March 10, 2018 (Stellenbosch, South Africa) – Here are today’s results as Canadians were out in force for Round #1 of the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup XCO in Stellenbosch, South Africa on Saturday, March 10. Quinton Disera (Norco Factory Team XC) led the Canucks in the 26km 6-lap U23 Men’s race finishing 24th as Petter Fagerhaug (Nor) took the win.

In the 26km Elite Women’s 6-lap race, veteran Catharine Pendrel (Clif Pro Team) had a strong day sitting fourth near the end but fell back to 7th as Annika Langvad (Den) Specialized Racing took the season opener.

The 30.30km Elite Men’s 7-lap race was a nail-biter as Samuel Gaze (Nzl) Specialized Racing out-sprinted Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott-SRAM MTB Racing for the win breaking the Swiss rider’s streak. The top Canuck was Leandre Bouchard (Can) KMC-Ekoi-SR Suntour in 36th.

Results (brief)

U23 Men
1. Petter Fagerhaug (Nor) 1:18:23
2. Ben Oliver (Nzl) 1:06
3. Neilo Perrin Ganier (Fra) Absolute-Absalon 1:54
4. Simon Andreassen (Den) Specialized Racing 2:30
5. Pierre De Froidmont (Bel) Merida-Wallonie MTB Team 2:38
6. Maximilian Brandl (Ger) 2:58
7. Martin Emil Siggerud (Nor) 3:18
8. Filippo Colombo (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 3:28
9. Jonas Lindberg (Den) 3:31
10. Axel Zingle (Fra) Materiel-Velo.Com 3:44

24. Quinton Disera (Can) Norco Factory Team XC 5:53
40. Raphael Auclair (Can) Pivot Cycles-OTE 9:15
47. Felix Belhumeur (Can) Pivot Cycles-OTE 10:14
51. Marc Andre Fortier (Can) Pivot Cycles-OTE 10:57

Elite Women
1. Annika Langvad (Den) Specialized Racing 1:33:14
2. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Canyon Factory Racing XC 0:13
3. Anne Tauber (Ned) CST Sandd American Eagle MTB Racing Team 0:34
4. Helen Grobert (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing XC 1:15
5. Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Kross Racing Team 1:16
6. Jolanda Neff (Sui) Kross Racing Team
7. Catharine Pendrel (Can) Clif Pro Team 1:55
8. Sabine Spitz (Ger) Wiawis Bikes Pro Team 2:43
9. Linda Indergand (Sui) Focus XC Team
10. Alessandra Keller (Sui) Thömus-RN Racing Team 2:47

14. Emily Batty (Can) Trek Factory Racing XC 3:29
23. Haley Smith (Can) Norco Factory Team XC 5:46
34. Cindy Montambault (Can) 11:02
44. Rebecca Beaumont (Can) -1 Lap

Elite Men
1. Samuel Gaze (Nzl) Specialized Racing 1:30:14
2. Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott-SRAM MTB Racing 0:01
3. Maxime Marotte (Fra) Cannondale Factory Racing XC 0:02
4. Mathieu Van Der Poel (Ned) Corendon-Circus 1:10
5. Titouan Carod (Fra) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 1:27
6. Anton Cooper (Nzl) Trek Factory Racing XC 2:02
7. Florian Vogel (Sui) Focus XC Team 2:14
8. Henrique Avancini (Bra) Cannondale Factory Racing XC 2:22
9. Mathias Flueckiger (Sui) Thömus- RN Racing Team 2:23
10. Andri Frischknecht (Sui) Scott-SRAM MTB Racing 2:32

36. Leandre Bouchard (Can) KMC-Ekoi-SR Suntour 5:04
45. Peter Disera (Can) Norco Factory Team XC 6:19
57. Andrew L’Esperance (Can) Forward Racing 8:22
66. Raphael Gagne (Can) Silverback OMX Pro Team 10:07