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MTB World Cup XC #2 - CDM
Offenburg, Germany, April 25-26, 2009
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Race 3 - April 26: Elite women cross country
Ren comes back for win
By Rob Jones in Offenburg, Germany
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China's Chengyuan Ren demonstrated that her absence from the World Cup scene has not slowed her down. She won round two of the mountain bike World Cup after a perfectly timed attack, while Austrian Elisabeth Osl (Central Ghost Pro Team) hung onto the women's World Cup overall lead by virtue of her fifth place result.
The weather conditions were perfect as the women rolled to the line for their six lap, 36 kilometre race held in Offenburg, Germany, before a crowd of 20,000.
After a short start loop, it was Swiss rider Katrin Leumann who led the 93 rider field out onto the main circuit. However, the top names in the pro field quickly moved to the forefront, with world champion Marga Fullana (Massi), Lene Byberg (Specialized) and Irina Kalentieva (Topeak Ergon) leading after the first lap. They were closely followed by Osl, American Willow Koerber (Subaru-Gary Fisher) and Catharine Pendrel (Luna Women's Team).
Pendrel had impressively worked her way up from 52nd on the start grid within one lap. Defending World Cup champion Marie-Helene Premont (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain), who started next to Pendrel, struggled more in the early laps, but moved into the mid-teens, and eventually finished 14th.
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Fullana then attacked the rest of the lead group, carving out a lead that approached a minute by the fourth lap. The chase had reshuffled, with Kalentieva, Byberg, Pendrel and Osl dropping Koerber and Lechner, but being joined by Ren, who had also moved up from a poor start position.
Fullana looked to be in control, but Ren launched a strong attack in the fifth lap, with only Pendrel able to follow. Pendrel couldn't maintain the pace of the former Under 23 world champion and dropped back to the chasers, while Ren continued to steadily reel in Fullana, catching and dropping her on the final lap.
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"It was the same place that Ren attacked last year, on the climb," said Pendrel. "I was able to get on her wheel, but the pace she was going on the climb was too high, and I had to back off. I was feeling really good, but that first lap, having to chase up so hard definitely had an effect."
Fullana hung for second, with Byberg repeating her third place from round one, followed by Kalentieva, Osl and Pendrel. Canada's Emily Batty was the top Under 23 finisher in tenth place, with Julie Bresset (Breiz Mountain) retaining the overall Under 23 lead.
"I had no idea that I was moving up so much," exclaimed Batty. "I was working my way up, from group to group, and then I caught up with Marie-Helene. It was such an honour to ride with her at that level. She is one of my heroes."
According to a Chinese journalist, Ren will only attend the Offenburg and Houffalize World Cups, before returning to China to prepare for the World Championships.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Rob Jones /www.canadiancyclist.com
- Mary McConneloug (Kenda Seven)
- Elite women's podium
- Winner Chengyuan Ren (Chinese National Team) sprays the crowd
- Chengyuan Ren (Chinese National Team) wins
- Emily Batty rides one of the technical drops.
- Lea Davison (Maxis - Rocky Mountain)
- Lene Byberg (Specialized Factory Racing) is having a great start to her season.
- The start saw a large women's field.
- Marie-Helene Premont (Maxis - Rocky Mountain)
- Emily Batty
- Catharine Pendrel (Luna)
- Sabine Spitz (Central Ghost Pro Team)
- Willow Koerber (Subaru Gary Fisher)
- Chengyuan Ren (Chinese National Team) came on strong in the last two laps.
- Elisabeth Osl (Central Ghost Pro Team) and Catharine Pendrel (Luna) chase
- World Champion Margarita Fullana (Massi) leads for most of the race.
- Emily Batty was the fasest Under 23 woman.
- Marie-Helene Premont (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) made her 2009 World Cup debut.
Results
1 Chengyuan Ren (Chn) 1.49.56 2 Margarita Fullana Riera (Spa) Massi 0.49 3 Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Factory Racing 1.24 4 Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team 1.37 5 Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Central Ghost Pro Team 1.51 6 Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team 2.05 7 Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Cap Arreghini 3.44 8 Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Ghost Pro Team 4.06 9 Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) Colnago Cap Arreghini 4.08 10 Emiliy Batty* (Can) 11 Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 4.31 12 Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team 4.56 13 Anna Szafraniec (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team 5.09 14 Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles 5.18 15 Petra Henzi (Swi) Fischer-BMC 5.53 16 Laura Turpijn (Ned) 6.04 17 Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt International MTB Team 6.18 18 Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice 6.43 19 Rowena Fry (Aus) Discovertasmania.Com 7.06 20 Caroline Mani* (Fra) Team Bikepark.ch 21 Katrin Leumann (Swi) 7.57 22 Julie Bresset* (Fra) Breiz Mountain 7.58 23 Anja Gradl (Ger) Central Ghost Pro Team 24 Adelheid Morath (Ger) 8.28 25 Mary Mcconneloug (USA) 8.55 26 Cécile Rode Ravanel (Fra) Lapierre International 9.13 27 Hanna Klein* (Ger) 9.28 28 Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 9.55 29 Githa Michiels (Bel) Team Saeco 10.13 30 Janka Stevkova (Svk) 10.22 31 Anna Villar Argente (Spa) Massi 10.24 32 Vera Andreeva* (Rus) 10.28 33 Barbara Benko* (Hun) 34 Lea Davison (USA) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles 10.36 35 Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) CCC Polkowice 36 Amanda Sin (Can) 11.02 37 Esther Süss (Swi) 11.10 38 Tanja Zakelj* (Slo) Mbk Orbea 11.35 39 Alexandra Engen* (Swe) 11.54 40 Aleksandra Dawidowicz* (Pol) CCC Polkowice 12.26 41 Laura Metzler (Fra) BH-Suntour 12.33 42 Julie Krasniak* (Fra) 43 Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Swi) Team Bikepark.ch 13.14 44 Rosara Joseph (NZl) 13.18 45 Helene Marcouyre (Fra) BH-Suntour 13.30 46 Ivonne Kraft (Ger) 13.36 47 Kate Potter (Aus) 13.37 48 Sabrina Enaux (Fra) BH-Suntour 13.51 49 Nataliya Krompets* (Ukr) 13.54 50 Vivianne Meyer* (Swi) Colnago Cap Arreghini 14.05 51 Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Team Scott Valloire Galibier 14.20 52 Mical Dyck (Can) 14.26 53 Maria Osl (Aut) Fischer-BMC 14.39 54 Jean Ann Mckirdy (Can) 14.54 55 Silke Schmidt* (Ger) 15.18 56 Evelyn Staffler (Ita) Colnago Cap Arreghini 15.20 57 Katherine O'shea (Aus) Torq Performance Nutrition 58 Tatjana Dold (Ger) 15.41 59 Fanny Bourdon* (Fra) 16.27 60 Gracie Elvin* (Aus) Discovertasmania.Com 16.51 61 Oksana Rybakova (Rus) 17.17 62 Kajsa Snihs* (Swe) 17.24 63 Fiona Macdermid (GBr) 17.36 64 Fabienne Heinzmann (Swi) Team Bikepark.ch 17.46 65 Melanie Spath (Ger) 18.37 66 Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) 18.56 67 Fabienne Niederberger (Swi) 19.01 68 Sandra Santanyes Murillo (Spa) Cemelorca-Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo 19.04 69 Lorraine Truong* (Swi) 19.25 70 Zoe King (Aus) 19.55 71 Carina Ketonen (Fin) 20.02 72 Stephanie Wiedner* (Aut) DS-Rennsport 21.02 73 Kristien Nelen (Bel) 21.45 74 Coralie Redelsperger (Fra) 23.15 Behind one lap 75 Sandra Walter (Can) 76 Virginie Pointet* (Swi) Team Bikepark.ch Behind two laps 77 Kathrin Stirnemann* (Swi) 78 Judith Pollinger* (Ita) Sunshine Racers ASV Nals 79 Nicoletta De Jager (Ned) 80 Jennifer Sägesser * (Swi) 81 Nadine Rieder* (Ger) Fumic.Brothers.International 82 Jeanette Gerrie (NZl) 83 Lucie Vesela (Cze) 84 Irina Slobodyan* (Ukr) 85 Camille Devi* (Fra) 86 Karin Rappo* (Swi) 87 Cristina Mascarreras Sabria (Spa) Conor - Camping La Siesta 88 Silja Vetter* (Ger) 89 Marie-Claude Surprenant* (Can) 90 Laure Boulay (Fra) Keops DNF Ines Thoma* (Ger) DNF Alla Boyko* (Ukr) DNF Sarah Holmes* (Aus) *indicates Under 23 Teams 1 Central Ghost Pro Team 59 pts 2 Colnago Cap Arreghini 46 3 Luna Pro Team 45 4 Massi 35 5 Specialized Factory Racing 32 6 Topeak Ergon Racing Team 30 7 Subaru-Gary Fisher 23 8 JBG-2 Professional MTB Team 18 9 Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles 17 10 Fischer-BMC 16 11 Felt International MTB Team 14 12 CCC Polkowice 13 13 Discovertasmania.com 12 14 Team Bikepark.ch 11 15 Breiz Mountain 9 16 Lapierre International 5 17 Team Saeco 2 World Cup standings after two rounds Individual 1 Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Central Ghost Pro Team 390 pts 2 Margarita Fullana Riera (Spa) Massi 350 3 Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team 350 4 Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Factory Racing 320 5 Chengyuan Ren (Chn) 250 6 Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 220 7 Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Ghost Pro Team 200 8 Mary Mcconneloug (USA) 196 9 Katrin Leumann (Swi) 184 10 Petra Henzi (Swi) Fischer-BMC 176 11 Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Cap Arreghini 166 12 Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 160 13 Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice 144 14 Adelheid Morath (Ger) 143 15 Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt International MTB Team 142 16 Janka Stevkova (Svk) 141 17 Julie Bresset* (Fra) Breiz Mountain 140 18 Laura Turpijn (Ned) 140 19 Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) Colnago Cap Arreghini 132 20 Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team 130 21 Rowena Fry (Aus) Discovertasmania.com 122 22 Caroline Mani* (Fra) Team Bikepark.ch 114 23 Cécile Rode Ravanel (Fra) Lapierre International 110 24 Githa Michiels (Bel) Team Saeco 108 25 Anna Villar Argente (Spa) Massi 106 26 Esther Süss (Swi) 104 27 Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) CCC Polkowice 104 28 Helene Marcouyre (Fra) BH-Suntour 103 29 Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Swi) Team Bikepark.ch 101 30 Emiliy Batty* (Can) 95 31 Aleksandra Dawidowicz* (Pol) CCC Polkowice 86 32 Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team 85 33 Anna Szafraniec (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team 80 34 Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles 78 35 Sabrina Enaux (Fra) BH-Suntour 72 36 Yolande Speedy (RSA) 64 37 Kate Potter (Aus) 63 38 Anja Gradl (Ger) Central Ghost Pro Team 60 39 Gracie Elvin* (Aus) Discovertasmania.com 58 40 Hanna Klein* (Ger) 52 41 Katherine O'shea (Aus) Torq Performance Nutrition 49 42 Ivonne Kraft (Ger) 45 43 Maaike Polspoel* (Bel) 44 44 Vera Andreeva* (Rus) 42 45 Barbara Benko* (Hun) 40 46 Fiona Macdermid (GBr) 40 47 Lea Davison (USA) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles 38 48 Melanie Spath (Ger) 36 49 Amanda Sin (Can) 34 50 Inbar Ronen (Isr) 34 51 Tanja Zakelj* (Slo) MBK Orbea 30 52 Kathrin Stirnemann* (Swi) 30 53 Alexandra Engen* (Swe) 29 54 Tania Raats (RSA) 29 55 Sara Muhl (RSA) 28 56 Laura Metzler (Fra) BH-Suntour 27 57 Shawna Thunder (RSA) 27 58 Julie Krasniak* (Fra) 26 59 Janneke Leask* (RSA) 26 60 Heletje Van Staden* (Nam) 25 61 Rosara Joseph (NZl) 24 62 Hilana Marais (RSA) 24 63 Carmen Bassingthwaighte (Nam) 22 64 Carla Freysen (RSA) 21 65 Nataliya Krompets* (Ukr) 19 66 Vivianne Meyer* (Swi) Colnago Cap Arreghini 18 67 Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Team Scott Valloire Galibier 17 68 Mical Dyck (Can) 16 69 Maria Osl (Aut) Fischer-BMC 15 70 Jean Ann Mckirdy (Can) 14 71 Silke Schmidt* (Ger) 13 72 Evelyn Staffler (Ita) Colnago Cap Arreghini 12 73 Tatjana Dold (Ger) 10 74 Fanny Bourdon* (Fra) 9 Team standings 1 Central Ghost Pro Team 119 pts 2 Massi 74 3 Subaru-Gary Fisher 72 4 Topeak Ergon Racing Team 65 5 Specialized Factory Racing 64 6 Colnago Cap Arreghini 47 7 CCC Polkowice 47 8 Luna Pro Team 45 9 Fischer-BMC 38 10 Team Bikepark.ch 29 11 Felt International MTB Team 27 12 Breiz Mountain 26 13 BH-Suntour 22 14 Discovertasmania.com 20 15 JBG-2 Professional MTB Team 18 16 Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles 17 17 Lapierre International 11 18 Team Saeco 10
