Catharine Pendrel leads Canadian effort in muddy Les Gets World Cup

Mud made for hectic racing Sunday’s XCO  in Les Gets. One constant remained: the dominance of France’s Loana Lecomte. After surviving a challenge by Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, the young rider claimed a fourth-straight World Cup infront of a home crowd.

Catharine Pendrel led the Canadian effort, pushing up as far as 11th before finishing 20th in France.

Mud and mayhem in Les Gets

After a week of dry weather, the rain arrived late in Les Gets. After causing chaos in Saturday’s downhill finals, the heavy rain continued into the Sunday’s Women’s XCO. With little chance to practice in the new conditions, riders were struggling to adapt to the mud and greasy routes on course.

Off the start, it was Spain’s Rocio del Alba Garcia Martinez (BH Templo) taking the hole shot, and lead up the first climb. Jenny Rissveds (Team 31), Kate Courtney (Scott-SRAM), Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Absolute Absalon) and Loana Lecomte (Massi) followed.

Canadians were looking quick in the mud, with Catharine Pendrel (Clif) up in 20th, followed by Jenn Jackson (Norco Factory Team) 23rd, Emily Batty (Canyon MTB Racing) in 27th and Sandra Walter (Liv) in 30th.

Lecomte quickly moved to the front, passing Garcia on the slippery mud. Rissveds followed in second, then Ferrand-Prevot, Rebecca McConnell (Mondraker Primaflor) and Trek Factory Racing’s Evie Richards.

Loana vs Ferrand-Prevot

After a daring descent, Lecomte started the second lap with a 12 second advantage. Determined to show her form before Tokyo, Ferrand-Prevot closed that gap, dragging Rissveds, McConnell, Courtney and Richards with her. Catharine Pendrel had moved through the field up to 11th.

The world champion and World Cup leader battled for position, rubbing elbows and trading lead on a muddy Les Gets course. Neither appeared willing to give an inch to their rival. This lasted for much of the lap, until Ferrand-Prevot crashed on a wide open, treacherous grass off camber. Lecomte stayed upright, finding herself alone off the front of yet another World Cup XCO.

Behind, Rissveds crashed hard, sliding off the course and into a tree. This left McConnell and Ferrand-Prevot to ride  together going out onto the third of six laps. A little back, Pendrel was holding onto 14th.

Loana goes solo

With Ferrand-Prevot in the rear view, Lecomte got to work extending her lead. The young French woman opened time on her rivals on the mud-slicked descents as well as the climbs.

Half way through Sunday’s race, Lecomte had build up a 48 second advantage to McConnell and Ferrand-Prevot. Richards led Rissveds for the final podium positions.

McConnell pulled away, with Rissveds passing Ferrand-Prevot to take chase. The 2016 Olympic champion looked to have found her footing in the mud, flying by McConnell on the descents to move into second.

On the final lap, Rissveds had closed the gap slightly to Lecomte, riding 41 seconds behind the dominant French woman. Richards was battling McConnell for third place. The Brit taking time on the descents and the Australian reeling her back in on the climbs.

Lecomte wins Les Gets

Up front, though, it was all about Lecomte. After riding a clean race, the only woman on the podium to not crash in Les Gets, Lecomte takes her fourth-straight World Cup win. The incredible winning streak matches a feat only accomplished by one other rider, the iconic Gunn Rita Dahle Flesjå. Lecomte works her way into the history books, another win serving as an emphatic statement to her competitors going into her first Olympic Games.

“It’s very special to race a World Cup in France, I’m very happy to win here in front of family and friends,” said Lecomte, adding that her XCC/XCO double win in Leogang, her slow Short Track had caused some doubt. “Because of Friday’s race, I was a bit anxious and stressed, but we found the solution and I am very happy to win today.”

Rissveds continued to push the pace on the descents, taking second in the final World Cup before Tokyo. With several crashes, the 2016 Olympic champion appeared to take time to get used to the muddy conditions on Sunday.

“It was very tough, I didn’t expect it to be this slick,” Rissveds said after the race. Her first big crash, though, attributed to a sudden course change by officials before the start. “I heard one minute before the race the A Line would not be open, so I had to ride a B Line that I’d not looked at before.”

Evie Richards attacked the descents, using her cyclocross experience to claim third in Les Gets. It is the British rider’s best-ever elite World Cup XCO finish.

Ferrand-Prevot found a late race burst of energy, fighting her way back up to, then past McConnell. The world champion crossed the finish line fourth, though not looking like that was the position she was aiming for after Friday’s Short Track XCC win. McConnell takes fifth and the final podium spot.

Canadians in France

Catharine Pendrel held on to finish 21st in Les Gets, one spot behind U.S. World Cup winner Haley Batten (Trinity Racing). Sandra Walter followed in 28th. It was the highly decorated Canadian’s 100th World Cup start.

Emily Batty placed 33rd, two spots ahead of Jenn Jackson in 35th. Laurie Arseneault (Canyon MTB Racing) led Haley Smith (Norco Factory Team) in 43rd and 44th, respectively.

Canada is set to announce which riders are headed to Tokyo as part of the Olympic team on Tuesday. The women will have two spots on the start line in Japan, while the men have just one.

Results: Elite Women World Cup XCO – Les Gets, France

1.		* LECOMTE Loana (MASSI)	1:27:23
2.		RISSVEDS Jenny	1:28:14 +51
3.		RICHARDS Evie (TREK FACTORY RACING XC)	1:28:33 +1:10
4.		FERRAND PREVOT Pauline (ABSOLUTE-ABSALON – BMC)	1:29:14 +1:51
5.		MCCONNELL Rebecca (PRIMAFLOR MONDRAKER XSAUCE)	1:29:18 +1:55
6.		TAUBER Anne (CST POSTNL BAFANG MTB RACING TEAM)	1:29:50 +2:27
7.		FREI Sina (SPECIALIZED RACING)	1:30:35 +3:12
8.		BELOMOINA Yana (CST POSTNL BAFANG MTB RACING TEAM)	1:31:09 +3:46
9.		* EIBL Ronja (ALPECIN – FENIX) Lap 6 n°18 14:48, 14:53, 15:18, 14:55, 15:18, 16:07	1:31:20 +3:57
10.		LECHNER Eva (TRINX FACTORY TEAM) Lap 6 n°12 14:39, 15:02, 15:06, 15:21, 15:40, 16:15	1:32:05 +4:42
11.		SHORT Isla Lap 6 n°46 15:50, 15:14, 15:25, 15:19, 15:22, 15:29	1:32:41 +5:18
12.		INDERGAND Linda (LIV FACTORY RACING) Lap 6 n°4 14:33, 15:19, 15:24, 15:34, 15:48, 16:11	1:32:52 +5:29
13.		GARCIA MARTINEZ Rocio Del Alba (BH TEMPLO CAFÉS UCC) Lap 6 n°17 14:08, 15:18, 15:54, 15:30, 15:59, 16:11	1:33:02 +5:39
14.		LAST Annie Lap 6 n°22 14:53, 15:29, 15:44, 15:27, 15:39, 15:48	1:33:02 +5:39
15.		BENZ Nina (JB BRUNEX SUPERIOR FACTORY RACING) Lap 6 n°76 15:25, 15:01, 15:09, 15:25, 15:49, 16:54	1:33:46 +6:23
16.		GERAULT Lena (VCA ANJOS ASTERION)	1:34:27 +7:04
17.		LOIV Janika	1:34:32 +7:09
18.		COURTNEY Kate (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM)	1:34:38 +7:15
19.		KELLER Alessandra (THÖMUS RN SWISS BIKE TEAM)	1:34:38 +7:15
20.		BATTEN Haley (TRINITY RACING MTB)	1:34:45 +7:22
21.		PENDREL Catharine	1:34:51 +7:28
22.		WLOSZCZOWSKA Maja (KROSS ORLEN CYCLING TEAM)	1:35:09 +7:46
23.		BERTA Martina (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM)	1:35:34 +8:11
24.		DEGN Malene (KMC – ORBEA)	1:35:56 +8:33
25.		KOLLER Nicole (GHOST FACTORY RACING)	1:36:05 +8:42
26.		ALVARADO Ceylin del Carmen (ALPECIN – FENIX)	1:36:20 +8:57
27.		STRAUSS Mariske (CST POSTNL BAFANG MTB RACING TEAM)	1:36:26 +9:03
28.		WALTER Sandra	1:36:43 +9:20
29.		SOLUS-MISKOWICZ Katarzyna	1:36:44 +9:21
30.		CLAUZEL Helene (CUBE PRO FERMETURES SEFIC)	1:37:20 +9:57
31.		CLAUZEL Perrine (CUBE PRO FERMETURES SEFIC)	1:37:20 +9:57
32.		ZAKELJ Tanja (UNIOR – SINTER)	1:37:44 +10:21
33.		BATTY Emily (CANYON COLLECTIVE FACTORY TEAM)	1:37:55 +10:32
34.		* STIGGER Laura (SPECIALIZED RACING)	1:38:42 +11:19
35.		JACKSON Jennifer (NORCO FACTORY TEAM XC)	1:38:56 +11:33
36.		GORYCKA Paula (STRÜBY – BIXS TEAM)	1:39:13 +11:50
37.		BRESSET Julie (MASSI)	1:39:28 +12:05
38.		KOOPMANS Lotte	1:39:30 +12:07
39.		TEOCCHI Chiara (TRINITY RACING MTB)	1:39:45 +12:22
40.		WALDIS Andrea Lap 5	1:22:48 +10:50
41.		BRANDAU Elisabeth Lap 5	1:22:56 +10:58
42.		TVARUZKOVA Tereza (EXPRES CZ – TUFO TEAM KOLÍN) Lap 5	1:23:05 +11:07
43.		ARSENEAULT Laurie (CANYON COLLECTIVE FACTORY TEAM) Lap 5	1:23:29 +11:31
44.		SMITH Haley (NORCO FACTORY TEAM XC) Lap 5	1:23:47 +11:49