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Neff wins final UCI World Cup in La Bresse, seals overall

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Frei takes U23 win

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The final overall World Cup podium (L to R): Alessandra Keller, Annika Langvad , Jolanda Neff, Emily Batty, Anne Tauber

The final overall World Cup podium (L to R): Alessandra Keller, Annika Langvad , Jolanda Neff, Emily Batty, Anne Tauber (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Team of the Year - Kross Racing

Team of the Year - Kross Racing (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) wins the final round of the UCI XCO World Cup in La Bresse, France

Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) wins the final round of the UCI XCO World Cup in La Bresse, France (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) collapsed post-race after chasing back from mechanicals, twice

Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) collapsed post-race after chasing back from mechanicals, twice (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) jumps to the front at the start of the women's race

Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) jumps to the front at the start of the women's race (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Kate Courtney (Specialized Racing)

Kate Courtney (Specialized Racing) (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Annika Langvad (Specialized Racing) attacks

Annika Langvad (Specialized Racing) attacks (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing XC) and Annika Langvad (Specialized Racing)

Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing XC) and Annika Langvad (Specialized Racing) (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Kate Courtney (USA) Specialized Racing

Kate Courtney (USA) Specialized Racing (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Erin Huck during the final round of the 2018 UCI XCO World Cup in La Bresse, France

Erin Huck during the final round of the 2018 UCI XCO World Cup in La Bresse, France (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing XC) nearly comes off

Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing XC) nearly comes off (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Canyon Factory Racing XC)

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Canyon Factory Racing XC) (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Catharine Pendrel (Clif Pro Team)

Catharine Pendrel (Clif Pro Team) (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing XC)

Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing XC) (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing XC) in the lead

Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing XC) in the lead (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Annika Langvad (Specialized Racing)

Annika Langvad (Specialized Racing) (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) chases back after her second flat

Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) chases back after her second flat (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) leads Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Canyon Factory Racing XC) and Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing XC)

Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) leads Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Canyon Factory Racing XC) and Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing XC) (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) jumps to the front at the start of the women's race

Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) jumps to the front at the start of the women's race (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing XC) and Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team)

Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing XC) and Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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The women's podium (L to R): Pauline Ferrand Prevot, Emily Batty, Jolanda Neff, Annika Langvad, Alessandra Keller

The women's podium (L to R): Pauline Ferrand Prevot, Emily Batty, Jolanda Neff, Annika Langvad, Alessandra Keller (Image credit: Rob Jones)

Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing) won her third UCI XCO World Cup title in emphatic fashion on Sunday in La Bresse, France, with a victory in the final round.

After raining for most of the week, race day dawned sunny but cool. The sun gradually dried the sections of the circuit in the open, but it remained muddy and slippery in the woods.

The women's race proved to be one of the most exciting in years, with multiple lead changes as riders flatted and chase back to the leaders.

Neff took an early lead, with Emily Batty (Trek Factory), Annika Langvad (Specialized), Alessandra Keller (Thomus-RN Racing) and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Canyon Factory) chasing.

After Neff flatted on the second lap, Langvad moved into the lead, closely followed by Batty, but when Langvad also flatted on the next lap, Batty moved into the lead for two laps.

Neff was chasing back, but flatted again, although she finally managed to rejoin Batty in the lead at the end of lap 5 with Ferrand-Prévot.

On the final lap, Neff managed to get away by a few seconds and hold it to the finish line, with Batty coming in five seconds later, followed by Langvad at 27 seconds.

"It was pretty unbelievable today," admitted Neff. "It was crazy from start to finish. It is incredible to race in France because there are always so many fans. I raced with mud tyres and maybe not enough pressure, so it was definitely my own fault. Twice I saw the race go away and I thought, 'This is it.' But I kept riding and closing the gaps, and I felt that it was still possible. This was definitely the toughest [overall] title to win, and I had to fight all season."

Neff finished the series with 1,930 points, followed by Langvad, 187 points behind. Batty jumped from fourth to third, 30 points ahead of Keller.

Full Results

Elite Women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jolanda Neff (Swi)1:33:03
2Emily Batty (Can)0:00:05
3Annika Langvad (Den)0:00:27
4Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra)0:00:33
5Alessandra Keller (Swi)0:01:27
6Anne Tauber (Ned)0:01:58
7Kate Courtney (USA)0:02:53
8Githa Michiels (Bel)0:03:11
9Maja Wloszczowska (Pol)0:03:33
10Tanja Žakelj (Slo)0:03:51
11Erin Huck (USA)0:04:41
12Chloe Woodruff (USA)0:04:48
13Haley Smith (Can)0:05:02
14Julie Bresset (Fra)0:05:09
15Catharine Pendrel (Can)
16Iryna Popova (Ukr)0:05:36
17Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi)0:06:00
18Karla Štepánová (Cze)0:06:25
19Barbara Benkó (Hun)0:06:33
20Andrea Waldis (Swi)0:06:47
21Jitka Škarnitzlová (Cze)0:07:05
22Lea Davison (USA)0:07:15
23Sabrina Enaux (Fra)0:07:24
24Linda Indergand (Swi)0:07:38
25Daniela Campuzano Chavez Peon (Mex)0:07:44
26Serena Calvetti (Ita)0:07:50
27Jovana Crnogorac (Srb)0:08:00
28Adelheid Morath (Ger)0:08:25
29Lena Gerault (Fra)0:09:07
30Elisabeth Brandau (Ger)0:09:11
31Holly Harris (Aus)0:09:30
32Katarzyna Solus-Miskowicz (Pol)0:09:38
33Elisabeth Osl (Aut)0:09:39
34Perrine Clauzel (Fra)0:10:00
35Annie Last (GBr)0:10:06
36Estelle Boudot Morel (Fra)0:10:14
37Sandra Walter (Can)0:10:36
38Paula Gorycka (Pol)0:10:43
39Raiza Goulao Henrique (Bra)0:10:51
40Jaqueline Mourao (Bra)0:11:04
41Janika Lõiv (Est)0:11:06
42Ramona Forchini (Swi)0:13:07
43Fabienne Schaus (Lux)0:13:14
44Aleksandra Podgorska (Pol)0:13:27
45Cindy Montambault (Can)0:13:59
46Hana Ježková (Cze)0:14:26
47Yosiana Fareidy Quintero Pineda (Col)0:15:11
48Chrystelle Baumann (Swi)0:15:17
49Viktoria Smidth Knudsen (Den)0:15:42
50Lotte Koopmans (Ned)0:16:08
51Cherie Redecker (RSA)
52Sabine Spitz (Ger)
53Marine Groccia (Swi)
54Mariske Strauss (RSA)
55Margot Moschetti (Fra)
56Lucie Veselá (Cze)
57Joana Monteiro (Por)
58Nancy Akinyi (Ken)
59Vanessa Holmes (GBr)
60Angela Laycock (GBr)
DNFNadine Rieder (Ger)
DNFJessica Benz (Ger)
DNSSarah Riley (Aus)

U23 Women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Sina Frei (Swi)1:22:01
2Evie Richards (GBr)0:00:33
3Ronja Eibl (Ger)0:01:37
4Marika Tovo (Ita)0:03:02
5Haley Batten (USA)0:03:53
6Malene Degn (Den)0:04:27
7Rocio Del Alba Garcia Martinez (Spa)0:04:54
8Lucie Urruty (Fra)0:05:22
9Chiara Teocchi (Ita)0:05:32
10Nicole Koller (Swi)0:05:35
11Lisa Pasteiner (Aut)0:05:44
12Loana Lecomte (Fra)0:06:22
13Ida Jansson (Swe)0:06:26
14Sophie Von Berswordt (Ned)0:07:12
15Leonie Daubermann (Ger)0:07:21
16Giorgia Marchet (Ita)0:07:26
17Caroline Bohé (Den)0:07:38
18Martina Berta (Ita)0:07:54
19Gabriela Wojtyla (Pol)0:08:03
20Coline Clauzure (Fra)0:08:21
21Felicitas Geiger (Ger)0:08:44
22Chloe Passelande (Fra)0:09:15
23Greta Seiwald (Ita)0:10:05
24Anna Spielmann (Aut)0:10:24
25Corina Druml (Aut)0:10:46
26Isla Short (GBr)0:11:46
27Constance Valentin (Fra)0:12:51
28Ramona Kupferschmied (Swi)0:12:59
29Lara Krähemann (Swi)0:13:14
30Charline Fragnière (Swi)0:13:38
31Charlotte Rayner (NZl)0:14:21
32Emeline Detilleux (Bel)0:15:17
33Nina Benz (Ger)0:15:23
34Manon Wimmer (Fra)0:15:29
35Federica Piana (Ita)0:15:48
36Laurane Meyers (Fra)
37Erika Monserrath Rodriguez Suarez (Mex)
38Alessia Verrando (Ita)
39Marit Sveen (Nor)
40Pauline Roy (Swi)
41Nadja Heigl (Aut)
42Megan Williams (Aus)
43Patrycja Swierczynska (Pol)
44Fiona Antoine (Fra)
45Angela Campanari (Ita)
46Manon Mantei (Fra)
47Matshidiso Bakang Ebudilwe BOT
DNFAntonia Daubermann (Ger)
DNFBianca Haw (RSA)
DNFMartine Opsahl (Nor)
DNSHélène Clauzel (Fra)

 

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