Langvad solos to Val di Sole victory
By Cycling News
Neff defends World Cup title with second place
Jolanda Neff (Stoeckli Pro Team) successfully defended her World Cup by finishing second to Annika Langvad (Specialized) in the sixth and final round of the Mountain Bike World Cup on Sunday, in Val di Sole, Italy.
Rain overnight had turned much of the course into sticky mud - referred to by one team manager as 'velcro'. The mud was transferred to many of the rocky sections, making them slippery and treacherous, and causing numerous crashes.
The start of the race followed a pattern fans are all to used to seeing - Neff pulling away with a fast start, forcing everyone else to chase. Langvad and world champion Catharine Pendrel (Luna) took up the chase, limiting Neff to a handful of seconds on the opening half-lap start loop, but then Pendrel began to fade, leaving Langvad alone in the chase.
The Danish rider joined Neff by the halfway mark in the race and immediately went to the front to set the pace on the climbs, with Neff only able to keep up by coming back on the descents. On the penultimate lap Langvad broke clear for good, pulling away to win by nearly a minute.
Behind, Pendrel was first caught by Irina Kalentyeva (Moebel Maerki), who then moved solo into third place, which she held to line. A chase group followed containing Maja Wloszczowska (Kross Racing), Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing), Adelheid Morath (BH-SR Suntour-KMC), Lea Davison (Specialized), Blaza Klemencic (Habitat Mountain Bike) and Eva Lechner (Colnago Sudtirol). This group dropped Pendrel and then it became a race of attrition, with Wloszczowska getting away first to take fourth, followed by Batty in fifth.
"I must say I can't believe it," stated Langvad. "It felt so good out there today. Last weekend I did a race in Leadville [USA] at three thousand metres. This entire week I was filled with jet lag, I was exhausted, didn't sit much on my bike. I thought 'OK, I'll do this race for the points, for going for the overall team award'. Even yesterday I did some intensity on the course and I thought 'whoo, I'm tired'. So I started out with very low expectations. Then, all of a sudden, I felt really good. When you catch a good wave, you just have to stay with that feeling."
"You've all seen how I have been struggling the last few World Cups with crashes, lack of concentration. But, this race, I actually put it all together. I had a little bit of a mistake on the second last lap, but I kept it together. I am so happy. I am beyond words."
"The last two laps I really had to put the hammer down. I could see Jolanda was struggling and I had to put it to my advantage. But when you go over your limit, you go a little bit cross eyed, especially going into the downhill part. But still, I kept it together. I really wanted the win and the tears came into my eyes when I came to the last stretch and realized this is really going to happen. It is an amazing feeling."
The race shook up the standings behind Neff and Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Multivan Merida), who were secure in first and second overall. Third placed Pendrel dropped to fourth, Davison moved up to third, and Kalentyeva bumped Batty out of fifth. Batty dropped to seventh when Langvad's win propelled her into sixth.
"Oh yes, this was a really tough race for me," agreed Neff. "Really hard. Tough climbing. Yeah, it really was a hard race. But I'm really happy I could take the overall. It means a lot to me and to take it two times in a row, yeah it's amazing."
Neff, who is still an Under 23 rider, has been permission to race with the Elite field at the world championships in two weeks, and commented "Oh yeah I am [confident about Worlds]. I have been training really well last week. I will go back straight to high altitude now. I hope I can prepare well for the World Championships. I am looking forward a lot to race Elite."
Full results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Annika Langvad (Den) Specialized Racing | 1:30:56 |
2 | Jolanda Neff (Swi) Stoeckli Pro Team | 0:00:57 |
3 | Irina Kalentyeva (Rus) Moebel Maerki MTB Pro Team | 0:01:14 |
4 | Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Kross Racing Team | 0:01:30 |
5 | Emily Batty (Can) Trek Factory Racing | 0:01:38 |
6 | Adelheid Morath (Ger) BH-SR Suntour-KMC | 0:01:49 |
7 | Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing | 0:01:57 |
8 | Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Habitat Mountainbiketeam | |
9 | Helen Grobert (Ger) Ghost Factory Racing | 0:02:10 |
10 | Eva Lechner (Ita) Team Colnago Sudtirol | 0:02:48 |
11 | Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team | 0:02:54 |
12 | Yana Belomoina (Ukr) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens MTB Racing Team | 0:03:30 |
13 | Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Unior Tools Team | 0:04:25 |
14 | Esther Suss (Swi) Wheeler - IXS Team | 0:04:39 |
15 | Corina Gantenbein (Swi) Haibike Oetztal Pro Team | 0:04:43 |
16 | Sabine Spitz (Ger) | 0:04:56 |
17 | Githa Michiels (Bel) Versluys Team | 0:05:01 |
18 | Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team | 0:05:33 |
19 | Erin Huck (USA) Scott-3Rox Racing | 0:06:12 |
20 | Chloe Woodruff (USA) | 0:06:39 |
21 | Lisa Mitterbauer (Aut) Habitat Mountainbiketeam | 0:07:12 |
22 | Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Pol) | 0:07:31 |
23 | Ekateryna Anoshina (Rus) Rusvelo | 0:07:34 |
24 | Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Superior MTB Team | 0:07:52 |
25 | Nadine Rieder (Ger) | 0:08:13 |
26 | Mary Mcconneloug (USA) | 0:08:20 |
27 | Iryna Popova (Ukr) | 0:08:25 |
28 | Janka Keseg Stevkova (Svk) | 0:08:49 |
29 | Serena Calvetti (Ita) | 0:08:56 |
30 | Julie Bresset (Fra) BH-SR Suntour-KMC | 0:09:00 |
31 | Hanna Klein (Ger) BH-SR Suntour-KMC | 0:09:17 |
32 | Marine Groccia (Swi) | 0:09:33 |
33 | Sandra Walter (Can) | 0:09:37 |
34 | Kate Fluker (NZl) | 0:09:50 |
35 | Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Ghost Factory Racing | 0:10:00 |
36 | Ariane Kleinhans (Swi) | 0:10:21 |
37 | Raiza Goulao-Henrique (Bra) | 0:10:24 |
38 | Lesley Paterson (GBr) | 0:10:40 |
39 | Linda Indergand (Swi) Focus XC Team | 0:10:58 |
40 | Paula Gorycka (Pol) 4F-Scott Racing Team | 0:11:06 |
41 | Sabrina Enaux (Fra) | 0:11:55 |
42 | Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) Rose Vaujany Fueled By Ultrasports | 0:12:29 |
43 | Katrin Leumann (Swi) Ghost Factory Racing | |
44 | Anne Terpstra (Ned) Habitat Mountainbiketeam | |
45 | Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi) Haibike Oetztal Pro Team | |
46 | Nataliia Krompets (Ukr) Isd MTB Team | |
47 | Karla Stepanova (Cze) | |
48 | Samara Sheppard (NZl) | |
49 | Michelle Hediger (Swi) Giant Swiss Team | |
50 | Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) | |
51 | Cherie Vale (RSA) Novus Omx Pro Team | |
52 | Mara Fumagalli (Ita) | |
53 | Marta Pastore (Ita) Team Piemonte Fci | |
54 | Lucie Vesela (Cze) Gt Bikeplac Opportunity | |
55 | Mercedes Pacios Pujado (Spa) | |
56 | Ingrid Richter (Ger) | |
57 | Lucia Vazquez Crespo (Spa) | |
58 | Valentine Segrestan (Fra) Calvisson VTT | |
59 | Anna Konovalova (Rus) Format-Udmurtia | |
60 | Kerry Macphee (GBr) | |
61 | Irina Krenn (Aut) | |
62 | Anna Cipullo (GBr) | |
63 | Verity Appleyard (GBr) | |
64 | Anna Oberparleiter (Ita) | |
DNF4 | Annie Last (GBr) | |
DNF3 | Alice Pirard (Bel) Merida-Wallonie Mountain Bike Team | |
DNF3 | Rocio Martin Rodriguez (Spa) | |
DNF3 | Peta Mullens (Aus) | |
DNF2 | Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team | |
DNS | Rebecca Henderson (Aus) Trek Factory Racing | |
DNS | Nina Wrobel (Ger) | |
DNS | Alexandra Engen (Swe) Ghost Factory Racing |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jolanda\ Neff (Swi) Stoeckli Pro Team | 1300 | pts |
2 | Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 910 | |
3 | Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing | 820 | |
4 | Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team | 816 | |
5 | Irina Kalentyeva (Rus) Moebel Maerki MTB Pro Team | 730 | |
6 | Annika Langvad (Den) Specialized Racing | 728 | |
7 | Emily Batty (Can) Trek Factory Racing | 723 | |
8 | Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Kross Racing Team | 720 | |
9 | Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Raboliv | 570 | |
10 | Helen Grobert (Ger) Ghost Factory Racing | 555 | |
11 | Eva Lechner (Ita) Team Colnago Sudtirol | 529 | |
12 | Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Unior Tools Team | 512 | |
13 | Adelheid Morath (Ger) BH-SR Suntour-KMC | 488 | |
14 | Yana Belomoina (Ukr) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens MTB Racing Team | 483 | |
15 | Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Habitat Mountainbiketeam | 442 | |
16 | Linda Indergand (Swi) Focus XC Team | 381 | |
17 | Githa Michiels (Bel) Versluys Team | 380 | |
18 | Annie Last (GBr) | 365 | |
19 | Anne Terpstra (Ned) Habitat Mountainbiketeam | 354 | |
20 | Corina Gantenbein (Swi) Haibike Oetztal Pro Team | 335 | |
21 | Chloe Woodruff (USA) | 331 | |
22 | Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team | 328 | |
23 | Sabine Spitz (Ger) | 319 | |
24 | Erin Huck (USA) Scott-3Rox Racing | 319 | |
25 | Rebecca Henderson (Aus) Trek Factory Racing | 314 | |
26 | Esther Suss (Swi) Wheeler - IXS Team | 299 | |
27 | Lisa Mitterbauer (Aut) Habitat Mountainbiketeam | 286 | |
28 | Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Ghost Factory Racing | 268 | |
29 | Karla Stepanova (Cze) | 256 | |
30 | Kate Fluker (NZl) | 250 | |
31 | Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) Rose Vaujany Fueled By Ultrasports | 248 | |
32 | Hanna Klein (Ger) BH-SR Suntour-KMC | 219 | |
33 | Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team | 196 | |
34 | Raiza Goulao-Henrique (Bra) | 196 | |
35 | Peta Mullens (Aus) | 173 | |
36 | Alice Pirard (Bel) Merida-Wallonie Mountain Bike Team | 165 | |
37 | Katrin Leumann (Swi) Ghost Factory Racing | 164 | |
38 | Barbara Benko (Hun) Focus XC Team | 160 | |
39 | Marine Groccia (Swi) | 152 | |
40 | Mary Mcconneloug (USA) | 149 | |
41 | Daniela Campuzano (Mex) | 146 | |
42 | Sandra Walter (Can) | 146 | |
43 | Anna Oberparleiter (Ita) | 141 | |
44 | Isabella Moreira Lacerda (Bra) | 139 | |
45 | Ekateryna Anoshina (Rus) Rusvelo | 137 | |
46 | Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi) Haibike Oetztal Pro Team | 116 | |
47 | Mikaela Kofman (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing | 116 | |
48 | Sabrina Enaux (Fra) | 116 | |
49 | Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Pol) | 110 | |
50 | Janka Keseg Stevkova (Svk) | 108 | |
51 | Jovana Crnogorac (Srb) Salcano Cappadocia | 104 | |
52 | Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Superior MTB Team | 98 | |
53 | Ariane Kleinhans (Swi) | 96 | |
54 | Rose Grant (USA) | 96 | |
55 | Agustina Maria Apaza (Arg) | 94 | |
56 | Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) | 93 | |
57 | Nadine Rieder (Ger) | 91 | |
58 | Cindy Montambault (Can) | 87 | |
59 | Michelle Hediger (Swi) Giant Swiss Team | 86 | |
60 | Nina Wrobel (Ger) | 85 | |
61 | Serena Calvetti (Ita) | 80 | |
62 | Larissa Connors (USA) | 76 | |
63 | Laura Metzler (Fra) Btwin MTB Racing Team | 60 | |
64 | Cherie Vale (RSA) Novus Omx Pro Team | 60 | |
65 | Chengyuan Ren (Chn) China Jiangsu Zgl MTB Team | 58 | |
66 | Lesley Paterson (GBr) | 57 | |
67 | Paula Gorycka (Pol) 4F-Scott Racing Team | 54 | |
68 | Iryna Popova (Ukr) | 52 | |
69 | Rebecca Beaumont (Can) | 50 | |
70 | Anna Villar Argente (Spa) | 49 | |
71 | Julie Bresset (Fra) BH-SR Suntour-KMC | 46 | |
72 | Elisabeth Sveum (Nor) | 46 | |
73 | Jitka Skarnitzlova (Cze) | 45 | |
74 | Rocio Martin Rodriguez (Spa) | 43 | |
75 | Elyse Nieuwold (Can) | 42 | |
76 | Nataliia Krompets (Ukr) Isd MTB Team | 42 | |
77 | Kim Hurst (NZl) | 42 | |
78 | Noelia Rodriguez (Arg) | 39 | |
79 | Marta Pastore (Ita) Team Piemonte Fci | 36 | |
80 | Samara Sheppard (NZl) | 34 | |
81 | Aurelia Perry (Fra) | 33 | |
82 | Florence Darbellay (Swi) | 32 | |
83 | Lucia Vazquez Crespo (Spa) | 29 | |
84 | Hielke Elferink (Ned) | 29 | |
85 | Kerry Macphee (GBr) | 25 | |
86 | Lucie Vesela (Cze) Gt Bikeplac Opportunity | 22 | |
87 | Crystal Anthony (USA) | 21 | |
88 | Pavlina Sulcova (Cze) | 21 | |
89 | Elisa Otter (USA) | 18 | |
90 | Mara Fumagalli (Ita) | 16 | |
91 | Fabienne Schaus (Lux) | 16 | |
92 | Nicky Healy (GBr) | 15 | |
93 | Mercedes Pacios Pujado (Spa) | 13 | |
94 | Sarah Riley (Aus) | 13 | |
95 | Ingrid Richter (Ger) | 12 | |
96 | Eliza Kwan (Aus) | 12 | |
97 | Mariske Strauss (RSA) Novus Omx Pro Team | 12 | |
98 | Valentine Segrestan (Fra) Calvisson VTT | 10 | |
99 | Anna Konovalova (Rus) Format-Udmurtia | 9 |
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