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MTB World Cup XC #3 & DH #2 - CDM
Champéry, Switzerland, June 9-10, 2007
Race 1 - June 9: Elite Women Cross Country, 36.5km
Full(ana) steam ahead
By Rob Jones in Champéry, Switzerland
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Round three of the cross-country mountain bike World Cup in Champéry, Switzerland, saw Marga Fullana (Spiuk-Tau Ceramica) don the leader's jersey in the women's category after an impressive race-long ride from the front.
The women's race was wide open, with the absence of perennial favourite Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Multivan Merida) who has cut her season short to return to Norway and seek medical advice on persistent stomach problems.
The technical nature of the course made round two winner Irina Kalentyeva (Topeak-Ergon) and Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain-Haywood) the favourites, but it was Fullana who prevailed after 36.5 kilometres (six laps plus a start loop).
The Spanish rider had her patented fast start up the first climb, but this time was not caught by the technical riders in the following singletrack, rooted descent. The difference? "I know that I am not so good in the technical parts, so last winter we worked very hard to improve in this area."
It obviously worked, with Fullana cruising in 19 seconds ahead of Kalentyeva and 1:10 in front of Premont. World Cup leader Ren Chengyuan struggled in the early going, dropping as far back as the high 40s, before recovering to finish 14th.
As Fullana attacked, a chase organized behind, with Kalentyeva, Premont, and Sabine Spitz (Ghost International). Premont was struggling on the climb, and was dropped by the other two after the first lap. "I woke up with a headache, from the altitude I think, but it was more that this climb was too steep for me. I like climbs, but the speed was very fast on the first laps, and I overpaced myself. Then I made a mistake in the roots and they (Kalentyeva and Spitz) got a gap on me."
Premont recovered in the second half of the race to move back up and finish third.
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On the third lap, Kalentyeva gapped Spitz to chase on her own after Fullana, who was now nearly a minute up. She steadily pulled back time every lap to come close to catching the Spaniard. Spitz was having her own difficulties with the course, crashing in the third lap on the descent after a camera flash went off in her face, and being passed by Premont on the climb on lap four.
The final podium spot looked to be locked up by German Ivonne Kraft. She had ridden consistently all race in fifth, although Americans Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven) and Willow Koerber (Subaru-Gary Fisher), and Austrian Elisabeth Osl (Tonis) were starting to breathe down her neck. McConneloug came within 15 seconds of Kraft when cramps hit on lap five, then Koerber and Osl were within sight on the last lap, when Kraft suffered a very inopportune flat.
Koerber and Osl took over the battle for fifth, with the American getting to the front before the final descent and then opening a gap on Osl, to take her first ever European World Cup podium.
"Last race (in Offenburg, Germany) I thought the race was shorter than it was, and I ran out of energy. this time I thought it was longer, so I had double extra energy! When they (leaders) went away, I was trying not to panic, and just ride my own pace; just to be me, do my ride and let it come back to me. On the last lap we could see we were gaining, and then saw her (Kraft) stop. I attacked on the last little paved bit of the climb and got into the downhill first, and that was it."
Race Notes
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- The World Cup overall battle is still tight, with Fullana at 560 points, Kalentyeva at 514, and Premont at 490. The advantage seems to be with Premont, with the next two events in Canada, on circuits on which she has won previously, including two World Cup wins at her home course in Mont Ste Anne, Quebec.
- Ren Chengyuan's surprisingly slow start was "a bad day" according to the team manager. "No, there were no mechanical problems, she was just not so good today. Maybe it was the altitude a little bit." Chengyuan takes over the U23 World Cup leader's jersey.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com
- Georgia Gould (Luna Women's MTB Team)
- Amazing scenery in the Swiss Alps.
- Margarita Fullana (Spiuk-Tau Ceramica)
- Sabine Spitz (Ghost International Racin)
- Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain Haywood)
- Katerina Nash (Luna Women's MTB Team)
- Irina Kalentyeva (Topeak-Ergon)
- Ying Liu (China)
- Mary McConneloug (Kenda Seven)
- Lene Byberg (Specialized)
- Kiara Bisaro (Opus)
- Maja Wloszczowska (Halls Professional MTB Team)
- Susan Haywood (Trek-VW)
- Ivonne Kraft
- Willow Koerber (Subaru-Gary Fisher)
- Shonny Vanlandingham (Luna Women's MTB Team)
- A delighted Margarita Fullana (Spiuk-Tau Ceramica) takes the win and the World Cup lead.
- Sabine Spitz and Irina Kalentyeva.
- Ren Chengyuan (China) struggled on the technical course and lost the World Cup lead.
- Rosara Joseph.
- Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain Haywood)
- Elisabeth Osl (Tonis Pro Team Kirchberg) was the first-placed espoir (under 23 rider).
- The Champéry podium (l-r): Sabine Spitz, Irina Kalentyeva, Margarita Fullana, Marie-Helene Premont and Willow Koerber.
- Ren Chengyuan retained her position as top espoir in the World Cup standings.
- New World Cup leader Margarita Fullana (Spiuk-Tau Ceramica).
Results - 36.5km
1 Margarita Fullana (Spa) Spiuk-Tau Ceramica 1.55.49 2 Irina Kalentyeva (Rus) Topeak-Ergon 0.19 3 Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Rocky Mountain Haywood 1.10 4 Sabine Spitz (Ger) Ghost International Racing 2.19 5 Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 4.25 6 Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Tonis Pro Team Kirchberg 4.41 7 Mary McConneloug (USA) Kenda Seven 5.32 8 Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna Mtb 5.44 9 Ivonne Kraft (Ger) La Carrera-BTS 6.08 10 Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Womens Mtb Team 6.17 11 Kiara Bisaro (Can) Opus 6.37 12 Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Womens Mtb Team 6.52 13 Catherine Pendrel (Can) Norco 7.10 14 Ren Chengyuan (Chn) China 7.27 15 Petra Henzi (Swi) Fischer-BMC 7.30 16 Cécile Rode Ravanel (Fra) Team Lapierre International 7.36 17 Ying Liu (Chn) China 7.44 18 Laura Turpijn (Ned) 8.00 19 Katrin Leumann (Swi) 8.25 20 Rosara Joseph (NZl) 9.08 21 Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 9.30 22 Eva Lechner (Ita) 10.33 23 Jingjing Wang (Chn) China 10.47 24 Sandra Walter (Can) XO Felt 11.00 25 Susan Haywood (USA) Trek-VW 11.23 26 Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Pintatim Full-Dynamix 12.06 27 Anna Szafraniec (Pol) Halls Professional MTB Team 12.16 28 Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized 12.41 29 Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) Halls Professional MTB Team 12.48 30 Laurence Leboucher (Fra) 12.59 31 Anna Enocsson (Swe) Ghost International Racing 13.04 32 Nina Homovec (Slo) 13.18 33 Maroussia Rusca (Swi) 13.34 34 Maria Osl (Aut) Tonis Pro Team Kirchberg 13.58 35 Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) 14.32 36 Katrin Schwing (Ger) 14.42 37 Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Team Lapierre International 14.45 38 Wendy Simms (Can) Kona Les Gets 14.46 39 Renata Bucher (Swi) 14.52 40 Evelyn Staffler (Ita) 15.03 41 Dellys Starr (Aus) 15.26 42 Janka Stevkova (Svk) 15.30 43 Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) Luna Womens Mtb Team 16.17 44 Esther Süss (Swi) 16.42 45 Maureen Guichardot (Fra) Scott Valloire Galibier 17.20 46 Séverine Hansen (Fra) Bh-Sr. Suntour 17.28 One lap down 47 Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Spa) 48 Tory Thomas (Aus) Bh-Sr. Suntour 49 Ruth Moll Marques (Spa) Bh-Sr. Suntour 50 Jenny Copnall (GBr) Subaru-Gary Fisher 51 Nina Göhl (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team 52 Laura Metzler (Fra) Bh-Sr. Suntour 53 Sarka Chmurova (Cze) Max Cursor 54 Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe) Subaru-Gary Fisher 55 Jaqueline Mourao (Bra) 56 Laura Lorenza Morfin (Mex) 57 Helene Marcouyre (Fra) Bh-Sr. Suntour 58 Hanna Klein (Ger) 59 Caroline Mani (Fra) Two laps down 60 Franziska Roethlin (Swi) 61 Sarah Koba (Swi) 62 Sandra Santanyes Murillo (Spa) Massi 63 Githa Michiels (Bel) 64 Sandra Dolcerocca (Den) 65 Elena Gaddoni (Ita) 66 Julie Krasniak (Fra) Team Lapierre International 67 Agnes Naumann (Ger) 68 Berangère Wilst (Fra) Breiz Mountain 22 69 Liliya Zaytseva (Ukr) 70 Kelli Emmett (USA) Giant Mountain Bike Team 71 Jennifer Gersbach (USA) Three laps down 72 Zoe King (Aus) 73 Anna Villar Argente (Spa) Massi 74 Francisca Campos Salas (Chi) 75 Emma Colson (Aus) 76 Ruth Mcgavigan (GBr) 77 Nataliya Krompets (Ukr) 78 Sara Bresnick (USA) 79 Elina Sophocleous (Cyp) Bikin'cyprus Int'l MTB Team 80 Nina Baum (USA) 81 Ivanda Eiduka (Lat) 82 Megan Monroe (USA) 83 Joanna Wall (Aus) 84 Marie Kunst (Den) 85 Cristina Mascarreras Sabria (Spa) Spiuk-Tau Ceramica DNF Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Halls Professional MTB Team DNF Elsbeth Van Rooij-Vink (Ned) Beone Mountain bike team DNF Yolanda Speedy (RSA) DNF Sara Muhl (RSA) DNF Bärbel Jungmeier (Aut) DNF Berengère Boes (Fra) Breitz Mountain 22 DNF Gemma Collins (GBr) DNS Arielle Van Meurs (Ned) DNS Bettina Schmid (Swi) Fischer-BMC World Cup Overall after Round 3 1 Margarita Fullana (Spa) Spiuk-Tau Ceramica 560 pts 2 Irina Kalentyeva (Rus) 514 3 Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Rocky Mountain Haywood 490 4 Ren Chengyuan (Chn) 448 5 Sabine Spitz (Ger) Ghost International Racing Team 440 6 Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team 360 7 Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna MTB 325 8 Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 308 9 Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Tonis Pro Team Kirchberg 276 10 Ying Liu (Chn) 262 11 Kiara Bisaro (Can) 251 12 Ivonne Kraft (Ger) 249 13 Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Womens MTB Team 247 14 Jingjing Wang (Chn) 246 15 Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Womens MTB Team 245 16 Cecile Rode Ravanel (Fra) Team Lapierre International 215 17 Eva Lechner (Ita) 202 18 Rosara Joseph (NZl) 198 19 Mary McConneloug (USA) 194 20 Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Halls Professional MTB Team 190 21 Anna Enocsson (Swe) Ghost International Racing Team 180 22 Laura Turpijn (Ned) 178 23 Susan Haywood (USA) Trek-VW 176 24 Petra Henzi (Swi) Fischer-BMC 171 25 Elsbeth Van Rooij-Vink (Ned) Beone Mountain Bikee Team 166 26 Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 152 27 Sandra Walter (Can) 150 28 Lene Byberg (Nor) 142 29 Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) 138 30 Anna Szafraniec (Pol) Halls Professional MTB Team 136 31 Renata Bucher (Swi) 133 32 Catherine Pendrel (Can) 132 33 Katrin Leumann (Swi) 131 34 Nina Homovec (Slo) 124 35 Nina Gohl (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team 124 36 Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) Luna Womens MTB Team 123 37 Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Pintatim Full-Dynamix 122 38 Laurence Leboucher (Fra) 121 39 Katrin Schwing (Ger) 101 40 Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Team Lapierre International 98 41 Maria Osl (Aut) Tonis Pro Team Kirchberg 86 42 Maroussia Rusca (Swi) 82 43 Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) Halls Professional MTB Team 73 44 Arielle Van Meurs (Ned) 70 45 Esther Suss (Swi) 69 46 Wendy Simms (Can) Kona Les Gets 68 47 Evelyn Staffler (Ita) 64 48 Elena Gaddoni (Ita) 58 49 Dellys Starr (Aus) 55 50 Helene Marcouyre (Fra) BH-SR Suntour 52 51 Julie Krasniak (Fra) Team Lapierre International 44 52 Janka Stevkova (Svk) 43 53 Tory Thomas (Aus) 40 54 Jenny Copnall (GBr) Subaru-Gary Fisher 36 55 Maureen Guichardot (Fra) Scott Valloire Galibier 34 56 Jaqueline Mourao (Bra) 34 57 Alexandra Engen (Swe) 34 58 Bernardine Boog-Rauwerda (Ned) 34 59 Alison Sydor (Can) Rocky Mountain Haywood 30 60 Bettina Schmid (Swi) Fischer-BMC 28 61 Sarka Chmurova (Cze) Max Cursor 27 62 Severine Hansen (Fra) BH-SR Suntour 22 63 Sarah Koba (Swi) 22 64 Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Spa) BH-SR Suntour 21 65 Caroline Mani (Fra) 19 66 Nadja Roschi (Swi) Fischer-BMC 19 67 Ruth Moll Marques (Spa) BH-SR Suntour 19 68 Tanja Zakelj (Slo) 18 69 Pavla Havlikova (Cze) 17 70 Laura Metzler (Fra) BH-SR Suntour 16 71 Francisca Campos Salas (Chi) 16 72 Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe) Subaru-Gary Fisher 14 73 Sandra Santanyes Murillo (Spa) Massi 14 74 Amy Hunt (GBr) 13 75 Kelli Emmett (USA) Giant Mountain Bike Team 13 76 Barbel Jungmeier (Aut) 12 77 Laura Lorenza Morfin (Mex) 12 78 Saskia Elemans (Ned) 11 79 Hanna Klein (Ger) 10 80 Yolanda Speedy (RSA) 9 81 Emma Colson (Aus) 9 82 Franziska Roethlin (Swi) 8 83 Inbar Ronen (Isr) 8
