August 20/11 5:03 am - World Cup Val di Sole: Women's XC UPDATES

Posted by on 08/20/11
 

Another hot and sunny day in Val di Sole, 25C at 11 am

The women have just set out on the start loop and they they will set out for 5 full laps

Non-starter is Lene Byberg (Specialized Racing) possibly becasue of the stolen bike.  Sabine Spitz is missing, as well as Ren Chenguan -  most likely they chose to  prepare for World Champs in Champery Switzerland.

Lap 1

Eva Lechner (Colnago Farbe Sudtirol) at the front at the end of the start loop leading Heather Irmiger (Subaru - Trek), Annie Last (British National Team), Cécile Ravanel (GT Skoda Chamonix), Catharine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) Julie Bresset (BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry) 7th

Marie-Helene Premont (Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain) 11th

Emily Batty (Subaru - Trek)  25th

5:26 am

Pendrel has already established a large gap over Bresset as they head to the 1st  descent.  Bresset 3rd followed by Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Multivan Merida Biking Team)

Lap 2

Pendrel heads out onto lap 2 with a 22 sec gap on Bresset.  Dahle 4rd at 26 sec, Premont 4th at 41 sec, Irina Kalentieva (Topeak Ergon Racing Team) 5th at 49 sec, Heather Irmiger (Subaru - Trek) 6th at 51 sec, Last 7th at 54 sec, Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) at 58 sec

Batty moved up to 20th at 1:44

5:35 am

As they head up the climb Dahle and Bresset are together in 2nd at the bottom but Bresset starts to distance Dahle

Premont alone in 4th. with a chase group of 5 forming in 5th on

5:40  am

The race for 5th has gotten bigger as a number of riders are now together World Champ Maja Wloszczowska (CCC Polkowice) has joined a now group of 8 or more

Pendrel has opened the gap a bit more, now 30 sec

Batty is gradually picking up spots and Catherine Vipond (Norco Factory Team) is riding very well, sitting 38th

5:44 am

Dahle has opened up a gap on Bresset on the 1st descent

Wloszczowska has overtaken Prmont for 4th

Lap 3

Pendrel heading out onto the 3rd lap with a gap of 40 sec on Dahle and Bresset has slipped back to 3rd at 51 sec.  Wloszczowska 4th at 1:15, Nash 5th at 1:31, Kalentieva 6th and Premont 7th both at s.t., Eva Lechner (Colnago Farbe Sudtirol) 8th at 1:37

Lea Davison (Specialized Racing) 9th, Heather Irmiger (Subaru - Trek) 10th, Katherine Compton (Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team) 12th

Batty 17th at 2:44 back

Vipond 33rd

5:54 am

Wloszczowska is moving up on Bresset, now well alone in 3rd spot

6:05 am

Lap 4

Starting the 4th lap

Pendrel heads out on the 2nd last lap (of 5) with a gap of 1:05 over Dahle

Bresset and Wloszczowska together at 1:27

Eva Lechner (Colnago Farbe Sudtirol) 5th at 1:53

Irina Kalentieva (Topeak Ergon Racing Team) 6th at 2:11

Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) 7th at 2:23

Marie-Helene Premont (Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain) 8th at 2:27

Lea Davison (Specialized Racing) 9th at 2:33

Heather Irmiger (Subaru - Trek)  10th

Emily Batty (Subaru - Trek) now 15th

Catherine Vipond (Norco Factory Team) 33rd

6:13 am

Bresset and Wloszczowska on the climb and gaining a bit of ground on Dahle in 2nd

Lechner still 5th and looking comfortable with a large group (more or less) all together in 6th through 12th

6:17 am

Wloszczowska has dropped Bresset and is now making a move on Dahle in 2nd

6:19 am

Lechner has just entered the pits with a mechanical.  She has held onto 5th spot, but Kalentieva is now much closer

Dahle and Wloszczowska have closed the gap to Pendrel as they head to the end of the lap.  gap 30 sec?

6:24 am

Last Lap

Pendrel starts the final lap with a gap of 17 seconds on Dahl and Wloszczowska,  Bresset at 32 sec

Lechner 5th at 1:30.  Davison 6th at 1:47, Nash 7th at 1:55, Kalentieva 8th at 1:55

Premont 12th, Batty 14th

Maja Wloszczowska, reigning World Champion has not been aon a podium all year, so with her last chance she is making a huge effort to catch Pendrel and make it a win.

6:33 am

Pendrel has picked up the pace and it looks like has opened up the gap to now Wloszczowska in 2nd,  Dahle a few seconds back in 3rd now.

6:38 am

Pendrel heading to the finish with a comfortable gap

Finish

1 Catharine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team), 1:25:07

2 Maja Wloszczowska (CCC Polkowice) at 0:29

3 Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Multivan Merida Biking Team), 0:42

4 Julie Bresset (BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry), 1:15

5 Eva Lechner (Colnago Farbe Sudtirol), 1:51

Course Profile

Course map