April 22, 2007 (Houffalize, Belgium) – The Elite Men’s XC race is just underway at the Nissan UCI World Cup #1 in Houffalize, Belgium under sunny, clear skies with huge crowds on hand to watch the race – Belgium is arguably the world’s most enthusiastic cycling nation. The course is dry and dusty and the men will do one start loop (5km) and five laps (7.25km). Seamus McGrath (CAN, Rocky Mountain-Haywood) did not start and we’ll report on this as soon as we have news.

Start Loop

At the end of the 5km start loop it’s Roel Paulissen (Bel) Cannondale-Vredestein and Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Cannondale-Vredestein with a slight gap over Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea, Martin Gujan (Sui) Athleticum and José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan/Merida Biking Team.

Chasing behind are Geoff Kabush (Can) Maxxis in the 20s who worked himself up quickly followed by Max Plaxton* (Can) Rocky Mountain-Haywood in the 30s.

Lap 1

Hermida is leading at the end of Lap 1 followed closely at 2 seconds by Absalon and Kessiakoff. Further back at 15-20 sec. are Gujan and Jader Zoli (Ita) ASD KTM International Team.

Canada’s Kabush is in 40th, Plaxton is in 55th and Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona LesGets is in 180th.

Lap 2

At the end of Lap 2 Hermida has extended his lead to over 1 min as Absalon and Kessiakoff continue to chase with Roel Paulissen (Bel) Cannondale-Vredestein another 35 sec. behind them.

Nino Schurter* (Sui) Swisspower MTB Team, Jakob Fuglsang* (Den) Cannondale-Vredestein and Zoli are just in a group behind Paulissen and Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Factory Team has moved himself up into 8th.

Canada’s riders have moved up – Kabush is now in 25th, Plaxton is in 48th and Sneddon is in the 130s.

Lap 3

At the end of Lap 3 and the start of Lap 4 Absalon has caught Hermida and now has a 4-second gap on him. Kessiakoff is 3rd chasing them another 1:15 back with Paulissen in 4th another 15 sec. behind him.

Sauser has been joined by Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) Versluys-Landbouwkrediet MTB in 5th and 6th at 10 sec. behind Paulissen while Schurter* is in 7th.

Canada’s Kabush has advanced again to 17th while Plaxton has slipped back into 53rd as Sneddon makes some headway as well now in 111th.

1. Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea
2. Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan/Merida Biking Team.
3. Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Cannondale-Vredestein
4. Roel Paulissen (Bel) Cannondale-Vredestein
5. Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Factory Team
6. Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) Versluys-Landbouwkrediet MTB
7. Nino Schurter* (Sui) Swisspower MTB Team

17. Geoff Kabush (Can) Maxxis
53. Max Plaxton* (Can) Rocky Mountain-Haywood
111. Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona LesGets

Lap 4

At the end of Lap 4 and the start of final Lap 5 Hermida has caught Absalon and is now leading. Sauser has launched an attack and is in 3rd at 1:30 chasing the leaders with Paulissen in 4th another 15 seconds back. Kessiakoff is 45 seconds further back in 5th.

Fuglsang is now in 6th together with Schurter in 7th another 15 seconds back with Kashi Leuchs (NZl) Cannondale-Vredestein in 8th and Zoli in 9th, Inaki Errasti Lejarreta (Esp) Orbea is in 10th with Meirhaeghe dropping back to 11th.

Kabush is in 18th, Plaxton has dropped to 80th and Sneddon is 98th.

Lap 5 Final

The riders are on the last lap and it’s a race between Hermida and Absalon for the top spot on the podium.

Results

1. José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan/Merida Biking Team 2.04.22
2. Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea 0.48
3. Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized 1.48
4. Roel Paulissen (Bel) Cannondale-Vredestein 2.15
5. Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Cannondale-Vredestein 2.51
6. Nino Schurter (Sui) Swisspower MTB Team 3.35
7. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Cannondale-Vredestein 3.42
8. Kashi Leuchs (NZl) Cannondale-Vredestein 4.16
9. Jader Zoli (Ita) KTM International Team 4.51
10. Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Esp) Orbea 4.59
11. Cédric Ravanel (Fra) Team Lapierre International 5.2
12. Geoff Kabush (Can) Maxxis 5.32
13. Karl Platt (Ger) Team Bulls 5.41
14. Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) Versluys-Landbouwkrediet 5.56
15. Torsten Marx (Ger) Team Alb-Gold Mountain Bike 6.01
16. Hector Leonardo Paez Leon (Col) Full-Dynamix-R.S.M. 6.14
17. Stefan Sahm (Ger) Team Bulls 6.15
18. Thomas Frischknecht (Sui) Swisspower MTB Team 6.3
19. Marti Gispert Labarta (Esp) Spiuk-Tau Ceramica 6.33
20. Lado Fumic (Ger) Fumic.Brothers.International 6.38
21. Marek Galinski (Pol) 7.09
22. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Orbea 7.32
23. Chris Jongewaard (Aus) Dolphin Bike Team 7.36
24. Martin Gujan (Sui) 7.4
25. Oliver Beckingsale (GBr) Giant 7.54
26. Manuel Fumic (Ger) Fumic.Brothers.International 8
27. Bas Peters (Ned) 8.15
28. Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Esp) Orbea 8.19
29. Gion Manetsch (Sui) 8.33
30. Michael Weiss (Aut) Bikin’cyprus Int’l MTB Team 8.36
31. Stéphane Tempier (Fra) Gewiss Bianchi 8.39
32. Burry Stander (RSA) GT 8.59
33. Yury Trofimov (Rus) 9.18
34. Mirko Pirazzoli (Ita) 9.26
35. Lukas Flückiger (Sui) 9.28
36. Todd Wells (USA) GT 9.3
37. Massimo De Bertolis (Ita) Full-Dynamix-R.S.M. 9.37
38. Jürg Graf (Sui) 9.47
39. Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Esp) KTM International Team 9.59
40. Moritz Milatz (Ger) Multivan/Merida Biking Team
41. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 10.19
42. Hannes Metzler (Aut) 10.23
43. Tim Bohme (Ger) Team Alb-Gold Mountain Bike 10.29
44. Sid Taberlay (Aus) Dolphin Bike Team 10.3
45. Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Dolphin Bike Team 10.59
46. Milan Spesny (Cze) Merida Biking Team 11.19
47. Rene Tann (Ger)
48. Alban Lakata (Aut) Trek-VW 11.42
49. Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) 11.43
50. Balz Weber (Sui) Bikepark.Ch Tui 11.45
51. Bart Brentjens (Ned) Dolphin Bike Team 11.55
52. Maxim Gogolev (Rus) 12.09
53. Silvio Bundi (Sui) 12.11
54. Jiri Friedl (Cze) Merida Biking Team 12.23
55. Matthias Flückiger (Sui) 12.27
56. Giuseppe Lamastra (Ita) 12.33
57. Bjorn Brems (Bel) Dolphin Bike Team 12.4
58. Ludovic Dubau (Fra) Team New Cycling 12.54
59. Tony Longo (Ita) 12.56
60. Jérome Chevallier (Fra) 13.07
61. Pierre Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Team Lapierre International 13.16
62. Denis Vorontsov (Rus) 13.41
63. Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) 13.48
64. Marc Trayter Alemany (Esp) Spiuk-Tau Ceramica 13.54
65. Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) 14.29
66. Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) 14.46
67. Marc Colom (Fra) 15.02
68. Emil Lindgren (Swe) Gewiss Bianchi 15.2
69. Jochen Kass (Ger) Team Alb-Gold Mountain Bike 15.53
70. Davy Coenen (Bel) 2mega-Saeco 15.56
71. Nicolas Bazin (Fra) Bh-Sr. Suntour 16.07
72. Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 16.27
73. Tim Wijnants (Bel) Dolphin Bike Team 16.51
74. Quincy Vens (Bel) 16.58
75. Kristian Hynek (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna MTB 17.08
76. Robert Gehbauer (Aut) Multivan/Merida Biking Team 17.1
77. Lachlan Norris (Aus) 17.14
78. Ian Bibby (GBr) 17.21
79. Daniel Suter (Sui) 17.24
80. Andreas Kugler (Sui) Fischer-BMC 17.31
81. Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona Les Gets 17.34
82. Ivan Planzer (Sui) 17.44
83. Klaus Nielsen (Den) Team Alb-Gold Mountain Bike 17.51
84. Miha Solar (Slo) 17.58
85. Lukas Kaufmann (Sui) 18.04
86. Lukas Vlach (Cze) Merida Biking Team 18.1
87. Mattias Wengelin (Swe) 18.17
88. Till Marx (Sui) Swisspower MTB Team 18.41
89. Joris Boillat (Sui) 18.52
90. Axel Bult (Ned) 18.59
91. Frank Schotman (Ned) 19.15
92. Fabian Giger (Sui) 19.26
93. Filip Eberl (Cze) 19.46
94. Rick Evers (Ned) Beone Mountain Bike Team 19.57
95. Igor Bogdan (Ukr) 20.03
96. Shaun Lewis (Aus) 20.07
97. Paolo Montoya (Crc) Macosta-Leecougan 20.1
98. Max Plaxton (Can) Rocky Mountain/Haywood 20.29
99. Michael Broderick (USA) 20.31
100. Ondrej Zeleny (Cze) 20.45
101. Vivien Legastelois (Fra) Team Lapierre International 20.47
102. Maxime Marotte (Fra)
103. Ivan Seledkov (Rus) 20.55
104. Robert Odink (Sui) 21.01
105. Clinton Robert Avery (NZl) 21.13
106. Andi Weinhold (Ger) 21.16
107. Max Friedrich (Ger) 22.16
108. Luka Kodra (Slo) 22.57
109. Adam Craig (USA) Giant Mountain Bike Team 24.13

1 Lap Behind

110. Sam Jurekovic (USA)
111. Andras Melts (Hun)
112. Hans Becking (Ned) Beone Mountain Bike Team
113. Jiri Novak (Cze)
114. Andreas Moser (Sui)
115. Philip Spencer (GBr) Subaru-Gary Fisher
116. François Bailly Maitre (Fra) Scott Valloire Galibier
117. Pierre Lebreton (Fra) Bh-Sr. Suntour
118. Jimmy Tielens (Bel) 2mega-Saeco
119. Bilal Akgul (Tur)
120. Pascal Meyer (Sui)
121. Max Oste Macdonald (Swe)
122. Frank Beemer (Ned) Dolphin Bike Team
123. Daniel Braunsteins (Aus)
124. Lee Williams (GBr)
125. Anton Gogolev (Rus)
126. Calle Friberg (Swe)
127. Israel Nunez Baticon (Esp) Massi
128. Ruud Rentmeester (Ned)
129. Joris Massaer (Bel)
130. Jiri Hudecek (Cze)
131. Lars Bleckur (Swe)
132. Vaclav Hlavac (Cze)
133. Ludovic Mottet (Bel)
134. Nicolas Vermeulen (Bel) Lingier-Versluys Team
135. Tim Heemskerk (Ned)
136. Tim Ottens (Ned) Beone Mountain Bike Team
137. Sergiy Rysenko (Ukr)
138. Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel)
139. Kristof Bomans (Bel)
140. Peter Coddens (Bel) Lingier-Versluys Team
141. Roland Plank (Aut)
142. Nieck Busser (Ned)
143. Freddy Betremieux (Fra)
144. Ole Christian Fagerli (Nor) Team Etto Hoydahl
145. Bogdan Czarnota (Pol)
146. Niels Wubben (Ned)
147. Damian Mroncz (Pol)
148. Erik Nellen (Ned)
149. Periklis Ilias (Gre)

2 Laps Behind

150. Jordy Luisman (Ned)
151. Julio Humberto Caro Silva (Col) Full-Dynamix-R.S.M.
152. Hjalmar Bengtsson (Swe)
153. Jelmer Jubbega (Ned) Cannondale-Vredestein
154. Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut)
155. Guillaume Vinit (Fra) Scott Valloire Galibier
156. Gody Jacobs (Bel)
157. Oliver Aviles Gilabert (Esp) Spiuk-Tau Ceramica
158. Patrik Gallati (Sui) Swisspower MTB Team
159. Alexander Wetterhall (Swe)
160. Rob Vangenechten (Bel) 2mega-Saeco
161. John Paul Pearton (RSA)
162. Martin Matrat (Fra) Bh-Sr. Suntour
163. William Bjergfelt (GBr)
164. Oleksandr Yakymenko (Ukr)
165. Jeff Hall (USA)
166. Dries Hollanders (Bel) 2mega-Saeco
167. Bart Van Hecke (Bel) Lingier-Versluys Team
168. Kamil Alev (Tur) Goldcity Alanya
169. Rotem Ishai (Isr)
170. Lukas Sablik (Cze)

3 Laps Behind

171. Jérôme Junker (Lux)
172. Truls Haugseth (Nor) Team Etto Hoydahl
173. Evgeny Krylov (Rus)
174. Tom Last (GBr)
175. Muammer Yildiz (Tur)
176. Mehmet Kurt (Tur)
177. Georgios Pattes-Toumanis (Gre)
178. Jules Chabanon (Fra) Team New Cycling
179. Dror Pekatch (Isr) Subaru-Gary Fisher
180. Ugur Hakki Tosun (Tur) Goldcity Alanya
181. Ian Creber (GBr)
DNF Florian Vogel (Sui) Swisspower MTB Team
DNF Ralph Naef (Sui) Multivan/Merida Biking Team
DNF Martin Kraler (Aut) Gewiss Bianchi
DNF Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Esp) Spiuk-Tau Ceramica
DNF Peter Riis Andersen (Den) Team Alb-Gold Mountain Bike
DNF Christoph Soukup (Aut)
DNF Karl Markt (Aut)
DNF Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita)
DNF Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Trek-VW
DNF Nicolas Filippi (Fra) Scott Valloire Galibier
DNF Christof Bischof (Sui) Bikin’cyprus Int’l MTB Team
DNF Dylan Cooper (Aus)
DNF Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze)
DNF John Jairo Botero Salazar (Col) Macosta-Leecougan
DNF Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Asd KTM International Tea
DNF Colin Cares (USA)
DNF Anders Hovdenes (Nor) Team Etto Hoydahl
DNF Dariusz Batek (Pol) Halls Professional MTB
DNF Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Esp) Massi
DNF Martino Fruet (Ita)
DNF Evguen Petchenine (Rus) Format-Udmurtia
DNF Marcin Karczynski (Pol) Halls Professional MTB
DNF Dario Alejandro Gasco (Arg) Massi
DNF Marios Athanasiades (Cyp) Bikin’cyprus Int’l MTB Team
DNF Olivier Maignan (Fra) Bh-Sr. Suntour
DNF Magnus Darvell (Swe)
DNF Thijs Al (Ned) Beone Mountain Bike Team
DNF Romain Lejeune (Fra) Team New Cycling
DNF Hannes Genze (Ger) Team Alb-Gold Mountain Bike
DNF Halil Korkmaz (Tur) Goldcity Alanya
DNF Paul Oldham (GBr)
DNF Roman Rametsteiner (Aut)
DNF Steffen Thum (Ger) Team Mayer Stevens
DNF Peter Frohlich (Aut) Team Hotec / Rsp
DNF Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) Scott Valloire Galibier
DNF Oldrich Hakl (Cze) Merida Biking Team
DNF Zdenek Mlynar (Cze) Max Cursor
DNF Gerry Werckx (Bel) Lingier-Versluys Team
DNF Juri Ragnoli (Ita) Macosta-Leecougan
DNF Alexey Medvedev (Rus)
DNF Mathijs Wagenaar (Ned)
DNF Severin Disch (Sui)
DNF Martin Fanger (Sui)
DNF Kryspin Pyrgies (Pol)
DNF Ivan Schalbetter (Sui)
DNF Patrick Gaudy (Bel)
DNF Michel Luginbuehl (Sui)
DNF Tobias Witzack (Ger)
DNF Radim Korinek (Cze)
DNS Tomas Vokrouhlik (Cze)