Julie Bresset managed to hold on and win the cross-country World Cup for Elite Women despite a win by Catharine Pendrel in the last round at Val di Sole, Italy, which cut her lead to a mere 40 points.  Pendrel took her third World Cup victory of the season - and second consecutive one - in the hot and dusty conditions, setting her up as one of the favorites for the World Championships in two weeks time.  Bresset finished fourth, behind World Champion Maja Wloszczowska and Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa.


Pendrel came into the final race 140 points behind Bresset, and decided to attack from the start.  "I figured I had nothing to lose, so I just went hard for the whole race," she explained. By the start of the second lap it was just Pendrel and Bresset, and the Canadian dropped her French rival on the steep climbs.  Bresset was struggling with the heat and the climbs, and first Dahle Flesjaa bridged up and dropped her, and then Wloszczowska did the same, joining Dahle Flesjaa.

Behind the four frontrunners, a chase group formed, led by Eva Lechner, but they were losing ground on every climb. Lechner managed to break clear of the otherswith a lap to go, to take the final podium spot.  She was followed closely by the rapidly improving American Lea Davison who, for the second week in a row, finished in the top-ten, in sixth place. Pendrel was over a minute up on her chasers with a lap and a half to go, but by the start of the last lap she was down to less than 30 seconds, after a crash.

"I crashed on a silly little section and twisted my handlebar stem," she explained. I stopped twice to fix it and finally went into the pit; it was a little more excitement then I wanted, to be honest!"

Once her technical issue was sorted out, Pendrel again began to gain on Wloszczowska, who had dropped Dahle Flesjaa in the final half lap, and cruised in to victory.  Wloszczowska, with her second place, established herself as a strong contender to retain her rainbow jersey, while Dahle Flesjaa, taking her second World Cup podium in two weeks has also moved into the ranks of possible champions.  Bresset will race in the Under 23 category, where she will be the prohibitive favorite.

MEN

Jaroslav Kulhavy is proving to be unbeatable, as he took his fifth win in seven races at the Elite Men's World Cup final in Val di Sole, Italy.  Kulhavy fended off a strong challenge by the Swiss duo of Nino Schurter and Florian Vogel to outsprint Schurter for the win.


In previous races this year Kulhavy has attacked early, riding away from the rest of the field. This time, he allowed Schurter and Vogel to set the pace over the six laps, content to follow them up the steep climbs, never looking to be in difficulty. The trio dropped Julien Absalon by the second lap, and the Frenchman chased in vain all race, eventually finishing fourth.  Behind Absalon, a chase group formed, containing world champion Jose Hermida, Lukas and Matthias Flückiger, Stephane Tempier, Christoph Sauser, Todd Wells, Thomas Litscher, Manuel Fumic and Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez.

This group was steadily losing ground, and started shedding riders as the race wore on, with Lukas Flückiger eventually dropping the remaining members to take the fifth and final podium spot. A crash on the start loop also took out of contention some top riders, including Burry Stander, who began the first lap 120th, and rode an amazing race to finish 23rd.

In the front trio, Vogel was finally dropped on the fifth lap, leaving Schurter to try and ditch Kulhavy, without success. Kulhavy attacked in the final kilometer and easily outsprinted Schurter, popping a wheely as he crossed the line.

"He was playing with us," commented Schurter, a little bitterly. "I tried to attack, but he just sat on, and I could not drop him. I will have to think about what I can do in the next two weeks, to be able to beat him at the Worlds, but it will be hard."

"I am very happy to have won the World Cup," said Kulhavy, "but I am surprised that I was able to ride so well on a course with so much climbing.  This has been a perfect season for me."

Kulhavy finishes the series with five firsts, one second and a third, for a total of 1610 points. Schurter is a distant second, with 1270 and Absalon holds onto third with 960 points.  Hermida took four with 813 points, just squeaking ahead of Maxime Marotte at 810.


WOMEN
1 Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team     1:25:07
2 Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice     at 0:29
3 Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team     0:42
4 Julie Bresset (Fra) BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry     1:15
5 Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Farbe Sudtirol     1:51
6 Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing     2:14
7 Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team     2:29
8 Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru - Trek     2:37
9 Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team     2:59
10 Annie Last (GBr) British National Team     3:13
11 Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain     3:14
12 Emily Batty (Can) Subaru - Trek     3:31
13 Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team     3:42
14 Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Orbea Geax     3:55
15 Nathalie Schneitter (Sui) Colnago Farbe Sudtirol     4:21
16 Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team     4:28
17 Esther Süss (Sui) Wheeler - iXS pro team     4:54
18 Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team     4:58
19 Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Sui) Bikepark.ch Scott     5:02
20 Rosara Joseph (NZl) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team     5:59
21 Sarah Koba (Sui) Giant Swiss Sr - Suntour     6:28
22 Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team     7:05
23 Alexandra Engen (Swe) Rothaus Poison-Bikes     7:29
24 Mary McConneloug (USA) Kenda /Seven/NOTUBES     7:49
25 Janka Stevkova (Svk)     8:05
26 Karen Hanlen (NZl)     8:17
27 Tereza Hurikova (Cze) Central Haibike Pro Team     8:37
28 Adelheid Morath (Ger) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team     9:06
29 Nina Homovec (Slo) Orbea Geax     9:27
30 Laura Metzler (Fra) BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry     9:50
31 Hanna Klein (Ger) Rothaus Poison-Bikes     10:22
32 Katrin Leumann (Sui) Ghost Factory Racing Team     10:39
33 Anne Terpstra (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team     10:49
34 Aleksandra Dawidowicz (Pol) CCC Polkowice     10:54
35 Cécile Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix     11:09
36 Laura Turpijn (Ned) Team Merida Combee     11:30
37 Katarzyna Solus-Miskowiez (Pol)     11:43
38 Anna Villar Argente (Esp)     11:58
39 Catherine Vipond (Can) Norco Factory Team     12:04
40 Annika Langvad (Den) Team Easton Rockets     12:41
41 Laura Lorenza Morfin Macouzet (Mex)     13:08
42 Ann Berglund (Swe)     13:32
43 Amanda Sin (Can) 3Rox Racing     13:57
44 Rocio Gamonal Ferrera (Esp)     14:09
45 Pavla Havlikova (Cze)     14:22
46 Katherine O'Shea (Aus) Australia     14:44
47 Githa Michiels (Bel) Trek - Kmc Trade Team Vzw     14:51
48 Angela Carolina Parra Sierra (Col) ASPTT Definitive Gitane     15:25
49 Fabienne Niederberger (Sui)     15:27
50 Sandra Santanyes Murillo (Esp)     16:35
51 Judith Pollinger (Ita) Infotre - Bi & Esse - Leecougan     16:43
52 Krista Park (USA)     -1 Lap


MEN
1 Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing     1:25:08
2 Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott - Swisspower MTB - Racing     at s.t.
3 Florian Vogel (Sui) Scott - Swisspower MTB - Racing     1:21
4 Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea     2:05
5 Lukas Flückiger (Sui) Trek World Racing     2:37
6 Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi     2:45
7 Mathias Flückiger (Sui) Trek World Racing     2:49
8 Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Racing     2:51
9 Thomas Litscher (Sui) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team     3:00
10 Fabian Giger (Sui) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team     3:04
11 Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing     3:06
12 José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan Merida Biking Team     3:10
13 Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team     3:14
14 Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Esp) Wildwolf - Trek Racing     3:43
15 Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Team Protek     3:43
16 Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team     3:44
17 Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing     4:06
18 Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry     4:29
19 Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing     5:00
20 Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru - Trek     5:13
21 Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys - Evenza Team     5:29
22 Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Esp) Wildwolf - Trek Racing     5:29
23 Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Racing     5:48
24 Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor     5:58
25 Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team     6:08
26 Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Esp) Orbea     6:11
27 Martin Gujan (Sui) Cannondale Factory Racing     6:15
28 Liam Killeen (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team     6:27
29 Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team     6:43
30 Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team     6:55
31 Sergji Rysenko (Ukr) ISD Cycling Team     7:06
32 Michele Casagrande (Ita) Elettroveneta - Corratec     7:15
33 Jukka Vastaranta (Fin) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team     7:24
34 Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team     7:32
35 Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain     7:36
36 Sid Taberlay (Aus)     7:39
37 Christoph Soukup (Aut)     7:41
38 Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team     7:44
39 Andras Parti (Hun) Euro One - Cube MTB Team     7:44
40 Cédric Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix     7:52
41 Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Torpado Surfing Shop     8:01
42 Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team     8:02
43 Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG - 2 Professional MTB Team     8:04
44 Robby De Bock (Bel)     8:12
45 Umberto Corti (Ita) Team Cbe Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.     8:13
46 Derek Zandstra (Can) Team Canada  8:13
47 Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team     8:29
48 Adam Craig (USA) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team     8:29
49 Daniel Mcconnell (Aus)     8:44
50 Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling     8:53
51 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru - Trek     9:08
52 Lukas Kaufmann (Sui)     9:14
53 Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) Lapierre International     9:18
54 Martino Fruet (Ita)     9:26
55 Milan Spesny (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team     9:36
56 Pascal Meyer (Sui) Thoemus Racing Team     9:46
57 Patrik Gallati (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team     10:04
58 Hector Leonardo Paez Leon (Col) Bianchi     10:07
59 Giuseppe Lamastra (Ita) Elettroveneta - Corratec     10:12
60 Michal Lami (Svk)     10:26
61 Tony Longo (Ita) TX Active Bianchi     10:31
62 Julien Taramarcaz (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team     11:00
63 Bas Peters (Ned) Team Merida Combee     11:14
64 Giancarlo Sax (Sui) Thoemus Racing Team     11:23
65 Adam Morka (Can) Team Canada     11:46
66 Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team     12:05
67 Adrian Brzozka (Pol) JBG - 2 Professional MTB Team     13:23
68 Irjan Luttenberg (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team     13:23
69 Johannes Schweiggl (Ita)     13:23
70 Mario Alberto Rojas Rojas (Col)     14:14
71 Michael Broderick (USA) Kenda/Seven/NOTUBES     14:38
72 Benjamin Wittrup Justesen (Den)     -1 Lap
73 Fabio Ursi (Ita) Team Cbe Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.     -1 Lap
74 Kazuhiro Yamamoto (Jpn)     -1 Lap
75 Renay Groustra (RSA)     -1 Lap
76 Matthew Hadley (Can) Team Canada     -1 Lap
77 Paolo Montoya Cantillo (CRc) GT Stacplastic Team     -1 Lap
78 Robert Gehbauer (Aut)     -1 Lap
79 Ludovic Dubau (Fra) Team Newcycling     -1 Lap
80 Hannes Metzler (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team     -1 Lap
81 Mirko Pirazzoli (Ita)     -1 Lap
82 Jiri Novak (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team     -1 Lap
83 Yader Zoli (Ita) Torpado Surfing Shop     -1 Lap
84 Davide Di Marco (Ita)     -1 Lap
85 Seiya Hirano (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor     -1 Lap
86 Sang Hoon Na (Kor)     -1 Lap
87 Matthias Waldhart (Aut)     -1 Lap
88 Pascal Hossay (Bel) G - Skin - Deforche MTB Racing Team     -1 Lap
89 Chun Hing Chan (HKg)     -2 Laps
90 Chris Jongewaard (Aus) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team     -2 Laps
91 Oliver Munnik (RSA)     -2 Laps
92 Ken Onodera (Jpn)     -2 Laps
93 Pierre Lebreton (Fra) BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry     -2 Laps
94 Severin Disch (Sui) Thoemus Racing Team     -2 Laps
95 Jiri Friedl (Cze) Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team     -2 Laps
96 Oleksandr Gerashchenko (Ukr) ISD Cycling Team     -2 Laps
97 Paul Remy (Fra)     -2 Laps
98 Roberto Crisi (Ita)     -2 Laps
99 Samuele Porro (Ita)     -2 Laps
100 Periklis Ilias (Gre) Team Protek     -2 Laps
101 Carl Jones (NZl)     -3 Laps
102 Balz Weber (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team     -3 Laps
103 Emmanuel Valencia Guadarrama (Mex) Turbo Bike Team     -3 Laps
104 Nicola Rohrbach (Sui) Elettroveneta - Corratec     -3 Laps
105 Cameron Jette (Can) Team Canada     -3 Laps
106 Dror Pekatch (Isr)     -3 Laps
107 John Whittington (GBr)     -4 Laps
108 Martin Loo (Est) Infotre - Bi & Esse - Leecougan     -5 Laps
DNF Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Esp) Giant Italia Team
DNF Martin Fanger (Sui) Giant Swiss Sr - Suntour
DNF Marc Colom (Fra) Team Newcycling
DNF Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Lapierre International
DNF Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team
DNF Alexey Medvedev (Rus) Elettroveneta - Corratec
DNF Simon Scheiber (Aut) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team
DNF Rene Tann (Ger)
DNF Sepp Freiburghaus (Sui) Thoemus Racing Team
DNF Anton Sintsov (Rus)
DNF Ramon Sagues Portabella (Esp)
DNF Luis Anderson Mejia Sanchez (Col) ASPTT Definitive Gitane
DNF Eddie Andres Rendon (Col)