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MTB World Cup XC, DH & 4X #1 - CDM

Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, April 10-12, 2009

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Race 7 - April 11: Elite women four cross

Showdown fizzes as Beerten takes the bacon

By Rob Jones in Pietermaritzburg

Dutch rider Anneke Beerten (Suspension Center)
Photo ©: Sven Martin
(Click for larger image)

The women's four cross race was expected to come down to the defending UCI World Cup champion Anneke Beerten (Suspension Center) and American Jill Kintner, who had previously dominated women's four cross, before leaving the sport for a year to prepare for and win the Olympic Games bronze medal in BMX. The two had qualified one-two, with Kintner four tenths of a second faster.

However the showdown never materialized, after Kintner had a poor first round and did not move on to the final. Beerten on the other hand easily qualified, and was joined in the final by Fionn Griffiths (Norco World Team), and two Czech riders: Romana Labounkova and Jana Horakova.

Beerten was again well out in front to retain the series leader's jersey, followed by Griffiths and Labounkova.

"Over the last three days I have felt really good on this course, " said Beerten. "I'm sort of bummed that I didn't get to meet Jill [Kintner in the Final], but I'm really stoked that I'll be wearing the jersey in Houffalize [Belgium,], which is almost like wearing it in front of a home crowd."

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Sven Martin

Images by Gary Perkin

Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com

Results

1 Anneke Beerten (Ned) Suspension Center                                     
2 Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Norco World Team                                     
3 Romana Labounkova (Cze)                                                    
4 Jana Horakova (Cze)                                                        
5 Jill Kintner (USA)                                                         
6 Emmeline Ragot (Fra) Suspension Center                                     
7 Melissa Buhl (USA)                                                         
8 Helene Valerie Fruhwirth (Aut)                                             

Team

1 Suspension Center                  50 pts
2 Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team    40
3 Norco World Team                   30
4 Specialized Factory Racing         30
5 Ghost A.T.G. Pro Team              28
6 Team Sunn                          22
7 Rocky Mountain UK                  18
8 Animal Commencal                   14
9 MS Evil Racing                      7
10 Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense      6

World Cup standings after one round

Individual

1 Anneke Beerten (Ned) Suspension Center                                        100 pts
2 Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Norco World Team                                         75
3 Romana Labounkova (Cze)                                                        50
4 Jana Horakova (Cze)                                                            40
5 Jill Kintner (USA)                                                             30
6 Emmeline Ragot (Fra) Suspension Center                                         20
7 Melissa Buhl (USA)                                                             10
8 Helene Valerie Fruhwirth (Aut)                                                  5

Team

1 Suspension Center                           50 pts
2 Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team             40
3 Specialized Factory Racing                  30
4 Norco World Team                            30
5 Ghost A.T.G. Pro Team                       28
6 Team Sunn                                   22
7 Rocky Mountain UK                           18
8 Animal Commencal                            14
9 MS Evil Racing                               7
10 Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense               6