rus)
DNF Laura Bietola (Can) Team Canada
DNF Anna Oberparleiter (Ita) Infotre-Bi & Esse-Leecougan
DNS Caitlin De Wet (RSA)
DNS Antri Christoforou (Cyp)

Standings after 3 events

Elite Women
1. Julie Bresset (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry 700
2. Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team 470
3. Chengyuan Ren (Chn) Specialized Racing 390

9. Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain 340
14. Emily Batty (Can) Subaru-Trek 226