American Willow Koerber finished third in the 2009 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Women Elite cross-country. She was 52 seconds behind winner Irina Kalentieva from the Russian Federation.
Koerber said that she felt incredible all day.
Five laps of 32-kilometers were completed by the elite women under sunny skies in Canberra’s Stromlo Park. The U.S. women started off well. After two laps, Koerber and Compton were in the top ten. Irmiger started 21st. Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo./Planet Bike) 44th and Judy Freeman (Boulder, Colo./Tough Girl-Scott) 49th. Byberg was eventually caught and passed by Irina Kalentieva (RUS), the second-ranked rider in the world. Byberg’s silver was her first world championship medal. Kalentieva’s world title was however her second in three consecutive years.
Heather Irmiger (10th), Katie Compton (14) and Georgia Gould (15th) were other American women who ranked in the top 20.
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Willow Koerber (file photo)
