September 4, 2010 (Mont-Sainte-Anne, QC) – The weather has turned back to overcast skies with rain and mist for the Elite XC Women’s race making for slippery course conditions – but the rain has stopped for the start. Of the 70 starters Canada has seven riders lead by World Cup series champ Catherine Pendrel and local favourite Marie-Helene Premont with Amanda Sin, Mical Dyck, Sandra Walter, Catharine Vipond and Jean Ann McKirdy joining them on the start line. The defending champ Irina Kalentieva (Russia) will be looking to claim her third title as the women will complete a 3km start loop and 5×4.6km laps for a total of 26km.

Start Loop
It’s Katrin Leumann (Switzerland) and Kalentieva at the front as the women are underway….

Leumann, Kalentieva and Nathalie Schneitter also from Switzerland are leading – just behind are Willow Koerber (USA), Pendrel and Premont.

At the climb some riders are off the bike… Maja Wloszczowska (Poland) and Eva Lechner (Italy) are thru the rock garden followed by Kalentieva, Koerber, Pendrel and Sabina Spitz (Germany).

Lap 1
Lechner is leading at 11:05 as they start the first lap of five with Wloszczowska and Pendrel with her followed closely by Kalentieva, Koerber, Schneitter and Spitz.

The four chasers have bridged to the leaders – Premont is in a chase group just behind.

Pendrel has attacked and has opened up a 10s gap over Wloszczowska and Kalentieva now in third – close behind are Koerber, Spitz, Schneitter, Szafraniec… Premont is 9th about 50s back.

Pendrel had some trouble thru the rock garden but recovered quickly… up the clime she and Wloszczowska are pulling away and are being chased by Kalentieva and Koerber.

Lap 2
Pendrel comes thru at 30:27 with Wloszczowska on her wheel at 1s… Koerber has taken over 3rd at 26s followed by Kalentieva in 4th – Spitz is 5th at 33s, Schneitter is 6th at 45s and Premont is now 7th at 1:08.

Wloszczowska has taken over the lead over Pendrel by 5-10s with Koerber and Kalentieva not far behind her. Further back chasing the leaders are Spitz, Schneitter, Premont and Osl – Mical Dyck is in 24th.

Wloszczowska dismounted thru the rock garden… Pendrel took the longer chicken run. Osl took a hard fall but seems ok

Lap 3
Wloszczowska come thru at 49:37 with Koerber just passing Pendrel to take over 2nd at 15s with Pendrel at 16s – then it’s Kalentieva in 4th at 30s with Spitz in 5th at 44s and Canada’s Premont is in 6th at 1:33 – Osl is 7th.

Wloszczowska is gaining time up the climb as Pendrel regains second place with Koerber staying with her.

Dyck is now 25th at 5:44, Sin is 28th at 6:22, Vipond is 37th at 7:51, McKirdy is 38th at 8:26 and Walter is 45th at 9:57.

Wloszczowska has a 25s lead on Pendrel, Koerber and Kalentieva. At the rock garden Wloszczowska dismounts, Pendrel takes the longer chicken run and Koerber rides it…

Lap 4
Wloszczowska comes thru at 1:08:54 on the penultimate lap – Pendrel is second at 30s followed by Koerber in 3d at 32 seconds. Kalentieva is 4th at 53s then it’s Spitz in 5th at 55s and Osl 7th at 1:58 – Premont is now in 9th at 2:33.

Wloszczowska continues to power ahead – there are good crowds on hand for the women’s final despite the weather – as Pendrel and Koerber exchange the lead battling it out for second.

Amanda Sin has moved up to 23rd at 7:73 with Dyck at 8:02 in 26th – Georgia Gould is 36th at 11:18 – and Vipond is 39th with McKirdy in 40th both at 11:32 while Walter is 45th at 12:58.

Lap 5 Final
Wloszczowska is now on her final lap at 1:28:29… Koerber has taken over 2nd at 37 seconds followed by Pendrel in 3rd at 51s with Kalentieva close behind at 55s.

Osl is in 5th at 2:14 followed by Lechner in 6th at 2:31 with the USA’s Irminger moving up into 7th at 2:47 – Spitz is 9th and Premont is 10th.

Wloszczowska has gold in her sights as Koerber looks strong in second with Pendrel leading Kalentieva as they battle for 3rd. Further back Premont passes Spitz.

Wloszczowska dismounts for the last time thru the rock garden and almost slips and falls – Koerber does go down but recovers as Pendrel and Kalentieva catch her riding thru.

Kalentieva is now in second followed by Pendrel with Koerber in 4th…

Results

1. Maja Wloszczowska (Poland) 1:48:21
2. Irina Kalentieva (Russian Federation) 0:48
3. Willow Koerber (United States Of America) 0:52
4. Catharine Pendrel (Canada) 0:54
5. Elisabeth Osl (Austria) 2:00
6. Heather Irmiger (United States Of America) 2:03
7. Anna Szafraniec (Poland) 2:16
8. Sabine Spitz (Germany) 2:32
9. Marie-Hélène Prémont (Canada) 2:43
10. Eva Lechner (Italy) 2:57
11. Nathalie Schneitter (Switzerland) 3:43
12. Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Switzerland) 4:32
13. Mary McConneloug (United States Of America) 4:50
14. Katrin Leumann (Switzerland) 5:31
15. Chengyuan Ren (People’s Republic Of China) 6:34
16. Katerina Nash (Czech Republic) 7:00
17. Rosara Joseph (New Zealand) 7:17
18. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Norway) 7:18
19. Annika Langvad (Denmark) 8:42
20. Cécile Ravanel (France) 8:54
21. Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Poland) 9:53
22. Esther Süss (Switzerland) 10:22
23. Anja Gradl (Germany) 10:29
24. Rie Katayama (Japan) 10:39
25. Hanna Klein (Germany) 12:04
26. Qinglan Shi (People’s Republic Of China) 12:31
27. Margarita Fullana Riera (Spain) 12:33
28. Amanda Sin (Canada) 12:44
29. Mical Dyck (Canada) 13:25
30. Nina Homovec (Slovenia) 13:28
31. Anna Villar Argente (Spain) 13:55
32. Sabrina Enaux (France) 14:08
33. Laura Turpijn (Netherlands) 14:38
34. Janka Stevkova (Slovakia) 15:14
35. Elisabeth Brandau (Germany) 15:24
36. Ying Liu (People’s Republic Of China) 16:10
37. Nataliya Krompets (Ukraine) 16:49
38. Laura Lorenza Morfin Macouzet (Mexico) 16:57
39. Daniela Veronesi (San Marino) 17:18
40. Jean Ann McKirdy (Canada) 18:10
41. Georgia Gould (United States Of America) 20:04
42. Catherine Vipond (Canada) 20:40
43. Sandra Walter (Canada) -1 lap
44. Rowena Fry (Australia) -1 lap
45. Oksana Rybakova (Russian Federation) -1 lap
46. Heather Logie (Australia) -1 lap
47. Yolande Speedy (South Africa) -1 lap
48. Fiona MacDermid (New Zealand) -1 lap
49. Kelli Emmett (United States Of America) -1 lap
50. Allison Mann (United States Of America) -2 laps
51. Angela Parra (Colombia) -2 laps
52. Kate Potter (Australia) -2 laps
53. Katherine O’Shea (Australia) -2 laps
54. Jennifer Smith (New Zealand) -2 laps
55. Viviana Andrea Maya Tabares (Colombia) -2 laps
56. Nicola Leary (New Zealand) -2 laps
57. Tereza Hurikova (Czech Republic) -2 laps
58. Inbar Ronen (Israel) -3 laps
59. Carla Salgado Gonzalez (Mexico) -3 laps
60. Maaris Meier (Estonia) -4 laps
DNF Blaza Klemencic (Slovenia)
DNF Sarah Koba (Switzerland)
DNF Katie Compton (United States Of America)
DNF Maria Osl (Austria)
DNF Magdalena Sadlecka (Poland)
DNF Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Spain)
DNF Roberta Kelly Stopa (Brazil)