 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Mountain Bike World Championships - CM
Fort William, Scotland, September 4-9, 2007
Main Page Results Overall standings Previous Race Next Race
Race 3 - September 5: U23 women cross country, 34.22km
Favourites don't disappoint
By Robert Jones in Fort William
|
The Chinese duo of Ren Chengyuan, the defending champion and Liu Ying were the obvious favourites for the U23 womens title after finishing first and second last year in Rotorua, New Zealand. Ren, the winner of a World Cup this year and the leading U23 rider on the World Cup circuit seemed likely to repeat, but it was team mate Liu who took the title after Ren faded in the second half of the race and then crashed on the last lap while chasing. Austria's Elisabeth Osl, silver medalist in the juniors back in 2002, took a lock on third early in the race and held on for the bronze medal.
By the end of the first lap in the four lap race, Ren had a 10 second lead on Liu, with Osl, Eva Lechner (Italy), Nathalie Schneitter (Switzerland), Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Poland) and Nina Homovec (Slovenia) together at 47 seconds.
"By the top of the climb I was always third," explained Osl "but by the bottom the group behind would catch me because I was more careful on the descent. I could tell I was the strongest in the group, so I was able to pull away on the final lap."
|
While the battle was going on for third behind them, the front pair was fighting it out for the rainbow jersey. At the halfway point Ren was still in the lead, but couldn't drop her team-mate. A lap later, and it was Liu slightly in front as the pair began the last lap, and by the finish the gap was an unexpected three and a half minutes.
"I crashed on the final lap" explained Ren "but that wasn't the reason that I lost. Today I just felt more tired than Liu. Yes, I am sad that I am not the champion again, but it was not my day today."
Liu said very little in the post-race press conference, except for expressing her confidence: "Yes, I expected to win today." However, the smiles which kept erupting on the face of a rider who is normally very reticent told a different story.
|
Canadian champion Emily Batty was the top North American in the race, finishing a career-high tenth. Batty rode consistently in 9th to 11th place to finish 11:27 down on Liu.
"I'm really pleased with my race. I finished 13th and 14th as a Junior (Under-19), and this race is longer and much faster. I pretty much held onto my position the whole race; I managed to get up to ninth for a little while but the other girl made surge and got back again."
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com
- The charge out of the start gate as the 34.22 kilometre race gets underway.
- Nathalie Schneitter (Switzerland) led up the first climb.
- Elisabeth Osl (Austria) took the final podium spot.
- Chengyuan Ren (China) was the best of the rest, finishing 3.30 minutes behind her team-mate Liu Ying.
- Liu Ying (China) doiminated the Under 23 race.
- Eva Lechner (Italy) was the top Italian in 15th spot.
- Elisabeth Osl (Austria) finished 5.20 minutes down.
- Nathalie Schneitter (Switzerland) made the top 10, despite being just over 10 minutes behind the winner.
- Emily Batty (Canada) was the top North American rider in 10th place.
- Caitlyn Tuel (United States Of America)
- Chloe Forsman (United States Of America)
- Chengyuan Ren (China)
- At the end of lap two Ren looked ready to repeat as world champion
- Chengyuan Ren (China)
- At the end of the second lap Liu Ying seemed destined for the silver
- Elisabeth Osl (Austria) couldn't match the Chinese duo.
- Nina Homovec (Slovenia) took sixth place.
- Tereza Hurikova (Czech Republic) just missed the podium, taking fourth place 30 seconds behind third placed Elisabeth Osl (Austria).
- Amy Hunt (Great Britain) finished more than 14 minutes down in 14th.
- Caitlyn Tuel (United States Of America) was the top US rider, in 24th place.
- Caitlyn Tuel (United States Of America)
- Chloe Forsman (United States Of America) finished one spot behind countrywoman Caitlyn Tuel.
- Liu Ying (China) took over the lead late on the third lap.
- Chengyuan Ren (China) came through a few seconds behind Liu at the end of lap three.
- Liu Ying (China) barely cracks a smile as she wins the U23 world title.
- Liu Ying (China) shows some excitment after her win.
- Podium (L-R): Chengyuan Ren (China), Liu Ying (China), Elisabeth Osl (Austria).
- Podium (L-R): Chengyuan Ren (China), Liu Ying (China), Elisabeth Osl (Austria).
Results
1 Liu Ying (People's Republic Of China) 1.45.43 (19.43 km/h) 2 Chengyuan Ren (People's Republic Of China) 3.31 3 Elisabeth Osl (Austria) 5.20 4 Tereza Hurikova (Czech Republic) 5.50 5 Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Poland) 6.17 6 Nina Homovec (Slovenia) 8.24 7 Nathalie Schneitter (Switzerland) 10.04 8 Tanja Zakelj (Slovenia) 10.37 9 Hanna Klein (Germany) 10.42 10 Emiliy Batty (Canada) 11.27 11 Julie Krasniak (France) 12.45 12 Alexandra Engen (Sweden) 13.20 13 Caroline Mani (France) 13.40 14 Amy Hunt (Great Britain) 14.18 15 Eva Lechner (Italy) 15.33 16 Laura Metzler (France) 15.39 17 Nataliya Krompets (Ukraine) 16.12 18 Karolina Kozela (Poland) 17.24 19 Vera Andreeva (Russian Federation) 17.32 20 Agnes Naumann (Germany) 18.21 21 Liliya Zaytseva (Ukraine) 18.23 22 Francisca Campos Salas (Chile) 20.08 23 Bettina Schmid (Switzerland) 21.25 24 Caitlyn Tuel (United States Of America) 22.48 25 Chloe Forsman (United States Of America) 25.18 26 Judith Pollinger (Italy) 26.22 One lap down 27 Semra Yetis (Turkey) Two laps down 28 Carla Freysen (South Africa)
