Rio 2016 - XCO Women's Race
When these rings show up, everybody knows something big and special is coming. It's the motive, why athletes train so hard and prepare themselves four years to make their dreams come true. On the world cup circuit this year we've seen the women's field peak and valley through training regimens and podium wins and misses all with the ultimate goal at stake, to make it to the big show -the Olympics. Annika Langvad has had a phenomenal year and would come in as a hot favourite. Another medal contender would be Switzerland's Jolanda Neff. Previous World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot came out of a bad poll position to fight tooth and nail to get to the front of the race but in the end, it would be the young Swedish Jenny Rissveds who would prove her engine more powerful than the others to take Olympic Gold. In second place would be Poland's Maja Wloszczowska and rounding out the bronze medal was 2015 World Champion, Catharine Pendrel. With 70% of the world's population tuning in to watch the Olympics, these women certainly put on a big show for the world to watch and enjoy.
Mountain bike Olympic course was built in Deodoro. It's 4,85 km long, completely man-made with two climbs and a lot of technical stuff like gnarly (for XC) rock gardens.
This is the biggest rock garden on the course and even it is a bit easier then It was originally made last year, for some riders it was difficult to get through.
...but not for one of the top favorites Jolanda Neff. The Swiss girl's with brilliant technical skills checking the fastest lines before the race.
Nino Schurter was seen training with new Oakley Radar Pace sunglasses which Oakley made in cooperation with Intel.
Olympic pits are a bit different then most of the riders are used for.
American Lea Davison heading to the crowded warm-up zone just before the start.
The moment for which some people have waited for four years. The Olympic Women's race is on!
First lap and fight for positions before rock downhills.
The mobile photography will be a special discipline at next Olympics in Tokyo. That's probably why everybody practiced today.
Canadian Catherine Pendrel didn't have a good start and then she had some troubles in the rock garden as well. She was around 20th place in first lap, one minute down.
Brazilian hero Raiza Henrique Goulao
The biggest rock garden on the course with solid crowds around.
Jenny Rissveds from Sweden rode smoothly and fast through the rockgarden, despite a crash earlier in the week that left her with four stitches on the elbow and six on her knee.
The Canadian fire weather for Catherine Pendrel. Then she moved every lap more and more to the front and at the end, she over sprinted Emily Battye in the fight for the bronze medal.
Jolanda Neff didn't have a good day. She started strongly for the first three laps, but with pain in her back she dramtically ran out of gas on the fourth lap and she finished back in sixth.
Maja Wloszczowska from Poland leads the way with Jenny Rissveds on her back wheel, the two swapped the lead a few times on laps four and five, until Rissveds found another gear on the last lap and pulled nearly 30 seconds on her.
Jenny Rissveds celebrates her Olympic champion title at the finish line of the race. She is the youngest MTB Olympic XC champion ever.
A great story for Czech Katerina Nash. These were her fifth Olympic games. She started in Atlanta 1996 as a mountain biker and also did winter Olympic games with national Ski team. Katerina finished 5th.
Jenny Rissved's proud team manager, Thomas Frischknecht. Guess what he is looking for!
1. Jenny Rissveds (SWE), 2. Maja Wloszczowska (POL), 3. Catherine Pendrel (CAN).
Jenny Rissveds and her gold cca 500 grams of happiness which will make her shine for next 4 years. Next Olympic games will host Tokyo in 2020!
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Contgrats on football!
Thats a realy good capture. Thanks for that.
"Then she moved every lap more and more to the front and at the end, she over sprinted Emily Battye in the fight for the bronze medal."