July 02, 2011 (Mont Sainte-Anne, QC) – The Elite Men’s XC race will soon be underway and the men will complete 6 laps of the 4.5km course as the hot and dry conditions continue at Mont Sainte-Anne. Absent from today’s race is series leader Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea. Jarolsav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing and Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott-Swisspower will be the top contenders. Canada is lead by Derek Zandstra (Can) Rox Racing the top-ranked Canuck followed by Geoff Kabush (Can) Maxxis-Rocky Mountain)

Lap 1
Burry Stander (Rsa) Specialized Racing is off the front with Martin Gujan (Sui) Cannondale Factory Racing and Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis – Rocky Mountain is up there.
Kulhavy takes over the lead up the climb with Florian Vogel (Sui) Scott – Swisspower Mtb – Racing in second and Stander in third.

Thru the Beatrice rock garden Kulhavy has a gap already… lap times s/b about 16 min vs the Elite women’s 19-20 min laps.

Schurter is in second with Gujan on his wheel – they’re about 20s behind Kulhavy the leader. We’ve lost Kabush in the shuffle but believe he’s in the top 10.

Kulhavy is thru the S-Ecole switchback section and heads to the second feedzone looking comfortable. Vogel leads a trio of riders in 4th, 5th and 6th… Kabush is 7th.

Lap 2
Starting his second lap Kulhavy comes thru in 15:47 and in second is Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing NOT Gujan with Schurter in 3rd.

In fourth is Thomas Litscher (Sui) Felt Oetztal X – Bionic Team followed by Vogel in 5th with Gujan in 6th… Kabush is 7th at 40s followed closely by Stander in 8th at 43s.

Thru the rock garden Kulhavy continues to lead as he hits the “Marmotte” uphill switchback grunt. Schurter is firmly in second and gaining on the leader Fumic holds on to third with Litscher, Vogel and Gujan just behind.

Todd Wells (Usa) Specialized Racing crashes at the tight turn at the top of the rock garden and is passed by his teammate Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Racing.

The gap between 1st and 2nd is holding at around 20s. Schurter attacks and drops Fumic as he tried to bridge to Kulhavy. Thru the S-section Kulhavy is almost thru his second lap…

Mont Sainte-Anne, QC is a real favourite with riders holding a WCup or a Worlds event since their first WCup in 1991.

Lap 3
Kulhavy at 31:33 (1s faster) has gained some ground on Schurter at 25s… Fumic is at 40s. Chasing him down in 4th is Vogel only 15s behind. Stander is 6th, Gujan is 7th… Kabush has dropped back but how far ?

Up the Marmotte switchback climb Kulhavy and Schurter can see each other… Vogel passes Fumic to take over 3rd. Ramos Hermida (Esp) José Antonio Multivan Merida Biking Team has moved into 5th with Lukas Flückiger (Sui) Trek World Racing in 6th.

Vogel is trying to bridge to his teammate Schurter – Fumic is behind as Hermida and Flückiger are gaining on him.

Out of the forest and heading into the S-school switchback downhill section he’s looking like a winner a Schurter is still 20+ seconds behind as Vogel is gaining on him.

Schurter may have crashed as the gap to Kulhavy has doubled…

Lap 4
Kulhavy comes thru in 47:33 about 13 seconds slower than the previous two laps… Schurter is at 51s with Vogel at 1:12. Not far back are the 3-some of Hermida, Fumic and Flückiger at 1:19.

Kulhavy motors ahead thru the rock garden… the chasers are gaining on Schurter. Up the Marmotte climb they’re also gaining on Vogel…

They catch Vogel as Flückiger is now in third leading the chase to Schurter… Fumic attacks.

Kulhavy keeps the pace steady and will soon be out of the forest heading to the downhill S-Ecole section and soon thru the second feed zone and then the start/finish – he’s on a 29er altho some have called this technical course more suited to 26″ bikes…

Lap 5
Kulhavy completes the fourth lap with a time of 1:03:26… the gap to Schurter has increased to 1:23. The four chasers come thru in 1:56… Fumic, Hermida, Flückiger and Vogel. Stander is in 8th another 28s back – Maxime Marotte (Fra) Bh – Suntour – Peisey Vallandry is in 9th.

Kabush is still in contention in the top 10 we believe… yes he’s in 10th. Adam Morka is the next best Canuck in the 40s (?).

Fumic crashes heading into La Beatrice but recovers quickly and is back on his bike with Vogel, Flückiger and Hermida behind – can they catch Schurter…?

Kulhavy is now in the forest and will soon exit and finish the lap with one more to go. Vogel leads the chase group to Schurter as Fumic has now dropped back.

Lap 6 Final
Kulhavy looks comfortable and begins the bell lap with a time of 1:19:19… Schurter is almost 2 min back at 1:57 but only 30s behind him is Hermida at 2:32 and Vogel and Flückiger are with him.

Stander is in 6th and Kabush is now in 7th. Fumic is in the tech zone with a rear wheel problem.

Kulhavy is looking smooth… Hermida takes over third as he can see Schurter on the Marmotte climb. Following in 4th is Vogel with Flückiger in 5th.

Hermida is on his own in 3rd and trying to catch Schurter but time is running out.

Behind Flückiger is Stander in 6th with Kabush having his best WCup this year in 7th… behind him are Gujan, Sauser and Marotte for the top 10.

Kulhavy is out of the forest and heading to the second feed zone and his second WCup win this year… and the white leader’s jersey.

And the second WCup win for a 29er…

Results

1. Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing 1:35:51
2. Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing 1:42
3. José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan Merida Biking Team 1:54
4. Mathias Flückiger (Sui) Trek World Racing 2:33
5. Florian Vogel (Sui) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing 2:51
6. Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Racing 3:42
7. Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain 4:14
8. Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Racing 4:31
9. Thomas Litscher (Sui) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team 4:33
10. Martin Gujan (Sui) Cannondale Factory Racing
11. Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi 4:56
12. Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry 5:09
13. Patrik Gallati (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 5:20
14. Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing 5:48
15. Ralph Naef (Sui) Multivan Merida Biking Team 6:56
16. Severin Disch (Sui) Thoemus Racing Team 7:09
17. Lukas Flückiger (Sui) Trek World Racing 7:38
18. Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing 7:43
19. Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team 7:51
20. Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Esp) Giant Italia Team 8:34
21. Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Esp) Wildwolf-Trek Racing 8:42
22. Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru-Trek
23. Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Esp) Orbea 8:47
24. Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team 9:03
25. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Trek 9:07
26. Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Esp) Wildwolf-Trek Racing 9:20
27. Fabian Giger (Sui) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team 9:40
28. Jiri Friedl (Cze) Rubena-Birell-Specialized Cycling Team 9:59
29. Lukas Kaufmann (Sui) 0:14
30. Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 0:10:21
31. Liam Killeen (Gbr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team 0:10:44
32. Cédric Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix 0:11:16
33. Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team 0:12:02
34. Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 0:12:16
35. Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team 0:12:32
36. Irjan Luttenberg (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team 0:12:50
37. Jiri Novak (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team 0:13:37
38. Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona 0:13:49
39. Adam Craig (USA) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team 0:13:55
40. Marc Colom (Fra) Team Newcycling 0:14:08
41. Adam Morka (Can) 0:14:10
42. Nicola Rohrbach (Sui) Elettroveneta-Corratec 0:14:33
43. Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team 0:15:39
44. Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Lapierre International 0:16:06
45. Jeremiah Bishop (USA) -1lap
46. Andrew Watson (Can) -1lap
47. Andras Parti (Hun) Euro One-Cube MTB Team -1lap
48. Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team -1lap
49. Eric Batty (Can) -1lap
50. Derek Zandstra (Can) -1lap
51. Sepp Freiburghaus (Sui) Thoemus Racing Team -1lap
52. Peter Glassford (Can) -1lap
53. Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Rubena-Birell-Specialized Cycling Team -1lap
54. Matthew Hadley (Can) -2laps
55. Raphael Gagne (Can) -2laps
56. Lachlan Norris (Aus) Giant Factory Off-Road Team -2laps
57. Joshua Carlson (Aus) -2laps
58. Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team -2laps
59. Michael Broderick (USA) -2laps
60. Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team -2laps
61. Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team -2laps
62. Seiya Hirano (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor -2laps
63. Cameron Jette (Can) -2laps
64. Marc-Andre Daigle (Can) -2laps
65. Félix Cote (Can) -2laps
66. Rotem Ishai (Isr) -3laps
67. Travis Woodruff (USA) -3laps
68. Christian Bickel (Sui) -3laps
69. Pierre Lebreton (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry -3laps
70. Sid Taberlay (Aus) -3laps
71. Michal Lami (Svk) -3laps
72. Christopher Hamlin (USA) -4laps
73. Martin Fanger (Sui) Giant Swiss Sr-Suntour
DNF Pascal Meyer (Sui) Thoemus Racing Team
DNF Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing
DNF Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team
DNF Cristobal Silva Ibaceta (Chi)
DNF Troy Wells (USA)
DNF Leni Trudel (Can)

Standings after Four Rounds

1. Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing 860 pts
2. Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing 670
3. Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea 650
4. Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Racing 490
5. Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry 480
6. José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan Merida Biking Team 458
7. Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing 410
8. Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing 398
9. Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Esp) Wildwolf-Trek Racing 389
10. Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Racing 380
11. Thomas Litscher (Sui) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team 359
12. Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi 358
13. Florian Vogel (Sui) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing 328
14. Fabian Giger (Sui) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team 312
15. Martin Gujan (Sui) Cannondale Factory Racing 309
16. Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 306
17. Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Esp) Giant Italia Team 297
18. Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team 294
19. Mathias Flückiger (Sui) Trek World Racing 288
20. Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing 279
21. Lukas Flückiger (Sui) Trek World Racing 266
22. Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Esp) Orbea 265
23. Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team 226
24. Liam Killeen (Gbr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team 216
25. Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain 211
26. Ralph Naef (Sui) Multivan Merida Biking Team 190
27. Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Esp) Wildwolf-Trek Racing 190
28. Martin Fanger (Sui) Giant Swiss Sr-Suntour 168
29. Patrik Gallati (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 167
30. Derek Zandstra (Can) 162
31. Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team 158
32. Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Rubena-Birell-Specialized Cycling Team 137
33. Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team 127
34. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Trek 126
35. Nicola Rohrbach (Sui) Elettroveneta-Corratec 125
36. Jiri Friedl (Cze) Rubena-Birell-Specialized Cycling Team 123
37. Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru-Trek 114
38. Lukas Kaufmann (Sui) 112
39. Oliver Beckingsale (Gbr) 108
40. Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team 104
41. Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Esp) Orbea 102
42. Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Lapierre International 99
43. Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team 99
44. Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team 99
45. Andras Parti (Hun) Euro One-Cube MTB Team 98
46. Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team 90
47. Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys-Evenza Team 86
48. Severin Disch (Sui) Thoemus Racing Team 85
49. Jiri Novak (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team 82
50. Martino Fruet (Ita) 79
51. Marc Colom (Fra) Team Newcycling 76
52. Cédric Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix 75
53. Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 73
54. Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) 73
55. Irjan Luttenberg (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team 71
56. Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team 56
57. Sepp Freiburghaus (Sui) Thoemus Racing Team 55
58. Jeremiah Bishop (USA) 52
59. Chris Jongewaard (Aus) 47
60. Adam Craig (USA) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team 47
61. Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Team Protek 46
62. Christoph Soukup (Aut) 42
63. Robert Mennen (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team 38
64. Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team 37
65. Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team 35
66. Balz Weber (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 32
67. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) 32
68. Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona 30
69. Jukka Vastaranta (Fin) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team 30
70. Hannes Metzler (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team 30
71. Tony Longo (Ita) TX Active Bianchi 29
72. Adam Morka (Can) 27
73. Michal Lami (Svk) 24
74. Andrew Watson (Can) 22
75. Milan Spesny (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team 22
76. Periklis Ilias (Gre) Team Protek 21
77. Max Plaxton (Can) 20
78. Eric Batty (Can) 19
79. Michele Casagrande (Ita) Elettroveneta-Corratec 19
80. Pascal Meyer (Sui) Thoemus Racing Team 19
81. Martin Loo (Est) Infotre-Bi & Esse-Leecougan 17
82. Peter Glassford (Can) 16
83. Eberl Filip (Cze) 16
84. Hadley Matthew (Can) 14
85. Gagne Raphael (Can) 13
86. Lakata Alban (Aut) Topeak Ergon Racing Team 13
87. Norris Lachlan (Aus) Giant Factory Off-Road Team 12
88. Carlson Joshua (Aus) 11
89. Tann Rene (Ger) 10
90. Broderick Michael (USA) 9
91. Corti Umberto (Ita) Team Cbe Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.