Home Cyclingnews TV   News  Tech   Features   Road   MTB   BMX   Cyclo-cross   Track    Photos    Fitness    Letters   Search   Forum  

Recently on Cyclingnews.com


Mt Hood Classic
Photo ©: Swift

 MTB index page for all MTB content

MTB World Cup XC # 2 - CDM

Offenburg, Germany, May 26-27, 2007

Main Page    Results    Previous Race   Next Race

Race 3 - May 27: Elite Women XC

Kalentyeva takes first World Cup victory since 2004

By Rob Jones in Offenburg

Irina Kalentyeva (Topeak-Ergon) wins.
Photo ©: Rob Jones
(Click for larger image)

The cross-country Mountain Bike World Cup started up again on Sunday in Offenburg, Germany with round two after a one month break, and we saw rather different podiums for both the men and the women than at the opener in Houffalize, Belgium. The Chinese women, who had put two riders on the podium in Houffalize - with Chengyuan Ren taking the victory - were shut out in Offenburg, as Irina Kalentyeva (To Peak) took her first World Cup victory since 2004. Ren holds onto her World Cup series lead over Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Multivan Merida) by a slim 10 points.

Pre-race, the threatened rain had not materialized, although the skies were overcast and damp, and the temperature had dropped over 12 degrees (Celcius) from the day before. The women headed out for two start loops and then six laps of the 5.7 kilometre circuit and, for the first three laps, conditions remained dry and the racing was fast. Sabine Spitz (Ghost) and Wang Jingjing (China National) set the early fast pace through the start loops.

The Chinese riders seemed to struggle a bit more on the technical circuit than they did in Houffalize, with Ren dropping back to 15th by the end of the first lap. At the front it was Spitz setting the pace, with Marga Fullana (Spiuk), Kalentyeva, Dahle Flesjaa and Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain-Haywood) the only riders able to stay with her

The start
Photo ©: Rob Jones
(Click for larger image)

Premont dropped back a few seconds from the others on the second lap when she tangled with Fullana. "I tried to pass her, and she pushed me into the trees where I bent my rear derailleur a little bit. I had to catch up, and my gears didn't work as well, so it took some time."

While Premont was working her way back up, Kalentyeva attacked on the third lap, just before the skies opened and it began to rain heavily. as everyone else began to slip and slide, and work their way down the steep descents cautiously, Kalentyeva was reveling in the wet conditions.

"I was really, really hoping for the rain" she revealed afterwards. "I like those conditions very much, and I was using some special Continental tires for the wet and mud."

Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain Haywood)
Photo ©: Rob Jones
(Click for larger image)

The Topeak team manager said that the tires were new prototypes, specifically for rain, and only Kalentyeva had access to them. Obviously, they were effective.

Spitz was leading the chase until lap four, when her chain broke and the German champion lost nearly five minutes repairing it, dropping her to 11th. Premont had caught the other chasers by this time, and took over second spot from Spitz, while Fullana and Dahle Flesjaa battled for third.

As Kalentyeva's lead approached two minutes at the end of lap five, Premont began picking up the pace, pulling back 30 seconds in the final lap. Dahle Flesjaa and Fullana had a rather unusual slow speed sprint to the line through the mud, with the world champion winning by less than a tire width. Spitz worked her way up in the final lap to take the fifth and final podium spot. Ren recovered from her early lap troubles to finish seventh and retain the leader's jersey.

American Willow Koerber (Subaru Gary Fisher) was ninth, and Canada's Kiara Bisaro (Opus) 10th. Koerber was in sixth place at the end of lap five, but had miscalculated the number of laps, thinking that she had finished a lap early. "I went so hard in what I thought was the final lap that it was really hard to get going again for another lap."

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com

Images by Frank Bodenmuller/PhotoSport International/www.mtbsector.com

Results

1 Irina Kalentyeva (Rus) Topeak-Ergon                       2.02.38
2 Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Rocky Mountain Haywood            1.28
3 Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team    2.20
4 Margarita Fullana (Esp) Spiuk-Tau Ceramica                       
5 Sabine Spitz (Ger) Ghost International Racing                4.57
6 Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna Mtb                   5.11
7 Chengyuan Ren (Chn) China                                    5.30
8 Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Halls Professional Mtb Team          5.54
9 Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher                      6.30
10 Kiara Bisaro (Can) Opus                                     6.50
11 Susan Haywood (USA) Trek-Vw                                 7.11
12 Cécile Rode Ravanel (Fra) Team Lapierre International       7.44
13 Eva Lechner (Ita)                                           8.07
14 Nina Göhl (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team                 8.15
15 Elsbeth Van Rooij-Vink (Ned) Beone Mountainbiketeam         8.26
16 Anna Enocsson (Swe) Ghost International Racing              8.29
17 Petra Henzi (Sui) Fischer-Bmc                               8.41
18 Ying Liu (Chn) China                                        9.00
19 Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Tonis Pro Team Kirchberg                9.19
20 Nathalie Schneitter (Sui)                                   9.30
21 Renata Bucher (Sui)                                         9.43
22 Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Womens Mtb Team                    9.58
23 Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized                              10.08
24 Anna Szafraniec (Pol) Halls Professional Mtb Team          11.17
25 Rosara Joseph (NZl)                                        11.24
26 Ivonne Kraft (Ger) La Carrera-BTS                          12.13
27 Catherine Pendrel (Can) Norco                                   
28 Laura Turpijn (Ned)                                        12.27
29 Laurence Leboucher (Fra)                                   12.52
30 Jingjing Wang (Chn) China                                  12.59
31 Nina Homovec (Slo)                                         13.11
32 Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher                   13.23
33 Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Womens Mtb Team                   13.27
34 Sandra Walter (Can) XO Felt                                13.41
35 Evelyn Staffler (Ita)                                      13.50
36 Alexandra Engen (Swe)                                      14.30
37 Maroussia Rusca (Sui)                                      14.58
38 Alison Sydor (Can) Rocky Mountain Haywood                  15.13
39 Julie Krasniak (Fra) Team Lapierre International           15.19
40 Dellys Starr (Aus)                                         15.34
41 Maria Osl (Aut) Tonis Pro Team Kirchberg                   15.54
42 Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) Luna Womens Mtb Team            16.17
43 Esther Süss (Sui)                                          16.47
44 Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Team Lapierre International            16.53
45 Katrin Schwing (Ger)                                       16.56
46 Helene Marcouyre (Fra) BH-SR. Suntour                      18.10
47 Jaqueline Mourao (Bra)                                     18.17
48 Tory Thomas (Aus)                                          18.25
49 Nadja Roschi (Sui) Fischer-Bmc                             18.38
50 Jenny Copnall (GBr) Subaru-Gary Fisher                     18.58
51 Pavla Havlikova (Cze)                                      19.11
52 Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Pintatim Full-Dynamix                19.52
53 Katrin Leumann (Sui)                                       19.59
54 Wendy Simms (Can) Kona Les Gets                            20.11
55 Amy Hunt (GBr)                                             21.02
 
1 lap behind
 
56 Bärbel Jungmeier (Aut)                                          
57 Maureen Guichardot (Fra) Scott Valloire Galibier                
58 Caroline Mani (Fra)                                             
59 Yolanda Speedy (RSA)                                            
60 Elena Gaddoni (Ita)                                             
61 Mary Mc Conneloug (USA)                                         
62 Judith Pollinger (Ita)                                          
63 Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Esp) BH-SR. Suntour                      
64 Ruth Moll Marques (Esp) BH-SR. Suntour                          
65 Bettina Schmid (Sui) Fischer-Bmc                                
 
2 laps behind
 
66 Laura Lorenza Morfin (Mex)                                      
67 Barbara Oberdorfer (Ita)                                        
68 Githa Michiels (Bel)                                            
69 Laura Metzler (Fra) BH-SR. Suntour                              
70 Francisca Campos Salas (Chi)                                    
71 Sandra Dolcerocca (Den)                                         
72 Anna Villar Argente (Esp) Massi                                 
73 Cristina Mascarreras Sabria (Esp) Spiuk-Tau Ceramica            
74 Zoe King (Aus)                                                  
75 Hanna Klein (Ger)                                               
76 Inbar Ronen (Isr)                                               
77 Sandra Santanyes Murillo (Esp) Massi                            
78 Ksenia Chernykh (Rus)                                           
79 Bérangère Wilst (Fra)                                           
80 Heike Hundertmark (Ger) Breiz Mountain 22                       
81 Ivanda Eiduka (Lat)                                             
82 Nina Baum (USA)                                                 
 
3 laps behind
 
83 Arielle Van Meurs (Ned)                                         
84 Daniela Campuzano (Mex)                                         
85 Sara Muhl (RSA)                                                 
86 Anja Gradl (Ger)                                                
87 Joanna Wall (Aus)                                               
88 Janka Stevkova (Svk)                                            
89 Janine Droz (Sui)                                               
90 Sara Bresnick (USA)                                             
91 Kelli Emmett (USA) Giant Mountain Bike Team                     
92 Elena Babikova Gogoleva (Rus)                                   
93 Nina Kunz (Ger)                                                 
94 Ingrid Bosscha (Ned)                                            
95 Berengere Boes (Fra) Breiz Mountain 22                          
96 Semra Yetis (Tur) Goldcity Alanya                               
97 Marie Kunst (Den)                                               
DNF Niki Fisher (Aus)                                              
DNF Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) Halls Professional Mtb Team           
DNF Elina Sophocleous (Cyp) Bikin'cyprus Int'l Mtb Team            
DNF Karolina Kozela (Pol)                                          
DNF Fiona Macdermid (GBr)                                          
DNF Séverine Hansen (Fra) BH-SR. Suntour                           
DNF Sarah Koba (Sui)                                               
DNF Agnes Naumann (Ger)                                            
DNF Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe) Subaru-Gary Fisher                  
DNF Kate George (GBr)                                              
DNS Petra Mermans (Bel)                                            
DNS Kristien Nelen (Bel)                                           
DNS Senem Guler (Tur Goldcity Alanya                               
 
*=U23