(BEIJING, August 23) -- Sabine Spitz of Germany attacked in the first of six laps to open a winning gap and grab gold in Women's Cross Country Mountain Bike on Saturday, August 23. A world champion in 2003 and bronze medalist at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the 36-year-old stopped at the finish line and carried her bike over her head to win in 1:45:11.

　　Twenty-four-year-old Maja Wloszczowska of Poland, pulled away from a four-rider chase group in the second lap and narrowed the gap between Spitz with a final-lap attack, but settled into silver 41 seconds off the pace in 1:45:52.

　　Irina Kalentyeva of Russia won bronze in 1:46:28, just nine seconds ahead of Catharine Pendrel of Canada after the pair battled over the last two laps for the final medal.

　　Spitz held off a late surge from Wloszczowska to become the first German to win gold in Mountain Biking since it was introduced as an Olympic sport in 1996.

　　Heat and the endless series of drops, climbs and technical rock sections on the 4.5-kilometre loop wreaked havoc on the 30-rider field. Only 18 riders of 30 starters finished; eight riders were lapped and four did not finish.

　　Several pre-race favorites quickly fell out of contention. Marie-Helene Premont of Canada, silver medalist at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, was an early withdrawal followed by defending Olympic champion Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa of Norway and Margarita Fullana of Spain, the three-time world champion and Sydney 2000 Olympic Games bronze medalist.

　　Local favorite Liu Ying crashed in the first 50 meters and lost her chain. She battled back to join Kalentyeva and Pendrel to forge a chasing threesome at 1:15 behind Spitz after three laps, but later faded to 12th.

　　Ren Chengyuan, the only Chinese rider to have won a World Cup event, battled to finish fifth at 2:29 back with a strong final loop.