Marie-Helene Premont 2nd at World Cup Finals, Sabrina Jonnier wins 2010 World Cup Overall Title
After a 2009 season marred by health issues and an up-and-down 2010 season in which she had her fair share of bad luck, Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain’s Marie-Hélène Prémont showed her true potential this past weekend at the UCI World Cup Finals in Windham, NY. Prémont finished just four seconds off the win in second place, behind fellow Canadian Catharine Pendrel and over two minutes ahead of her next competitor.
From the start, it was apparent that the race for first was between the two Canadians, as Pendrel and Premont shot to the front and began to drop the rest of the field. Pendrel took the lead early, establishing a 25 second lead over Premont, who was being chased by Pendrel's teammate, Georgia Gould (USA).
Each lap, Pendrel would gap Premont on the descent by approximately 20 seconds, but Premont would catch up on the main climb. On the last lap, Premont dug deep and caught Pendrel, but could not get by her for the win, finishing a scant 4 seconds down. After the race Premont commented, "I had a very good start, and I was able to be at the front and stay within 15 to 30 seconds of Catharine. Then on the last lap I knew it was my final chance, so I gave it everything I had, but Catharine was able to get in front for the downhill. It's a good time to be in this shape, one week before the world championships. I know I can do well next week."
In the men's race, Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain's Geoff Kabush, who usually performs very well at this point of the season, suffered a mechanical and was forced to withdraw from the race.
The 2009 downhill World Cup was dominated by Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain's Sabrina Jonnier, who took six of eight World Cup victories on her way to the 2009 World Cup Overall title. This year's return of the UK's Rachel Atherton and increased competition from fellow French riders Myriam Nicole, Florian Pugin, and Emmeline Ragot, made for much tighter competition in 2010 and taking the overall title would prove to be much more challenging.
Jonnier, who won the Maribor and Fort William rounds of this year's World Cup, headed into Windham with a comfortable lead in the overall series. She was virtually assured of winning the title, but she still could not focus completely on the race. Jonnier finished a disappointing 8th, but still managed to take the 2010 World Cup Overall Title.
Jonnier commented, "I couldn't get my head into racing this week," explained Jonnier. "I don't know what it was, but I was making a lot of mistakes all week and not riding good. I'm just happy to have this finished so that I can concentrate on the world championships."
