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MTB World Cup XC #6 & DH #5 - CDM

Maribor, Slovenia, September 14-16, 2007

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Race 7 - September 16: Elite Women Downhill

Atherton takes revenge as Jonnier wraps up overall

By Rob Jones in Maribor

Great Britain's Rachel Atherton (Animal Commencal)
Photo ©: MTB.si
(Click for larger image)

Frenchwoman Sabrina Jonnier (Iron Horse-Monster Energy) added a World Cup title to the world title she won last weekend in Scotland, at the World Cup final today in Maribor, Slovenia.

Jonnier could manage no better than sixth in the final, after battling illness much of the week, and it gave Rachel Atherton (Animal Commencal) a measure of revenge to win the final event after being beaten last week for the world title.

Rain, which had been forecast for the morning, never materialized, and the large and enthusiastic crowd of spectators were treated to perfect blue skies and temperatures in the mid-20s Celcius. This left the 2.57 kilometre course bone dry, and the soft loamy ground began to get more and more churned up as the day went on, making some corners ragged, and exposing roots all the way down the course.

Atherton was the clear favourite for the women, having qualified a full six and a half seconds ahead of Tracey Hannah (Australia). Jonnier was well back in 11th during qualifying, 17 seconds behind, and could only improve by five seconds in the final, a fact that could be explained by her ill health.

"I've been sick all week, so I just did the best I could," she explained. "It was bad today, it was the worst. I couldn't breathe at all, stuffed up nose and plugged ears."

Newly re-crowned World Champion Sabrina Jonnier (Iron Horse/Monster Energy)
Photo ©: MTB.si
(Click for larger image)

Jennifer Makgill (SSangyong-Fusion), halfway through the women's 30 rider field set the first strong time of 3:34.11. Jonnier took another five seconds off, but that lasted for four riders before Helen Gaskell dropped the best time by a further two seconds.

Junior world champion Floriane Pugin (France) knocked another second off, and then two riders later, the defending champion, Tracy Moseley (Kona Les Gets), reduced the top time by a further second. Hannah couldn't beat the time, moving into third, however, Moseley's time was still over five seconds slower than Atherton's qualifier.

Atherton made it clear that she was the strongest rider by knocking a further three-plus seconds off her qualifying time, to win by 8.63 seconds.

"I had a pretty good run for sure, it's a wicked fast course," said the Briton. "The course suited me down to the ground, as it was pretty technical all the way down. I think it probably wasn't pedally enough for Sabrina."

Moseley took second overall behind Jonnier, with Tracey Hannah rounding out the top three.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by MTB.si

Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com

Results

1 Rachel Atherton (GBr) Animal Commencal                3.16.27
2 Tracy Moseley (GBr) Kona Les Gets                     0.08.63
3 Tracey Hannah (Aus)                                   0.09.33
4 Floriane Pugin (Fra) Chatel Mountain Cycle            0.09.80
5 Helen Gaskell (GBr)                                   0.10.80
6 Sabrina Jonnier (Fra) Iron Horse / Monster Energy     0.12.84
7 Celine Gros (Fra)                                     0.13.21
8 Marielle Saner (Swi) Bikepark.Ch Tui                  0.14.74
9 Mio Suemasa (Jpn)                                     0.15.72
10 Jennifer Makgill (NZl) Ssangyong-Fusion Pro Team     0.17.84
11 Vanessa Quin (NZl) Ms-Intense Factory-Racing Team    0.18.78
12 Scarlett Hagen (NZl)                                 0.22.49
13 Emmeline Ragot (Fra)                                 0.22.81
14 Haby Blu Cann (GBr)                                  0.26.07
15 Lisa Myklak (USA)                                    0.27.27
16 Claire Buchar (Can)                                  0.27.37
17 Fionn Griffiths (GBr)                                0.27.81
18 Petra Bernhard (Aut)                                 0.32.14
19 Anita Molcik (Aut) Team Hotec / Rsp                  0.33.61
20 Dalma Kiss (Hun)                                     0.35.71
21 Calamaty Jayne Cann (GBr)                            0.36.42
22 Amy Laird (NZl)                                      0.37.37
23 Daniela Bossard (Swi)                                0.37.74
24 Diana Marggraff (Ecu)                                0.37.86
25 Elisa Canepa (Ita) Playbiker - Iron Horse            0.37.89
26 Helene Fruhwirth (Aut)                               0.38.56
27 Jaymie Mart (Bar)                                    0.52.00
28 Anne Mai Sletten (Nor)                               1.04.71
29 Jessica Vogt (USA)                                   1.10.22
30 Elise Koren (Nor)                                    1.14.84
 
Final World Cup standings

1 Sabrina Jonnier (Fra) Iron Horse / Monster Energy     975 pts
2 Tracy Moseley (GBr) Kona Les Gets                     845
3 Tracey Hannah (Aus)                                   800
4 Emmeline Ragot (Fra)                                  718
5 Marielle Saner (Swi) Bikepark.Ch Tui                  661
6 Celine Gros (Fra)                                     592
7 Mio Suemasa (Jpn)                                     515
8 Helen Gaskell (GBr)                                   432
9 Floriane Pugin (Fra) Chatel Mountain Cycle            390
10 Fionn Griffiths (GBr)                                385
11 Vanessa Quin (NZl) Ms-Intense Factory-Racing Team    277
12 Scarlett Hagen (NZl)                                 272
13 Jennifer Makgill (NZl) Ssangyong-Fusion Pro Team     269
14 Rachel Atherton (GBr) Animal Commencal               250
15 Claire Buchar (Can)                                  226
16 Helene Fruhwirth (Aut)                               195
17 Petra Bernhard (Aut)                                 192
18 Daniela Bossard (Swi)                                192
19 Melissa Buhl (USA)                                   170
20 Anja Rees Jones (GBr) Stendec Racing                 165
21 Emily Horridge (GBr) Chatel Mountain Cycle           165
22 Calamaty Jayne Cann (GBr)                            163
23 Elisa Canepa (Ita) Playbiker - Iron Horse            143
24 Lisa Myklak (USA)                                    130
25 Miriam Blas Otondo (Spa) Massi                       118
26 Diana Marggraff (Ecu)                                110
27 Jaymie Mart (Bar)                                    102
28 Anita Molcik (Aut) Team Hotec / Rsp                   95
29 Dalma Kiss (Hun)                                      74
30 Olivia Johnston (NZl)                                 68
31 Joanna Pettersen (RSA)                                67
32 Pascaline Reusser (Swi)                               67
33 Amy Laird (NZl)                                       66
34 Sue Mahony (GBr)                                      62
35 Haby Blu Cann (GBr)                                   59
36 Silja Stadler (Swi)                                   55
37 Mireia Bosca Ballester (Spa)                          55
38 Sheila Morris (Can)                                   49
39 Miriam Ruchti (Swi)                                   46
40 Aurea Agostinho (Por)                                 46
41 Mylene-Kim Fortier (Can)                              43
42 Micayla Gatto (Can) Rocky Mountain Haywood            37
43 Jessica Vogt (USA)                                    34
44 Patarina Tothova (Cze)                                32
45 Aimee Dix (GBr)                                       30
46 Claudia Paquin (Can)                                  30

Team
 
1 Iron Horse / Monster Energy                           172 pts
2 Kona Les Gets                                         158
3 Chatel Mountain Cycle                                 141
4 Bikepark.Ch Tui                                       137
5 Ms-Intense Factory-Racing Team                         73
6 Ssangyong-Fusion Pro Team                              71
7 Stendec Racing                                         43
8 Animal Commencal                                       40
9 Playbiker - Iron Horse                                 36
10 Massi                                                 34
11 Team Hotec / Rsp                                      27
12 Rocky Mountain Haywood                                12