September 08, 2012 (Saalfelden, AUT) – The Elite Women’s UCI MTB XC World Championships are soon underway with sunny and warm conditions as defending champ Canada’s Catharine Pendrel will be looking to repeat and defend her title against a stacked field including London Olympic champ Julie Bresset (France), Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Norway), Sabine Spitz (Germany) and Irina Kalentieva (Russia). Also racing for Canada are Emily Batty, Marie-Helene Premont, Sandra Walter, Amanda Sin. The women will complete 1 start loop and 6 laps for a total of 29.3km…

Start Loop
Katrin Leumann (Sui) is off the front with Bresset and Dahle Flesjaa there and Pendrel just behind.

Now Spitz moves to the front with Adelheid Morath (Germany) behind.

A group of four leaders have formed at the front through the start loop Spitz, Morath, Bresset and Dahle Flesjaa

Pendrel and Batty are in the teens.

Lap 1

The four leaders finish the start loop in 5:54 lead by Spitz, with Morath in 2nd, then Bresset and Dahle Flesjaa.

Pendrel is 18th at 24s followed by Batty in 20th at 27s.

Bresset is challenging Spitz at the front as Morath struggles to keep the pace. Eva Lechner is 5th and moving up with the leaders.

Bresset is leading with Spitz in second Dahle Flesjaa in third and Lechner is 4th.

Pendrel is moving up…

Morath has been dropped as Bresset is in front w/Spitz second at 8s with Dahle Flesjaa and Lechner 4th

Pendrel is 14th at 57s

Bresset is pulling away on her own.

Georgia Gould (USA) and Katerina Nash (CZE) are 5th and 6th.

Pendrel and Batty are together in the teens.

Lap 2
Bresset is thru in 19:59 with a solid lead…

Then it’s Spitz at 17s, Lechner takes over 3rd and Dahle Flesjaa is 4th

Pendrel and Batty are still together in 15-16th at 1:30.

Lechner crashes and looks hurt…

Bresset is extending her lead.

Dahle Flesjaa and Spitz are battling for 2nd and 3rd.

Nash takes over 4th from Gould

Lap 3
It’s all Bresset as she’s riding smooth on her own at 34:12 with over 30s on her rivals.

Spitz takes back 2nd at 34s with Dahle Flesjaa in 3rd at 37s.

Gould takes back 4th at 1:32 from Nash in 4th at 1:33

Pendrel has moved up into 12th at 2min – Batty is 14th at 2:07

Nash crashes  but she’s back on the bike.

Now Spitz crashes and Dahle Flesjaa crashes into her – Spitz has a bent wheel and is running to the tech zone ahead.

Dahle Flesjaa is now alone in second as Gould is alone in 3rd.

Pendrel is now 6th in the lead chase group with Nash, Suss, Morath…

Bresset’s lead is now close to a minute

Pendrel is now 5th chasing down Esther Suss (SUI)

Lap 4
With three to go it’s Bresset on her own at 48:32 followed by Dahle Flesjaa at 56s.

Then it’s Gould on her own at 2:03 in third – she’s followed by Suss in 4th at 2:20 with Pendrel in 5th at 2:23.

A group of 5 or 6 riders are chasing at 2:40 including Nash, Kalentieva, Leumann, Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Pol) and Spitz

Bresset continues to lead…

Spitz is moving up – Lechner who recovered is also up there.

The chasers are gaining Pendrel lead by Morath.

Lap 5
Bresset is comfortable at 1:03:02 with a 59s lead over Dahle Flesjaa – Gould is 3rd at 2:34.

Suss is fourth at 2:47… then it’s Pendrel in 5th at 3:03.

A trio of riders are chasing Pendrel at 3:06 – Morath, Kalentieva and Spitz.

Lechner is 9th and Dawidowicz is 10th.

Morath has passed Pendrel to take over 5th… the others are closing fast.

The riders are tired causing slips ups…Morath struggles on a downhill section and is passed by several riders.

Dahle Flesjaa also runs into one of padded barriers but she’s ok and continues.

Pendrel is caught and passed and is now 11th – Kalentieva is 5th and Spitz is 6th – Suss remains in 4th but is being chased down.

Kalentieva has bridged to Suss.

Lap 6 FINAL
Bresset is on her last lap at 1:17:38… barring any mishap the U23 rider will add a rainbow jersey to her gold Olympic medal.

Then it’s Dahle Flesjaa in second at 1:26 followed by Gould at 2:56.

Suss and Kalentieva come thru together in 4th and 5th at 3:25

In 6th is Spitz at 3:41 with Lechner who battled back to 7th at 3:42.

Pendrel is 12th…

Gould slips and is off the bike for a second but now she’s going again…

Kalentieva is trying to chase down Suss.

Spitz crashes again… now Lechner goes down again.

Bresset is almost thru the lap…

Bresset takes it…

Results
1. Julie Bresset (France) 1:32:25
2. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Norway) 1:47
3. Georgia Gould (United States of America) 3:12
4. Esther Süss (Switzerland) 3:22
5. Irina Kalentieva (Russia) 3:23
6. Sabine Spitz (Germany) 3:45
7. Tereza Hurikova (Czech Republic) 3:50
8. Lea Davison (United States of America) 3:50
9. Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Poland) 4:03
10. Blaza Klemencic (Slovenia) 4:05

15. Catharine Pendrel (Canada)  4:51
18. Emily Batty (Canada) 5:42
35. Sandra Walter (Canada) 12:30
37. Amanda Sin (Canada)    -1 lap
38. Marie-Helene Premont (Canada)    -1 Lap

Full results HERE.