MTB index page for all MTB content

MTB World Cup XC #4 - CDM

Madrid, Spain, May 23-24, 2009

Photos

Race 4 - May 24: Elite men cross country

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Rob Jones / www.canadiancyclist.com

• A dozen riders broke away on the first lap, led by Roel Paulissen.
• Julien Absalon (Orbea) and Ralph Näf (Multivan Merida) got away and were never challenged.
• Jean Christophe Peraud (Massi) led the chase for nearly a lap.
• Ralph Näf (Multivan Merida) attacked with a lap and half to go.
• Julien Absalon (Orbea) remained cool under pressure.
• Wolfram Kurschat (Topeak Ergon Racing Team)
• Todd Wells (Specialized Factory Racing)
• Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Cemelorca-Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo)
• Christophe Sauser (Specialized Factory Racing) got caught in traffic early on.
• MAJOR traffic jam on the climb.
• Check out the glasses on Manuel Fumic (Fumic.Brothers.International).
• Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Orbea) would finish eighth.
• Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Gary Fisher)
• Michael Broderick (Kenda Seven NoTubes)
• The ravine had dried up considerably by the time the men went through.
• Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles)
• Ralph Näf (Multivan Merida Biking Team)
• Burry Stander (Specialized Factory Racing) padded his World Cup lead in the Under 23 category.
• José Hermida (Multivan Merida Biking Team)
• Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cannondale Factory Racing)
• Sven Nys
• Mathias Flückiger (Trek World Racing)
• Jean Christophe Peraud (Massi) drove the chase group.
• These guys had spotters checking the names of riders so they could cheer them on by name.
• Julien Absalon (Orbea) takes his third consecutive win of the season.
• It was a tight finish for third.
• Multivan Merida took the top team award.
• Elite men's podium: Marco Aurelio Fontana (fourth), Ralph Näf (second), Julien Absalon (winner), Moritz Milatz (third), Nino Schurter (fifth)

Images by Dave McElwaine / www.trailwatch.net

• Julien Absalon (Orbea) wins another World Cup.
• Burry Stander (Specialized) is having a fantastic season.
• Julien Absalon (Orbea) is the race favorite.
• Geoff Kabush (Rocky Mountain/Maxxis) is always colorful.
• Photographers ready to shoot the elite men's start.
• Elite men head out onto the course.
• Elite men's start with Julien Absalon at the front.
• Ralph Naef (Multivan Merida) leads at the end of the first lap.
• Nino Schurter (Scott Swisspower) near the front of the race.
• Kabush (Rocky Mountain / Maxxis) descends in the top ten.
• Umberto Corti (Team CBE Techniompianti) on one of the small climbs
• World Champion Christoph Sauser (Specialized) claws his way back from a mediocre start.
• Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Gary Fisher/Subaru) descends.
• Christian Cominelli (TX Active Bianchi) climbs.
• Julien Absalon (Orbea) on the steepest climb of the course.
• Ralph Naef (Multivan Merida) grimaces on the steepest climb.
• Burry Stander (Specialized) chases Ralph Naef and Julien Absalon.
• Jose Hermida (Multivan Merida) climbs to the cheers of his Spanish countrymen.
• X-Terra champion and crowd favorite Ruben Ruzafa (Orbea)
• Todd Wells (Specialized) descends a twisty section of the course.
• Daniel McConnell (Torq Performance) streaks down the hill.
• Geoff Kabush (Rocky Mountain/Maxxis) blurs the countryside.
• A very slippery corner was the scene of many mishaps.
• Maneul Fumic (Fumic Bros) followed closely by Todd Wells
• Wolfram Kurschat (Topeak Ergon) corners near the front of the race.
• Ruben Ruzafa (Orbea) up close
• Sam Schultz (Gary Fisher/Subaru) makes a move on Bjorn Brems.
• Julien Absalon (Orbea) rests on a steep descent.
• Rudi Van Houts (Multivan Merida) descends with a long string of riders.
• Sam Schultz (Gary Fisher/Subaru) streaks past the crowd.
• Ralph Naef (Multivan Merida) with a 50-meter gap on Julien Absalon with one lap to go.
• Michael Broderick (Kenda-Seven-No Tubes) with one lap to go.
• Julien Absalon's wife anxiously awaits at the finish.
• Julien Absalon (Orbea) wins again at Casa de Campo.
• Julien Absalon (Orbea) smiles at his wife before getting a congratulatory kiss.

Images by Alvaro Astiz

• Spanish rider Carlos Coloma Nicolas (MSC Bikes) heads the chase group late in the race.
• Germany's Wolfram Kurschat (Topeak Ergon Racing Team) on his way to 12th place.
• Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Giant Italia Team) looking good midway through the race.
• Canada's Geoff Kabush finished in 34th.
• Orbea rider Inaki Lejarreta Errasti took a top 10 in Spain.
• Inaki Lejarreta Errasti and Ruben Ruzafa Cueto wait for the start.
• The elite men's race gets underway.
• Italian rider Umberto Corti (Team CBE Tecnoimpianti A.S.D) shows the strain.
• The holeshot was taken by Multivan Merida's Ralph Naef.
• Manuel Fumic sports some retro shades for the Madrid round of the world cup.
• Julien Absalon has a chat whilst warming up.
• Belgium's Roel Paulissen (Cannondale Factory Racing) on his way to rounding out the top 10.
• Julien Absalon was the man to beat and wore the number 1 dossard to prove it.
• Manuel Fumic finished ninth in Madrid.
• Geoff Kabush was back in Europe looking for some world cup points.
• World champion Christoph Sauser managed 11th place.
• It was another dry day in Madrid which made running easier.
• Balance and poise from Julien Absalon on his way to the win.
• Christoph Sauser on maximum attack along one of the downhill sections.
• Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Orbea) giving it full gas on his way to 27th.
• Paolo Cesar Montoya Cantillo (Giant Italia) finished back in 64th.
• Manuel Fumic looks ahead as he negotiates the traffic in his group.
• American rider Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski leads a group down the hill.
• Julien Absalon powers up the hill in a typically dominant performance.
• Christoph Sauser follows the leaders on his way to 11th place.
• Trek World Racing rider Liam Killeen was sporting the GB national champion's kit.
• Absalon glides downhill in front of Ralf Naef.
• José Antonio Hermida (Multivan Merida) is totally focused on overhauling Absalon.
• Dutch rider Frank Beemer finished in 61st place.
• Hungarian national champion Andras Parti took 67th for the SRM Stevens team.
• Mike Broderick took 83rd as a non-sponsored rider.
• José Antonio Hermida (Multivan Merida) on his way to 13th.
• Portuguese rider Daniel Marques negotiates a bit of singletrack.

Race 3 - May 24: Elite women cross country

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Rob Jones / www.canadiancyclist.com

• Some last minute cleat work on the line for Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain / Maxxis)
• One minute to start...
• Elisabeth Osl (Central Ghost Pro) at the front.
• Lene Byberg (Specialized Factory Racing)
• The early laps were muddy and a lot of the uphills were unclimable.
• Push-a-bike in the early going before the course started to dry.
• Lene Byberg (Specialized Factory Racing) and Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain / Maxxis)
• Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain / Maxxis)
• Margarita Fullana (Massi) carefully descends a slippery ravine.
• Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain / Maxxis) descends a slippery ravine.
• Mary McConneloug (Kenda / Seven / Notubes)
• Margarita Fullana (Massi) leads up the climb.
• The three leaders kept a close eye on each other.
• Catharine Pendrel (Luna) conquered mechanical problems and difficulty with the terrain to take the final podium spot.
• Elisabeth Osl (Central Ghost Pro)
• Sabine Spitz (Central Ghost Pro)
• Willow Koerber (Subaru-Gary Fisher)
• Mary McConneloug (Kenda / Seven / Notubes)takes a different line
• Under 23 Overall World Cup leader Julie Bresset (Breiz Mountain)
• Heather Irmiger (Subaru-Gary Fisher)
• Margarita Fullana (Massi) wins in front of a hometown crowd.
• Central Ghost took top women's team honours.
• Elite women's podium

Images by Dave McElwaine / www.trailwatch.net

• Marga Fullana (Massi) wins at home in Spain.
• Sabine Spitz (Central Ghost Pro Team)
• Elisabeth Osl (Central Ghost Pro Team) has been the revelation of the season.
• Margarita Fullana (Massi) has a laugh before the race.
• Luna teammates Georgia Gould (L) and Catherine Pendrel (R)
• US National Champion Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-No Tubes)
• Women's start
• Katrin Leumann (Goldwurst Power) gets the hole shot.
• Lene Byberg (Specialized) leads on lap one.
• Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mt/Maxxis) chases Lene Byberg (Specialized).
• Elisabeth Osl (Central Ghost Pro Team) rides in third.
• Katrin Leumann (Goldwurst Power) descends on the course.
• Heather Irmiger (Gary Fisher/Suburu) on a descent
• Lene Byberg (Specialized) rides a small climb.
• Margarita Fullana (Masi) leads the chase to Lene Byberg (Specialized).
• Elisabeth Osl (Central Ghost) hammers out of the saddle.
• Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-No Tubes) rides in the top fifteen.
• Willow Koerber (Gary Fisher/Subaru) moves up after flatting.
• Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mt/Maxxis) is muddy after just a couple laps.
• Catherine Pendrel (Luna Women's MTB) rides in fifth where she would finish.
• Georgia Gould (Luna Women's MTB) suffered a flat tyre on lap one.
• Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-No Tubes) climbs out of the saddle.
• Margarita Fullana (Masi) runs up the steepest section of the course.
• Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mt/Maxxis) runs after Marga Fullana (Massi).
• Lene Byberg (Specialized) keeps pace with the frontrunners.
• The crowd cheers riders on the steepest climb.
• Irina Kalentiva (Topeak Ergon) rides to an 11th place finish.
• Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mt/Maxxis) on her way to a second place finish.
• Lene Byberg (Specialized) leads Marga Fullana (Massi) up a steep, twisty climb.
• Margarita Fullana (Massi) stays on Lene Byberg's wheel.
• Sabine Spitz (Central Ghost) on her way to fourth place.
• Lene Byberg (Specialized) was easily the most agressive rider. She finished third.
• Margarita Fullana (Massi) wins in front of her Spanish countrymen

Race 2 - May 23: Junior women cross country

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Dave McElwaine / www.trailwatch.net

• Anne Terpstra (Rabobank) was relaxed before the race.
• The junior women had to start at the back of the junior men's field.
• Anne Terpstra (Rabobank) with a small lead on lap one
• Michelle Hediger (Fisher BMC) chases AnneTerpstra.
• Anne Terpstra (Rabobank) rides with a 45-second lead
• Michelle Hediger (Fisher BMC) rides in second place.
• Anne Terpstra (Rabobank) feels that running the steepest climb was faster.
• Michelle Hediger (Fisher BMC) could ride all but the top of the steepest climb.
• Anne Terpstra (Rabobank) streaks downhill.
• Michelle Hediger (Fisher BMC) chases Anne Terpstra.
• Anne Terpstra (Rabobank) wins.
• Michelle Hediger (Fisher BMC) finishes second.
• Junior women's podium (L to R): Michelle Hediger (Fisher BMC) second, Anne Terpstra (Rabobank) first, Ekaterina Anoshina (Russian Federation) third

Race 1 - May 23: Junior men cross country

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Dave McElwaine / www.trailwatch.net

• The Madrid Murchia team warms up before the race.
• Matthia Stirnemann (Switzerland) has one World Cup victory already this year.
• David Rodrigues is part of a strong squad from Portugal.
• The junior men got off to a clean start at Casa de Campo.
• Daniel Aurelien (Breiz Mt.) gets the hole shot and goes on to fifth place.
• Hugo Drechou (France) gets a good lead and holds it until the final lap.
• Mario Costa (Portugal) rides a strong race and finishes fourth.
• Roberto Giacobazzi (Team CBE Techno) descends.
• Hugo Drechou (France) climbs out of the saddle while leading the race.
• The second group of chasers.
• Hugo Drechou (France) on a climb during the second lap.
• David Rodriguez (Portugal) climbs in second place.
• Matthia Stirnemann (Switzerland) rides to a third place finish.
• David Rodrigues (Portugal) climbs at then end of the second lap.
• The Portuguese chasers on the steepest climb.
• Ricardo Marinheiro (Portugal) is forced off his bike.
• A Portuguese rider catches some air on the descent.
• Bryan Falaschi (Italy) descends.
• David Rodriguez outsprints Hugo Drechou for the junior men's win.
• David Rodriguez was totally spent after his big effort on the last lap.
• Junior men's podium (L to R): Hugo Drechou (France) second, David Rodriguez (Portugal) first, Matthias Stirnemann (Switzerland) third