Wloszczowska opens World Cup season with victory
Batty and Pendrel round out top three for the Canadians
Poland's Maja Wloszczowska (CCC Polkowice) held off the determined Canadian duo of Emily Batty (Subaru-Trek) and Catharine Pendrel (Luna) to don the leader's jersey for the opening round of the 2012 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, the first of her career.
Despite worries about a muddy course after rain overnight, race day was hot and sunny, giving the riders a fast track to race on. British champion Annie Last (Milka Brentjens) took the early lead in the women's race before Pendrel, the reigning world champion, chased her down and took the lead on the second lap of five.
Wloszczowska and Batty were part of a chase group that bridged up to Pendrel, and by the third lap the three were clear of all chasers. The 2011 World Cup champion Julie Bresset (BH-SR Suntour-Piesey Vallandry) was part of that chase group, but wilted in the heat, to eventually finish fifth, behind former marathon world champion Esther Süss (Wheeler-IXS).
In the final lap, the leaders began to play a tactical game, with Batty attacking before the final rock garden, only to have Wloszczowska counter and take the front into the final straightaway to win by four seconds.
"I'm really happy," said Wloszczowska. "I definitely didn't expect to get a win this early in the season. But I changed my coach last year, and this showed that it is working. When Emily attacked, I knew I had to get by her, so I took a chance."
"Emily was leading going into the final rock garden and she took my normal line. I decided to take the other line to the left and just let go of my brakes and went for it! It paid off. I got a gap right there and that was enough. I'm so proud of myself. It was the best decision I made today. I loved the new course, especially on my 29er."
Pendrel, who had stated earlier in the week that she is building up slower this season, admitted that she may have not have been aggressive enough when the other two started battling in the final lap. "I sometimes go out too strong, so this time I played it a little conservative, maybe too conservative. But I'm where I want to be for this time of year, and really happy for such a strong showing for Canada."
Emily Batty, who had previously won at the under 23 level, was excited at her breakthrough performance - her first time ever on the elite World Cup podium. "We've had some really good training camps in California with the national team," said Batty, "so I felt prepared for the heat and I knew my form was good. Just being able to ride at the front of the race with riders like Catharine and Maja was an incredible feeling for me, and I know that I will only get stronger for the next rounds."
Race Notes
- Lea Davison (Specialized) was the top American, finishing 14th, one spot ahead of compatriot Heather Irmiger (Subaru-Trek). Davison might have been a top-10 finisher, based on her laps splits, if she had not had to spend most of the race chasing following an early crash in one of the technical zones.
- In the women's race, both Wloszczowska and Batty were on 29ers, while Pendrel was on a 26" wheel. When asked in the press conference if it made the difference in the results, all three laughed, and said "no".
- American Krista Park separated her shoulder during a crash in training in the days before the race and did not start.
- Kseniya Kirillova of Russia was one who suffered at the hands of the course during the race and left it with a badly broken humerus and dislocated right shoulder after she hurtled over her handlebars in the switchback section just above the Rapid Rocks rock garden at the bottom of the course.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 1:34:01 |
2 | Emily Batty (Can) Subaru - Trek | 0:00:04 |
3 | Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team | 0:00:23 |
4 | Esther Süss (Swi) Wheeler - Ixs Team | 0:01:03 |
5 | Julie Bresset (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry | 0:01:17 |
6 | Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team | 0:01:24 |
7 | Sabine Spitz (Ger) Sabine Spitz Haibike Team | 0:02:02 |
8 | Karen Hanlen (NZl) | 0:02:17 |
9 | Annie Last (GBr) Milka Brentjens MTB Racing Team | 0:02:35 |
10 | Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 0:02:42 |
11 | Rosara Joseph (NZl) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | 0:03:05 |
12 | Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 0:03:32 |
13 | Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | 0:03:36 |
14 | Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing | 0:03:59 |
15 | Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru - Trek | 0:04:21 |
16 | Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) Notebooksbilliger.De Team | 0:04:38 |
17 | Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Swi) Bikepark.Ch Scott | 0:05:01 |
18 | Annika Langvad (Den) Team Fujibikes Rockets | 0:05:27 |
19 | Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 0:05:43 |
20 | Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 0:06:12 |
21 | Marie-Helene Premont (Can) | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Katrin Leumann (Swi) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 0:06:20 |
23 | Rie Katayama (Jpn) | 0:06:27 |
24 | Lene Byberg (Nor) GT Skoda Chamonix | 0:06:37 |
25 | Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Specialized Solodet Vosges | 0:06:53 |
26 | Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Sudtirol | 0:07:19 |
27 | Adelheid Morath (Ger) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team | 0:07:22 |
28 | Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Salcano Factory Team | 0:07:34 |
29 | Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) Colnago Sudtirol | 0:07:35 |
30 | Julie Krasniak (Fra) Focus MIG Team | 0:07:53 |
31 | Anna Szafraniec (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 0:08:08 |
32 | Judy Freeman (USA) | 0:08:35 |
33 | Katarzyna Solus-Miskowiez (Pol) | 0:08:52 |
34 | Elisabeth Sveum (Nor) Team Crampfix Nakamura | 0:09:00 |
35 | Laura Metzler (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry | 0:09:17 |
36 | Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 0:09:30 |
37 | Anne Terpstra (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team | 0:09:36 |
38 | Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Sabine Spitz Haibike Team | 0:09:45 |
39 | Hanna Klein (Ger) | 0:10:31 |
40 | Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team | 0:10:54 |
41 | Mary Mcconneloug (USA) | 0:11:19 |
42 | Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | 0:11:33 |
43 | Laura Turpijn (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team | 0:11:41 |
44 | Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi) Sabine Spitz Haibike Team | 0:11:45 |
45 | Alexandra Engen (Swe) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 0:11:50 |
46 | Amanda Sin (Can) Scott-3Roxracing | 0:11:56 |
47 | Heidi Sandsto Rosaasen (Nor) Team United Bakeries | 0:12:30 |
48 | Ivonne Kraft (Ger) | 0:13:15 |
49 | Vera Andreeva (Rus) | 0:13:40 |
50 | Rowena Fry (Aus) | 0:14:04 |
51 | Samantha Sanders (RSA) | 0:14:06 |
52 | Chloe Woodruff (USA) | 0:16:11 |
53 | Cécile Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix | 0:16:34 |
54 | Willow Rockwell (USA) Trek World Racing | 0:17:07 |
55 | Jodie Willett (Aus) | 0:17:36 |
56 | Fanny Bourdon (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix | 0:18:35 |
-1lap | Caroline Mani (Fra) | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Julia Colvin (RSA) | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Melanie Palframan (RSA) | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
-3laps | Lee Craigie (GBr) | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
-3laps | Lauren Hoyer (RSA) | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jenni King (Aus) | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sabrina Maurer (Swi) Bskgraf Rollmat-Koba MTB Team | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Anja Gradl (Ger) Team Bulls | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kseniya Kirillova (Rus) | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Stephanie Wiedner (Aut) | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Krista Park (USA) | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Oksana Rybakova (Rus) | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Luna Pro Team | 58 | pts |
2 | CCC Polkowice | 51 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Subaru - Trek | 51 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | 38 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Wheeler - Ixs Team | 30 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry | 28 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Ghost Factory Racing Team | 28 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Sabine Spitz Haibike Team | 24 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Milka Brentjens MTB Racing Team | 22 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 21 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Specialized Racing | 17 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Notebooksbilliger.De Team | 15 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Bikepark.ch Scott | 14 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Team Fujibikes Rockets | 13 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Multivan Merida Biking Team | 12 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | GT Skoda Chamonix | 7 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Colnago Sudtirol | 7 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Specialized Solodet Vosges | 6 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team | 4 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Salcano Factory Team | 3 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Focus MIG Team | 1 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 250 | pts |
2 | Emily Batty (Can) Subaru - Trek | 200 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team | 160 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Esther Süss (Swi) Wheeler - IXS Team | 150 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Julie Bresset (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry | 140 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team | 130 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Sabine Spitz (Ger) Sabine Spitz Haibike Team | 120 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Karen Hanlen (NZl) | 110 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Annie Last (GBr) Milka Brentjens MTB Racing Team | 100 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 95 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Rosara Joseph (NZl) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | 90 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 85 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | 80 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing | 78 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru - Trek | 76 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) Notebooksbilliger.de Team | 74 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Swi) Bikepark.ch Scott | 72 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Annika Langvad (Den) Team Fujibikes Rockets | 70 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 68 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 66 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Marie-Helene Premont (Can) | 64 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
22 | Katrin Leumann (Swi) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 62 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
23 | Rie Katayama (Jpn) | 60 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
24 | Lene Byberg (Nor) GT Skoda Chamonix | 58 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
25 | Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Specialized Solodet Vosges | 56 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
26 | Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Sudtirol | 54 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
27 | Adelheid Morath (Ger) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team | 52 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
28 | Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Salcano Factory Team | 50 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
29 | Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) Colnago Sudtirol | 48 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
30 | Julie Krasniak (Fra) Focus MIG Team | 46 | Row 29 - Cell 3 |
31 | Anna Szafraniec (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 44 | Row 30 - Cell 3 |
32 | Judy Freeman (USA) | 42 | Row 31 - Cell 3 |
33 | Katarzyna Solus-Miskowiez (Pol) | 40 | Row 32 - Cell 3 |
34 | Elisabeth Sveum (Nor) Team Crampfix Nakamura | 38 | Row 33 - Cell 3 |
35 | Laura Metzler (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry | 36 | Row 34 - Cell 3 |
36 | Magdalena Sadlecka (Pol) CCC Polkowice | 34 | Row 35 - Cell 3 |
37 | Anne Terpstra (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team | 32 | Row 36 - Cell 3 |
38 | Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Sabine Spitz Haibike Team | 30 | Row 37 - Cell 3 |
39 | Hanna Klein (Ger) | 29 | Row 38 - Cell 3 |
40 | Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team | 28 | Row 39 - Cell 3 |
41 | Mary Mcconneloug (USA) | 27 | Row 40 - Cell 3 |
42 | Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | 26 | Row 41 - Cell 3 |
43 | Laura Turpijn (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team | 25 | Row 42 - Cell 3 |
44 | Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi) Sabine Spitz Haibike Team | 24 | Row 43 - Cell 3 |
45 | Alexandra Engen (Swe) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 23 | Row 44 - Cell 3 |
46 | Amanda Sin (Can) Scott-3Roxracing | 22 | Row 45 - Cell 3 |
47 | Heidi Sandsto Rosaasen (Nor) Team United Bakeries | 21 | Row 46 - Cell 3 |
48 | Ivonne Kraft (Ger) | 20 | Row 47 - Cell 3 |
49 | Vera Andreeva (Rus) | 19 | Row 48 - Cell 3 |
50 | Rowena Fry (Aus) | 18 | Row 49 - Cell 3 |
51 | Samantha Sanders (RSA) | 17 | Row 50 - Cell 3 |
52 | Chloe Woodruff (USA) | 16 | Row 51 - Cell 3 |
53 | Cécile Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix | 15 | Row 52 - Cell 3 |
54 | Willow Rockwell (USA) Trek World Racing | 14 | Row 53 - Cell 3 |
55 | Jodie Willett (Aus) | 13 | Row 54 - Cell 3 |
56 | Fanny Bourdon (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix | 12 | Row 55 - Cell 3 |
57 | Caroline Mani (Fra) | 11 | Row 56 - Cell 3 |
58 | Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry | 10 | Row 57 - Cell 3 |
59 | Julia Colvin (RSA) | 9 | Row 58 - Cell 3 |
60 | Melanie Palframan (RSA) | 8 | Row 59 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Luna Pro Team | 58 | pts |
2 | Subaru - Trek | 51 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | CCC Polkowice | 51 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Rabobank Giant Offroad Team | 38 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Wheeler - IXS Team | 30 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Ghost Factory Racing Team | 28 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry | 28 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Sabine Spitz Haibike Team | 24 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Milka Brentjens MTB Racing Team | 22 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 21 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Specialized Racing | 17 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Notebooksbilliger.de Team | 15 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Bikepark.ch Scott | 14 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Team Fujibikes Rockets | 13 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Multivan Merida Biking Team | 12 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | GT Skoda Chamonix | 7 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Colnago Sudtirol | 7 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Specialized Solodet Vosges | 6 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team | 4 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Salcano Factory Team | 3 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Focus MIG Team | 1 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
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