Neff takes third win of the season in Mont-Sainte-Anne

By Tour of Japan
published

Stoeckli Pro Team rider extends lead in overall standings

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World Cup leader Jolanda Neff (Stoeckli Pro Team) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

Jolanda Neff (Stoeckli Pro Team) returned to the top step of the Mountain Bike World Cup podium on Sunday at Mont Ste Anne, Canada, for her third win of the season, extending her lead in the overall standings.

This year, Mont Ste Anne is celebrating its 25th anniversary, an impressive run that goes back to the very start of the World Cup in 1991. MSA has held a World Cup every year of the series except for the two occasions when it hosted the world championships in 1998 and 2010.

The cross-country at MSA is classic mountain biking, with steep climbs, rocks and roots. The XC racers were spared the rain that hit the Downhill event, but forested sections were still muddy and slippery.

Neff, the defending champion here, dropped the rest of the field less then halfway into the first lap, opening a gap of 34 seconds on Round 3 winner Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Multivan Merida) by the end of the lap. World champion Catharine Pendrel (Luna), after a slow start, caught up to Dahle Flesjaa on the second lap, and then headed off in pursuit of Neff on her own for the rest of the race.

Neff's lead was up to 1:25 by the end of the third lap, but Pendrel was aggressively chasing, her body rocking as she powered up the climbs, and posting the fastest times for the final three laps. It wasn't enough, with Neff simply too far in front, and the young Swiss rider across the line 34 seconds ahead of Pendrel. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Raboliv), back to mountain biking after a long stint of road racing, took third after an impressive ride through the field from 31st on the start line, followed by Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing) and Dahle Flesjaa.

"It was maybe the craziest race of my life," commented Neff, "because this morning when I got up I fainted, and I hit the floor with my head and I lost consciousness for a few seconds, and I wasn't sure if I would race today."

"I crashed every lap, which is not so normal for me. So it is unbelievable to win. I just wanted to win here. I love this track, I won here last year and I just really wanted to win, it's amazing. It is really cool I can keep the lead overall so I can wear this [leader's] jersey again, which I like a lot."

Neff now leads with 900 points, followed by Dahle Flesjaa at 790 and Pendrel at 670.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jolanda Neff (Swi)1:28:15
2Catharine Pendrel (Can)0:00:34
3Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra)0:01:09
4Emily Batty (Can)0:01:56
5Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor)0:02:22
6Lea Davison (USA)0:03:05
7Katerina Nash (Cze)0:03:18
8Irina Kalentyeva (Rus)0:03:53
9Tanja Zakelj (Slo)0:04:18
10Maja Wloszczowska (Pol)0:05:05
11Eva Lechner (Ita)0:05:38
12Helen Grobert (Ger)0:05:59
13Adelheid Morath (Ger)0:06:13
14Yana Belomoina (Ukr)0:07:37
15Anne Terpstra (Ned)0:07:48
16Daniela Campuzano (Mex)0:08:57
17Lisa Mitterbauer (Aut)0:09:37
18Elisabeth Osl (Aut)0:09:48
19Karla Stepanova (Cze)0:09:56
20Linda Indergand (Swi)0:10:09
21Githa Michiels (Bel)0:10:24
22Erin Huck (USA)0:10:31
23Corina Gantenbein (Swi)0:11:16
24Raiza Goulao-Henrique (Bra)0:11:24
25Georgia Gould (USA)0:11:45
26Sandra Walter (Can)0:12:06
27Annie Last (GBr)0:12:28
28Kate Fluker (NZl)0:12:52
29Nathalie Schneitter (Swi)0:13:19
30Anna Oberparleiter (Ita)0:13:23
31Hanna Klein (Ger)0:13:24
32Rose Grant (USA)0:13:25
33Rebecca Henderson (Aus)0:14:16
34Larissa Connors (USA)Row 33 - Cell 2
35Mikaela Kofman (Can)Row 34 - Cell 2
36Jovana Crnogorac (Srb)Row 35 - Cell 2
37Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi)Row 36 - Cell 2
38Peta Mullens (Aus)Row 37 - Cell 2
39Chloe Woodruff (USA)Row 38 - Cell 2
40Alice Pirard (Bel)Row 39 - Cell 2
41Cindy Montambault (Can)Row 40 - Cell 2
42Rebecca Beaumont (Can)Row 41 - Cell 2
43Agustina Maria Apaza (Arg)Row 42 - Cell 2
44Elisabeth Sveum (Nor)Row 43 - Cell 2
45Michelle Hediger (Swi)Row 44 - Cell 2
46Kim Hurst (NZl)Row 45 - Cell 2
47Katrin Leumann (Swi)Row 46 - Cell 2
48Noelia Rodriguez (Arg)Row 47 - Cell 2
49Elyse Nieuwold (Can)Row 48 - Cell 2
50Elisa Otter (USA)Row 49 - Cell 2
DNFAnnika Langvad (Den)Row 50 - Cell 2
DNFBlaza Klemencic (Slo)Row 51 - Cell 2
DNSBarbara Benko (Hun)Row 52 - Cell 2

 

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