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MTB World Cup XC #5 - CDM
St Félicien, Quebec, Canada, July 1, 2007
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Race 2 - July 1: Elite Men Cross Country
Absalon takes World Cup crown
By Rob Jones
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Julien Absalon (Orbea) wrapped up the men's cross-country World Cup in St-Felicien, Quebec on Sunday with one race still to go. St-Felicien is a new venue for the World Cup, and a very successful one, judging from the comments of riders. Jose Hermida (Multivan Merida) called it "the best course of the year for the World Cup," and he was not alone in his praise. "This is wicked mountain biking," added Seamus McGrath (Rocky Mountain-Haywood), "it is one of the best races we have done."
Offering a mix of steep climbs and technical sections, the course required a rider to be totally focused, very fit and a superb bike handler. The men did one start loop and six laps of the 6.4 kilometre circuit. The start loop proved to be surprisingly difficult, opening with a very steep climb that immediately blew apart the field. A poor ride here left little chance to move up later.
Unlike the women, the men had rain to contend with for the first half of their race, which made things slippery, particularly on the second steep climb. The men's race followed the same script as the women - two riders dropping the rest of the field and then battling for victory. Jose Hermida went to the front after the start loop, taking with him Balz Weber (Bikepark.ch). Absalon moved up to join Hermida on lap two as Weber faded, and the duo, who took gold and silver at the last Olympics, then rode away from the rest of the field.
The pair appeared to be near equal in strength, taking turns at the front on the climbs. It was still an open question as to who would win, with Hermida hit by mechanical problems on the fifth lap.
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"Just before the start of the last lap I could feel a problem in my chain, and then it broke after I was past the technical zone, so I had to stop and fix it," explained Hermida. "I was passed by a couple of guys and I had to re-pass them to get into second on the last lap. Before that last lap I was feeling really confident [for the win]. But it was still a pretty nice race for me: it's a good result and having regular top results shows what type of rider I am, which is important to me. I think the champion always has extra power in the legs, and sometimes the luck too."
"I saw him stopped when I went by the feed zone, so I attacked." commented Absalon. "But I didn't realize he had such a problem until my manager told me on the radio that I had one minute. It is impossible to say who was stronger, we were very even I think. But the win is very good, now the World Cup is done and I can prepare for the world championships with no extra pressure."
Absalon was clear and putting distance on his rival, while Hermida blasted past the two riders who had passed him - Fredrik Kessiakof (Cannondale-Vredestein) and Ralph Naef (Multivan Merida) - to reclaim second place. Kessiakof and Naef took third and fourth, with Jakob Fuglsang (Cannondale-Vredestein) taking the final podium spot ahead of U23 world champion Nino Schurter (Swisspower).
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Adam Craig (Giant) had his second consecutive World Cup top 10 with a 10th place finish, with Seamus McGrath (Rocky Mountain-Haywood) and Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) the only other North Americans to crack the top-20, in 18th and 20th places respectively.
Race note:
- The UCI has released the World Cup schedule for next season (the earliest ever release date), and there are two North American dates, both in Canada, with one Mont Ste Anne and the other still to be decided. The series has nine cross country stops and seven downhill/4-cross. There are six triples. After three European races in April/early May there is a break until June, after which action is pretty steady until the end of July, with the world championships in Italy in late June. The Canadian stops are the last ones before the Olympics in late July/early August. Post-Olympics there is a stop in Canberra, Australia, site of the 2009 Worlds, and the final back in Europe in September.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Frank Bodenmuller/PhotoSport International/www.mtbsector.com
- The start of the men's race.
- The pack flies away from the start line.
- Adam Craig (Giant) rides towards 10th place.
- José Hermida (Multivan Merida Biking Team) leads Julien Absalon (Orbea).
- Absalon follows Hermida down a descent.
- José Hermida had to settle for second today.
- Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Gary Fisher)
- Swedish champion Fredrik Kessiakoff (Cannondale-Vredestein)
- Ralph Naef (Multivan Merida Biking Team) drives it up a climb.
- Christophe Sauser (Specialized) grabs a drink in the pits.
- Sauser takes on some fluids in the pit area.
- Bottle cages can be handy little contraptions.
- The men's field hits one of the ramp sections
- Something of a bottleneck in the men's field.
- Japanese champion Kenji Takeya (Specialized).
- Absalon stretching out his advantage.
- Julien Absalon wears number one for a reason.
- Julien Absalon wins the elite men's cross country in St Félicien.
- Absalon and Hermida embrace after a tough battle.
- The top five (l-r): Ralph Naef (4th), José Hermida (2nd), Julien Absalon (1st), Fredrik Kessiakoff (3rd) and Jakob Fuglsang (5th).
- Champagne time on the podium.
Images by Ralf Schaeuble/Photosport International
- Julien Absalon (Orbea) thanks the crowd coming into the finish
- Julien Absalon (Orbea) plays it up to the crowd, knowing he has it won
- This is what it looks like from behind to be beaten by Julien Absalon (Orbea)
- He knows he's got it , and he's happy!
- The start of the elite mens race gets underway
Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com
- Roel Paulissen was the early leader
- Julien Absalon early in the race
- José Hermida follows Absalon closley
- Jakob Fuglsang
- Nino Schurter current U23 world champion
- Geoff Kabush with his usual wide bars, fancy socks and side burns
- Kashi Leuchs taking the off camber left hander
- Christoph Sauser going for it on the wet climb
- José Hermida & Balz Weber
- Julien Absalon & José Hermida
- Julien Absalon & José Hermida
- Roel Paulissen climbs alone
- Pierre Lebreton navigates slippery wet rock
- Fredrik Kessiakoff, swedish champion
- José Hermida taking the rocky decent
- Cédric Ravanel wanting more oxygen
- Ralph Näf, looks to be floating over this section
- Nino Schurter focused on the rocks
- Adam Craig climbing away from two others
- Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski looking forward to the top
- Adam Craig
- Christoph Sauser looking very agressive on the decent
- Geoff Kabush almost looks to be enjoying himself too much
- Colin Cares in the granny ring on the climb
- José Hermida gets encouragement from the crowd
- Kashi Leuchs suffered a flat while in the top-10
- Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski navigates through the rocks
- Ralph Näf another former world champion
- Fredrik Kessiakoff powers along
- Nino Schurter looks comfortable
- Jakob Fuglsang
- Florian Vogel
- Adam Craig
- Christoph Sauser still focused
- Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski & Filip Meirhaeghe
- Todd Wells looks tired
- Todd Wells
- Derek Zandstra, looks like he didn't mean to do that
- Sam Schultz, on the other hand loves it
- Julien Absalon, much smoother over this than a lot of others
- José Hermida, still focused no matter where his back wheel is
- Julien Absalon wins
- Julien Absalon showing his medal , flowers and world champion jersey
- World Cup leaders: Absalon & Schurter
- Congrats for a great race
- Podium: Ralph Näf, José Hermida, Julien Absalon, Fredrik Kessiakoff, Jakob Fuglsang
Results
1 Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea 2.07.05 2 José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team 1.18 3 Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Cannondale-Vredestein 1.55 4 Ralph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team 2.50 5 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Cannondale-Vredestein 3.00 6 Nino Schurter (Swi) Swisspower MTB Team 4.37 7 Balz Weber (Swi) Bikepark.Ch Tui 4.41 8 Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) MBC Bochum 4.53 9 Lado Fumic (Ger) Fumic.Brothers.International 5.15 10 Adam Craig (USA) Giant Mountain Bike Team 5.39 11 Roel Paulissen (Bel) Cannondale-Vredestein 5.55 12 Florian Vogel (Swi) Swisspower MTB Team 6.03 13 Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) Versluys-Landbouwkrediet 6.06 14 Cédric Ravanel (Fra) Team Lapierre International 6.16 15 Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized 6.32 16 Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa) Orbea 6.41 17 Christoph Soukup (Aut) Fuji 6.52 18 Seamus Mcgrath (Can) Rocky Mountain Haywood 7.04 19 Jader Zoli (Ita) Asd Ktm International Team 7.07 20 Geoff Kabush (Can) Maxxis 7.26 21 Ricky Federau (Can) 7.40 22 Bas Peters (Ned) 7.53 23 Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa) Orbea 24 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 8.16 25 Milan Spesny (Cze) Merida Biking Team 8.33 26 Valeriano Rubens Donizeti (Bra) 8.34 27 Karl Platt (Ger) Team Bulls 8.48 28 Stefan Sahm (Ger) Team Bulls 29 Emil Lindgren (Swe) Gewiss Bianchi 9.01 30 Manuel Fumic (Ger) Fumic.Brothers.International 9.14 31 Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) 9.50 32 Jochen Kass (Ger) Team Alb-Gold Mountainbike 9.55 33 Ricardo Pscheidt (Bra) 10.12 34 Nicolas Bazin (Fra) Bh-Sr. Suntour 10.46 35 Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Dolphin Bike Team 10.57 36 Peter Riis Andersen (Den) Team Alb-Gold Mountainbike 11.02 37 Robin Seymour (Irl) 11.16 38 Kashi Leuchs (NZl) Cannondale-Vredestein 11.20 39 Moritz Milatz (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team 11.28 40 Max Plaxton (Can) Rocky Mountain Haywood 11.41 41 Jiri Friedl (Cze) Merida Biking Team 11.52 42 Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) Spiuk-Tau Ceramica 12.07 43 Burry Stander (RSA) GT 12.13 44 Hannes Metzler (Aut) 12.36 45 Klaus Nielsen (Den) Team Alb-Gold Mountainbike 12.59 46 Derek Zandstra (Can) 3 Rox Racing / Scott 13.04 47 Carl Decker (USA) Giant Mountain Bike Team 13.16 48 Michael Broderick (USA) Kenda Seven 13.17 49 Neal Kindree (Can) Kona Les Gets 13.18 50 Marti Gispert Labarta (Spa) Spiuk-Tau Ceramica 13.27 51 Olivier Maignan (Fra) Bh-Sr. Suntour 13.30 52 Miha Solar (Slo) 13.44 53 Edivando Cruz (Bra) 13.53 54 Tim Heemskerk (Ned) 14.02 55 Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona Les Gets 14.09 56 Filip Eberl (Cze) 14.16 57 Oleksandr Yakymenko (Ukr) 14.17 58 Kenji Takeya (Jpn) 14.57 59 Chris Jongewaard (Aus) Dolphin Bike Team 60 Todd Wells (USA) GT 16.00 61 Andrew Watson (Can) TEAM R.A.C.E. 16.49 62 Sid Taberlay (Aus) Dolphin Bike Team 17.22 63 Christof Bischof (Swi) Bikin'cyprus Int'l MTB Team 17.38 64 Cristobal Silva (Chi) 17.51 65 Sergiy Rysenko (Ukr) 18.03 66 Michael Weiss (Aut) Bikin'cyprus Int'l MTB Team 18.12 67 Raphael Gagne (Can) Rocky Mountain Haywood 18.49 68 Niall Davis (Irl) 19.21 69 Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Beone Mountainbiketeam 20.35 70 Lee Williams (GBr) 21.42 71 Andreas Kugler (Swi) Fischer-BMC 31.58 One lap behind 72 Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 73 Benoit Simard (Can) Specialized Canada 74 Maxim Gogolev (Rus) 75 Frederic Bussieres (Can) 76 Roddi Lega (Can) United Cycle 77 Stuart Houltham (NZl) 78 Colin Cares (USA) 79 Martin Lazarski (Can) Rocky Mountain Haywood Two laps behind 80 Pierre Lebreton (Fra) Bh-Sr. Suntour Three laps behind 81 Dror Pekatch (Isr) Subaru-Gary Fisher 82 Justin Price (NZl) Four laps behind 83 Sam Jurekovic (USA) DNF Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Orbea DNF Torsten Marx (Ger) Team Alb-Gold Mountainbike DNF Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) DNF Mathieu Toulouse (Can) Maxxis DNF Conor Mcconvey (Irl) DNF Jeff Hall (USA) DNF Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing DNF Eric Drower (NZl) DNF Giuseppe Lamastra (Ita) DNF Matthew Hadley (Can) Rocky Mountain Haywood
