May 22, 2011 (Yorkshike, UK) – The Elite Women’s XC is now underway under cool and windy conditions as 83 women are on the start line for round #2 and they will complete five laps (6.3km) + 2.4km start loop. Canada has several riders on the start line including Catharine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team), Marie-Helene Premont (Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain), Emily Batty (Subaru-Trek), Amanda Sin (Team Canada), Mical Dyck (Team Canada) and Team Canada’s Laura Bietola and Mikaela Kofman are in the U23 race. The surprise announcement is that Irina Kalentieva (Rus) is not starting due to late visa problems. Top DH’r Tracy Moseley (Gbr) Trek World Team is on the start line as well.

Lap 1
Following the 2.4km start loop it’s Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Racing leading with Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol in second and Chengyuan Ren (Chn) Specialized Racing in third. Pendrel in 9th, Batty is 10th and Premont is 12th.

Ren takes over the lead with Nathalie Schneitter (Sui) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol in second and Byberg is now third. Pendrel and Batty are in the top 10.

Ren slips and goes down briefly losing her lead as Schneitter is now on her wheel.

Now Ren has pulled away again on her own with about 1.5km to go in the lap. Julie Bresset (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry a U23 rider is up there – Pendrel has moved up into 5th or 6th

Lap 2
Ren comes thru with Bresset on her wheel Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Haibike Pro Team is in third with world champ Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice in 4th followed by Pendrel in 5th – Batty is 9th and Premont is 19th.

Schneitter is in 6th followed by Byberg in 7th… now Bresset is leading. In the U23 Women’s race it’s Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Lapierre) leading (the U23s started after the Elites) with Canada’s Kofman and Bietola in the 20s.

Ren takes over the lead again as Pendrel moves up trying to latch on to Spitz in 4th now as Wloszczowska takes over 3rd.

Ren and Bresset are out front as Pendrel moves into 3rd.

Lap 3
The leaders Ren and Bresset cross the line in 42:38 followed by Pendrel, Wloszczowska and Spitz together at 33s. Lechner is 6th and Katerina Nash (Cze) is 7th… Batty is 12th and Premont has moved up into 15th.

Ren and Bresset continue to dominate thru lap three as Pendrel, ranked #1 in the world, now establishes a gap over Wloszczowska and Spitz to take over third – the sun is in and out and the course is dry but the wind continues be gusty. Eva Lechner has moved up and is just behind Spitz in 6th.

As the third lap will soon be over Bresset has now taken over the lead with Ren on her wheel… Pendrel is alone in third.

Lap 4
Bresset come thru in 1:02:05 with Ren at 0:01 as they’ve increased their lead over Pendrel in third at 47s followed by Wloszczowska and Spitz in 4th and 5th… Annika Langvad (Den) in now in 6th with Byberg in 7th as Lechner drops back into 8th.

Premont has moved up into 12th followed by Batty in 13th at around 1:50… Sin is in the high 30s. Ominous clouds could mean rain is coming…

The rain is now coming down but the sun is also trying to poke thru… Moseley riding for the British Cycling Team came thru in 67th.

Langvad has moved into 4th now and is chasing down Pendrel in 3rd… Bresset is still leading with Ren on her wheel.

Now Ren takes over the lead and tries to gap Bresset as the final lap approaches.

Lap 5 Final
The bell lap has begun with Ren leading and coming thru in 1:21:23 with Bresset at 2s… Pendrel let’s Langvad take over 3rd in 1:22 with Spitz and Wloszczowska all together.

Premont is 11th at 2:14 and Batty is 14th at 3:03.

Bresset regains the lead but Ren attacks thru the feed zone and is back in the lead… in the U23 race Ferrand Prevot continues to lead as Kofman and Bietola are the high teens.

Bresset is now on her own out front as Ren has dropped off – it’s not clear if she’s had a mechanical or some other problem – she may have hit a wall.

Pendrel and the chasers are gaining on Ren as Bresset looks strong to take her first WCup win… Batty is now in 15th.

Pendrel, Langvad, Spitz, Wloszczowska and Lechner are all just behind Ren…

Bresset is looking comfortable with 1.5km to go… Ren tries to recover as Langvad has taken over 3rd and is chasing her down. Spitz and Wloszczowska are just behind as Pendrel has dropped back and is now 7th.

Bresset will take it but the race is for second…. Langvad and Spitz have dispensed with Ren.

Results

Elite Women

1. Julie Bresset (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry 1:40:59
2. Annika Langvad (Den) 1:03
3. Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Haibike Pro Team 1:06
4. Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol 1:22
5. Chengyuan Ren (Chn) Specialized Racing 1:24
6. Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice 1:31
7. Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team 1:36
8. Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Racing 1:51
9. Nathalie Schneitter (Sui) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol 2:05
10. Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Central Haibike Pro Team 2:06
11. Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain 2:13
12. Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team 2:41
13. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team 2:51
14. Annie Last (Gbr) British National Team 3:00
15. Emily Batty (Can) Subaru-Trek 3:48
16. Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Ghost Factory Racing Team 4:31
17. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team 4:32
18. Nina Homovec (Slo) Orbea Geax 4:51
19. Hanna Klein (Ger) Rothaus Poison-Bikes 4:57
20. Rosara Joseph (Nzl) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team 5:29
21. Anna Szafraniec (Pol) CCC Polkowice 5:30
22. Karen Hanlen (Nzl) 5:38
23. Cécile Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix 5:42
24. Esther Süss (Sui) Wheeler-iXS pro team 5:47
25. Rie Katayama (Jpn) 6:11
26. Alexandra Engen (Swe) Rothaus Poison-Bikes 6:40
27. Mary McConneloug (USA) Kenda Seven NoTubes 7:04
28. Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Pol) CCC Polkowice 7:11
29. Sarah Koba (Sui) Giant Swiss SR-Suntour 7:24
30. Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing 7:38
31. Laura Turpijn (Ned) Team Merida Combee 8:41
32. Laura Metzler (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry 8:51
33. Pavla Havlikova (Cze) 8:52
34. Anja Gradl (Ger) Ghost Factory Racing Team 8:52
35. Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team 9:02
36. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team 9:05
37. Silke Schmidt (Ger) 9:12
38. Amanda Sin (Can) Team Canada 9:17
39. Anne Terpstra (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team 9:42
40. Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Trek 9:45
41. Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team 9:48
42. Coralie Redelsperger (Fra) 10:11
43. Anna Villar Argente (Esp) 10:20
44. Janka Stevkova (Svk) 10:53
45. Katrin Leumann (Sui) Ghost Factory Racing Team 11:30
46. Daniela Veronesi (Ita) 11:38
47. Githa Michiels (Bel) Trek-KMC Trade Team VZW 11:46
48. Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Orbea Geax 11:57
49. Rowena Fry (Aus) 12:21
50. Sandra Santanyes Murillo (Esp) 13:13
51. Mical Dyck (Can) Team Canada 13:57
52. Katherine O’Shea (Aus) 14:09
53. Maddie Horton (Gbr) 14:26
54. Maaris Meier (Est) 14:38
55. Fabienne Niederberger (Sui) 14:57
56. Jenni King (Aus) 15:02
57. Melanie Spath (Ger) 15:46
58. Maria Osl (Aut) Fischer-BMC 15:59
59. Krista Park (USA) 16:25
60. Kristien Nelen (Bel) V.Z.W. Goeman Scott Cycling Team 16:31
61. Nicoletta De Jager (Ned) 17:50
62. Corina Gantenbein (Sui) Fischer-BMC 18:18
63. Judith Pollinger (Ita) Infotre-Bi & Esse-Leecougan 18:38
64. Stephanie Wiedner (Aut) 20:08
65. Amy Dombroski (USA) -1 lap
66. Gracie Elvin (Aus) -1 lap
67. Carina Kirssi (Fin) V.Z.W. Goeman Scott Cycling Team -1 lap
68. Chloe Forsman (USA) -1 lap
69. Tracy Moseley (Gbr) Trek World Racing -1 lap
70. Lucie Vesela (Cze) GT Czech Team -1 lap
71. Ingrid Bosscha (Ned) -1 lap
72. Elliot Caitlin (Irl) -1 lap
73. Ciara Mcmanus (Irl) -1 lap
74. Maxine Filby (Gbr) -1 lap
75. Melanie Alexander (Gbr) -1 lap
76. Kiona Harbers (Ned) -1 lap
77. Anneke Beerten (Ned) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team -2 laps
78. Sally Gabriel (Gbr) -2 laps
79. Natasha Barry (Gbr) -2 laps
DNF Inbar Ronen (Isr)
DNF Lee Craigie (Gbr)
DNF Lesley Ingram (Gbr)
DNF Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) CCC Polkowice
DNS Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team

U23 Women

1. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) lapierre International 1:19:52
2. Kathrin Stirnemann (Sui) Central Haibike Pro Team 1:25
3. Barbara Benko (Hun) Focus MIG Team 1:45
4. Helen Grobert (Ger) 2:50
5. Fanny Bourdon (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix 3:40
6. Yana Belomoyna (Ukr) Infotre-Bi & Esse-Leecougan 4:17
7. Rebecca Henderson (Aus) 4:41
8. Serena Calvetti (Ita) 4:41
9. Elisabeth Sveum (Nor) Team Merida Smart Safety 4:56
10. Michelle Hediger (Sui) Fischer-BMC 4:59
11. Lisa Mitterbauer (Aut) Bikepark.Ch Scott 6:18
12. Sabrina Schweizer (Ger) 6:20
13. Mikaela Kofman (Can) Team Canada 6:24
14. Vivienne Meyer (Sui) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol 7:17
15. Lily Matthews (Gbr) 7:41
16. Paula Gorycka (Pol) CCC Polkowice 8:09
17. Virginie Pointet (Sui) 8:39
18. Laura Bietola (Can) Team Canada 8:48
19. Emmy Thelberg (Swe) 9:35
20. Elise Marchal (Bel) Trek-Kmc Trade Team Vzw 9:41
21. Mariske Strauss (RSA) 10:14
22. Noga Korem (Isr) 10:35
23. Anna Oberparleiter (Ita) Infotre-Bi & Esse-Leecougan 11:44
24. Hana Jezkova (Cze) GT Czech Team 12:22
25. Caitlin De Wet (RSA) 15:23
26. Carla Haines (Gbr) -1 lap
27. Danielle Rider (Gbr) -1 lap
DNF Rozanne Slik (Ned) Feenstra Stevens Bike Team
DNF Jessica Roberts (Gbr)
DNF Lorraine Truong (Sui)
DNS Tanja Starkermann (Sui) Fischer Junior MTB Team