August 2, 2009 (Bromont, QC) – There are 52 starters with 14 Canadians for Sunday morning’s XC Elite women’s race in Bromont, round #6 of the series soon underway – 5 laps of a 6km course. It’s now overcast, about 22 degrees and very humid with a chance of showers. Top Canucks include last week’s MSA winner Catharine Pendrel (NB) Luna Pro and the veteran top pro Marie-Hélène Prémont (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) who suffered mechanicals last weekend and will be looking for a podium spot today. Renowned veteran sports announcer Peter Graves is doing the honours in Bromont this weekend.

Lap 1
Switzerland’s Leumann jumps into the lead with Prémont, Pendrel and Spain’s Margarita Fullana (Massi) up front as well.

Lap 2
At the start of lap 2 it’s the USA’s Willow Koerber (Subaru-Gary Fisher) in front now with Canada’s Pendrel and Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak at 15 sec. Fullana is in 4th at 44 sec. with Mary Mcconnelough (USA) Kenda Seven in 5th and Lyne Byberg (Nor) Specialized in 6th. The others are strung out behind… we did not see Prémont and we’re checking on her status in case we missed her – lap 1 time was 20:17.

The latest on Prémont is she dropped back suffering from breathing problems again (first time was at the 2008 Beijing Games XC).

Lap 2 time 21:12

Lap 3
At the start of lap 3 it’s Kalentieva in front with Pendrel in 2nd and Norway’s Byberg in 3rd – they caught and dropped Koerber who is now alone in 4th at 12 seconds from the lead group of three – and it’s starting to rain.

Byberg has attacked and has a gap on Kalentieva and Pendrel.

Lap 4
At the start of lap 4 the time is 1:02:41 and it’s really starting to pour. Byberg is in front with Kalentieva close behind and Pendrel at 12 seconds in 3rd. Another 13 sec. back are Koerber and McConnelough… Canada’s top U23 rider Emily Batty (Trek Store Toronto) is in 14th.

We’ve just heard the men’s race will be reduced to 6 laps from 7 due to the rain.

Lap 5 Final
At the start of the final lap it’s really pouring rain (the time at end of lap 4 was 1:24:10) and Byberg has victory within her grasp as she’s 53 seconds ahead of Kalentieva with Canada’s Pendrel at 1:57 in third. In 4th at 2:25 is McConnelough and in 5th is Willow Koerber at 2:43.

Batty is 15th at 9:30 and Amanda Sin (Can) 3 Rocks Racing is 16th at 9:47 while – Correction – Sandra Walter (Can) Local Ride finished 2 Laps behind (she did not DNF).

Results

1. Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Factory Racing 1:45:58
2. Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team 2:35
3. Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team 3:13
4. Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Central Ghost Pro Team 3:31
5. Mary Mcconneloug (USA) 3:50
6. Katherine Compton (USA) 4:08
7. Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 4:41
8. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team 5:46
9. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team 7:38
10. Cécile Rode Ravanel (Fra) Lapierre International 8:58
11. Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 9:16
12. Lea Davison (USA) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles 9:50
13. Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles 11:12
14. Katrin Leumann (Sui) 12:01
15. Emily Batty* (Can) 12:07
16. Amanda Sin (Can) 13:14
17. Laura Metzler (Fra) Bh-Suntour 13:57
18. Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Bh-Suntour 14:08
19. Caroline Mani* (Fra) Team Bikepark.Ch 15:01
20. Julie Krasniak* (Fra) 17:57
21. Laura Turpijn (Ned) 18:15
22. Tereza Hurikova* (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna Mtb 18:42
23. Katherine O’Shea (Aus) Torq Performance Nutrition 20:22
24. Chloe Forsman* (USA) Luna Pro Team 21:11
25. Nicola Leary (Nzl) 28:17:00
26. Rowena Fry (Aus) Discovertasmania.Com 28:51:00
27. Mical Dyck (Can) -1 Lap
28. Laura Lorenza Morfin Macouzet (Mex) -1 Lap
29. Karine Travaillaud (Can) -1 Lap
30. Helene Marcouyre (Fra) Bh-Suntour -1 Lap
31. Caroline Villeneuve (Can) -1 Lap
32. Rebecca Beaumont* (Can) -1 Lap
33. Kate Potter (Aus) -1 Lap
34. Cindy Montambault (Can) -1 Lap
35. Joanna Wall (Aus) Torq Performance Nutrition -1 Lap
36. Fanny Bourdon* (Fra) -1 Lap
37. Daniela Campuzano (Mex) -2 Laps
38. Zoe King (Aus) -2 Laps
39. Josiane Mathieu (Can) -2 Laps
40. Marie-Claude Surprenant* (Can) -2 Laps
41. Suzanne Clarke (Gbr) -2 Laps
42. Anna Oberparleiter* (Ita) -2 Laps
43. Sandra Walter (Can) -2 Laps
44. Kathleen Villeneuve (Can) -2 Laps
45. Tory Thomas (Aus) Torq Performance Nutrition -2 Laps
46. Gracie Elvin* (Aus) Discovertasmania.Com -2 Laps
47. Therese Rhodes* (Aus) -3 Laps
48. Maria Erlandsson (Swe) Subaru-Gary Fisher -3 Laps
DNF Stephanie Lacoursiere* (Can)
DNF Margarita Fullana Riera (Esp) Massi DNF2
DNF Jeanette Gerrie (Nzl) DNF1
DNS Kelli Emmett (USA) Giant Mountain Bike Team Gmt

Standings after 6 Events

1. Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized 965
2. Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Central Ghost 940
3. Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Ter 940
4. Margarita Fullana Riera (Esp) Mas 912
5. Catharine Pendrel (Can) Lun 880
6. Willow Koerber (USA) Sgf 612
7. Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Tmr 583
8. Mary Mcconneloug (USA) 524
9. Georgia Gould (USA) Lun 483
10. Katrin Leumann (Sui) 482
11. Sabine Spitz (Ger) Cgt 470
12. Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Ccc 464
13. Eva Lechner (Ita) Col 436
14. Heather Irmiger (USA) Sgf 418
15. Cécile Rode Ravanel (Fra) Lpi 415
16. Chengyuan Ren (Chn) 410
17. Laura Turpijn (Ned) 358
18. Caroline Mani* (Fra) Bpb 352
19. Petra Henzi (Sui) Fib 349
20. Rowena Fry (Aus) Dtm 342
21. Anna Szafraniec (Pol) Jbg 336
22. Emily Batty* (Can) 327
23. Aleksandra Dawidowicz* (Pol) Ccc 326
24. Adelheid Morath (Ger) 307
25. Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Bhs 287
26. Lea Davison (USA) Tmr 267
27. Julie Krasniak* (Fra) 262
28. Katerina Nash (Cze) Lun 260
29. Julie Bresset* (Fra) Brm 260
30. Laura Metzler (Fra) Bhs 251
31. Janka Stevkova (Svk) 249
32. Nathalie Schneitter (Sui) Col 242
33. Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Sui) Bpb 234
34. Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) Ccc 230
35. Helene Marcouyre (Fra) Bhs 229
36. Tereza Hurikova* (Cze) Ces 192
37. Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Fim 188
38. Kate Potter (Aus) 187
39. Anna Villar Argente (Esp) Mas 177
40. Katherine O’Shea (Aus) Trq 177
41. Amanda Sin (Can) 175
42. Hanna Klein* (Ger) 166
43. Mical Dyck (Can) 151
44. Alexandra Engen* (Swe) 131
45. Katherine Compton (USA) 130
46. Esther Suånss (Sui) 130
47. Ivonne Kraft (Ger) 127
48. Githa Michiels (Bel) Sae 116
49. Gracie Elvin* (Aus) Dtm 116
50. Vera Andreeva* (Rus) 97
51. Nicola Leary (Nzl) 96
52. Barbara Benko* (Hun) 96
53. Fanny Bourdon* (Fra) 96
54. Vivianne Meyer* (Sui) Col 94
55. Anja Gradl (Ger) Cgt 90
56. Chloe Forsman* (USA) Lun 88
57. Suzanne Clarke (Gbr) 80
58. Maria Osl (Aut) Fib 73
59. Caroline Villeneuve (Can) 71
60. Karine Travaillaud (Can) 68
61. Yolande Speedy (Rsa) 64
62. Joanna Wall (Aus) Trq 64
63. Tanja Zakelj* (Slo) Mbo 62
64. Sandra Walter (Can) 59
65. Rebecca Beaumont* (Can) 57
66. Marie-Claude Surprenant* (Can) 57
67. Cindy Montambault (Can) 56
68. Daniela Campuzano (Mex) 55
69. Zoe King (Aus) 55
70. Fiona Macdermid (Gbr) 52
71. Josiane Mathieu (Can) 51
72. Laura Lorenza Morfin Macouzet (Mex) 50
73. Rosara Joseph (Nzl) 49
74. Kathleen Villeneuve (Can) 45
75. Kelli Emmett (USA) Gmt 44
76. Maaike Polspoel* (Bel) 44
77. Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe) Sgf 44
78. Anna Oberparleiter* (Ita) 43
79. Nataliya Krompets* (Ukr) 43
80. Virginie Pointet* (Sui) Bpb 42
81. Kathrin Stirnemann* (Sui) 39
82. Evelyn Staffler (Ita) Col 38
83. Sandra Santanyes Murillo (Esp) Ctl 38
84. Oksana Rybakova (Rus) 37
85. Melanie Spath (Ger) 36
86. Therese Rhodes* (Aus) 35
87. Inbar Ronen (Isr) 34
88. Jean Mckirdy Ann (Can) 30
89. Tania Raats (Rsa) 29
90. Cristina Mascarreras Sabria (Esp) Con 28
91. Sara Muhl (Rsa) 28
92. Kajsa Snihs* (Swe) 27
93. Shawna Thunder (Rsa) 27
94. Joanna Harrington (Aus) 26
95. Janneke Leask* (Rsa) 26
96. Heletje Van Staden* (Nam) 25
97. Hilana Marais (Rsa) 24
98. Tory Thomas (Aus) Trq 23
99. Kristien Nelen (Bel) 23
100. Carmen Bassingthwaighte (Nam) 22
101. Judith Pollinger* (Ita) Sun 21
102. Carla Freysen (Rsa) 21
103. Stephanie Wiedner* (Aut) Dsr 20
104. Katrin Schwing (Ger) 19
105. Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Sco 17
106. Stephanie Lacoursiere* (Can) 16
107. Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) 15
108. Camille Pousse* (Fra) 14
109. Jeanette Gerrie (Nzl) 13
110. Nadine Rieder* (Ger) Fbi 13
111. Silke Schmidt* (Ger) 13
112. Laure Boulay (Fra) Keo 12
113. Joana Barbosa* (Por) 11
114. Coralie Redelsperger (Fra) 11
115. Catherine Lohri (Sui) 10
116. Sarka Chmurova (Cze) 10
117. Tatjana Dold (Ger) 10
118. Elena Ondasova (Svk) 9

*U23