Pendrel 2nd, Naf 3rd at World Cup XC #3
5/05/2009Riders on Maxxis turned in outstanding performances at World Cup XC #3, with Catharine Pendrel of the Luna Pro Team second on the Elite women’s podium and Marie-Helene Premont of Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain taking sixth place. The Multivan Merida team took three top ten spots in the Elite men’s race, with Ralph Naf in third, Jose Hermida in sixth and Moritz Milatz in ninth place. The race was held May 2-3 in Houffalize, Belgium.
Pendrel crossed the finish line in 1:25:15 hours, just 14 seconds after the front rider. "I had a strong start, one of my best…This is an awesome result for me; the Houffalize race is one of the true classics of the sport, so to finish second here is a real accomplishment," she told cyclingnews.com. Pendrel, who rode CrossMarks at Houffalize, is currently first in World Cup cross country standings.
Premont, riding a Larsen TT in front and a CrossMark in the rear, was also happy with the results. “I am still building my fitness, so I'm really pleased with this result at this time of the season," she told cyclingnews.com. Sixth in overall World Cup cross country standings, Premont finished in 1:28:01 hours at Houffalize. Up-and-coming rider Lea Davidson rode Larsen TTS to a fine performance, finishing in 21st place.
Naf attacked aggressively at the beginning of the men’s race, maintaining his onslaught for most of the event’s 5½ laps. "I was trying to go hard, but conserve energy as well," he told cyclingnews.com. Naf finished just 52 seconds after the lead rider. Maxxis congratulates all of these riders and thanks them for choosing the brand of champions.