April 25/10 5:42 am - World Cup Dalby: Women's XC UPDATES

Posted by Editoress on 04/25/10
 

The Women are about to start their 5 lap race (2 km start loop + 5 laps of the 6.82 km course)  Total race distance: 2.15 km + 5 x 6.82 km = 36.25 km

Rain first thing this morning, which has taken care of the dust.  It has backed off now and a little bit of sun is poking through, but don't know if it will last.  Definitely cooler than the last few days, only about 11C right now (1 hour before race).

The women are off, a large pack of 90.

Start loop

A long line finishing the start loop led by Heather Irmiger followed by Eva Lechner, Irina Kalentieva, Willow Koerber, Katrin Leumann, Cécile Ravanel, .  Emily Batty is 10th just off the pace (a small gap) of the leaders.

Catharine Pendrel did not have a good start and is sitting 32nd, 24 sec back. Marie-Helene Premont 41st at 31 sec back

Amanda Sin 44th at 33 sec back

Lap 1

Through Worry Gill: A lead group of 5 is starting to establish itself.  Irmiger, Kalentieva, Koerber, Lechner

Emily Batty is sitting ~ 8th now

6:05 am

Koerber and Irmiger together at the front now, with Kalentieva following.  Nash, Leuman and Lechner at 5 seconds

Batty sitting ~ 6th a few more seconds back

6:10 am:  Koerber now has a small gap on Irmiger and Kalentieva as they head toward the line to finish lap 1

Lap 2

As they start lap 2, the 3  are together crossing the line.  Nash 4th at 5 sec. Julie Bresset  5th, Lechner 6th, Leumann 7th, Batty 8th at 26 sec back.  Pendrel 10th now at 41 sec back, followed by Gould and McConneloug, Osl 17th.  Premont 22nd at 1:05 with Byberg 23rd.  Sin 36th, Vipond 56th, Cindy Montambault 80th

6:19 am:  The trio at the front are gradually opening their gap wider to the chasers.  Nash still 4th,

Pendrel has had a crash and has dropped back to 12th

6:29 am

Through Rabbit Run:  Koerber is opening a gap on Kalentieva, with Irmiger dropping off the pace as they head to the end of the 2nd lap.  Nash, Bresset and Lechner are closing in on her

6:33 am

Koerber and Kalentieva together at the front.  Group of 4 now chasing with Lechner at the front

Lap 3

Two leaders with the 4 chasers now at 21 sec.    Gould 8th at 36 sec, Pendrel 9th at 1 min, Batty 10th at 1:03, Premont 13th at 1:29  .  2009 World Cup winner Elisabeth Osl 14th, Lene Byberg 16th, Sin 34th, Vipond 51st,

6:41 am:  Gould has joined the chase group

At the top  of Worry Gill Koerber still leading with Kalentieva on her wheel.  Koerber takes the chicken route and gets passed by Kalentieva who takes the more technical route and gains advantage.

6:51 am

Back through Worry Gill and Kalentieva is still in the front , with Koerber on her wheel.  Chase group still 6 riders, with Pendrel just tailed off their back

Top riders head over the Rabbit Run bridge: They should be heading to the finish line shortly

Lap 4

Koerber leading Kalentieva across the line to start the 4th lap.  1:10:45 is the time.  Chasers hit the line at 36 sec.  Lechner has been dropped.  Premont now 10th and crosses with Maja Wloszczowska.  Mcconneloug 12th and Batty 13th cross at 1:42 back

Osl 14th, Byberg 15th

7am.  Pendrel now at the front of the chase group pushing the pace.

Premont has dropped Wloszczowska as they head up the climb

7:04 am

Pendrel is really pushing the pace and the chase bunch is starting to break up.  The 3 Luna riders are now leading the chase with Leumann, Bresset and Irmiger tailing off on the climb

7:12 am  2nd trip through Worry Gill with Koerber leading, but Kalentieva on her wheel.  Pendrel now 3rd has closed the gap with Nash on her wheel and Gould just back and the gap ~ 25 sec.  They will soon hit the line to start the last lap

7:17 am

Heading to the line and lKalentieva has attacked and has gapped Koerber

Last Lap

Kalentieva has a 5 sec gap on Koerber.  A chase group of 3 Luna riders led by Gould at 34 sec.  Bresset 6th at 41 sec, Leumann 7th at 1:04, Irmiger 8th at 1:17, Premont 9th at 1:32, Lechner 10th at 1:55, Wloszczowska 11th at 2:06

Batty 15th at 2:40, Sin 32nd, Vipond 43rd,

7:26am   Through Worry Gill - At the top the two leaders were together until Koerber took the chicken line  and Kalentieva got a gap of 2 or 3 sec by taking the more technical route.

7:35 am:  Through Worry Gill for the 2nd time and Kalentieva has a 6 sec gap on Koerber.  The 3 chasers still together at 30 sec

7:38 am  Through the Rabbit Run, Gould and Nash have dropped Pendrel

7:40 am  Through Dixon's Hollow for the final time and the gap now 10 sec from Kalentieva and Koerber

Finish

1 Irina Kalentieva    (Rus)    Topeak Ergon Racing Team

2 Willow Koerber    (USA)    Subaru-Gary Fisher, at 11 sec

3 Katerina Nash    (Cze) Luna Pro Team, 0:28

4 Georgia Gould    (USA)    Luna Pro Team, 0:29

5 Julie Bresset *    (Fra)    BH-Suntour, 0:53

6 Catharine Pendrel    (Can)    Luna Pro Team, 0:57

8 Marie-Helene Premont    (Can)    Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain, 1:37

15 Emily Batty     (Can)    Trek World Racing, 3:28