Elisabeth Osl wins World Cup after skipping last week's World Championship
By Tour of Japan published
Austrian takes over World Cup lead heading into final round at home in Austria (updated)
Elisabeth Osl (Central Ghost Team) decided to skip the World Championships last weekend in Australia to focus on the World Cup, and it paid dividends on Sunday at round seven in Champéry, Switzerland, when she decisively won and took the lead in the overall standings with one race remaining. Anna Szafraniec (JBG-2 Pro MTB Team) finished second, with Lene Byberg (Specialized Factory Racing), in the World Cup leader's jersey, finishing third.
The top North American finisher was Canadian National Champion Catharine Pendrel (Luna) in 10th, followed one spot behind by Marie-Helene Premont (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain). Pendrel moves up to third in the World Cup standings, behind Osl and Byberg.
The five lap race began with sprint on pavement into the long 1,200-metre start loop. Traditional fast starter Eva Lechner (Colnago Cap Arreghini) took the lead into the first lap, closely followed by Swiss champion Katrin Leumann, Osl's teammate Sabine Spitz and Osl.
A number of top riders were struggling, including newly crowned World Champion Irina Kalentieva (Topeak Ergon), Byberg, Marga Fullana (Massi) and Pendrel. Kalentieva crashed on the second lap, landing on her knee, and was taken to hospital; it was an inauspicious start to her reign as World Champion. Fullana pulled out on the same lap with, as it turned out, a back injury. According to her team, she crashed in training two days before the race, damaging a vertebra. She will now see a specialist to assess the severity of the injury.
Osl and Lechner moved into the lead on the first lap, already 40 seconds ahead of Leumann, Szafraniec and Spitz by the start of the second lap, with Byberg 1:21 back and seeing her World Cup lead disappearing. Osl took the lead on the second lap, but it was a slim five to 10 second gap that did not change until just before the start of the last lap, when Lechner flatted, letting Szafraniec move into second place. The Italian managed to get to the pit in fourth and hold onto that spot, but her chances of winning were finished.
Byberg had a strong race coming from behind. She moved up to join a chase group of Spitz, Pendrel and Leumann mid-race, and then dropped them to move into third. However, anything other than a win would have dropped her out of the lead, so she goes into the final round 65 points behind Osl, who will be racing in front of her native Austrian fans.
"Yesterday I woke up with a cold, and my head felt thick," said Osl, "so I didn't think it was possible to win here. When Eva and I were away in front, I was being more cautious in the technical sections, because it would have been easy to make a mistake, and lose a lot of time."
"But I was faster [than Lechner] on the climb, and when I went into the lead, it wasn't really an attack. I could see that she was at her limit and I was still able to go harder. The gap was small until Eva flatted, and it was only then that I knew that I could win."
"It is really cool to win, and become the leader as the World Cup goes to my home country. This makes me happy with my decision not to go to the World Championships."
The final lap took its toll on Pendrel, who slipped down to 10th.
"That was really hard!," she exclaimed after crossing the line. "I had a good race, I was climbing and descending well, but I think we are staring to see some riders coming into form who weren't as strong earlier into the season. This just shows the depth of the women's field."
Emily Batty (Team Canada) finished 20th, the fourth Under 23 rider. Her results leaves her in second overall in the Under 23 standings, 33 points behind World Champion Aleksandra Dawidowicz (CCC Polkowice), who was ninth in today's race and the highest-placing Under 23 racer. Batty goes into the final round with a 31-point advantage over third placed Caroline Mani (Team Bikepark.ch).
Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Central Ghost Pro Team | 1:39:39 |
2 | Anna Szafraniec (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team | 0:00:54 |
3 | Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Factory Racing | 0:01:23 |
4 | Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Cap Arreghini | 0:02:18 |
5 | Katrin Leumann (Swi) | 0:02:27 |
6 | Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Ghost Pro Team | 0:02:40 |
7 | Cécile Rode Ravanel (Fra) Lapierre International | 0:02:43 |
8 | Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) Colnago Cap Arreghini | 0:03:25 |
9 | Aleksandra Dawidowicz* (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 0:03:38 |
10 | Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team | 0:04:23 |
11 | Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles | 0:05:05 |
12 | Lea Davison (USA) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles | 0:05:54 |
13 | Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Swi) Team Bikepark.ch | 0:06:22 |
14 | Julie Bresset* (Fra) Breiz Mountain | 0:06:36 |
15 | Sabrina Enaux (Fra) BH-Suntour | 0:07:02 |
16 | Hanna Klein* (Ger) | 0:07:37 |
17 | Laura Metzler (Fra) BH-Suntour | 0:08:29 |
18 | Anna Villar Argente (Spa) Massi | 0:08:37 |
19 | Sarah Koba (Swi) | 0:09:04 |
20 | Emily Batty* (Can) | 0:09:23 |
21 | Amanda Sin (Can) | 0:09:36 |
22 | Mary McConneloug (USA) | 0:10:00 |
23 | Vivienne Meyer* (Swi) Colnago Cap Arreghini | 0:10:33 |
24 | Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) | 0:10:52 |
25 | Tanja Zakelj* (Slo) MBK Orbea | 0:12:06 |
26 | Kate Potter (Aus) | 0:12:19 |
27 | Anja Gradl (Ger) Central Ghost Pro Team | 0:12:45 |
28 | Nataliya Krompets* (Ukr) | 0:12:56 |
29 | Annie Last* (GBr) | 0:13:31 |
30 | Fanny Bourdon* (Fra) | 0:13:41 |
31 | Rowena Fry (Aus) Discovertasmania.com | 0:14:00 |
32 | Janka Stevkova (Svk) | 0:14:13 |
33 | Fabienne Niederberger (Swi) | 0:14:44 |
34 | Suzanne Clarke (GBr) | 0:15:17 |
35 | Sandra Walter (Can) | 0:16:00 |
36 | Maria Osl (Aut) Fischer-BMC | 0:16:46 |
37 | Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team | 0:17:05 |
38 | Barbara Benko* (Hun) | 0:17:29 |
39 | Stephanie Wiedner* (Aut) DS-Rennsport | 0:17:33 |
40 | Sandra Santanyes Murillo (Spa) Cemelorca-Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo | 0:18:02 |
41 | Paula Gorycka* (Pol) | 0:18:30 |
42 | Coralie Redelsperger (Fra) | 0:18:51 |
43 | Jean Ann Mckirdy (Can) | 0:19:09 |
44 | Virginie Pointet* (Swi) Team Bikepark.ch | |
45 | Nadine Rieder* (Ger) Fumic.Brothers.International | 0:19:23 |
46 | Helene Marcouyre (Fra) BH-Suntour | 0:19:36 |
47 | Tatjana Dold (Ger) | 0:20:05 |
48 | Adelheid Morath (Ger) | 0:21:01 |
49 | Truong Lorraine * (Swi) | 0:21:31 |
50 | Jennifer Sagesser* (Swi) | 0:22:14 |
51 | Judith Pollinger* (Ita) Sunshine Racers ASV Nals | 0:22:23 |
-1lap | Katherine O'Shea (Aus) Torq Performance Nutrition | |
-1lap | Lily Matthews* (GBr) | |
-1lap | Corina Gantenbein (Swi) | |
-2laps | Alexa Hüni (Ger) | |
-2laps | Githa Michiels (Bel) Team Saeco | |
-2laps | Caroline Mani* (Fra) Team Bikepark.ch | |
-2laps | Gracie Elvin* (Aus) Discovertasmania.com | |
-2laps | Lenka Bulisova* (Cze) | |
-2laps | Nicoletta De Jager (Ned) | |
-2laps | Rebecca Beaumont* (Can) | |
-2laps | Catherine Lohri (Swi) | |
-2laps | Irina Slobodyan* (Ukr) | |
-3laps | Ana Rita Vigario (Por) | |
DNF | Alexandra Engen* (Swe) | |
DNF | Martina Giovanniello* (Ita) Team CBE Tecnoimpianti A.S.D. | |
DNF | Margarita Fullana Riera (Spa) Massi | |
DNF | Petra Henzi (Swi) Fischer-BMC | |
DNF | Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team | |
DNF | Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) CCC Polkowice | |
DNF | Kathrin Stirnemann* (Swi) | |
DNF | Anna Oberparleiter* (Ita) | |
DNS | Fabienne Heinzmann (Swi) Team Bikepark.ch | |
DNS | Daniela Veronesi (SMr) | |
DNS | Roberta Monaldini (SMr) |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Central Ghost Pro Team | 70 | pts |
2 | Colnago Cap Arreghini | 61 | |
3 | Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles | 39 | |
4 | JBG-2 Professional MTB Team | 35 | |
5 | Specialized Factory Racing | 32 | |
6 | BH-Suntour | 30 | |
7 | Lapierre International | 24 | |
8 | CCC Polkowice | 22 | |
9 | Luna Pro Team | 21 | |
10 | Team Bikepark.ch | 18 | |
11 | Breiz Mountain | 17 | |
12 | Massi | 13 | |
13 | MBK Orbea | 6 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Central Ghost Pro Team | 1190 | pts |
2 | Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Factory Racing | 1125 | |
3 | Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team | 975 | |
4 | Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 940 | |
5 | Margarita Fullana Riera (Spa) Massi | 912 | |
6 | Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles | 673 | |
7 | Katrin Leumann (Swi) | 622 | |
8 | Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher | 612 | |
9 | Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Ghost Pro Team | 600 | |
10 | Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Cap Arreghini | 586 | |
11 | Mary Mcconneloug (USA) | 586 | |
12 | Anna Szafraniec (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team | 536 | |
13 | Cécile Rode Ravanel (Fra) Lapierre International | 535 | |
14 | Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team | 515 | |
15 | Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 464 | |
16 | Aleksandra Dawidowicz* (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 426 | |
17 | Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher | 418 | |
18 | Chengyuan Ren (Chn) | 410 | |
19 | Emily Batty* (Can) | 393 | |
20 | Rowena Fry (Aus) Discovertasmania.com | 386 | |
21 | Sabrina Enaux (Fra) BH-Suntour | 363 | |
22 | Caroline Mani* (Fra) Team Bikepark.ch | 363 | |
23 | Laura Turpijn (Ned) | 358 | |
24 | Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) Colnago Cap Arreghini | 352 | |
25 | Lea Davison (USA) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles | 352 | |
26 | Petra Henzi (Swi) Fischer-BMC | 349 | |
27 | Julie Bresset* (Fra) Breiz Mountain | 338 | |
28 | Adelheid Morath (Ger) | 327 | |
29 | Laura Metzler (Fra) BH-Suntour | 323 | |
30 | Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Swi) Team Bikepark.ch | 314 | |
31 | Janka Stevkova (Svk) | 291 | |
32 | Julie Krasniak* (Fra) | 262 | |
33 | Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team | 260 | |
34 | Helene Marcouyre (Fra) BH-Suntour | 251 | |
35 | Anna Villar Argente (Spa) Massi | 247 | |
36 | Kate Potter (Aus) | 241 | |
37 | Hanna Klein* (Ger) | 240 | |
38 | Amanda Sin (Can) | 239 | |
39 | Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 230 | |
40 | Katherine O'Shea (Aus) Torq Performance Nutrition | 193 | |
41 | Tereza Hurikova* (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna MTB | 192 | |
42 | Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt International MTB Team | 188 | |
43 | Vivienne Meyer* (Swi) Colnago Cap Arreghini | 154 | |
44 | Mical Dyck (Can) | 151 | |
45 | Anja Gradl (Ger) Central Ghost Pro Team | 142 | |
46 | Fanny Bourdon* (Fra) | 142 | |
47 | Alexandra Engen* (Swe) | 131 | |
48 | Katherine Compton (USA) | 130 | |
49 | Esther Süss (Swi) | 130 | |
50 | Githa Michiels (Bel) Team Saeco | 128 | |
51 | Ivonne Kraft (Ger) | 127 | |
52 | Barbara Benko* (Hun) | 126 | |
53 | Gracie Elvin* (Aus) Discovertasmania.com | 126 | |
54 | Tanja Zakelj* (Slo) MBK Orbea | 118 | |
55 | Suzanne Clarke (GBr) | 118 | |
56 | Maria Osl (Aut) Fischer-BMC | 107 | |
57 | Vera Andreeva* (Rus) | 97 | |
58 | Nicola Leary (NZl) | 96 | |
59 | Sandra Walter (Can) | 95 | |
60 | Nataliya Krompets* (Ukr) | 93 | |
61 | Chloe Forsman* (USA) Luna Pro Team | 88 | |
62 | Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) | 73 | |
63 | Caroline Villeneuve (Can) | 71 | |
64 | Sarah Koba (Swi) | 68 | |
65 | Karine Travaillaud (Can) | 68 | |
66 | Virginie Pointet* (Swi) Team Bikepark.ch | 66 | |
67 | Sandra Santanyes Murillo (Spa) Cemelorca-Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo | 66 | |
68 | Yolande Speedy (RSA) | 64 | |
69 | Joanna Wall (Aus) Torq Performance Nutrition | 64 | |
70 | Rebecca Beaumont* (Can) | 57 | |
71 | Marie-Claude Surprenant* (Can) | 57 | |
72 | Cindy Montambault (Can) | 56 | |
73 | Daniela Campuzano (Mex) | 55 | |
74 | Zoe King (Aus) | 55 | |
75 | Jean Ann Mckirdy (Can) | 55 | |
76 | Fiona Macdermid (GBr) | 52 | |
77 | Josiane Mathieu (Can) | 51 | |
78 | Laura Lorenza Morfin Macouzet (Mex) | 50 | |
79 | Stephanie Wiedner* (Aut) DS-Rennsport | 49 | |
80 | Rosara Joseph (NZl) | 49 | |
81 | Annie Last* (GBr) | 48 | |
82 | Kathleen Villeneuve (Can) | 45 | |
83 | Kelli Emmett (USA) Giant Mountain Bike Team | 44 | |
84 | Maaike Polspoel* (Bel) | 44 | |
85 | Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe) Subaru-Gary Fisher | 44 | |
86 | Anna Oberparleiter* (Ita) | 43 | |
87 | Fabienne Niederberger (Swi) | 40 | |
88 | Kathrin Stirnemann* (Swi) | 39 | |
89 | Evelyn Staffler (Ita) Colnago Cap Arreghini | 38 | |
90 | Judith Pollinger* (Ita) Sunshine Racers ASV Nals | 38 | |
91 | Coralie Redelsperger (Fra) | 37 | |
92 | Oksana Rybakova (Rus) | 37 | |
93 | Melanie Spath (Ger) | 36 | |
94 | Nadine Rieder* (Ger) Fumic.Brothers.International | 36 | |
95 | Therese Rhodes* (Aus) | 35 | |
96 | Inbar Ronen (Isr) | 34 | |
97 | Tatjana Dold (Ger) | 31 | |
98 | Tania Raats (RSA) | 29 | |
99 | Cristina Mascarreras Sabria (Spa) Conor - Camping La Siesta | 28 | |
100 | Sara Muhl (RSA) | 28 | |
101 | Paula Gorycka* (Pol) | 27 | |
102 | Kajsa Snihs* (Swe) | 27 | |
103 | Shawna Thunder (RSA) | 27 | |
104 | Joanna Harrington (Aus) | 26 | |
105 | Janneke Leask* (RSA) | 26 | |
106 | Heletje Van Staden* (Nam) | 25 | |
107 | Hilana Marais (RSA) | 24 | |
108 | Tory Thomas (Aus) Torq Performance Nutrition | 23 | |
109 | Kristien Nelen (Bel) | 23 | |
110 | Carmen Bassingthwaighte (Nam) | 22 | |
111 | Carla Freysen (RSA) | 21 | |
112 | Lorraine Truong* (Swi) | 19 | |
113 | Katrin Schwing (Ger) | 19 | |
114 | Jennifer Sagesser* (Swi) | 18 | |
115 | Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Team Scott Valloire Galibier | 17 | |
116 | Stephanie Lacoursiere* (Can) | 16 | |
117 | Lily Matthews* (GBr) | 15 | |
118 | Corina Gantenbein (Swi) | 14 | |
119 | Camille Pousse* (Fra) | 14 | |
120 | Alexa Hüni (Ger) | 13 | |
121 | Jeanette Gerrie (NZl) | 13 | |
122 | Silke Schmidt* (Ger) | 13 | |
123 | Laure Boulay (Fra) Keops | 12 | |
124 | Joana Barbosa* (Por) | 11 | |
125 | Catherine Lohri (Swi) | 10 | |
126 | Sarka Chmurova (Cze) | 10 | |
127 | Lenka Bulisova* (Cze) | 9 | |
128 | Elena Ondasova (Svk) | 9 | |
129 | Nicoletta De Jager (Ned) | 8 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Central Ghost Pro Team | 353 | pts |
2 | Luna Pro Team | 346 | |
3 | Specialized Factory Racing | 217 | |
4 | CCC Polkowice | 204 | |
5 | Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles | 203 | |
6 | Colnago Cap Arreghini | 185 | |
7 | Subaru-Gary Fisher | 184 | |
8 | Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 177 | |
9 | Massi | 176 | |
10 | BH-Suntour | 112 | |
11 | JBG-2 Professional MTB Team | 109 | |
12 | Team Bikepark.ch | 101 | |
13 | Lapierre International | 92 | |
14 | Fischer-BMC | 76 | |
15 | Breiz Mountain | 59 | |
16 | Discovertasmania.com | 42 | |
17 | Ceska Sporitelna MTB | 30 | |
18 | Felt International MTB Team | 28 | |
19 | Team Saeco | 10 | |
20 | Torq Performance Nutrition | 9 | |
21 | MBK Orbea | 6 |

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