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World Cup XC # 3 - B

Houffalize, Belgium, May 29, 2005

Main Page    Results    Next Race

Race 1 - Women

Dahle handles the heat

By Rob Jones in Houffalize

Gunn-Rita Dahle
Photo ©: Rob Jones
Click for larger image

Houffalize is known more for rain and mud, and sunscreen is not usually a requirement, but today riders were wilting in 30-plus degree (Celsius) heat and choking on dust. The heat didn't affect Gunn-Rita Dahle (Multivan Merida), who took her second consecutive victory over the women's field, and extended her lead over Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain-Business Objects).

Dahle was one rider who didn't seem to mind the heat, appearing to ride away from the rest of the field with ease on the first climb of the short opening lap.

"I got a little gap from the beginning, so I could do my own race," she said. "But it was not an easy win. They were chasing me all race, and any small mistakes could have made a big difference. I love winning here, it is one of my favourite races. It is hard going up, and hard going down, but fun to ride all the way around."

Marga Fullana (K2-Zero RH+) was the only rider to try to stay on Dahle's wheel, but she quickly dropped back to a chase group, containing Premont, Sabine Spitz (Specialized), Alison Sydor (Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) and Dahle's team mate Irina Kalentieva. Sydor dropped back from this group to ride her own pace, as did Fullana.

Sabine Spitz (Specialized)
Photo ©: Rob Jones
Click for larger image

Spitz then rode Premont and Kalentieva off her wheel on the climb in the first full lap (of four), but suffered from chainsuck on the descent and had to get off her bike, allowing the other two to catch back on.

"It wasn't an attack either time, I just got out of the saddle on the long climb and rode my own pace. I got a small gap at first and just continued riding my own race."

Spitz rode back up to Premont and Kalentieva, and then rode away again on the following lap, this time staying clear. Kalentieva opened a small gap on Premont, which the Canadian could not close.

Behind the front four riders, American Mary McConneloug (Kenda) was steadily making her way up through the field after a poor start. McConneloug, the lone U.S. entry in the women's race at the Athens Games, managed to get by a fading Marga Fullana in the third lap to grab the fifth and final spot on the podium - her first ever podium in a European World Cup.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com

Results

1 Gunn-Rita Dahle (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team          1.43.21
2 Sabine Spitz (Ger) Specialized Factory Racing                 1.12
3 Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Multivan Merida Biking Team            1.42
4 Marie-Hélène Premont (Can) Rocky Mountain Business Objects    1.57
5 Mary McConneloug (USA) Seven                                  3.48
6 Margarita Fullana (Spa) K2-Zero Rh                            5.22
7 Petra Henzi (Swi) Fischer-Bmc                                 6.28
8 Alison Sydor (Can) Rocky Mountain Business Objects            6.38
9 Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Lotto                                 7.20
10 Maroussia Rusca (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team               7.26
11 Kiara Bisaro (Can) Grars Racing                              7.34
12 Maria Östergren (Swe)                                        7.43
13 Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) Lotto                               8.15
14 Rosara Joseph (NZl)                                          8.22
15 Ren Chengyuan (Chn)                                          8.32
16 Bernardine Boog-Rauwerda (Ned)                               8.46
17 Ivonne Kraft (Ger)                                           8.58
18 Nina Göhl (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team                  8.59
19 Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Lapierre International                   9.05
20 Lene Byberg (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team                9.31
21 Wang Jingjing (Chn)                                          9.41
22 Sandra Klose (Ger)                                           9.59
23 Kelli Emmett (USA)                                          10.08
24 Patricia Sinclair (Can)                                     10.33
25 Annabella Stropparo (Ita)                                   10.45
26 Anna Enocsson (Swe) Ghost International Racing Team         10.48
27 Laurence Leboucher (Fra) Heijdens-Ten Tusscher              10.52
28 Franziska Roethlin (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team           11.03
29 Sonia Foote (NZl)                                           11.05
30 Robyn Wong (NZl)                                            11.32
31 Katrin Leumann (Swi) Fischer-Bmc                            12.12
32 Evelyn Staffler (Ita)                                       12.17
33 Katrin Schwing (Ger)                                        12.20
34 Eva Lechner (Ita)                                           12.46
35 Gao Xiaoning (Chn)                                          13.04
36 Cristina Mascarreras Sabria (Spa)                           14.17
37 Saskia Elemans (Ned)                                        14.27
38 Elisabeth Osl (Aut)                                         14.32
39 Adelheid Morath (Ger)                                       14.47
40 Pavla Havlikova (Cze)                                       14.58
41 Bärbel Jungmeier (Aut)                                      15.17
42 Severine Hansen (Fra)                                       15.32
43 Sarah Koba (Swi)                                            16.22
44 Nathalie Schneitter (Swi)                                   16.53
45 Caroline Jackson (GBr)                                      16.57
46 Catherine Delfosse (Bel) Massi-Abarth                       17.16
47 Kathy Sherwin (USA)                                         17.19
48 Elena Gaddoni (Ita)                                         17.22
49 Ariëlle Van Meurs (Ned)                                     18.02
50 Sarka Chmurova (Cze) Max Cursor                             18.19
51 Emilie Siegenthaler (Swi)                                   18.49
52 Elina Sophokleous (Cyp) Bikin'cyprus Int.                   19.04
53 Jenny Copnall (GBr) Subaru-Gary Fisher                      19.12
54 Nina Homovec (Slo)                                          19.27
55 Cécile Rode (Fra) Orbea                                     20.31
56 Carissa Wilkes (NZl)                                        21.25
57 Caroline Besseyrias (Fra)                                   22.01
58 Petra Hofs (Ned)                                            23.59
 
1 lap behind
 
59 Jenny Mccauley (Irl)                                             
60 Emma Colson (Aus)                                                
61 Erica Österlund (Swe)                                            
62 Sandra Walter (Can)                                              
63 Tereza Jansova (Cze)                                             
64 Marlena Pyrgies (Pol)                                            
65 Maureen Guichardot (Fra)                                         
66 Valentina Salvagni (Ita)                                         
67 Ruth Mcgavigan (GBr)                                             
68 Nina Kunz (Ger)                                                  
69 Jenni King (Aus)                                                 
 
2 laps behind
 
70 Laura Turpijn (Ned)                                              
71 Genevieve Whitson (NZl)                                          
72 Karin Groen (Ned)                                                
73 Lidy Spierings (Ned)                                             
74 Hazel Wakefield (GBr)                                            
75 Sigrid Rondelez (Bel)                                            
76 Ingrid Bosscha (Ned)                                             
 
3 laps behind
 
77 Siegrid Huber (Aut)                                              
DNF Elena Giacomuzzi (Ita)                                          
DNF Anna Szafraniec (Pol) Lotto                                     
DNF Nadja Walker (Swi) Athleticum-Mtb-Team                          
DNF Daniela Louis (Swi)                                             
DNF Maria Osl (Aut)                                                 
DNF Rebecca Mcconnell (Aus)                                         
DNS Brechje Kaastra (Ned)                                           
 
World Cup standings after round 3
 
1 Gunn-Rita Dahle (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Te                700 pts
2 Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Rocky Mountain Business Objects     600
3 Sabine Spitz (Ger) Specialized Factory Racin                   520
4 Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Multivan Merida Biking Te               490
5 Mary Mcconneloug (USA) Seven Cycles                            305
6 Maja Wsoszczowska (Pol) Lotto                                  290
7 Margarita Fullana (Spa) K2-Zero Rh+                            285
8 Lene Byberg (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Te                    248
9 Petra Henzi (Swi) Fischer-Bmc                                  209
10 Bernardine Boog-Rauwerda (Ned)                                206
11 Annabella Stropparo (Ita)                                     189
12 Katrin Leumann (Swi) Fischer-Bmc                              183
13 Ivonne Kraft (Ger)                                            182
14 Kiara Bisaro (Can) Gears Racing                               181
15 Alison Sydor (Can) Rocky Mountain Business Objects            175
16 Maroussia Rusca (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team                165
17 Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) Lotto                                165
18 Katrin Schwing (Ger)                                          161
19 Adelheid Morath (Ger)                                         158
20 Robyn Wong (NZl)                                              144
21 Sonia Foote (NZl)                                             141
22 Maria Oestergren (Swe)                                        138
23 Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Lapierre International                    137
24 Cristina Mascarreras Sabria (Spa)                             134
24 Barbel Jungmeier (Aut)                                        134
26 Severine Hansen (Fra)                                         132
27 Saskia Elemans (Ned)                                          123
28 Anna Szafraniec (Pol) Lotto                                   118
29 Nina Goehl (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Te                    113
30 Nicole Cooke (GBr)                                            111
31 Kelli Emett (USA)                                             107
32 Patricia Sinclairs (Can)                                      103
33 Evelyn Staffler (Ita)                                         100
34 Sarka Chmurova (Cze) Max Cursor                                95
35 Sandra Klose (Ger)                                             92
36 Franziska Roethlin (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team              91
37 Cecile Rode (Fra) Orbea                                        90
38 Elisabeth Osl (Aut)                                            88
39 Elena Giacomuzzi (Ita)                                         86
40 Laura Turpijn (Ned)                                            85
41 Eva Lechner (Ita)                                              81
42 Sarah Koba (Swi)                                               80
43 Nina Homovec (Slo)                                             76
44 Laurence Leboucher (Fra) Heijdens-Ten Tusscher                 75
45 Asa Erlandsson (Spa)                                           75
46 Jenny Copnall (GBr) Subaru-Gary Fisher                         73
47 Nadja Walker (Swi) Athleticum-Mtb-Team                         70
48 Arielle Van Meurs (Ned)                                        64
49 Elina Sophocleous (Cyp) Bikin'cyprus Int.                      62
50 Rosara Joseph (NZl)                                            62
51 Ren Chengyuan (Chn)                                            61
52 Catherine Delfosse (Bel) Massi-Abarth                          59
53 Caroline Jackson (GBr)                                         57
54 Wang Jingjing (Chn)                                            55
55 Susan Haywood (USA)                                            52
56 Anna Enocsson (Swe) Ghost International Racin                  50
57 Joseph Rosara (NZl)                                            50
58 Maaris Meier (Est) Alexela Pro Team                            46
59 Daniela Louis (Swi)                                            44
60 Trish Sinclair (Can)                                           42
61 Gao Xiaoning (Chn)                                             41
62 Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Spa)                                    40
63 Pavla Havlikova (Cze)                                          36
64 Ruth Moll Marques (Spa)                                        35
65 Maria Osl (Aut)                                                34
66 Nathalie Schneitter (Swi)                                      32
67 Petra Hofs (Ned)                                               32
68 Sandra Walter (Can)                                            31
69 Beth Mc Cluskey (Irl)                                          31
70 Hazel Wakefield (GBr)                                          30
71 Kathy Sherwin (USA)                                            29
72 Katy Middlehurst (GBr)                                         28
73 Elena Gaddoni (Ita)                                            28
74 Emilie Siegenthaler (Swi)                                      27