Pendrel closes out World Cup career with stellar race in Snowshoe
Richards dominates season finale in West Virginia
The 2021 World Cup season wrapped up on Sunday in Snowshoe. More than the end of the 2021 season, it was also the final international race of Catharine Pendrel’s long and successful career, as well as the end of her Clif Pro Team.
Chaotic start in Snowshoe
Laurie Arseneault crashed in the start. The Canadian’s 14th in Friday’s XCC gave her an excellent start position. That quickly came undone on the narrow streets of Snowshoe village. The was a touch of wheels and Arseneault crashed hard on the cobbles. On the second lap, Arseneault pulled into the pits to switch out a broken dropper post for a fixed seat post to continue her race.
By the second lap, the race had imploded on a hot day in Snowshoe. Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing) did the early work, creating separation. Rebecca Mcconnell (Mondraker Primafloor) took advantage, attacking off the front and putting the world champion under pressure.
Jenny Rissveds (Team 31) and Sina Frei (Specialized) sat a handful of seconds back, with Anne Tauber (CST) and Lina Indergand (Liv Racing) close behind.
RELATED: Catharine Pendrel rides into her last World Cup weekend
McConnell’s race falls flat
That all came undone quickly, when the Australian pulled into the pits with a flat front tire. Richards kept riding, now alone off the front. McConnell had a quick change, and pulled in behind the group of Rissveds and Frei.
On the third lap, Kate Courtney (Scott SRAM) pulled out of the race. The American still appears to be hurting from a recent crash, one of several women struggling in the latter stages of a very long and busy year.
McConnell didn’t wait around in the chasing trio, though. Half a lap later, she attacked Frei and Rissveds to go in pursuit of Richards. The Australian wasn’t making up much ground, though. Richards held, then starting to extend her lead going into fourth lap all the way to the finish.
Further back, Frei was followed closely by Anne Tauber in a close fight for third. Rissveds and Indergand sat a bit further back, joined by Anne Terpstra (Ghost Factory Racing)
Pendrel flying in her World Cup finale
Slightly further back, Catharine Pendrel was working her way through the field. The iconic Canadian sat around the 20th spot in the early laps. By the penultimate lap, Pendrel in 12th and was hunting current Olympic champion Jolanda Neff. It’s Pendrel’s final World Cup appearance, and she looked to be enjoying it.
Snowshoe is also the last World Cup for Pendrel’s team, Clif Pro Team. That brought out World Cup veteran Katerina Nash. The Czech wasn’t on a victory lap, she fought into the top-20.
Richards solos to win
In the end, no one could touch the world champion. Evie Richards crossed the line alone, a full 90 seconds ahead of Rebecca McConnel. The Australian held on for second. Close behind, Anne Tauber successfully attacked Olympic silver medallist Sina Frei to take third.
In the end, Loana Lecomte (Massi) still wins the World Cup overall, despite not starting Sunday’s race.
Catharine Penrel finishes her World Cup career in 15th. Katerina Nash followed in 16th and Sandra Walter (Liv Canada) fought back from her early crash to 17th.
Haley Smith (Norco Factory Team) ended her season on a positive not, climbing to 22nd. Cindy Montambault placed 24th, Jenn Jackson (Norco Factory Team) 25th, and Laurie Arseneault rallied after her heavy crash to place 26th. Mackenzie Myatt rounded out the Canadian effort in 30th.
Results: 2021 Elite Women’s XCO World Cup – Snowshoe, W.Va.
| 1. |  |
RICHARDS Evie (TREK FACTORY RACING XC)
|
1:14:53 |
| 2. |  |
MCCONNELL Rebecca (PRIMAFLOR MONDRAKER XSAUCE)
|
1:16:24 +1:31 |
| 3. |  |
TAUBER Anne (CST POSTNL BAFANG MTB RACING TEAM)
|
1:16:47 +1:54 |
| 4. |  |
FREI Sina (SPECIALIZED RACING)
|
1:17:03 +2:10 |
| 5. | |
TERPSTRA Anne (GHOST FACTORY RACING)
|
1:17:24 +2:31 |
| 6. |  |
RISSVEDS Jenny
|
1:17:49 +2:56 |
| 7. | |
INDERGAND Linda (LIV FACTORY RACING)
|
1:18:12 +3:19 |
| 8. |  |
RIEDER Nadine (GHOST FACTORY RACING)
|
1:18:33 +3:40 |
| 9. | |
NEFF Jolanda (TREK FACTORY RACING XC)
|
1:19:01 +4:08 |
| 10. |  |
GARCIA MARTINEZ Rocio Del Alba (BH TEMPLO CAFÉS UCC)
|
1:19:24 +4:31 |
| 11. |  |
DAVISON Lea
|
1:19:59 +5:06 |
| 12. |  |
LOIV Janika
|
1:20:18 +5:25 |
| 13. | |
BENZ Nina (JB BRUNEX SUPERIOR FACTORY RACING)
|
1:20:48 +5:55 |
| 14. | |
KOLLER Nicole (GHOST FACTORY RACING)
|
1:21:00 +6:07 |
| 15. |  |
PENDREL Catharine
|
1:21:02 +6:09 |
| 16. |  |
NASH Katerina
|
1:22:25 +7:32 |
| 17. | |
WALTER Sandra
|
1:22:33 +7:40 |
| 18. |  |
BERTA Martina (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM)
|
1:23:00 +8:07 |
| 19. | |
SEIWALD Greta (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM)
|
1:23:11 +8:18 |
| 20. |  |
GOMEZ VILLAFANE Sofia
|
1:23:23 +8:30 |
| 21. | |
BATTEN Haley (TRINITY RACING MTB)
|
1:23:45 +8:52 |
| 22. | |
SMITH Haley (NORCO FACTORY TEAM XC)
|
1:25:46 +10:53 |
| 23. | |
KELLER Alessandra (THÖMUS RN SWISS BIKE TEAM)
|
1:26:51 +11:58 |
| 24. | |
MONTAMBAULT Cindy
|
1:11:06 +9:24 |
| 25. | |
JACKSON Jennifer (NORCO FACTORY TEAM XC)
|
1:12:13 +10:31 |
| 26. | |
ARSENEAULT Laurie (CANYON COLLECTIVE FACTORY TEAM)
|
1:12:39 +10:57 |
| 27. | |
URBAN Kelsey
|
59:40 +10:20 |
| 28. |  |
MOLINA Michela
|
59:51 +10:31 |
| 29. | |
FINCHAMP Hannah
|
59:53 +10:33 |
| 30. | |
MYATT Mackenzie
|
1:00:39 +11:19 |
| 31. | |
BATES Hayley
|
49:13 +12:20 |
| 32. | |
DEPMAN Madeline
|
49:53 +13:00 |
| 33. | |
BERGER Simone
|
35:49 +11:22 |
| DNF | |
COURTNEY Kate (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM)
|
36:54 +3:28 |
| DNF |  |
* STIGGER Laura (SPECIALIZED RACING)
|
15:25 +1:46 |
| DNF | |
GRAFALS Bavie
|
21:07 +8:24 |
