Meanwhile, in XC news...

• Posted on July 28, 2009 at 12:25 PM
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A couple of Canadians finished on the podium at the World Cup X-C races at Mont-Sainte-Anne this past weekend. Catharine Pendrel, of Kamloops, B.C., took first place in the women's division, while Geoff Kabush, of Victoria, B.C., finished third on the men's side.

For more details on the race, check the press release below.

Mont-Sainte-Anne, Sunday 26th of July

The second half of the cross-country season for the Nissan UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano got off to a very strong start on Sunday at Mont Ste Anne, Quebec in Canada.  Julien Absalon (Orbea) took his fourth consecutive win in the men’s series, while newly crowned Canadian national champion Catharine Pendrel (Luna) took a popular win in the women’s race.  Absalon’s lead in the overall standings over Burry Stander (Specialized Factory Team) is now up to an almost insurmountable 480 points, while women’s leader Marga Fullana (Massi) has lost ground to Pendrel and three others after a relatively poor 22nd place showing.

WOMEN

The rain, which had held off during the Gravity events 24 hours earlier, rolled in for the start of the women’s four lap race, making the already difficult course even more slippery and causing a number of crashes on the main descent.  Local favourite Marie-Helene Premont (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) got off to a strong start, opening up a gap on chasers Pendrel, Irina Kalentieva (Topeak Ergon) and Katerina Nash (Luna).

Unfortunately, mechanical problems plagued Premont for much of the race, and she could only manage tenth.  Pendrel took over the lead and immediately began to open a gap on Nash and Kalentieva, as her technical skills allowed her to carve through the tight, muddy wooded sections of the course.  Nash and Kalentieva swapped second and third positions through the middle portion of the race, before former world champion Kalentieva was able to gain a few seconds in the final lap to claim silver.  The consistent Norwegian rider Lene Byberg (Specialized Factory Racing) took fourth and American Willow Koeber (Subaru-Gary Fisher) claimed the final podium spot.  Aleksandra Dawidowicz (CCC Polkowice) won the U23 category and took over the series lead.

“It was a great day,” said Pendrel.  “I was a little worried at the start because I didn’t start as fast as I would have liked.  But I was able to use the climbs to bridge up to the leaders.  Once I was at the front I wanted just to hang on and make as few mistakes as possible.”

MEN

The rain had tampered off by the start of the men’s six lap race, although it had minimal effect on the muddy sections.  Ralph Naef (Multivan Merida) got off to his usual fast start, with Canadian champion Geoff Kabush (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) leading the chase.  Absalon and World Cup first round winner Jose Hermida (Multivan Merida) were both caught in traffic in the first lap, but steadily made their way up through the field to the leaders.  Absalon was the first to join Kabush, on the second lap, and quickly moved up to replace Naef at the front of the race.  A lap later, Kabush had caught Naef, but had, in turn, been caught by Hermida.  The four leading positions had been determined by the halfway mark in the race, with Stander making a late charge to secure the fifth and final podium spot.

“I was concerned at the start of the race,” Absalon admitted.  “Through the first two turns I didn’t have a good position, and I had to work my way up on the first lap.  Naef was very strong at the start, but then he started to drop back and I was able to take the lead.  It was a very technical track, but I like that, so to win here under these conditions is very satisfying.  I am excited that the world championships will be here next year.”