September 4, 2009 (Canberra, Australia) – It’s cloudy, windy and 15 degrees with occasional sun at Mt. Stromlo Park for the U23 Men’s XCO competition. Rain overnight has left the 6.47km course a bit muddy today. The 65 riders entered will be completing 6 laps and last year’s silver medalist Burry Stander (South Africa) has the number one spot in the starting order and is the pre-race favourite. Canada’s solo rider Raphael Gange is 12th in the starting order and will be in the second row.

Lap 1
Stander and Thomas Litscher (Switzerland) take the lead as the riders are into the first lap. Gagne is around 25th or 26th. A group of 4 riders is chasing the leaders at 30 seconds.

Lap 2
Stander and Litscher come thru at 17:34 with six chasers at 25-30 seconds and Gagne is at 1:43 in 26th in a small group as well. Stander is doing all the work and at the top of the climb has gapped Litscher by 15 sec. Alexis Vuillermoz (France) is in 3rd another 15 sec. back followed by some Swiss riders including Mathias Fluckiger.

Lap 3
Stander has come thru at 35:26 with Litscher trailing at 32 seconds followed by Fluckiger, Catriel Andres Soto (Argentina) and Peter Sagan (Slovakia) at 57 sec. Gagne has come thru in 55th at 5:50 looking spent.

At the 1/2 way point in the lap Stander has increased his lead to a minute.

Lap 4
Stander is looking strong as he begins lap 4 with a 57-sec lead over Vuillermoz who has taken over second place from Litscher now at 1:11. Gange has come thru up a few spots now in 48th at 7:51… meanwhile at the front of the race Stander continues to make time on Vuillermoz now 1:15 ahead – and no change in the weather.

Of interest to Canadian fans the official UCI doctor on site in Canberra is Quebec’s Pierre Blanchard, a veteran UCI commissaire as well and the former Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) President – salut Pierre.

Fluckiger in has been joined by fellow Swiss riders Fabian Giger and Lukas Kaufman and it looks like they may have caught Litscher.

Lap 5
Stander comes thru to start his 5th lap at 1:10:53 – he’s followed in second by Vuillermoz at 1:09 and Litscher was not caught but comes thru on his own in 3rd at 1:47. Sagan is in 4th at 2:52 followed by Soto in 5th with Poland’s Marek Konwa in 6th – the Swiss riders are further back.

We found out that Gagne flatted early on which is why he fell back – he continues to move up and is now in 43rd at 10:10

Lap 6 Final
Stander is powering ahead looking solid for gold as he begins the final lap at 1:28:52. Vuillermoz from France is at 1:28 and Litscher is in 3rd ast 2:23 – Fluckiger DNF’d.

At the 3/4 mark it’s Stander continuing to extend his lead as the final finishline approaches. Gagne’s in 42nd.

Unofficial

1. Burry Stander (South Africa) 1:47:26
2. Alexis Vuillermoz (France) 1:21
3. Thomas Litscher (Switzerland) 2:46
4. Peter Sagan (Slovaka) 4:15
5. Marek Konwa (Poland) 4:45

38. Raphael Gagne (Canada) 12:55