MTB World Cup XC #9 & DH #7 - CDM

Schladming, Austria, September 11-14, 2008

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Race 2 - September 12: Elite women 4X

Labounkova takes win

Beerten crowned series' champion

By Luke Weber in Schladming

Eventually, Anneke was crowned champion.
Photo ©: Luke Weber

Czech's Romana Loubounkova rode safely to secure the win ahead of favorite Anneke Beerten (MS Intense Factory Racing), but it was Dutchwoman Beerten who claimed the overall World Cup title, ending her season on a high note. Beerten's achievement capped off a a season-long campaign of wearing the leader's jersey, which she assumed in the very first round in Maribor.

The evening's racing started under clouds before a wave of heavy rain hit the shortened Schladming course. Predictably, the rain rolled off of the top of the soil, producing a slick set of heats from the quarter finals onward. Swiss rider Rachel Seydoux was one of the first favourites to get knocked out due to a crash. She was soon followed by Anita Molcik (4 Elements Yeti/Hotec/Rsp) and Mio Suemasa (MS-Intense Factory-Racing).

The final itself was a close but clean race with the wet track forcing riders to make a cautious way to the finish or face an uncomfortable night's sleep that would follow a crash.

Celebrations are already underway here in Schladming for the first champions, and tomorrow will feature the downhill competition. If heavy rains continue, the course will be transformed and an already treacherous descent will become more trying, especially over the exposed roots.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Luke Weber

Anita Molcik, practiced yesterday in the sun.
But 24 hours later conditions were very different
Spectators tried their best to shelter from the rain
And even the eliminated riders had to fight for shelter from the deluge!
Eventually, Anneke was crowned champion. She was relieved there was no more racing in the rain.

Results

Big finals

1 Romana Labounkova (Cze)                                   
2 Anneke Beerten (Ned) MS-Intense Factory-Racing            
3 Jana Horakova (Cze) Suzuki-RB                             
4 Angelika Hohenwarter (Aut)                                
 
Small finals

5 Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Norco World Team                    
6 Lucia Oetjen (Swi)                                        
7 Emmeline Ragot (Fra) Suspension Center                    
8 Helene Valerie Fruhwirth (Aut)                            
 
1/4 finals

9 Mio Suemasa (Jpn) MS-Intense Factory-Racing               
10 Diana Marggraff (Ecu)                                    
11 Anita Molcik (Aut) 4 Elements Yeti/Hotec/Rsp             
12 Tereza Votavova (Cze)                                    
13 Neza Knez (Slo)                                          
14 Eva Castro Fernandez (Spa)                               
15 Steffi Marth (Ger)                                       
16 Rachel Seydoux (Swi)                                     
 
Qualifications

17 Laura Brethauer (Ger)                                    
18 Katarina Tothova (Cze)                                   
19 Elke Rabeder (Aut)                                       
20 Neven Steinmetz (USA)                                    
 
Teams

1 Suzuki-RB                                                 
2 Team Sunn                                                 
3 Animal Commencal                                          
4 MS-Intense Factory-Racing                                 
5 Cannondale Factory Racing                                 
6 Norco World Team                                          
7 Commencal - Furious - Oakley Team                         
8 Solid Aclass Factory Team                                 
9 Team Ghost International                                  
10 Suspension Center      

World Cup final standings

1 Anneke Beerten (Ned) MS-Intense Factory-Racing          1230 pts
2 Anita Molcik (Aut) 4 Elements Yeti/Hotec/Rsp             540
3 Mio Suemasa (Jpn) MS-Intense Factory-Racing              480
4 Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Norco World Team                   460
5 Melissa Buhl (USA)                                       420
6 Caroline Buchanan (Aus)                                  370
7 Jana Horakova (Cze) Suzuki-RB                            350
8 Romana Labounkova (Cze)                                  310
9 Angelika Hohenwarter (Aut)                               160
10 Rachel Seydoux (Swi)                                    150
11 Julia Boer (Hun)                                        100
12 Lucia Oetjen (Swi)                                      100
13 Diana Marggraff (Ecu)                                    90
14 Eva Castro Fernandez (Spa)                               60
15 Helene Valerie Fruhwirth (Aut)                           50
16 Katarina Tothova (Cze)                                   40
17 Emmeline Ragot (Fra) Suspension Center                   20
18 Neven Steinmetz (USA)                                    20
19 Sarsha Huntington (Aus)                                  20
 
Teams

1 MS-Intense Factory-Racing                                350 pts
2 Suzuki-RB                                                168
3 Animal Commencal                                         151
4 4 Elements Yeti/Hotec/RSP                                146
5 Commencal - Furious - Oakley Team                        141
6 Norco World Team                                         122
7 Team Sunn                                                113
8 Team Ghost International                                 109
9 Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team                          104
10 Cannondale Factory Racing                                94
11 Kenda Tomac                                              70
12 Rocky Mountain UK                                        28
13 Team Bike Radar                                          19
14 Solid Aclass Factory Team                                10
15 Tomac Factory Racing                                      5
16 Suspension Center                                         5
17 Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense                             5