August 10, 2013 (Mont-Ste-Anne, QC) — The Elite Women’s race is soon underway with 37 women on the start line for round #5 in sunny, windy conditions. Canada’s Catharine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) won here last year and is back following her broken collar bone… along with Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing) and many more Canucks they’re hoping for good results. Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Unior Tools Team could win the overall title today and will be battling Eva Lechner (Ita) Team Colnago Sudtirol, Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Giant Pro Xc Team, and Olympic gold medalist Julie Bresset (Fra) BH Suntour – the women will complete 6 laps for a total of 24.6km…
Lap 1
Neff, Leumann and Bresset are out front… Lechner and Zakelj are there as well – Batty is trying to move up.
Up the climb Bresset takes over the lead with Lechner in second… bottleneck takes some riders down.
Pendrel is around 15th…
Bresset has a good lead with 1km to go – Lechner is alone in 2nd by Maja Wloszczowska is closing on her
Lap 2
Bresset begins 2nd lap 14:42, then it’s Wloszczowska and Lechner at 22s
Nash is 3rd at 25s, Zakelj is 5th at 30s
Batty is 11th and Pendrel is 12th
Bresset looks confident and keeps extending her lead…
Nash and Wloszczowska are second and third… Lechner and Zakelj are now 4th and 5th.
Bresset has a 39s lead now over the chasers Nash 2nd, Wloszczowska 3rd, Lechner 4th, Zakelj 5th, Neff 6th, Davison 7th, Engen 8th…
Lap 3
Bresset leads by 36s over Nash and Wloszczowska…
Lechner is 4th, Zakelj is 5th, Neff is 6th, Davison 7th, Langvad is 8th
Pendrel is 9th at 1:20 and Batty is 11th at 1:32
Nash tries to drop Wloszczowska – she’d dearly love a WCup win… Zakelj takes over 4th.
Nash is on a 29er this race from her 26″ bike and is looking for the best option for the win.
The gap to Bresset has dropped about 20s.
Lap 4
Bresset leads by 21s over Wloszczowska and Nash… Zakelj is 4th at 30s followed by Lechner in 5th at 53s.
Davison is 6th at 1:01 with Neff in 7th at 1:02
Nash and Wloszczowska are gaining on the climb and closing on Bresset.
Up a steep rock climb section it’s Bresset off the bike with the chasers just behind.
The gap has dropped to under 10s…
Lap 5
Bresset continues to lead but Wloszczowska and Nash are threatening – Zakelj is 4th Lechner is 5th.
Wloszczowska attacks and has caught and passed Bresset on the climb… Nash is 3rd
On the descent Bresset regains the lead…
Lap 6
On the last lap it’s 1. Wloszczowska 2. Bresset at 1:15:45 3. Nash 0:06 4. Zakelj 0:07…
On the climb Nash attacks Wloszczowska and leads with Zakelj now in 3rd … Bresset is 4th.
Nash is focused on winning her first WCup win – she dismounts early up the rocky climb section.
Wloszczowska is just behind…
Nash attacks…she hammers and opens up a big lead on Wloszczowska – this could be her day.
Wloszczowska is not giving up now 9s behind – Zakelj is at 19s and Bresset is 4th at 28s
Results
1. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team 1:30:27
2. Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Giant Pro Xc Team 0:17
3. Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Unior Tools Team 0:24
4. Julie Bresset (Fra) BH Suntour 0:48
5. Lea Davison (USA) Specialized 1:21
6. Eva Lechner (Ita) Team Colnago Sudtirol 1:54
7. Yolanda Neff (Sui) Giant Pro XC Team 2:06
8. Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team 3:33
9. Annika Langvad (Den) Team Davinci – Specialized 4:02
10. Emily Batty (Can) Trek Factory Racing 4:30
Full results here.
Standings
1. Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Unior Tools Team 950
2. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team 865
3. Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Giant Pro Xc Team 780
8. Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team 485
Full standings here.
