Langvad beats Ferrand Prevot in Stellenbosch

Annika Langvad (Specialized) continued her remarkable streak of wins at the opening round of the Mountain Bike World Cup, winning the Elite women's race for the fourth consecutive year on Saturday in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Missing from the start was defending overall World Cup champion Yana Belomoina (CST Sandd American Eagle), who is still building fitness after breaking her hip last Fall.

Langvad jumped into the lead on the first lap, with Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Canyon Factory XC) in second and Under-23 rider Anne Tauber (CST Sandd American Eagle) third. Prevot and Langvad rode together for the first half of the race, until Langvad made a mistake on Lap 4, on one of the steep climbs, having to put her foot down, which allowed Ferrand Prevot to get away.

The French rider, back in top form after a season of illness and injury, opened a gap of 12 seconds, but the Danish rider rejoined her within half a lap and then rode away in the last lap and a half to win by 13 seconds. Tauber took third at 34 seconds.

"I have no idea why I am so good [at the start of the season], admitted Langvad. "It was a really good day for me, amazingly since I struggled a lot this week in training. I felt the pressure [of winning last three opening rounds] and I knew my shape was good. But I got fed up of putting pressure on myself and said 'you know what, just go out there and smash it, and don't give a bleep about anything else'."

"It's such an intense course and so easy to make small mistakes. Even though I had a stick in my wheel, and I had to unclip and run some stuff ... but I'm really satisfied because I managed to keep composed and come back."

There was a real battle for the final two podium spots. World champion Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing) - racing five weeks after breaking her clavicle at a Cyclo-cross World Cup - and Catharine Pendrel (Clif Pro Team) held fourth and fifth for most of the race, until Neff's team mate Maja Wloszczowksa joined them on the last lap, with the two Kross riders dropping Pendrel in the final half lap. Helen Grobert (Cannondale Factory) then caught Pendrel and jumped across to the two Kross riders in the final 500 metres, beating them in a three-way sprint for fourth, just ahead of Wloszczowska.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Annika Langvad (Den)1:33:14
2Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra)0:00:13
3Anne Tauber (Ned)0:00:34
4Helen Grobert (Ger)0:01:15
5Maja Wloszczowska (Pol)0:01:16
6Jolanda Neff (Swi)Row 5 - Cell 2
7Catharine Pendrel (Can)0:01:55
8Sabine Spitz (Ger)0:02:43
9Linda Indergand (Swi)Row 8 - Cell 2
10Alessandra Keller (Swi)0:02:47
11Annie Last (GBr)0:02:55
12Chloe Woodruff (USA)Row 11 - Cell 2
13Elisabeth Brandau (Ger)0:03:29
14Emily Batty (Can)Row 13 - Cell 2
15Rebecca Mcconnell (Aus)0:03:54
16Barbara Benkó (Hun)0:04:18
17Eva Lechner (Ita)0:04:20
18Tanja Žakelj (Slo)0:04:41
19Irina Kalentyeva (Rus)0:04:46
20Lea Davison (USA)0:04:47
21Corina Gantenbein (Swi)0:05:27
22Raiza Goulao Henrique (Bra)0:05:35
23Haley Smith (Can)0:05:46
24Kate Courtney (USA)0:05:57
25Sabrina Enaux (Fra)0:06:09
26Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi)0:06:28
27Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor)0:06:57
28Mariske Strauss (RSA)0:07:24
29Jitka Škarnitzlová (Cze)0:07:43
30Ramona Forchini (Swi)0:07:52
31Katrin Leumann (Swi)0:08:21
32Julie Bresset (Fra)0:09:22
33Elisabeth Osl (Aut)0:10:44
34Cindy Montambault (Can)0:11:02
35Cherie Redecker (RSA)0:11:24
36Karla Štepánová (Cze)0:11:38
37Paula Gorycka (Pol)0:11:42
38Fabienne Schaus (Lux)0:12:00
39Agustina Maria Apaza (Arg)0:12:40
40Lisa Mitterbauer (Aut)0:12:53
41Amy Mcdougall (RSA)Row 40 - Cell 2
42Lotte Koopmans (Ned)0:13:10
43Michelle Vorster (Nam)0:13:58
44Rebecca Beaumont (Can)Row 43 - Cell 2
45Camille Devi (Fra)Row 44 - Cell 2
46Margot Moschetti (Fra)Row 45 - Cell 2
47Sarah Hill (RSA)Row 46 - Cell 2
48Britt Van Den Boogert (Ned)Row 47 - Cell 2
49Ila Gray (RSA)Row 48 - Cell 2
50Joana Monteiro (Por)Row 49 - Cell 2
51Machuene Rozalia Kubyana (RSA)Row 50 - Cell 2
52Marianne Bergli (Nor)Row 51 - Cell 2
DNFCandice Lill (RSA)Row 52 - Cell 2
DNFSamara Sheppard (NZl)Row 53 - Cell 2
DNFAdelheid Morath (Ger)Row 54 - Cell 2

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