July 4, 2004 (Calgary, Alta.) – In the men’s race, teammates Christoph Sauser (SUI, Siemens Mobile/Cannondale) and Roel Paulissen (BEL, Siemens Mobile/Cannondale) were up to their usual mischief at the front, working together to put a gap on the rest of the field. Clad in his white World Champion uniform, Filip Meirhaeghe (Specialized) fought hard to stay in contact, but was over 30 seconds back by the third lap.

Suddenly, a thunderstorm that had been brewing in a stew of black clouds on the horizon hit COP and unloaded wind, stinging hail and torrents of water on the riders in a matter of minutes. The course instantly became greasy and, in some sections, a river of muddy water. Just as suddenly as the thunderstorm hit, Belgium’s Meirhaeghe unleashed his poor-weather prowess and made up the gap of over a minute to leader Sauser and then put another 3.5 minutes between himself and his Swiss adversary in the last two laps of the seven-lap race.

In the end it was a muddy Meirhaeghe with an amazing victory, followed by Sauser in second Jose Antonio Hermida (ESP, Multivan/Merida) in third. Canada’s Seamus McGrath (Haro/Adidas) had a great ride, finishing seventh. Max Plaxton (Rocky Mountain/Business Objects), also wowed the Calgary fans with his 14th place finish as the next top Canadian. Canada’s Olympic men’s selection is still up in the air, as two-time World Champ Roland Green (Trek/VW) DNF’d yet again along with Ryder Hesjedal (Subaru/Gary Fisher).

Calgary, CAN – Cross Country #6
Elite Men Final Results

1. Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) Specialized 2:10:35
2. Christoph Sauser (Sui) Siemens/Cannondale 3:28
3. Jose Antonio Hermida (Esp) Multivan Merida 4:44
4. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Lapierre Int’l 4:51
5. Ludovic Dubau (Fra) 5:02
6. Roel Paulissen (Bel) Siemens/Cannondale 6:00
7. Seamus Mcgrath (Can) Haro 6:19
8. Liam Killeen (Gbr) Subaru/Gary Fisher 6:23
9. Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Trek/Volkswagen 7:13
10. Todd Wells (USA) 8:32
11. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) 9:45
12. Thys Al (Ned) 10:16
13. Marten Tjallingii (Ned) 11:04
14. Max Plaxton (Can) 11:20
15. Balz Weber (Sui) Maxxis-Msc 12:08
16. Jimmy Tielens (Bel) 12:33
17. Alejandro Diaz de la Pena (Esp) Maxxis-Msc 12:37
18. Chris Sheppard (Can) 12:46
19. Adam Craig (USA) 13:58
20. Mathieu Toulouse (Can) 14:24
21. Geoff Kabush (Can) 15:31
22. Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Esp) Team Orbea 16:03
23. Philip Tavell (Swe) Multivan Merida Biking Te 16:21
24. Ricky Federau (Can) 16:29
25. Erwin Bakker (Ned) 17:33
26. Michael Broderick (USA) 17:59
27. Michael Weiss (Aut) Ghost Int’l Racing 18:38
28. Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona/Clarks/Les Gets 19:52
29. Barry Wicks (USA) Kona/Clarks/Les Gets 20:46
30. Andreas Hestler (Can) 20:47
31. Nick Waite (USA) 25:15
32. Benjamin Rudiger (Ger) -1 Lap
33. Carl Decker (USA) -1 Lap
34. Peter Wedge (Can) Kona/Clarks/Les Gets -2 Laps
35. Mike Northcott (NZl) -2 Laps
36. Carl Swenson (USA) -2 Laps
37. Carter Hovey (Can) -2 Laps
38. Martin Lazarski (Can) -2 Laps
39. Andreas Dilger (Ger) -2 Laps
40. John Devine (USA) -2 Laps
41. Oliver Beckingsale (Gbr) -2 Laps
42. Stuart Houltham (NZl) -2 Laps
43. Sam Schultz (USA) -3 Laps
44. Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona/Clarks/Les Gets -3 Laps
45. Roddi Lega (Can) -3 Laps
46. Alexander Soto (Mex) -3 Laps
47. Nick Hotchin (NZl) -3 Laps
48. Jay Henry (USA) -3 Laps
49. Benoit Simard (Can) -3 Laps
50. Alan Obye (USA) -3 Laps
51. Andrew Watson (Can) -3 Laps
52. Frank Mapel (USA) -3 Laps
53. Will Routley (Can) -3 Laps
54. Ryan Ingham (Can) -3 Laps
55. Jesse Jakomait (Can) -3 Laps
56. Johan Alvarez Hibert (Mex) -3 Laps
57. Matt Patterson (Can) -3 Laps
58. Philip Cooper (Gbr) -3 Laps
59. Bruno Lafontaine (Can) -3 Laps
60. Adam Coates (Can) -3 Laps
61. Keiichi Tsujiura (Jpn) -3 Laps
62. Bradley Fairall (Can) -3 Laps
63. Frederic Bussieres (Can) -3 Laps
64. Carlos Mayoral (Mex) -3 Laps
65. Bradley Kerr (Can) -3 Laps
66. Evan Sherman (Can) -3 Laps
67. Craig Stappler (Can) -3 Laps
68. Tsuji Yoshito (Can) -3 Laps
69. Shawn Bunnin (Can) -3 Laps
70. Drew Mackenzie (Can) -3 Laps
71. Menno Hubregtse (Can) -3 Laps
72. Leith Mcleod (Can) -3 Laps
73. Jason Shenkariuk (Can) -3 Laps
74. Clint Muhlfeld (USA) -3 Laps
75. Dave Kennedy (Can) -4 Laps
76. Thomas Skinner (Can) -4 Laps
77. Byron Davis (Can) -4 Laps
78. Raita Suzuki (Jpn) -4 Laps
79. Andre Sutton (Can) -4 Laps
80. Steve Martins (Can) -4 Laps
81. Michael Johnson (Can) -4 Laps
82. Per Strom (Can) -4 Laps
83. Nick Lynem (Can) -4 Laps
84. Wade Wallace (Can) -4 Laps
85. Mark Webster (Can) -5 Laps
DNF. Roland Green (Can) Trek-Volkswagen
DNF. Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Siemens Mobile Cannondale
DNF. Eric Batty (Can)
DNF. Cesar Grajales (Col)
DNF. Andy Schultz (USA)
DNF. Gordon Kennedy (Can)
DNF. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Subaru-Gary Fisher
DNF. Juan Carlos Hernandez (Mex)

Overall After Six Events:
1. Meirhaeghe, 1165 points
2. Sauser, 1065
3. Paulissen, 965
4. Peraud, 740
5. Hermida, 719
6. Julien Absalon (F), Bianchi-Agos, 590
7. Bart Brentjens (Nl), T-Mobile, 491
8. Killeen, 470
9. Lado Fumic (G), T-Mobile, 451
10. Horgan-Kobelski, 343