Elite women 4X: - km
MTB World Cup: Melissa Buhl takes women's 4X
Podium (L-R): Anita Molcki (4 Elements), Mio Suemasa (MS-Intense), Melissa Buhl (KHS), Fionn Griffiths (Norco World Team) and Anneke Beerten (MS Intense). (Dave McElwaine/www.trailwatch.net )
Clad in her rainbow striped jersey, world champion Melissa Buhl (KHS) advanced through the semi-finals and went on to win the finals in the elite women's four cross. She defeated Mio Suemasa (MS-Intense Factory Racing), Fionn Griffiths (Norco World Team) and Anneke Beerten in the big final. Beerten crashed in the final, but managed to get up and ride to the finish.
"I had an outside lane choice which gave me a disadvantage from the start," said the American winner Buhl. "I had a lot of track to make up there. Anneke had a good start but then she slid out." The turn in question one was the only turn with two options, according to Buhl.
"If you stayed below the lower rock," said Buhl, "you could get on the inside. Problem was we ran out of real estate, and I almost missed the blue gate. It was a bit of a scramble, but I'm glad I didn't miss it and was able to get out." On that turn, where Beerten crashed, Buhl came underneath to make a pass. "I was in front of her when she crashed. I'm not sure what happened."
For full results, report and photos, visit Cyclingnews.com
ELITE WOMEN 4X RESULTS
| Big final | ||
| 1 Melissa Buhl (USA|KHS) | ||
| 2 Mio Suemasa (Jpn|MS-Intense Factory Racing) | ||
| 3 Fionn Griffiths (GBr|Norco World Team) | ||
| 4 Anneke Beerten (Ned|MS-Intense Factory Racing) | ||
| Small final | ||
| 1 Anita Molcik (Aut|4 Elements Yeti/Hotec/Rsp) | ||
| 2 Caroline Buchanan (Aus) | ||
| 3 Eva Castro Fernandez (Spa) | ||
| 4 Neven Steinmetz (USA| |
