May 19, 2013 (Albastadt, Germany) – Round #1 of the Elite Women’s race at the new venue in Albastadt, Germany is soon underway with 75 riders entered and lots of contenders ready to make their mark including former Olympic medalist Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Giant Pro who was injured before London 2012. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank is in the mix while France’s Julie Bresset is out with a broken collar bone – Sabine Spitz (Ger) is also out injured while training. Canada has four riders on the start line including reigning UCI MTB World Cup series champ Catharine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team), Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing), Amanda Sin and Mikaela Kofman (Scott-3Rox Racing). The women will do 6 laps x 4.2km for a total of 25.2km…

Lap 1

The women are off and Alexandra Engen (Swe) Ghost and Jolanda Neff (Sui) Giant are at the front leading… in third is Katrin Leumann (Sui) Ghost… Pendrel is about 15th.

Neff is now leading… up the climb Pendrel is 13th and Batty is 15th. Vos is 37th

Sorry we missed Eva Lechner (Ita) Team Colnago Suditrol in third…

Lap 2

Neff is thru in 14:55 followed by Lechner and Engen… Leumann is just behind in 4th.

Pendrel and Batty are 12th and 13th at 15s.

Lechner has opened up a small gap with Leumann now in second followed by Engen and Neff.

The gap to the chasers is around 30s…

Morath, Wloszczowska and Nash are leading the chase – Pendrel and Batty are now 10th and 11th.

As the lap ends it’s Lechner and Leumann together leading.

Lap 3

Lechner and Leumann start the third lap at 30:35… then it’s Neff and Engen.

Wloszczowska has broken away and is now alone in 5th at 16s

Batty and Pendrel are 9th and 10th in a group of five or six riders at 34s.

Up the climb Wloszczowska is now in 3rd – both Pendrel and Batty are moving up as well on the climb.

Nash has a mechanical… Leumann is now leading as she and Lechner are breaking away.

Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Unior Tools Team is riding well now in 6th as she passes Neff.

Up the climb Batty is 8th at 40s and just behind is Pendrel in 10th at 49s – Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon is 7th.

Wloszczowska has attacked and has caught the leaders…

Lap 4

Lechner, Leumann and Wloszczowska are together at 46:14.

Engen is 4th at 13s – Zakelj 5th at 18s – Neff is 6th at 23s… then it’s Kalentieva and Batty at 33s.

Morath is 9th at 52s and Pendrel is 10th at 1:01

Engen and Zakelj have bridged to the leaders – now there are 5 out front.

Wloszczowska attacks on the climb and is now leading…Lechner is on her wheel with Leumann just behind as they start to drop Engen and  Zakelj.

Now Lechner takes over the lead on the descent… but Engen and  Zakelj are hanging in.

On the second climb Kalentieva and Batty have overtaken Neff…now they’re at 38s behind the 5 leaders w/Lechner at the front.

Pendrel sits in 11th at 1:29 as she came off the bike on the second climb and lost a bit of time.

Lap 5

It’s Lechner, Leumann, Wloszczowska and Zakelj together at 1:02:09 with Engen in 5th at 8s.

Kalentieva and Batty are 6th and 7th at 37th w/Neff in 8th at 42s.

Then it’s Morath 9th, Langvad 10th and Pendrel 11th at 1:35.

Lechner is leading on the descent as the five riders stay together…

Thru the tech zone it’s Batty passing Kalentieva to take over 6th… her front wheel looks damaged but she’s not stopping for a change.

Nash who joined her teammate Pendrel near the start of the penultimate lap is now 10th with Pendrel 11th.

Multi-decorated rider Vos has moved up to 14th…

Lechner, Wloszczowska, and Leumann have broken away on the descent…

Lap 6 FINAL

Lechner, Leumann and Wloszczowska start the last lap at 1:17:59… Zakelj is just behind in 4th at 6s.

Engen is 5th at 18s… then it’s Batty in 6th at 49s w/Kalentieva 7th at 53s – Morath is 9th, Nash is 10th and Pendrel is 11th.

Batty stops for a wheel change and loses a few spots.

Lechner and Wloszczowska are swapping the lead as the pace picks up – Leumann is still there w/Zakelj hanging in.

Lechner opens up a small gap on the descent… it’s now raining…

On the next climb it’s Lechner leading holding her small gap over Wloszczowska…

Batty has rejoined Kalentieva in 6th and 7th… the rain is coming down.

At the half way point on the final lap Vos is now 12th.

Lechner is on the descent on her own… she’s better on the descents than Wloszczowska.

Lechner charges ahead on her own

Lechner wins in 1:33:52

Results

1. Eva Lechner (Ita) Team Colnago Suditrol 1:33:52
2. Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Giant Pro 0:08
3. Katrin Leumann (Sui) Ghost 0:16
4. Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Unior Tools Team 0:25
5. Alexandra Engen (Swe) Ghost 0:59
6. Emily Batty (Can) Trek Factory Racing 1:39

12. Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team 2:49
35. Mikaela Kofman (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing 10:59
44. Amanda Sin (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing – 1 lap

Full results HERE.