2002 MTB Worlds - CDM

Kaprun, Austria, 24 August - 1 September, 2002

Results    Team Relay    Cross Country    Downhill    Four Cross    Other events

September 1 - U23 Cross Country

Men's XC    Women's XC

Absalon wins
Photo: © Tim Maloney/CN

Absolutely Absalon

By Tim Maloney, European editor in Kaprun

For the second consecutive year, French rider Julien Absalon took the U23 Cross Country title. For his last year in the espoir ranks, the 22 year from the Vosges region of Eastern France dominated the World Championships today in Kaprun. Although the rain slackened for the U23 race, the race jury decided to shorten the race to 4 laps. Absalon took off on the first climb and was never seen again, winning by 2'15" over runner up Ralph Naef from Switzerland and 3'31" over Canadian star Ryder Hesjedal.

"My legs were really good today", said Absalon. "I love the mud and to slide with my bike so I was happy. I enjoyed the race a lot; the conditions are like where I am from (in France) so it was good for me."

The mud-drenched Absalon, certainly one of the biggest mountain bike talents to come out of France since Miguel Martinez will ride with the elites next year, but the 22 year old is already looking to challenging the big boys. Another rider who will ride with the elites is Bronze Medalist Ryder Hesjedal. The Canadian pro, who rides for Team Gary Fisher-Subaru was philosophical about his performance today in the Kaprun mudfest.

Ryder Hesjedal, mud man
Photo: © Tim Maloney/CN

"You never know what to expect on a day like this," the lanky Hesjedal told Cyclingnews. "I thought it would better to play it safe today...I mean, you don't even have to go to hard to blow on a (muddy) course like this. If you lose a little bit of power, you're done anyway."

Although the Canadian ended up on the podium, he might have been expecting more today in Kaprun. "I rode as fast as I could go and I rode a good race and all - you're always disappointed when your goals are to win. It doesn't always happen."

Photography

Photos by AFP

• Happy as a pig in mud - Frenchman Julien Absalon celebrates a dominant victory in his favourite conditions, saying, "I love the mud and to slide with my bike, so I was happy."

Photos by Tim Maloney/Cyclingnews.com

• Tense moments before the start of the U23 Men's Race: Hesjedal & Kab on the line.
• Inaki Lejaretta: A chip off the old block (His dad is Marino Lejaretta)
• Julien Absalon (France) crosses the line to win the U23 XC race in Kaprun.
• A happy Julien Absalon (France) with a muddy French flag after his win
• U23 XC champion Julien Absalon's winning Bianchi
• Ryder Hesjedal (Canada) - Mud man!

Results

1 Julien Absalon (Fra)                        1.59.01
2 Ralph Naef (Swi)                               2.32
3 Ryder Hesjedal (Can)                           3.33
4 Florian Vogel (Swi)                            4.49
5 Manuel Fumic (Ger)                             6.01
6 Reto Manetsch (Swi)                            6.28
7 Markus Weber (Aut)                             6.55
8 Christoph Soukup (Aut)                         8.06
9 Jochen Kass (Ger)                             10.07
10 Martin Gujan (Swi)                           10.22
11 Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa)                  10.36
12 Sergiy Rysenko (Ukr)                         11.13
13 Valentin Girard (Swi)                        11.28
14 Adam Craig (USA)                             11.49
15 Julien Girard (Swi)                          12.11
16 Michael Weiss (Aut)                          13.02
17 Maarten Wijnants (Bel)                       14.05
18 Ivan Alvarez G. (Spa)                        14.20
19 Liam Killeen (GBr)                           14.27
20 Ivan Seledkov (Rus)                          14.44
21 Nicolas Filippi (Fra)                        14.55
22 Boudny Pavel (Cze)                           15.28
23 Peter Riis Andersen (Den)                    15.59
24 Calle Friberg (Swe)                          16.09
25 Matthias Kirchler (Ita)                      16.40
26 Rob Reuvers (Ned)                            16.44
27 Sid Taberlay (Aus)                           17.06
28 Marco Lourenco (Por)                         17.32
29 Vokrouhlik Tomas (Cze)                       18.26
30 Barry Wicks (USA)                            18.45
31 Emmanuel Valencia G. (Mex)                   19.29
32 Hannes Genze (Ger)                           19.53
33 Karl Markt (Aut)                             20.57
34 Damien Bynens (Bel)                          21.29
35 Michael Knopf (Aut)                          22.16
36 Gergo Bakos (Hun)                            22.22
37 Ricky Federau (Can)                          22.48
38 Thijs Al (Ned)                               23.56
39 Adam Quadroni (Ita)                          24.43
40 Klaus Nielsen (Den)                          25.17
41 Phil Dixon (GBr)                             25.27
42 Kris Sneddon (Can)                           25.41
43 Phil Spencer (GBr)                           26.01
44 Goncalo Pereira (Por)                        26.20
45 Jelmer Pietersma (Ned)                       26.27
46 Remy Grosdidier (Fra)                        26.44
47 Eduardo Bosc Pariente (Arg)                  26.44
48 Frank Lehmann (Ger)                          27.01
49 Jacques Rossouw (RSA)                        27.30
50 Maxim Gogolev (Rus)                          29.32
51 Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa)                29.45
52 Rok Grilc (Slo)                              30.40
53 Brent Miller (Aus)                           31.41
54 Simon Richardson (GBr)                       32.43
55 Shingo Shiraishi (Jpn)                      -1 Lap
56 Steven Farmer (GBr)
57 Andras Parti (Hun)
58 Takahiro Ogasawara (Jpn)
59 Will Routley (Can)
60 Anze Bizjak (Slo)
61 Glenn Kinning (Irl)
62 Shawn Bunnin (Can)
63 Konstantinos Bardis (Gre)                  -2 Laps
64 Boris Campos Salas (Chi)
65 Davor Svecnjak (Cro)
66 Dror Pekatz (Isr)
67 David Reznick (Isr)
DNF Davy Coenen (Bel)
DNF Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe)
DNF Balz Weber (Swi)
DNF Igor Bogdan (Ukr)
DNF Rok Solar (Slo)
DNF Tim Boehme (Ger)
DNF Walker Ferguson (USA)
DNF Franz Hofer (Ita)
DNF Petter Joergensen (Nor)
DNF Manfred Steiner (Ita)
DNF N. Christian Cuesta (Mex)
DNF Jaimie Douglas (Can)
DNF Anthony Pearton (RSA)
DNF Kert Vainsalu (Est)
DNF N. Javier Puschel (Chi)
DNS Johannes Sickmueller (Ger)
DNS Paul Van Holst (Ned)

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