August 04, 2014 (Mont-Ste-Anne, Quebec) – Legendary Mont-Ste-Anne was the site of round #5 of the UCI MTB World Cup XC series as riders raved about the new course and served up exciting racing with Canadians Catharine Pendrel (Luna) and Emily Batty (Trek Factory) landing on the Elite Women’s podium behind winner Jolanda Neff (Sui) Liv Pro.
The Swiss came to play Nino Schurter (Scott Odlo) out-dueled Julien Absalon (Fra) BMC for the top spot on the Elite Men’s podium as stalwart Canuck Geoff Kabush (Scott-3 Rox Racing) delivered a solid 12th place finish on a very hot day at MSA.
Norco’s Haley Smith and Evan McNeely led the Canadian charge in the U23 races respectively as Yana Belomoina (Ukr) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens MTB Racing Team topped the women’s podium and Michiel van der Heijden (Ned) Giant Pro XC Team won the men’s race.
U23 Races
Jenny Rissveds (Swe) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team took and early lead in the U23 Women’s 21.95km race (1 Start Loop + 5 Laps) with Belomoina and Helen Grobert (Ger) Focus XC Team close behind. But Belomoina took over by the second lap as Canada’s Smith was in the top 10 with fellow Canucks Catherine Fleury, Rachel Pageau and others not far behind.
Margot Moschetti (Fra) took over second at about a minute behind leader Belomoina who pressed on with Rissveds in 3rd and Helen Grobert (Ger) Focus XC Team in 4th. Smith dropped off a bit but regained her composure settling into 10th.
At the finish it as Belomoina taking the win over Moschetti in second with Rissveds 3rd. Smith claimed 10th as the top Canadian followed by Fleury in 11th. Also making the top 20 were Pageau was 13th, Laura Bietola in 16th, Laurence Harvey finished 18th and Canadian U23 champ Frederique Trudel was 20th.
“I’m really happy with a top 10 finish today,” Smith told Pedal. “The last time I did this course as a Junior I was dead last so it’s great to see my improvement.”
U23 Women’s results here.
The 26.1km U23 Men’s 6-lap race saw Jordan Sarrou (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC, Victor Koretzky (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC and Julien Trarieux (Fra) Bridgestone Anchor Cycling Team take a quick lead. Canada’s Leandre Bouchard was 13th with Antoine Caron (Specialized Canada) and Evan McNeely (Norco Factory) behind.
By the third lap Sarrou and Trarieux had dropped Koretzky who battled with Jan Vastl (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna Specialized Junior MTB Team as Michiel van der Heijden (Ned) Giant Pro XC Team moved up. McNeely, who was 41st at the start, was now 11th as Bouchard was feeling the affects of going out too fast.
As the fourth lap ended van der Heijden was leading and McNeely moved up to 8th. Sarrou tried to challenge his Dutch rival as Trarieux settled into third with Koretzky. On the final lap van der Heijden took charge and broke away from Sarrou to claim the win as McNeely had a superb day claiming 7th overall. Reigning Canadian U23 champ Bouchard finished 14th.
“I had a really good day today,” commented McNeely. “I knew I was capable of that but it’s always nice to see it all come together so smoothly on race day.”
U23 Men’s results here.
Elite Women
Neff asserted herself early in the Elite Women’s 26.1km, 6-lap race as Pendrel battled her way up to third and then second overtaking Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Feenstra Felt Pb Kenda Bike Team. Chasing them was Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Unior, Sabine Spitz (Ger) Sabine Spitz Haibike Pro Team and Eva Lechner (Ita) Team Colnago Sudtirol.
Behind fellow Canuck Batty was also moving up from the teens and was now in the top 10 as Neff, the Under-23 world champion, maintained a stronghold on the lead. Sandra Walter (Liv-Giant Canada) was also having a great day riding in 16th but Spitz flatted taking her out of the running.
Also racing today was legendary Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain) to the delight of all of her fans at home and around the globe. An unfortunate mechanical forced her into the pits and she ended up 35th. Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Liv Pro XC Team also flatted and ended up chasing the leaders.
Pendrel continued to try and chase down Neff as Batty moved up solidly into third overtaking Klemencic and Zakelj as Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team, Annika Langvad (Den) Specialized Racing XC and Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing XC were close behind.
Heading into the penultimate lap Neff had a 1-min plus lead on Pendrel as Batty found herself in an intense battle with Nash and Davison for third. Davison attacked and passed Batty but the Canadian rider fought back and regained third.
At the start of the final lap Neff had a solid lead with Pendrel in second as Davison finally took over 3rd but Nash had other plans and attacked on the first climb to give Luna a strong finish as Batty settled for fifth. Walter finished 13th, a personal best.
“It’s a great course and really great to be racing in the Maple Leaf colours again,” commented Pendrel. “It was also really exciting to see Marie-Helene Premont on the course today, she’s such an inspiration to everyone.”
Batty was happy with her effort at MSA. “It was an incredible race and I do well in the heat. It’s always nice to race in front of a home crowd – I love it here at MSA and was happy to have a good race.”
Neff with 900 points has a lock on the overall with two events remaining as Batty moves into second with 590 points followed closely by Zakelj at 588 points. Pendrel is now sixth with 540 points.
Elite Women’s results here.
Elite Men
The Elite Men’s 30.25 km race featured 102 riders on the start line in 25 degree weather with threatening clouds as Schurter and Absalon were pitted in a classic match up that all fans were waiting for.
But Absalon, a 5-time winner at MSA, was off to a poor start as Schurter blasted the front forcing his French rival to chase him down. By the second lap Absalon had caught his target as they dropped the rest of the field including Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized, Lukas Flückiger (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team and brother Mathias Flückiger (Sui) Stöckli Pro Team.
Canada’s Kabush had a tough start but moved up to 21st and by the third lap. Daniel McConnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing had also moved up as did Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Esp) Trek Factory Racing and José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan Merida Biking Team, who won here last year.
On lap four Schurter, who was taking the A-line on the Beatrice rock garden, suddenly crashed there but was uninjured and rejoined Absalon trying to drop him on the next climb but he could not shake the French star.
On the penultimate lap Schurter attacked again but this time a gap formed that Absalon failed to close as McConnell also attacked the Kulhavy and the Flückiger brothers to take over third.
There was no stopping Schurter now as Absalon settled for second with McConnell third and the Flückiger brothers fourth and fifth. Kulhavy was 6th as Kabush added some firepower through the latter part of the race to end up a solid 12th. His teammate Derek Zandstra (Scott-3 Rox Racing) put in a strong ride as well making the top 20 placing 19th while Max Plaxton (Cannondale) suffered a flat and DNF’d.
“It’s a hard but great course here at MSA with all the changes… but of course it’s really exciting to win here,” said Schurter. “I had a crash and I’m really sorry that I nearly took down Absalon. The crowds are great and it’s an awesome feeling to win here.”
Overall Absalon is still in the driver’s seat with 1,090 points vs Schurter’s 830 with two races to go. McConnell is in third with 690 while the top Canadian is Raphael Gagne (Rocky Mountain) in 22nd with 240 points.
Elite Men’s results here.