April 27/08 10:42 am - Offenburg World Cup: Women's XC report., photos and full results

Posted by Editoress on 04/27/08
 

World Cup #2 - Offenburg

Coverage brought to you with the assistance of Velirium

Photos

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."