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September 2/10 9:50 am - MTB World Championships: U23 Women XC UPDATES

Posted by Editoress on 09/2/10

Welcome to our coverage of the U23 Women's XC

Our coverage of the 2010 World Championships brought to you with the support of Shimano

The heat here is Mont-Ste-Anne has backed off a bit and we have light cloud cover. Some rain is in the forcast for later in the day so that will be a welcome relief and help keep down some of the dust that has been plaguing the riders.

36 riders on the list to start, with 5 Canadians. Emily Batty, Mikaela Kofman, Rebecca Beaumont, Ashley Barson, Cassandre Olivier-Lapierre, Andréanne Pichette.

The favourite is the 2008 champion Tanja Zakelj (Slovenia), but she will be under pressure from Alexandra Engen (Sweden) and Emily Batty (Canada) as well as the strong Swiss contingent.

They will do a start loop of 3km (the western part of the course which is also the last 3 km of the full course ) and then 4 full laps of the 4.8 km course

Start loop

They are off and Annie Last (Great Britain) has gotten the holeshot followed by Judith Pollinger (Italy) and a steady line of riders. Emily Batty (Canada) did not get a good start and is sitting ~ 19th

10:06 am

Through the rock garden: Vivienne Meyer (Switzerland) leading followed by Tanja Zakelj (Slovenia), Alexandra Engen (Sweden), Annie Last (Great Britain). Paula Gorycka (Poland) is at 10 sec. Emily Batty 11th

Rebecca Beaumont (Canada) appears to have has some difficulty (mechanical or crash) and is sitting in last place

Lap 1

As they head out onto the first full lap it is Vivienne Meyer (Switzerland) is leading Tanja Zakelj (Slovenia) by 2 sec. Annie Last (Great Britain) is 3rd at 6 sec

Batty 8th at 46 sec back, Koffman 17th at 1:18, Andréanne Pichette (Canada) 24th, Ashley Barson (Canada) 29th, Cassandre Olivier-Lapierre (Canada) 34th, Rebecca Beaumont (Canada) 36th

10:19 am

Through the singletrack

Annie Last (Great Britain) now leading followed by Vivienne Meyer (Switzerland), Tanja Zakelj (Slovenia), Alexandra Engen (Sweden) and Paula Gorycka (Poland). Batty still sitting 8th. Kofman 18th, Pichette 24th, Ashley Barson (Canada) 35th but appears to have crashed

10:25 am

Through the Rock Garden: Last leading Meyer by 15 sec. Zakelj 3rd at 20 sec, Engen 4th at 50 sec. Batty 9th at 1:45 back

Kofman 18th at 3 min

Tech/Feedzone 10: 30 am

Last is pulling away from a group of chasers ( Meyer, Zakelj and Engen) at 38 sec. Batty still 9th at 2 min back

Lap 2

As they start the 2nd lap: Last leading Zakelj by 41 sec. Meyer 3rd at 43 sec. Engen 4th at 45 sec. Gorycka 5th at 1:25

Batty 9th at 2: 01 back. Kofman 17th, Pichette 25th, Barson 29th, Beaumont 32nd, Olivier-Lapierre 35th

CC spoke with the CDN National team coach and Emily Batty has been sick with a virus (reason for missing WIndham) and is still really congested.

10:40 am

First time through the feed/tech zone ~ 2 km

Last leading Engen by 30 sec. Zakelj now 3rd at 54 sec. Meyer 4th at 1:06.

Batty still 9th, Kofman 15th at 4:30 back

At the Zig Zag climb (3.5 km) at 10:45 am

Last leading Engen by 35 sec. Zakelj 3rd at 1:10, Meyer 4th at 1:30, Gorycka 5th at 2 min

10:50 am

Through the feedzone for the 2nd time Last leading Engen by 30 sec, Zakelj 3rd at 1:15

Lap 3

Heading out on the 2nd last lap

Annie Last leading Engen by 30 sec. Zakelj 3rd at 1:20. Meyer 4th at 2:04, Gorycka 5th at 2:08

Batty 9th at 2:56 back, Kofman 15th at 5:44, Pichette 25th, Beaumont 30th, Lydia Tanner (United States Of America) 31st, Olivier-Lapierre 32nd, Sage Wilderman (United States Of America) 34th, Barson 35th,

Lots of riders with bloody knees

11am - Through tech/feedzone for the first time

Annie Last and Alexandra Engen are riding together now. Tanja Zakelj is 3rd at 1:39 back. Paula Gorycka 4th - she is really dirty from a crash

Batty is moving up. Now sitting 7th and closing in on the 6th place rider.

11:07 am

At the ZigZag climb. Engen leading Last by 5 sec. Zakelj 3rd at 2 min. Gorycka 4th at 2:15, Kathrin Stirnemann (Switzerland) 5th at 3:15, Batty 6th at 3:20, Fanny Bourdon (France) 7th at s.t., Barbara Benko (Hungary) 8th

2nd time through the Feed/Tech zone

Last and Engen together as they head to teh end of the 3rd lap

Final Lap

As they start the final lap:

Engen leading Last by 2 sec. Zakelj 3rd at 2:10, Gorycka 4th at 2:25, Batty 6th at 3:36 back,

Fanny Bourdon (France) 7th at 3:48, Barbara Benko (Hungary) 8th, Katarzyna Solus-Miskowiez (Poland) 9th, Vera Andreeva (Russian Federation) 10th,

Kofman 14th, Pichette 26th

11:19 am

At the feedzone (2 km) for the first time it is Engen leading Last by 30 sec. Zakelj and Gorycka together at 2:51. Batty is now 5th at 3:40 back

Kofman 13th

Final

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