Pendrel leads Luna Pro Team podium sweep
By Tour of Japan published
Heartbreaking finale for Gould who lost lead after last lap flat
Round six of the cross country series for the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup produced some of the closest and most exciting racing of the year. Catharine Pendrel (Luna led a one-two-three finish for the Luna team in the women's race, wrapping up the World Cup title in the process.
Extreme heat, plus a dry and dusty course with lots of climbing, made for hard conditions. Riders had to drink constantly, and avoid going out too hard, too early if they didn't want to "blow up".
In the elite women's race Georgia Gould (Luna) had come close to taking the first World Cup of her career a week earlier in Mont Ste-Anne, but faded in the last lap, and was overtaken by teammate Pendrel. This time, on home soil, she was inspired, riding away from early leader Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain) to carve out a 50-second lead with a lap to go in the five-lap race.
Two teammates chased her: Pendrel and Katerina Nash, who had dropped Premont. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Multivan Merida) passed Premont to move into fourth, while the Canadian was holding off a late charge by American Olympian Lea Davison (Specialized).
Cresting the final climb, Gould looked to have the win, but then suffered a pinch flat in a a rocky section. She quickly used an inflation cartridge, but the tire went flat again almost within sight of the finish, and she started to run. Pendrel and Nash were surprised to come upon their teammate, with less than 100 meters to go. They swept around her and sprinting to the line, with Pendrel getting the victory. Gould hung on for third.
"I was really sad (about catching Gould in final meters)," said Pendrel. "I did not want it to come down to that. Georgia rode so well, she was obviously riding the best both up and down today. She deserved the win. I looked back and thought maybe Katerina is not going to sprint, but Katerina was going to sprint, so I gotta go for it. It was not the situation I wanted; yes, I wanted Luna one-two-three , but I wanted the best legs to win on the day and that was Georgia."
For Gould it was a bitter disappointment, and the American champion could not talk with choking up. "I had a really good gap, and I just pinch flatted on one of the rocky downhills, I thought it might seal up but I had a lot of high speed downhill, so I stopped and used my CO2 cartridge to fill it up. But it was very soft, and it just went flat again. I just didn't have enough traction for the last climb and had to get off and run. It's pretty disappointing."
Premont took fourth after Dahle Flesjaa flatted, and Davison became the second American on the podium, in fifth. It was Davison's first-ever World Cup podium appearance. Emily Batty (Subaru-Trek), after struggling in the early laps, surged in the final lap to finish 11th.
Pendrel's third win of the season gives her an insurmountable lead in the standings, with one race remaining, in Val d'Isere, France at the end of July. Nash moves into second, followed by Dahle Flesjaa and Gould.
1 | Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team | 1:37:53 |
2 | Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team | 0:00:01 |
3 | Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team | 0:00:10 |
4 | Marie-Helene Premont (Can) | 0:01:03 |
5 | Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing | 0:01:50 |
6 | Alexandra Engen (Swe) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 0:02:17 |
7 | Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 0:02:25 |
8 | Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 0:02:47 |
9 | Annie Last (GBr) Milka Brentjens MTB Racing Team | 0:03:03 |
10 | Katrin Leumann (Swi) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 0:04:12 |
11 | Emily Batty (Can) Subaru - Trek | 0:04:30 |
12 | Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Salcano Factory Team | 0:04:58 |
13 | Mary McConneloug (USA) | 0:05:07 |
14 | Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) Notebooksbilliger.de Team | 0:05:16 |
15 | Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 0:06:51 |
16 | Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry | 0:06:59 |
17 | Anne Terpstra (Ned) | 0:07:12 |
18 | Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 0:07:33 |
19 | Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru - Trek | 0:07:54 |
20 | Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi) Sabine Spitz Haibike Team | 0:08:11 |
21 | Cécile Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix | 0:08:25 |
22 | Sandra Walter (Can) | 0:08:43 |
23 | Amanda Sin (Can) Scott-3Roxracing | 0:09:34 |
24 | Mikaela Kofman (Can) Scott-3Roxracing | 0:10:06 |
25 | Fanny Bourdon (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix | 0:10:36 |
26 | Annika Langvad (Den) Team Fujibikes Rockets | 0:10:57 |
27 | Jean Ann Berkenpas (Can) | 0:11:47 |
28 | Erin Huck (USA) | 0:12:54 |
29 | Cindy Montambault (Can) | 0:14:10 |
30 | Laura Lorenza Morfin Macouzet (Mex) | |
31 | Katherine O'Shea (Aus) | 0:14:38 |
32 | Daniela Campuzano (Mex) | 0:15:59 |
33 | Agustina Maria Apaza (Arg) | 0:17:15 |
34 | Amy Dombroski (USA) | -1lap |
35 | Adriana Rojas (CRc) | |
36 | Aleksandra Mooradian (Pol) | |
37 | Serrano Rodriguez (Ecu) | |
38 | Caroline Mani (Fra) | |
39 | Noelia Rodriguez (Arg) | |
40 | Sarah Kaufmann (USA) | |
41 | Nina Baum (USA) | -2laps |
42 | Bryna Blanchard (USA) | |
43 | Maxine Filby (GBr) | |
44 | Katherine Herrera (CRc) | |
45 | Sally Gabriel (GBr) | -3laps |
DNF | Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team | |
DNF | Allison Mann (USA) |
1 | Luna Pro Team | 107 | pts |
2 | Ghost Factory Racing Team | 60 | |
3 | Subaru - Trek | 32 | |
4 | Specialized Racing | 28 | |
5 | Multivan Merida Biking Team | 24 | |
6 | Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 23 | |
7 | Milka Brentjens MTB Racing Team | 22 | |
8 | Salcano Factory Team | 19 | |
9 | Notebooksbilliger.de Team | 17 | |
10 | CCC Polkowice | 16 | |
11 | GT Skoda Chamonix | 16 | |
12 | BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry | 15 | |
13 | Scott-3Roxracing | 15 | |
14 | Sabine Spitz Haibike Team | 11 | |
15 | Team Fujibikes Rockets | 5 |
1 | Catharine Pendrel (Can) | 1190 | pts |
2 | Katerina Nash (Cze) | 859 | |
3 | Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) | 798 | |
4 | Georgia Gould (USA) | 753 | |
5 | Julie Bresset (Fra) | 750 | |
6 | Emily Batty (Can) | 735 | |
7 | Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) | 670 | |
8 | Irina Kalentieva (Rus) | 645 | |
9 | Marie-Helene Premont (Can) | 616 | |
10 | Katrin Leumann (Swi) | 542 | |
11 | Annie Last (GBr) | 542 | |
12 | Lea Davison (USA) | 512 | |
13 | Elisabeth Osl (Aut) | 468 | |
14 | Blaza Klemencic (Slo) | 402 | |
15 | Alexandra Engen (Swe) | 397 | |
16 | Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) | 374 | |
17 | Tanja Zakelj (Slo) | 361 | |
18 | Sabine Spitz (Ger) | 349 | |
19 | Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) | 340 | |
20 | Esther Süss (Swi) | 332 | |
21 | Mary McConneloug (USA) | 315 | |
22 | Heather Irmiger (USA) | 311 | |
23 | Sabrina Enaux (Fra) | 296 | |
24 | Eva Lechner (Ita) | 295 | |
25 | Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) | 275 | |
26 | Annika Langvad (Den) | 262 | |
27 | Amanda Sin (Can) | 256 | |
28 | Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) | 246 | |
29 | Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi) | 245 | |
30 | Karen Hanlen (NZl) | 234 | |
31 | Adelheid Morath (Ger) | 230 | |
32 | Anne Terpstra (Ned) | 215 | |
33 | Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Swi) | 209 | |
34 | Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) | 207 | |
35 | Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Pol) | 196 | |
36 | Cécile Ravanel (Fra) | 183 | |
37 | Rosara Joseph (NZl) | 182 | |
38 | Tereza Hurikova (Cze) | 181 | |
39 | Jean Ann Berkenpas (Can) | 164 | |
40 | Fanny Bourdon (Fra) | 159 | |
41 | Julie Krasniak (Fra) | 155 | |
42 | Nataliya Krompets (Ukr) | 153 | |
43 | Lene Byberg (Nor) | 142 | |
44 | Sandra Walter (Can) | 136 | |
45 | Vera Andreeva (Rus) | 126 | |
46 | Laura Turpijn (Ned) | 125 | |
47 | Anna Szafraniec (Pol) | 120 | |
48 | Mikaela Kofman (Can) | 118 | |
49 | Janka Stevkova (Svk) | 118 | |
50 | Hanna Klein (Ger) | 118 | |
51 | Rie Katayama (Jpn) | 114 | |
52 | Elisabeth Sveum (Nor) | 111 | |
53 | Sarah Koba (Swi) | 110 | |
54 | Qinglan Shi (Chn) | 105 | |
55 | Silke Schmidt (Ger) | 103 | |
56 | Katherine O'Shea (Aus) | 98 | |
57 | Heidi Sandsto Rosaasen (Nor) | 93 | |
58 | Judy Freeman (USA) | 91 | |
59 | Erin Huck (USA) | 84 | |
60 | Agustina Maria Apaza (Arg) | 84 | |
61 | Katarzyna Solus-Miskowicz (Pol) | 84 | |
62 | Aleksandra Mooradian (Pol) | 82 | |
63 | Noelia Rodriguez (Arg) | 81 | |
64 | Laura Metzler (Fra) | 80 | |
65 | Adriana Rojas (CRc) | 76 | |
66 | Anja Gradl (Ger) | 70 | |
67 | Corina Gantenbein (Swi) | 63 | |
68 | Sarah Kaufmann (USA) | 60 | |
69 | Maxine Filby (GBr) | 55 | |
70 | Caroline Mani (Fra) | 55 | |
71 | Katherine Herrera (CRc) | 52 | |
72 | Katherine Compton (USA) | 51 | |
73 | Rowena Fry (Aus) | 51 | |
74 | Lee Craigie (GBr) | 50 | |
75 | Cindy Montambault (Can) | 48 | |
76 | Githa Michiels (Bel) | 47 | |
77 | Laura Lorenza Morfin Macouzet (Mex) | 46 | |
78 | Mandy Dreyer (Can) | 46 | |
79 | Daniela Campuzano (Mex) | 42 | |
80 | Amy Dombroski (USA) | 38 | |
81 | Pavla Havlikova (Cze) | 38 | |
82 | Chloe Woodruff (USA) | 36 | |
83 | Samantha Sanders (RSA) | 36 | |
84 | Alexandra Gabriela Serrano Rodriguez (Ecu) | 32 | |
85 | Jenni King (Aus) | 31 | |
86 | Caroline Villeneuve (Can) | 29 | |
87 | Nina Baum (USA) | 27 | |
88 | Bryna Blanchard (USA) | 26 | |
89 | Anna Villar Argente (Spa) | 24 | |
90 | Sally Gabriel (GBr) | 23 | |
91 | Ivonne Kraft (Ger) | 20 | |
92 | Nicoletta De Jager (Ned) | 15 | |
93 | Willow Rockwell (USA) | 14 | |
94 | Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe) | 13 | |
95 | Jodie Willett (Aus) | 13 | |
96 | Lucie Vesela (Cze) | 12 | |
97 | Pavlina Sulcova (Cze) | 10 | |
98 | Franziska Brun (Swi) | 9 | |
99 | Catherine Vipond (Can) | 9 | |
100 | Julia Colvin (RSA) | 9 | |
101 | Judith Pollinger (Ita) | 8 | |
102 | Jane Nussli (GBr) | 8 | |
103 | Melanie Palframan (RSA) | 8 |
1 | Luna Pro Team | 508 | pts |
2 | Ghost Factory Racing Team | 276 | |
3 | CCC Polkowice | 203 | |
4 | BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry | 190 | |
5 | Subaru - Trek | 187 | |
6 | Multivan Merida Biking Team | 150 | |
7 | Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 128 | |
8 | Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team | 116 | |
9 | Sabine Spitz Haibike Team | 112 | |
10 | Milka Brentjens MTB Racing Team | 111 | |
11 | Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | 105 | |
12 | Specialized Racing | 96 | |
13 | Colnago Sudtirol | 91 | |
14 | Salcano Factory Team | 59 | |
15 | Wheeler - Ixs Team | 55 | |
16 | Team Fujibikes Rockets | 43 | |
17 | GT Skoda Chamonix | 40 | |
18 | Notebooksbilliger.de Team | 39 | |
19 | Specialized Solodet Vosges | 38 | |
20 | ISD MTB Team | 31 | |
21 | Scott-3Roxracing | 30 | |
22 | Bikepark.ch Craft | 28 | |
23 | Focus Mig Team | 7 | |
24 | Team Bulls | 6 | |
25 | Team Crampfix Nakamura | 2 |

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