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MTB World Cup XC, DH & 4X #8 - B

Fort William, Scotland, September 10-11, 2005

Main Page    Results   World Cup standings    Previous Race   Next Race

Race 2 - September 10: Men cross-country

Canny, attacking Naef takes first World Cup win

By Rob Jones in Fort William

Ralph Naef (Multivan Merida)
Photo ©: Rob Jones
Click for larger image

The men's final standings were decided before today's race, with Christoph Sauser (Siemens Cannondale) having a lock on the title. However, on the day there were a slew of contenders in addition to Sauser: world champion Julien Absalon (Bianchi Agos), Jose Hermida (Multivan Merida), Freddie Kessiakoff (Siemens Cannondale) and Ralph Naef (Multivan Merida). All were riding strongly at Worlds, and were expected to be looking for a final win.

Kessiakoff took off early, building a lead to over a minute by the second lap of the five lap race. Behind, Absalon, Sauser, Hermida and Naef rode together in a small pack, seemingly unable to make a dent in Kessiakoff's lead. It took a crash by Absalon in the fourth lap to finally split up the chasers.

"Julien crashed on the steep downhill" explained Hermida, "and I crashed into him. So we lost the wheel of Sauser and Naef. We pushed hard to get back, but so did they. It was impossible to close."

Sauser and Naef, with Naef doing all the work, bridged up to a fading Kessiakoff, who was having trouble with leg cramps. The duo dropped Kessiakoff, and then Naef attacked on the last downhill and managed to hold off Sauser for his first World Cup victory.

Christoph Sauser (Siemens-Cannondale)
Photo ©: Rob Jones
Click for larger image

"I had so much bad luck all season that I couldn't focus before the race, I was thinking about my broken chain at the Worlds" revealed Naef. "But, I think that it is better to give your best and lose than not make an effort. I was doing the work, Sauser was sitting on for his team mate (Kessiakoff). We caught him on the last uphill and then I attacked and got a small gap. Christoph came back to me but I sprinted from the front and was able to hold on for the win. This is the biggest in of my life."

Kessiakoff hung on for third, with Hermida dropping Absalon for fourth.

Race notes

Siemens Cannondale loses Siemens at the end of the season, but the team says that they expect to have a new title sponsor shortly.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com

Results

1 Ralph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team                2.02.36
2 Christoph Sauser (Swi) Siemens Cannondale Mtb Racing Team      0.01
3 Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Siemens Cannondale Mtb Racing Team    0.43
4 Jose Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team           1.12
5 Julien Absalon (Fra) Bianchi Agos                              1.50
6 Bart Brentjens (Ned) Giant-Racing-Team                         2.35
7 Adam Craig (USA)                                                   
8 Lado Fumic (Ger)                                               2.51
9 Cedric Ravanel (Fra) Orbea                                     3.11
10 Manuel Fumic (Ger)                                            3.55
11 Peter Riis Andersen (Den)                                     4.04
12 Lukas Flückiger (Swi)                                         4.06
13 Oliver Beckingsale (GBr)                                      4.51
14 Liam Killeen (GBr) Specialized Factory Racing                 5.13
15 Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa)                                      5.20
16 Thomas Frischknecht (Swi)                                     5.46
17 Bas Peters (Ned)                                              5.50
18 Moritz Milatz (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team               5.52
19 Martin Gujan (Swi) Athleticum-Mtb-Team                        6.14
20 Michael Weiss (Aut)                                           6.15
21 Thijs Al (Ned)                                                6.20
22 Till Marx (Swi)                                               6.42
23 Andreas Kugler (Swi) Athleticum-Mtb-Team                      7.07
24 Stefan Sahm (Ger) Giant-Racing-Team                           7.09
25 Silvio Bundi (Swi) Athleticum-Mtb-Team                        7.10
26 Marek Galinski (Pol) Orbea                                    7.52
27 Christof Bischof (Swi)                                        7.59
28 Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Merlan Duo-Be One                      8.07
29 Emil Lindgren (Swe) Bianchi Agos                              8.21
30 Kashi Leuchs (NZl) Bianchi Agos                               8.22
31 Carl Friberg (Swe) Bikin'cyprus Int.                          8.24
32 Sid Taberlay (Aus) Specialized Factory Racing                 8.55
33 Florian Vogel (Swi)                                           9.07
34 Nick Craig (GBr)                                              9.20
35 Antonio Ortiz Barranco (Spa)                                  9.22
36 Gion Manetsch (Swi) Athleticum-Mtb-Team                       9.44
37 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Heijdens-Ten Tusscher                9.59
38 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Heijdens-Ten Tusscher                   10.11
39 Tomas Vokrouhlik (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna Mtb                  10.24
40 Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Merlan Duo-Be One                       10.25
41 Wolfram Kurschat (Ger)                                       10.43
42 Raffael Schmid (Swi) Fischer-Bmc                             11.14
43 Phil Spencer (GBr)                                           11.24
44 Michael Broderick (USA)                                      11.28
45 Frank Lehmann (Ger)                                          12.05
46 Sergio Mantecon Guttierre (Spa)                              12.39
47 Milan Spesny (Cze)                                           12.53
48 Ivan Alvarez Guttierrez (Spa)                                12.54
49 Robin Seymour (Irl)                                          13.37
50 Lukas Hanus (Svk)                                            13.51
51 Ricky Federau (Can)                                          14.42
52 Jan Skarnitzl (Cze)                                          14.55
53 Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) K2-Zero Rh+                      15.01
54 James Ouchterlony (GBr)                                      15.02
55 Marti Gispert Labarta (Spa) Maxxis-Msc                       15.12
56 Martino Fruet (Ita)                                          15.39
57 Andrew Watson (Can)                                          15.50
58 Ian Wilkinson (GBr)                                          16.04
59 Gody Jacobs (Bel)                                            16.48
60 Jochen Kass (Ger) Giant-Racing-Team                          17.15
61 Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona Les Gets                             17.33
62 Friedemann Schmude (Ger)                                     18.21
63 Gareth Montgomerie (GBr)                                     18.31
64 Ian Bibby (GBr)                                              18.36
65 Robert Mennen (Ger)                                          19.21
66 Stuart Bowers (GBr)                                          19.23
67 James Fraser-Moodie (GBr)                                    19.48
68 Ian Field (GBr)                                              19.58
69 Andi Weinhold (Ger)                                          20.22
70 Mike Northcott (NZl)                                         22.14
71 Paul Oldham (GBr)                                            22.24
72 Raita Suzuki (Jpn)                                           23.22
73 Bruce McCleary (GBr)                                         23.26
74 Emil Jamnicz (Cze) Max Cursor                                24.28
75 Niall Davis (Irl)                                            24.44
76 Robert Wardell (GBr)                                         25.30
77 Wayne Hiscock (NZl)                                          26.16
 
One lap behind                                                  
 
78 Matthew Hadley (Can)                                              
79 Keiichi Tsujiura (Jpn)                                            
80 Mark Leishman (NZl)                                               
81 Philip Cooper (GBr)                                               
82 Steve Hambling (GBr)                                              
83 Ian Legg (GBr)                                                    
84 Marios Athanasiades (Cyp) Bikin'cyprus Int.                       
85 William Bjergfelt (GBr)                                           
 
Two laps behind                                                 
 
86 Lewis Ferguson (Irl)                                              
87 Norman Gillan (GBr)                                               
88 Steve McEwen (GBr)                                                
 
Three laps behind                                               
 
89 Martin Lazarski (Can)                                             
DNF Roel Paulissen (Bel) Giant-Racing-Team                           
DNF Jiri Friedl (Cze)                                                
DNF Radim Korinek (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna Mtb                         
DNF Nino Schurter (Swi)                                              
DNF Yannick Bernasconi (Swi)                                         
DNF Thomas Roccaro (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team                    
DNF Adrian Lansley (GBr)                                             
DNF Steven Roach (GBr)                                               
DNF Richard Mardle (GBr)                                             
DNF Lee Williams (GBr)                                               
DNF Richard McCauley (Irl)                                           
 
Final World Cup standings
 
1 Christoph Sauser (Swi)                                         1470 pts
2 Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa)                               1085
3 Julien Absalon (Fra)                                            859
4 Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe)                                        852
5 Roel Paulissen (Bel)                                            845
6 Ralph Naef (Swi)                                                698
7 Adam Craig (USA)                                                662
8 Marco Bui (Ita)                                                 635
9 Liam Killeen (GBr)                                              564
10 Erwin Bakker (Ned)                                             523
11 Lado Fumic (Ger)                                               468
12 Marti Gispert Labarta (Spa)                                    459
13 Kashi Leuchs (NZl)                                             428
14 Milan Spesny (Cze)                                             398
15 Michael Weiss (Aut)                                            394
16 Jakob Fuglsang (Den)                                           372
17 Geoff Kabush (Can)                                             370
18 Sid Taberlay (Aus)                                             355
19 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra)                                   353
20 Jochen Kass (Ger)                                              345
21 Thomas Frischknecht (Swi)                                      341
22 Manuel Fumic (Ger)                                             291
23 Bart Brentjens (Ned)                                           282
24 Silvio Bundi (Swi)                                             275
25 Martin Gujan (Swi)                                             257
26 Oliver Beckingsale (GBr)                                       255
27 Michael Broderick (USA)                                        255
28 Marek Galinski (Pol)                                           241
29 Christof Bischof (Swi)                                         227
30 Miguel Martinez (Fra)                                          226
31 Bas Peters (Ned)                                               221
32 Marc Trayter Alemany (Spa)                                     205
33 Ivan Alvarez Guttierrez (Spa)                                  203
34 Wolfram Kurschat (Ger)                                         193
35 Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa)                                    185
36 Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA)                                   185
37 Christoph Soukup (Aut)                                         184
38 Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa)                                       181
39 Philip Spencer (GBr)                                           177
40 Jerome Chevalier (Fra)                                         176
41 Andreas Kugler (Swi)                                           175
42 Jader Zoli (Ita)                                               174
43 Nino Schurter (Swi)                                            174
44 Thijs Al (Ned)                                                 173
45 Stefan Sahm (Ger)                                              170
46 Mirko Pirazzoli (Ita)                                          170
47 Sergiy Rysenko (Ukr)                                           158
48 Florian Vogel (Swi)                                            156
49 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned)                                       152
50 Lukà Hanus (Svk)                                               143
51 Jiri Friedl (Cze)                                              143
52 Ricky Federau (Can)                                            138
53 Seamus McGrath (Can)                                           138
54 Till Marx (Swi)                                                131
55 Cédric Ravanel (Fra)                                           130
56 Moritz Milatz (Ger)                                            130
57 Todd Wells (USA)                                               127
58 Ludovic Dubau (Fra)                                            121
59 Chris Sheppard (Can)                                           120
60 Frederic Frech (Fra)                                           119
61 Emil Lindgren (Swe)                                            117
62 Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa)                                  116
63 Carl Friberg (Swe)                                             113
64 Balz Weber (Swi)                                               110
65 Yury Trofimov (Rus)                                            109
66 Jelmer Pietersma (Ned)                                         108
67 Sam Schultz (USA)                                              106
68 Peter Riis Andersen (Den)                                      104
69 Igor Bogdan (Ukr)                                              103
70 Thomas Dietsch (Fra)                                           103
71 Martino Fruet (Ita)                                             98
72 Gion Manetsch (Swi)                                             95
73 Jeremiah Bishop (USA)                                           94
74 Mathieu Toulouse (Can)                                          93
75 Barry Wicks (USA)                                               90
76 Roland Green (Can)                                              80
77 Carl Decker (USA)                                               78
78 Sergio Mantecon Guttierre (Spa)                                 76
79 Karl Platt (Ger)                                                73
80 Kris Sneddon (Can)                                              72
81 Johannes Sickmueller (Ger)                                      72
82 Peter-Riis Anderson (Den)                                       71
83 Thiago Aroeira (Bra)                                            71
84 Andrew Watson (Can)                                             70
85 Nick Waite (USA)                                                69
86 Martin Lazarski (Can)                                           69
87 Tim Boehme (Ger)                                                68
88 Jürg Graf (Swi)                                                 68
89 Lukas Fluckiger (Swi)                                           67
90 Marcio Ravelli (Bra)                                            67
91 Benjamin Rudiger (Ger)                                          67
92 Brent Miller (Aus)                                              62
93 Abraão Azevedo (Bra)                                            62
94 Jay Henry (USA)                                                 61
95 Cristobal Silva (Chi)                                           61
96 Edivando Cruz (Bra)                                             60
97 Pierre Lebreton (Fra)                                           60
98 Alejandro Diaz De La Pena Lo (Spa)                              60
99 Rubens Valeriano (Bra)                                          59
100 Ned Overend (USA)                                              58
101 Ricardo Pscheidt (Bra)                                         58
102 Hannes Metzler (Aut)                                           58
103 Peter Pouly (Fra)                                              58
104 Roan Exelby (RSA)                                              57
105 Tacio Camargo (Bra)                                            57
106 Martin Kraler (Aut)                                            57
107 Andreas Dilger (Ger)                                           57
108 Apolonio Pinto (Bra)                                           56
109 Javier Gallardo (Chi)                                          55
110 Cody Peterson (USA)                                            54
111 Mauricio Bugarin (Arg)                                         54
112 Roman Rametsteiner (Aut)                                       54
113 Johann Pallhuber (Ita)                                         54
114 Matt Shriver (USA)                                             53
115 Odair Pereira (Bra)                                            53
116 Carlos Paixão (Bra)                                            52
117 Robson Silva (Bra)                                             51
118 Haakon Austad (Nor)                                            51
119 Juan Carlos Hernandez (Mex)                                    50
120 Leandro Rambo (Bra)                                            50
121 Andy Schultz (USA)                                             48
122 Josimar Santos (Bra)                                           48
123 Alan Obye (USA)                                                47
124 Ricardo Ortiz (Bra)                                            47
125 Friedemann Schmude (Ger)                                       46
126 Gustavo Oliveira (Bra)                                         46
127 Miha Solar (Slo)                                               46
128 Tomas Vokrouhlik (Cze)                                         45
129 Tristan Schouten (USA)                                         45
130 Niicholas Ranno (USA)                                          45
131 Gonzalo Aravena (Chi)                                          45
132 Matthew Hadley (Can)                                           45
133 Dariusz Batek (Pol)                                            45
134 Antonio Ortiz Barranco (Spa)                                   44
135 Doug Ryden (USA)                                               44
136 Marcio Santos (Bra)                                            44
137 Derek Zandstra (Can)                                           44
138 Alban Lakata (Aut)                                             44
139 Marc Hug (Ger)                                                 43
140 Flavio Dal Seco (Bra)                                          43
141 Peter Wedge (Can)                                              43
142 Michael Northcott (NZl)                                        42
143 Sam Jurekovic (USA)                                            42
144 Nick Craig (GBr)                                               42
145 Felipe Avelar (Bra)                                            42
146 Erlu Lucatelli (Bra)                                           41
147 Raffael Schmid (Swi)                                           40
148 Pedro Bruno (Bra)                                              40
149 Carlos Ribeiro (Bra)                                           39
150 Jamie Lamb (Can)                                               39
151 Cale Redpath (USA)                                             38
152 Carlos Alberto Cristovão (Bra)                                 38
153 Benoit Simard (Can)                                            38
154 Nick Martin (USA)                                              37
155 Facundo Tizzi (Arg)                                            37
156 Toni Longo (Ita)                                               37
157 Rudi Van Houts (Ned)                                           36
158 Francisco Mariano (Bra)                                        36
159 Josh Bezecny (USA)                                             35
160 Sandro Lorenzon (Bra)                                          35
161 Keiichi Tsujiura (Jpn)                                         35
162 Mike Felderer (Ita)                                            35
163 Nick Gould (USA)                                               34
164 Amarildo Ferreira (Bra)                                        34
165 Jesse Swift (USA)                                              33
166 Jose Araujo Junior (Bra)                                       33
167 Frederic Bussieres (Can)                                       33
168 Radim Korinek (Cze)                                            33
169 Sandro Degracia (Bra)                                          32
170 Frank Lehmann (Ger)                                            31
171 Thomas Turner (USA)                                            31
172 Claudio Girardi (Bra)                                          31
173 Oriol Morata Abril (Spa)                                       31
174 Stephane Tempier (Fra)                                         31
175 Damian Calvert (USA)                                           30
176 Renan Poletti (Bra)                                            30
177 Matt Unger (USA)                                               29
178 Jose Souza Junior (Bra)                                        29
179 Nicolas Filippi (Fra)                                          29
180 Miles Venzara (USA)                                            28
181 Maikon Santos (Bra)                                            28
182 Oleksandr Yakymenko (Ukr)                                      28
183 Joseph Marshall (USA)                                          27
184 Robin Seymour (Irl)                                            27
185 Diego Maia (Bra)                                               27
186 Bruno Lafontaine (Can)                                         27
187 Brian Fuentes (USA)                                            26
188 Jorge Araujo Junior (Bra)                                      26
189 Alexandre Frappier (Can)                                       26
190 Ricardo Moura (Bra)                                            25
191 Takahiro Ogasawara (Jpn)                                       25
192 Jan Skarnitzl (Cze)                                            24
193 Jesse Jakomait (Can)                                           24
194 Timothy Madewick (NZl)                                         24
195 Jose Larrauri (Arg)                                            24
196 Helio Becker (Bra)                                             23
197 Jean-Sebastien Perron (Can)                                    23
198 Fabio Bernasconi (Swi)                                         23
199 James Ouchterlony (GBr)                                        22
200 Adnilson Lima (Bra)                                            22
201 Pavel Boudny (Cze)                                             22
202 Klaus Nielsen (Den)                                            22
203 Colin Becker (USA)                                             21
204 Luiz Tigre (Bra)                                               21
205 Guido Visser (Can)                                             21
206 Eloi Gispert (Spa)                                             21
207 Adam Hoppe (USA)                                               20
208 Adriano Malinowski (Bra)                                       20
209 Roddi Lega (Can)                                               20
210 Micah Joseph (USA)                                             19
211 Bryan Fawley (USA)                                             18
212 Ian Wilkinson (GBr)                                            18
213 Adam Snyder (USA)                                              18
214 Gody Jacobs (Bel)                                              17
215 Daniel Sessford (Can)                                          17
216 Hans Becking (Ned)                                             17
217 Filip Eberl (Cze)                                              17
218 Brent Winebarger (USA)                                         16
219 Jean-Nicolas Lavertu (Can)                                     16
220 Todd Johnson (USA)                                             15
221 Charles Pendry (USA)                                           15
222 Damien Bynens (Bel)                                            15
223 Jose Garcia Rodriguez (Spa)                                    15
224 Noah Singer (USA)                                              14
225 John Devine (USA)                                              14
226 Simon Richardson (GBr)                                         14
227 Lars Nordhaug (Nor)                                            14
228 Chanoch Redlich (Isr)                                          13
229 Gareth Montgomerie (GBr)                                       13
230 Frank Schotman (Ned)                                           13
231 Ian Bibby (GBr)                                                12
232 Nicholas Stevens (GBr)                                         12
233 Sebastien Tremblay (Can)                                       12
234 Philip Tavell (Swe)                                            12
235 Trent Lowe (Aus)                                               11
236 Robert Mennen (Ger)                                            11
237 Amon Pease (USA)                                               11
238 Roland Golderer (Ger)                                          11
239 Leonardo Zanotti (Ita)                                         11
240 John Rippel (USA)                                              10
241 Stuart Bowers (GBr)                                            10
242 Andreas Tiberi (Ita)                                           10
243 Hannes Genze (Ger)                                             10
244 Guillermo Bogas Oliva (Spa)                                    10
245 James Fraser-Moodie (GBr)                                       9
246 David Gagnon (Can)                                              9
247 Rick Evers (Ned)                                                9
248 Kryspin Pyrgies (Pol)                                           9
249 Ian Field (GBr)                                                 8
250 Jonathan Boulanger (Can)                                        8
251 Thomas Roccaro (Swi)                                            8
252 Andi Weinhold (Ger)                                             7
253 Sebastien Delfosse (Bel)                                        7
254 Torsten Marx (Ger)                                              7
255 Stuart Houltham (NZl)                                           6
256 Joan Llordella Prat (Spa)                                       6
257 Joris Boillat (Swi)                                             6
258 Paul Oldham (GBr)                                               5
259 Raita Suzuki (Jpn)                                              4
260 Tristan Galbraith (Can)                                         4
261 Ivan Schalbetter (Swi)                                          4
262 François Bailly Maitre (Fra)                                    4
263 Sebastien Hansen (Fra)                                          4
264 Bruce McCleary (GBr)                                            3
265 Matt Douglas (Can)                                              3
266 Jiri Novak (Cze)                                                3
267 Emil Jamnicz (Cze)                                              2
268 Jean-Francois Vennes (Can)                                      2
269 Bjorn Brems (Bel)                                               2
270 Maxim Gogolev (Rus)                                             2
271 Flavio Derungs (Swi)                                            2
272 Niall Davis (Irl)                                               1
273 Aaron Tuckerman (NZl)                                           1
274 Igor Baretto (Ita)                                              1
275 Andras Melts (Hun)                                              1
276 Fredrik Modin (Swe)                                             1