April 27/08 8:55am EDT - Offenberg World Cup: Women's XC report, photos and results

Posted by Editoress on 4/27/08.

World Cup #2 - Offenburg

Coverage brought to you with the assistance of Velirium

Photos Part one, Part two

Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain) was one step closer to the top step of the podium today at the World Cup in Offenburg, Germany with her second place finish to world champion Irina Kalentieva (Topeak Ergon). Kalentieva also took over the lead in the World Cup after last week's winner Chengyuan Ren (China) finished third. Canada put a second rider in the top-10 with Catharine Pendrel's (Luna) strong 8th place.

The weather stayed nice this year in Offenburg, making for a very dry and fast track. The women faced six laps of the 5.1 kilometre circuit, after two short start loop laps.

Unlike last week, where one rider - Marga Fullana (Massi) - established an early lead, this year it was four riders who broke away - Kalentieva, Premont, Fullana and Lui Ying (China). Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Multivan Merida) couldn't quite get onto the train, while Ren had a poor start, getting swarmed in the start loops and falling back into the high 20s. Dahle would ride only a couple of laps before dropping out - a victim of illness which has hit the Multivan Merida squad.

The front four steadily opened a gap on a chase group containing Pendrel, her team mate Georgia Gould, Lene Byberg (Specialized) and initially Nathalie Schneitter (Colnago Cap Arreghini). Pendrel, Gould and Byberg shuffled positions over the first few laps, while other favourites such as Ren and Sabine Spitz (Ghost) gradually worked their way up.

On lap four Kalentieva decided it was time to open things up, and only Premont was able to respond. Fullana and Liu gradually fell off the pace, while Ren was having a phenomenal ride, rocketing up past other riders to move into third late in the fifth lap, 30 seconds behind Premont and a minute behind Kalentieva. Could the Chinese rider pull the same amazing feat as the week before and take the lead in the final lap?

Unfortunately for Ren, no, after a bad crash onto her face slowed her down, as she came across the line with blood streaming from her upper lip and nose. Fullana hung on for fourth, followed by Lui.

"It was another good ride for me," commented Premont afterwards. "I am still improving and getting stronger, so hopefully I will get the win that I did not get last year. This is my goal for this season."

Premont also found the dry conditions less to her liking. "I prefer it when it is wetter and the ground is a little more slippery. Yesterday was better for me. Today it was very dry and the ground was very hard."

Catharine Pendrel made a strategic decision in the race after blowing up in the last lap a week earlier and dropping from seventh to 13th. "I had a strong start, to make sure that I got a good position and avoided the traffic, and then I rode with Georgia, Sabine and Lene. I was feeling good, but when Lene and Sabine went I realized that I had to ride my own race to make sure that I could have a better finish."

Race Note:
Alison Sydor has only just been back on her bike after 3 weeks of illness. After Cape Epic she was ill, then developed an infected tooth which was exacted, but then she had a bad reaction to the freezing.

1. Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team2:00:19
2. Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Rocky Mountainat 0:33
3. Ren Chengyuan (Chn) China1:20
4. Margarita Fullana (Esp) Massi1:38
5. Ying Liu (Chn) China1:58
6. Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Ghost Pro Team2:27
7. Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Factory Racing2:32
8. Catherine Pendrel (Can) Luna Womens MTB Team3:49
9. Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Team Ghost International4:16
10. Nathalie Schneitter (Sui) Colnago Cap Arreghini4:37
11. Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna MTB4:58
12. Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Halls Professional MTB Team5:06
13. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Womens MTB Team5:24
14. Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Giant Italia Team5:47
15. Cécile Rode Ravanel (Fra) Team Lapierre International6:06
16. Mary McConneloug (USA) Kenda Seven6:26
17. Petra Henzi (Sui) Fischer-BMC6:39
18. Kiara Bisaro (Can) Opus6:58
19. Maroussia Rusca (Sui) 7:16
20. Jingjing Wang (Chn) China7:38
21. Laura Turpijn (Ned) 8:03
22. Wendy Simms (Can) Kona8:23
23. Katrin Leumann (Sui) 8:47
24. Esther S?ss (Sui) 9:08
25. Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Sui) Bikepark.Ch BMC9:25
26. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Womens MTB Team9:37
27. Adelheid Morath (Ger) 9:53
28. Sandra Walter (Can) X.O-Felt10:10
29. Mical Dyck (Can) Terrascape Trek11:00
30. Nina Homovec (Slo) 11:00
37. Emily Batty (Can) Trek Store12:33
41. Alison Sydor (Can) Rocky Mountain12:56
50. Amanda Sin (Can) 3 Rox Racing15:37


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