Catharine Pendrel of Kamloops B.C. pedals to win the women's cross-country mountain bike 2016 World Cup.File photo: Catharine Pendrel of Kamloops B.C. pedals to win the women's cross-country mountain bike World Cup, Sunday, August 7, 2016 at Mont-Saint-Anne in Beaupre Que. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
File photo: Catharine Pendrel of Kamloops B.C. pedals to win the women's cross-country mountain bike World Cup, Sunday, August 7, 2016 at Mont-Saint-Anne in Beaupre Que. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

First mountain bike World Cup podium of 2017 for Pendrel

Catharine Pendrel reached the podium at the Canadian stop of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup circuit, finishing third in the women’s cross-country event in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec.

The Olympic bronze medallist completed the five laps of the course in 1 hour 19 minutes and 4 seconds. Taking the victory was Ukrainian Yana Belomoina (1:17:50) while Frenchwoman Pauline Ferrand Prevot (1:18:34) placed second.

Finishing 35 seconds behind Pendrel in fourth place was fellow Canadian Emily Batty.

Pendrel held the lead after the first lap, but by the end of the second, Belomoina had caught up. After the third lap, the top four finishers were in their finishing order as the top two separated themselves from Pendrel. Belomoina claimed the overall World Cup title with the win.

This is Pendrel’s first World Cup podium of the 2017 season. In the first four stages she had a top result of 10th place. It was also a season-best finish for Batty.

The World Cup Finals will take place in Val di Sole, Italy from August 25 to 27. The season will conclude with the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Cairns, Australia which will take place September 5-10.