August 13, 2006 (Oisans, France) — Switzerland’s Ralph Näf (SUI, Multivan-Merida) and Norway’s Gunn-Rita Dahle (NOR, Multivan-Merida) were crowned World Champions in the Elite Men’s and Women’s Mountain Bike Marathon event today in Oisans, France.

Both the men’s and women’s fields cruised through a challenging 100-kilometre course where riders were required to climb 2,900 vertical metres. They were rewarded with 3,800 vertical metres of descending, however, as the course started in Les 2 Alpes at 1,650 metres and ended in Oisans at an altitude of 717 metres.

Näf’s winning time of 4:13:57 was less than a minute faster than Hector Leonardo Paez’s (COL, L’Arcobaleno Carraro) second-place time. Roel Paulissen (BEL, Giant) powered into the bronze medal position. Canada’s Timothy Carleton (CAN) was the only Canuck competitor. He finished 85th.

In the women’s event, Dahle won in a smoking fast time of 4:25:29. Switzerland’s Petra Henzi (SUI, Fischer-BMC) was second, followed by Elsbeth Van Rooij-Vink (NED, Heijdens-Ten Tusscher) of The Netherlands in third spot.

The loop was technical and fast, with a route mainly composed of singletrack and rough descents. Starting from the Deux Alpes, finishing at Bourg d’Oisans, the route crossed the Alpe d’Huez and many villages and resorts of l’Oisans.

Men

1 NÄF Ralph (SUI) 4:13:57
2 PAEZ LEON Hector Leonardo (COL) 4:14:50
3 PAULISSEN Roel (BEL) 4:21:03
4 DE BERTOLIS (ITA) 4:22:17
5 PALLHUBER Johann (ITA) 4:22:18
6 FRISCHKNECHT Thomas (SUI) 4:22:34
7 BRENTJENS Bart (NED) 4:22:58
8 KUGLER Andreas (SUI) 4:23:04
9 DIETSCH Thomas (FRA) 4:23:06
10 LAKATA Alban (AUT) 4:25:13
11 PLATT Karl (GER) 4:25:42
12 HERMIDA RAMOS Jose Antonio (ESP) 4:25:43
13 MARKT Karl (AUT) 4:26:30
14 KRALER Martin (AUT) 4:27:58
15 CATTANEO Johnny (ITA) 4:29:00
16 ALVAREZ GUTIERREZ (ESP) 4:29:24
17 STOLL Thomas (SUI) 4:29:57
18 BUNDI Silvio (SUI) 4:30:16
19 FRUET Martino (ITA) 4:31:05
20 GISPERT LABARTA (ESP) 4:32:18
21 CHEVALIER Jérome (FRA) 4:38:46
22 CARO SILVA (COL) 4:39:08
23 DEHO Marzio (ITA) 4:41:28
24 BIANCHI Ramon (ITA) 4:42:03
25 BOTERO SALAZAR (COL) 4:43:31
26 VERBNJAK Heinz (AUT) 4:44:30
27 DILGER Andreas (GER) 4:45:00
28 BEKKENK Ramses (NED) 4:45:34
29 DIAZ DE (ESP) 4:45:54
30 KESSIAKOFF Fredrik (SWE) 4:46:29
31 PLANTET Pierre-Geoffroy (FRA) 4:46:42
32 SPICHTIG Thomas (SUI) 4:47:57
33 PETER Roman (SUI) 4:48:53
34 ROJAS Mario (COL) 4:48:54
35 ZAHND Thomas (SUI) 4:49:13
36 PISU Samuele (ITA) 4:50:20
37 RAMETSTEINER Roman (AUT) 4:51:43
38 MAIGNAN Olivier (FRA) 4:52:10
39 LEJARRETA ERRASTI (ESP) 4:52:47
40 PETERHANS Lucien (SUI) 4:53:16
41 SCHMIEG Benjamin (GER) 4:54:04
42 EVANS Kevin RSA 4:55:18
43 GATHOF Daniel (GER) 4:55:45
44 LEGASTELOIS Thibault (FRA) 4:55:54
45 LOMBARDI Vincent (FRA) 4:56:40
46 JAPPINEN Eero FIN 4:57:15
47 HANSEN Sébastien (FRA) 4:57:44
48 TRUNSCHKA Thomas (CZE) 4:58:01
49 FIECHTER Claudio (SUI) 4:58:06
50 BECERA Julian (COL) 4:58:53
51 BAETEN Sam (BEL) 4:59:03
52 KAUFMANN Marcus (GER) 5:00:27
53 DUSKE Daniel (GER) 5:01:00
54 VERMEULEN Nicolas (BEL) 5:01:50
55 ROUX Nicolas (FRA) 5:02:56
56 MILATZ Moritz (GER) 5:03:28
57 SAHM Stefan (GER) 5:03:28
58 BLAZSO Marton (HUN) 5:03:49
59 PHILIPPE Guillaume (FRA) 5:04:00
60 AZEVEDO Abraao (BRA) 5:04:23
61 DE JONG (NED) 5:05:58
62 GIRARDI Thomas (SUI) 5:09:35
63 CROCHET-COLIN Normann (FRA) 5:14:52
64 ADAMS Ross (GBR) 5:15:42
65 ALBERATI Paolo (ITA) 5:16:45
66 MASSAER Joris (BEL) 5:17:04
67 MATEJU Jan (CZE) 5:20:01
68 DAVID Eric (FRA) 5:23:06
69 NICOLL Ed (GBR) 5:23:25
70 VERWEGEN Wilco (NED) 5:23:55
71 ACHARD Eric (FRA) 5:24:25
72 JANSSENS Kris (BEL) 5:29:57
73 SPOLC Milan (CZE) 5:33:58
74 CODDENS Peter (BEL) 5:34:19
75 RICHARDSON Jon (NZL) 5:34:49
76 BURGERMEISTER Balazs (HUN) 5:36:01
77 BORUP Michael (DEN) 5:36:36
78 BOGAR Gabor (HUN) 5:38:52
79 MEGEVAND Rudy (FRA) 5:39:20
80 MURLEY Chris (GBR) 5:42:23
81 WEBER Eric (FRA) 5:46:02
82 ERVINS Smolins (LAT) 5:46:40
83 HAUTAVOINE Etienne (FRA) 5:49:30
84 PRAULINS Didzis (LAT) 5:53:19
85 CARLETON Timothy (CAN) 5:53:36
86 CHARBONNEAU Xavier (FRA) 5:54:31
87 CORMIER Jonathan (FRA) 5:55:04
88 SPIERINGS Bart (NED) 5:55:20
89 GIROD Christophe (FRA) 5:58:12
90 VALENTIN Ludovic (FRA) 5:58:40
91 RIZZI Julien (FRA) 6:09:57
92 JARLOT Pierre (FRA) 6:11:01
93 HOEKMAN Tom (NED) 6:11:26
94 HANNES Bob (BEL) 6:20:43
95 MOONS Willy (BEL) 6:20:44
96 VALENTIN Benoit (FRA) 6:22:38
97 SCHEPER Tom (BEL)
OTL STAUDER Roland (ITA)
DNF FRECH Frederic (FRA)
DNF ANDERSEN Peter (DEN)
DNF ACQUAROLI Dario (ITA)
DNF GENZE Hannes (GER)
DNF SPAETH Sandro (SUI)
DNF BRESSER Carsten (GER)
DNF SAUSER Christoph (SUI)
DNF WEBER Balz (SUI)
DNF FUGLSANG Jakob (DEN)
DNF VEN Peter (BEL)
DNF SCHMUDE Friedemann (GER)
DNF VEINBERGS Toms (LAT)
DNF FRIBERG Calle (SWE)
DNF GODEAU Steven (BEL)
DNF THIERVOZ Nicolas (FRA)
DNF KOTULLA Juergen (GER)

Women

1 DAHLE FLESJAA Gunn-Rita (NOR) 4:25:29
2 HENZI Petra (SUI) 4:33:37
3 VAN Elsbeth (NED) 4:40:26
4 MAECHLER-RUPP Dolores (SUI) 4:41:51
5 SUNDSTEDT Pia (FIN) 4:45:27
6 LOUIS Daniela (SUI) 4:47:20
7 SÃœSS Esther (SUI) 4:53:58
8 KUSTER Andrea (SUI) 4:55:20
9 KLEMENCIC Blaza (SLO) 4:56:21
10 HUBENA Eva (CZE) 4:58:08
11 O’CONNOR Jennifer (NZL) 5:05:33
12 SCALIA Elizabeth (GBR) 5:06:06
13 SCHWING Katrin (GER) 5:09:10
14 HEINZMANN Fabienne (SUI) 5:10:05
15 ERLANDSSON Asa (SWE) 5:17:13
16 EIDUKA Ivanda (LAT) 5:24:06
17 RAATS Tania (RSA) 5:24:29
18 MASCARRERAS SABRIA (ESP) 5:25:36
19 MARCOUYRE Helene (FRA) 5:26:09
20 LEBOUCHER Laurence (FRA) 5:34:01
21 HÃœNI Alexa (GER) 5:36:13
22 DE Yolande (RSA) 5:41:39
23 BARNES Rosemary (AUS) 5:43:19
24 GUIRRONNET Sandrine (FRA) 5:45:20
25 MACHADO Julyana (BRA) 5:50:36
26 WESEMANN Uta (ITA) 5:51:29
27 BEGGS Josie (USA) 5:52:30
28 DERNTL Monika (AUT) 5:53:52
29 MACDONALD Sara (NZL) 6:00:58
30 VALETTE Marion (FRA) 6:06:05
31 MANTZ Kristy (USA) 6:16:18
32 SERGEANT Christina (NZL) 6:23:31
33 CAVAZZANA Corine (FRA) OTL
DNF BUCHER Renata (SUI)
DNF GRINER Annette (GER)