Chengyuan wins opening World Cup cross country in Pietermaritzburg
Bresset and Kalentieva best of the rest
In the elite women's race Chinese star Ren Chengyuan made her return to the front of the field. She had all but disappeared after the Beijing Olympic Games. With few UCI points, she started 47th out of 55 riders, but tore through the field to third place after one lap.
A lap later, she had joined front runner Julie Bresset (BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry), and by the third lap, she was out in front alone. In addition to her power, Chengyuan showed an impressive improvement in her bike handling skills as she railed technical sections that every other rider was approaching cautiously.
Bresset was clear in second, while Irina Kalentieva (Topeak Ergon) and Catharine Pendrel (Luna) battled for third. Kalentieva dropped Pendrel on the penultimate fourth lap with stronger technical skills to take third. Lene Byberg (Specialized) claimed the final spot on the podium and showed she is back in form after a season of illness.
Chengyuan claimed to be surprised with her victory and said, "I did not expect to win. I started far back, and the start was very fast. It was hard to pass at the beginning, but then it began to open up and I could move forward."
Prior to the start of the race, Trek World Racing made an announcement that had the World Cup family buzzing, with number two-ranked Willow Koerber pulling out of the race and announcing that she was pregnant, having just confirmed the fact the night before.
Team Director Martin Whiteley issued a statement. "Obviously this is a bittersweet development for Willow, who on one hand was ready to take on the world in season 2011, yet on the other hand, is now expecting her first child with all the joy and excitement that brings. One thing is clear: we as a team are fully supportive of Willow in this new development and while this was not the plan, life is not predictable and all the team members have been so supportive since she spoke with everyone last night at dinner."
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Ren Chengyuan (Chn) Specialized Racing | 1:32:36 |
2 | Julie Bresset (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry | 0:01:06 |
3 | Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 0:02:18 |
4 | Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team | 0:02:44 |
5 | Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Racing | 0:03:16 |
6 | Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol | 0:05:01 |
7 | Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Haibike Pro Team | 0:05:18 |
8 | Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 0:05:26 |
9 | Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain | 0:05:33 |
10 | Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 0:05:57 |
11 | Esther Süss (Swi) | 0:06:07 |
12 | Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 0:06:24 |
13 | Annika Langvad (Den) | 0:06:30 |
14 | Rosara Joseph (NZl) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team | 0:06:36 |
15 | Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol | 0:07:02 |
16 | Emily Batty (Can) Subaru-Trek | 0:07:13 |
17 | Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Orbea Geax | 0:07:19 |
18 | Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team | 0:07:31 |
19 | Katrin Leumann (Swi) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 0:08:04 |
20 | Annie Last (GBr) | 0:08:40 |
21 | Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team | 0:09:04 |
22 | Anna Szafraniec (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 0:09:35 |
23 | Mary Mcconneloug (USA) | 0:10:16 |
24 | Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Trek | 0:10:24 |
25 | Alexandra Engen (Swe) | 0:10:25 |
26 | Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team | 0:10:37 |
27 | Nina Homovec (Slo) Orbea Geax | 0:11:02 |
28 | Laura Metzler (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry | 0:11:33 |
29 | Sarah Koba (Swi) Giant Swiss Sr-Suntour | 0:11:42 |
30 | Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Central Haibike Pro Team | 0:11:58 |
31 | Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) Central Haibike Pro Team | 0:12:20 |
32 | Rie Katayama (Jpn) | 0:12:29 |
33 | Hanna Klein (Ger) | 0:12:38 |
34 | Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 0:13:03 |
35 | Amanda Sin (Can) | 0:13:20 |
36 | Laura Turpijn (Ned) Team Merida Combee | 0:13:28 |
37 | Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Swi) Bikepark.Ch Scott | 0:15:01 |
38 | Silke Schmidt (Ger) | 0:16:15 |
39 | Krista Park (USA) | 0:16:31 |
40 | Anna Villar Argente (Spa) | 0:16:48 |
41 | Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team | 0:17:11 |
42 | Vera Andreeva (Rus) | 0:17:29 |
43 | Anne Terpstra (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team | 0:19:18 |
44 | Oksana Rybakova (Rus) | 0:20:01 |
45 | Cécile Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix | 0:21:11 |
46 | Katherine O'Shea (Aus) | - 1 lap |
47 | Nicoletta De Jager (Ned) | - 1 lap |
48 | Inbar Ronen (Isr) | - 1 lap |
49 | Nataliya Krompets (Ukr) ISD Cycling Team | - 1 lap |
50 | Stephanie Wiedner (Aut) | - 1 lap |
51 | Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Spa) | - 1 lap |
52 | Judith Pollinger (Ita) Infotre - Bi&Esse- Leecougan | - 1 lap |
53 | Samantha Sanders (RSA) | - 1 lap |
54 | Anneke Beerten (Ned) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team | - 2 laps |
DNF | Anja Gradl (Ger) Ghost Factory Racing Team | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Willow Koerber (USA) Trek World Racing | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
Elite women cross country World Cup standings after one round
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Ren Chengyuan (Chn) Specialized Racing | 250 | pts |
2 | Julie Bresset (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry | 200 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 160 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team | 150 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Racing | 140 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol | 130 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Haibike Pro Team | 120 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 110 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain | 100 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 95 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Esther Süss (Swi) | 90 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 85 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Annika Langvad (Den) | 80 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Rosara Joseph (NZl) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team | 78 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol | 76 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | Emily Batty (Can) Subaru-Trek | 74 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Orbea Geax | 72 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team | 70 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Katrin Leumann (Swi) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 68 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Annie Last (GBr) | 66 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team | 64 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
22 | Anna Szafraniec (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 62 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
23 | Mary Mcconneloug (USA) | 60 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
24 | Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Trek | 58 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
25 | Alexandra Engen (Swe) | 56 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
26 | Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team | 54 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
27 | Nina Homovec (Slo) Orbea Geax | 52 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
28 | Laura Metzler (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry | 50 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
29 | Sarah Koba (Swi) Giant Swiss SR-Suntour | 48 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
30 | Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Central Haibike Pro Team | 46 | Row 29 - Cell 3 |
31 | Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) Central Haibike Pro Team | 44 | Row 30 - Cell 3 |
32 | Rie Katayama (Jpn) | 42 | Row 31 - Cell 3 |
33 | Hanna Klein (Ger) | 40 | Row 32 - Cell 3 |
34 | Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 38 | Row 33 - Cell 3 |
35 | Amanda Sin (Can) | 36 | Row 34 - Cell 3 |
36 | Laura Turpijn (Ned) Team Merida Combee | 34 | Row 35 - Cell 3 |
37 | Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Swi) Bikepark.Ch Scott | 32 | Row 36 - Cell 3 |
38 | Silke Schmidt (Ger) | 30 | Row 37 - Cell 3 |
39 | Krista Park (USA) | 29 | Row 38 - Cell 3 |
40 | Anna Villar Argente (Spa) | 28 | Row 39 - Cell 3 |
41 | Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team | 27 | Row 40 - Cell 3 |
42 | Vera Andreeva (Rus) | 26 | Row 41 - Cell 3 |
43 | Anne Terpstra (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team | 25 | Row 42 - Cell 3 |
44 | Oksana Rybakova (Rus) | 24 | Row 43 - Cell 3 |
45 | Cécile Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix | 23 | Row 44 - Cell 3 |
46 | Katherine O'shea (Aus) | 22 | Row 45 - Cell 3 |
47 | Nicoletta De Jager (Ned) | 21 | Row 46 - Cell 3 |
48 | Inbar Ronen (Isr) | 20 | Row 47 - Cell 3 |
49 | Nataliya Krompets (Ukr) ISD Cycling Team | 19 | Row 48 - Cell 3 |
50 | Stephanie Wiedner (Aut) | 18 | Row 49 - Cell 3 |
51 | Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Spa) | 17 | Row 50 - Cell 3 |
52 | Judith Pollinger (Ita) Infotre - Bi&Esse- Leecougan | 16 | Row 51 - Cell 3 |
53 | Samantha Sanders (RSA) | 15 | Row 52 - Cell 3 |
54 | Anneke Beerten (Ned) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team | 14 | Row 53 - Cell 3 |
Elite women cross country World Cup Team Standings after one round
Header Cell - Column 0 | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Specialized Racing | 68 | pts |
2 | Luna Pro Team | 43 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Colnago Arreghini Sudtirol | 42 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry | 38 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 32 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | CCC Polkowice | 32 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Central Haibike Pro Team | 25 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain | 22 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Subaru-Trek | 22 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Ghost Factory Racing Team | 33 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Multivan Merida Biking Team | 19 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Orbea Geax | 18 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team | 12 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team | 10 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Giant Swiss SR-Suntour | 2 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
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