Bresset rides away from Pendrel for Offenburg victory

The women's race saw Julie Bresset (BH Suntour Peisey Vallandry) take her second consecutive victory against an elite field that was missing only one rider from the top-50. Bresset didn't have quite so easy a time of it, as defending champion Catharine Pendrel (Luna) attacked multiple times before Bresset was finally able to make the winning move.

The women's race was one lap shorter than last year and, combined with the very dry and hard track, it made for a race that was full on from the starting gun, with no time to rest. Round one World Cup winner Ren Chengyuan (Specialized) was the only top rider missing; she was out of the action after a back injury from a crash in training earlier this week.

Out of the start loop and into the first of five laps, Nathalie Schneitter (Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol) led the field, and a split quickly developed, with 12 riders at the front - Schneitter and her teammate Eva Lechner, Bresset, Pendrel and her teammate Georgia Gould, Marie-Helene Premont (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain), Lene Byberg (Specialized), world champion Maja Wloszczowska (CCC Polkwice), Blaza Klemencic (Felt Oetztal X-Bionic), Esther Suss, Irina Kalentieva (Topeak Ergon) and local favourite Sabine Spitz (Central Haibike).

However, the pace proved to be too much for some, and the group began thinning out. Bresset and Pendrel started to pull away on lap two, with Schneitter and Gould the only ones able to hang on initially. Schneitter dropped off on the third lap, while Gould was looking very comfortable with the other two until her chain jammed on the fourth lap, and she lost more than a minute getting it unstuck, eventually finishing 20th.

"I was riding in that group of third through sixth and I dropped my chain," said Gould. "I tried to shift it back on because it was right before a downhill, and I ended up kinking it, and I had to stop. I was all panicked and I couldn't get it unkinked. I lost minutes - it was so crushing. A spectator was really nice and helped tell me how to undo it, which was a big help because I was so frazzled."

Pendrel tried a couple of attacks on Bresset, but couldn't get a gap, so she played a waiting game. Unfortunately for her, when Bresset launched her own attack just before the start of the final lap, the Canadian couldn't respond, and the young French rider went into the final lap with a 25-second lead, which she stretched to 41 seconds by the finish.

"Julie and I just got away," said Pendrel. "I think we were going hard at the same time. I tried to attack her twice on the last lap, but she was always able to close to me and shut me out. She got the good line into the descent. I was hoping to get away there, but she put some time into me there after she got me going into it and then she was gone."

"It would have been nice to win again this year - I felt good, but I was having trouble getting away because Julie had so much zip," said Pendrel. "I feel that I still can improve, so I'll be that much stronger in Mont Ste. Anne."

Remarkably, Bresset is still actually eligible to race in the Under 23 category (she will turn 22 in June), and professes complete surprise at her strength this season. "My race was great. I don't understand what's happening to me - my second victory in two weeks! I took advantage on the downhill and then I went full gas. On the last lap, I continued on my pace to keep and grow the gap."

Behind the two leaders, the chase thinned down to three - Lechner, Premont and Byberg. Byberg, was the first to get dropped, and then Lechner gapped Premont on the final climb before the drop into the finish, to claim third. Byberg was racing a freshly launched, brand new carbon women's Specialized 29er hardtail named the Fate.

Bresset now has an impressive 700 points, to Pendrel's 470 in second place, with Byberg tied at 390 with the absent Chengyuan.

After Gould's mechanical woes, Katie Compton raced as the top American in 16th place.  "That was such a fast race," said Compton. "There was no place to recover. You had to go for it the whole time. It was five minutes faster than last year and it was the same course and same conditions."

Additional reporting provided by Sue George.

Full Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Julie Bresset (Fra) BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry1:28:59
2Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team0:00:41
3Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol0:01:34
4Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain0:01:48
5Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Racing0:02:08
6Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice0:02:35
7Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team0:02:50
8Katrin Leumann (Swi) Ghost Factory Racing Team0:03:10
9Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Orbea Geax0:03:16
10Esther Süss (Swi)0:03:17
11Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team0:03:21
12Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Haibike Pro Team0:03:47
13Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol0:03:50
14Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team0:04:04
15Emily Batty (Can) Subaru - Trek0:04:18
16Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team0:04:23
17Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Central Haibike Pro Team0:04:29
18Annika Langvad (Den)0:04:34
19Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Ghost Factory Racing Team0:04:40
20Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team0:04:50
21Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) Central Haibike Pro Team0:05:05
21Rosara Joseph (NZl) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road TeamRow 21 - Cell 2
23Adelheid Morath (Ger) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team0:05:31
24Anja Gradl (Ger) Ghost Factory Racing Team0:06:09
25Anna Szafraniec (Pol) CCC Polkowice0:06:25
26Hanna Klein (Ger)0:06:30
27Nina Homovec (Slo) Orbea Geax0:06:36
28Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing0:06:44
29Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:06:54
30Mary Mcconneloug (USA)0:07:31
31Sarah Koba (Swi) Giant Swiss SR - Suntour0:07:44
32Silke Schmidt (Ger)0:07:48
32Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic TeamRow 32 - Cell 2
34Anne Terpstra (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team0:08:07
35Alexandra Engen (Swe)0:08:20
36Laura Metzler (Fra) BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry0:08:21
37Janka Stevkova (Svk)Row 36 - Cell 2
38Hanlen Karen (NZl)0:08:24
39Annie Last (GBr)0:09:03
40Coralie Redelsperger (Fra)0:09:12
41Pavla Havlikova (Cze)0:09:36
42Anna Villar Argente (Spa)0:09:38
43Rie Katayama (Jpn)0:09:54
44Amanda Sin (Can)0:10:55
45Judith Pollinger (Ita) Infotre - Bi & Esse - Leecougan0:11:05
46Vera Andreeva (Rus)0:11:18
47Nataliya Krompets (Ukr) Isd Cycling Team0:11:46
48Mical Dyck (Can)0:11:59
49Chloe Forsman (USA)0:12:04
50Cécile Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix0:12:29
51Laura Turpijn (Ned) Team Merida Combee0:12:34
52Katherine O'shea (Aus)0:12:55
53Daniela Veronesi (Ita)0:13:23
54Githa Michiels (Bel) Trek - Kmc Trade Team Vzw0:13:39
55Gracie Elvin (Aus)0:13:48
56Sandra Santanyes Murillo (Spa)0:13:54
57Fabienne Niederberger (Swi)0:14:19
58Nicoletta De Jager (Ned)0:14:44
59Maaris Meier (Est)0:15:00
60Michalina Ziolkowska (Pol)0:15:38
61Oksana Rybakova (Rus)0:16:20
62Kristien Nelen (Bel) V.Z.W. Goeman Scott Cycling Team0:17:27
63Jenni King (Aus)0:17:45
64Krista Park (USA)0:17:52
65Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Spa)0:18:16
66Corina Gantenbein (Swi) Fischer - BMC0:18:50
-1lapSofia Pezzatti (Swi)Row 66 - Cell 2
-1lapLucie Vesela (Cze) GT Czech TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
-1lapCaitlin Elliott (Irl)Row 68 - Cell 2
-1lapMette Marie Kronborg (Den)Row 69 - Cell 2
-1lapMaxine Filby (GBr)Row 70 - Cell 2
DNFCarina Kirssi (Fin) V.Z.W. Goeman Scott Cycling TeamRow 71 - Cell 2
DNFPavlina Sulcova (Cze) Merida Biking TeamRow 72 - Cell 2
DNFHeather Irmiger (USA) Subaru - TrekRow 73 - Cell 2
DNFAleksandra Dawidowicz (Pol) CCC PolkowiceRow 74 - Cell 2
DNFMaria Osl (Aut) Fischer - BMCRow 75 - Cell 2
DNFRowena Fry (Aus)Row 76 - Cell 2
DNFAmy Dombroski (USA)Row 77 - Cell 2
DNSMelanie Spath (Ger)Row 78 - Cell 2
DNSAnneke Beerten (Ned) Milka Trek MTB Racing TeamRow 79 - Cell 2

Elite women's teams

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Luna Pro Team63pts
2Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol50Row 1 - Cell 3
3Central Haibike Pro Team43Row 2 - Cell 3
4Ghost Factory Racing Team42Row 3 - Cell 3
5BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry40Row 4 - Cell 3
6CCC Polkowice32Row 5 - Cell 3
7Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team32Row 6 - Cell 3
8Specialized Racing31Row 7 - Cell 3
9Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain30Row 8 - Cell 3
10Orbea Geax26Row 9 - Cell 3
11Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team25Row 10 - Cell 3
12Topeak Ergon Racing Team20Row 11 - Cell 3
13Subaru - Trek16Row 12 - Cell 3
14Multivan Merida Biking Team2Row 13 - Cell 3

Elite women individual World Cup standings after three rounds

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Julie Bresset (Fra) BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry700pts
2Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team470Row 1 - Cell 3
3Chengyuan Ren (Chn) Specialized Racing390Row 2 - Cell 3
4Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Racing390Row 3 - Cell 3
5Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol386Row 4 - Cell 3
6Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice370Row 5 - Cell 3
7Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Haibike Pro Team365Row 6 - Cell 3
8Annika Langvad (Den)350Row 7 - Cell 3
9Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain340Row 8 - Cell 3
10Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol310Row 9 - Cell 3
11Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team250Row 10 - Cell 3
12Esther Süss (Swi)243Row 11 - Cell 3
13Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Ghost Factory Racing Team237Row 12 - Cell 3
14Emily Batty (Can) Subaru - Trek226Row 13 - Cell 3
15Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team216Row 14 - Cell 3
16Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Central Haibike Pro Team213Row 15 - Cell 3
17Rosara Joseph (NZl) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team208Row 16 - Cell 3
18Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team205Row 17 - Cell 3
19Katrin Leumann (Swi) Ghost Factory Racing Team201Row 18 - Cell 3
20Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Orbea Geax192Row 19 - Cell 3
21Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team191Row 20 - Cell 3
22Anna Szafraniec (Pol) CCC Polkowice182Row 21 - Cell 3
23Nina Homovec (Slo) Orbea Geax174Row 22 - Cell 3
24Annie Last (GBr)173Row 23 - Cell 3
25Hanna Klein (Ger)162Row 24 - Cell 3
26Mary Mcconneloug (USA)158Row 25 - Cell 3
27Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team156Row 26 - Cell 3
28Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team155Row 27 - Cell 3
29Alexandra Engen (Swe)146Row 28 - Cell 3
30Sarah Koba (Swi) Giant Swiss Sr - Suntour140Row 29 - Cell 3
31Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team139Row 30 - Cell 3
32Laura Metzler (Fra) BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry126Row 31 - Cell 3
33Rie Katayama (Jpn)123Row 32 - Cell 3
34Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) Central Haibike Pro Team108Row 33 - Cell 3
35Silke Schmidt (Ger)104Row 34 - Cell 3
36Cécile Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix101Row 35 - Cell 3
37Anja Gradl (Ger) Ghost Factory Racing Team96Row 36 - Cell 3
38Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing96Row 37 - Cell 3
39Laura Turpijn (Ned) Team Merida Combee95Row 38 - Cell 3
40Karen Hanlen (NZl)92Row 39 - Cell 3
41Anne Terpstra (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team92Row 40 - Cell 3
42Amanda Sin (Can)90Row 41 - Cell 3
43Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru - Trek86Row 42 - Cell 3
44Anna Villar Argente (Spa)79Row 43 - Cell 3
45Pavla Havlikova (Cze)67Row 44 - Cell 3
46Adelheid Morath (Ger) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team60Row 45 - Cell 3
47Janka Stevkova (Svk)56Row 46 - Cell 3
48Coralie Redelsperger (Fra)54Row 47 - Cell 3
49Katherine O'shea (Aus)54Row 48 - Cell 3
50Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Pol) CCC Polkowice50Row 49 - Cell 3
51Vera Andreeva (Rus)48Row 50 - Cell 3
52Nataliya Krompets (Ukr) ISD Cycling Team40Row 51 - Cell 3
53Judith Pollinger (Ita) Infotre - Bi & Esse - Leecougan39Row 52 - Cell 3
54Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) CCC Polkowice38Row 53 - Cell 3
55Krista Park (USA)38Row 54 - Cell 3
56Daniela Veronesi (Ita)37Row 55 - Cell 3
57Mical Dyck (Can)37Row 56 - Cell 3
58Githa Michiels (Bel) Trek - Kmc Trade Team Vzw35Row 57 - Cell 3
59Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Swi) Bikepark.Ch Scott32Row 58 - Cell 3
60Nicoletta De Jager (Ned)31Row 59 - Cell 3
61Sandra Santanyes Murillo (Spa)30Row 60 - Cell 3
62Oksana Rybakova (Rus)24Row 61 - Cell 3
63Fabienne Niederberger (Swi)24Row 62 - Cell 3
64Maaris Meier (Est)23Row 63 - Cell 3
65Inbar Ronen (Isr)20Row 64 - Cell 3
66Chloe Forsman (USA)19Row 65 - Cell 3
67Rowena Fry (Aus)19Row 66 - Cell 3
68Stephanie Wiedner (Aut)18Row 67 - Cell 3
69Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Spa)17Row 68 - Cell 3
70Maddie Horton (GBr)15Row 69 - Cell 3
71Samantha Sanders (RSA)15Row 70 - Cell 3
72Anneke Beerten (Ned) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team14Row 71 - Cell 3
73Gracie Elvin (Aus)13Row 72 - Cell 3
74Jenni King (Aus)12Row 73 - Cell 3
75Melanie Spath (Ger)11Row 74 - Cell 3
76Maria Osl (Aut) Fischer - BMC10Row 75 - Cell 3
77Michalina Ziolkowska (Pol)8Row 76 - Cell 3
78Kristien Nelen (Bel) V.Z.W. Goeman Scott Cycling Team8Row 77 - Cell 3

 

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