September 9, 2006 (Schladming, Austria) — Canada’s
Marie-Hélène Prémont (Rocky Mountain/Business Objects), Canada, capped off a terrific season winning the final round of the UCI mountain bike World Cup with a well-timed move against overall series winner Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Multivan Merida) in Schladming, Austria.

Prémont, who had barely slept the night before due to jet-lag, was in second place for six out of the seven laps before surging past Dahle Flesjaa and finishing a comfortable 10 seconds ahead of the Norwegian in the 33-km race.

The sun came out for the final leg of the World Cup season and conditions were fast. Some were evidently tired from a long season of racing, Dahle Flesjaa saying, “she was very happy to see the back of (it).”

Pr̩mont and Dahle Flesjaa had forged an early lead over the remainder of the field Рthe gap over third-placed Irina Kalentieva from Russia opened to a over a minute by the halfway mark.

Dahle Flesjaa was evidently trying to shake Prémont but the Canadian wasn’t letting her rival gain anything more than a few seconds. Just before the duo began their second last lap Prémont attacked and after a short tussle through the finish area, Prémont pulled away.

Elated after she crossed the line, Prémont said she, “was really happy with her race.”

“I didn’t know how strong I was. I didn’t sleep at all last night but after the first lap I knew I was feeling good.”

“It was my strategy to stay behind, it’s less stressful,” she said. “I knew I was going to be strong at the end and gave everything I had on the last lap.”

Dahle Flesjaa was philosophical about her second place, but happy to retain the World Cup overall victory for a fourth straight year.

“Coming second is always quite hard to swallow in the first moments after you cross the line, but winning the World Cup again is a really special feeling.”

Men’s XC World Cup

In the men’s race it was a Swiss 1-2-3 sweep as Christoph Sauser (Specialized) finished a clear 34 seconds ahead of Florian Vogel (Swisspower), while Ralph Naf (Multivan Merida) was a further 23 seconds back.

Sauser and Vogel had escaped the main field early on the first lap with another Swiss rider Nino Schurter. The field rapidly became splintered across the Austrian mountain meadows as the Swiss riders moved ahead.

It wasn’t to be Schurter’s day however as a technical problem saw him drop back and eventually finish 23rd in the 43-km event.

Also not having a great day was Dutch mountain bike legend Bart Brentjens (Giant), who was part of an early chase group but Brentjens faded to finish 12th. Recently crowned MTB World Champion, Julien Absalon (Bianchi), could only manage 10th, but it was enough to win him the overall World Cup series victory. Spain’s Jose Hermida (Multivan Merida) was fourth and Belgium’s Roel Paulissen (Giant) was fifth.

“I kept my temperature under control today,” said Sauser, who was pleased with his end of season form after finishing second at the MTB Worlds two weeks ago in New Zealand. “It was great to have two other Swiss riders in the top three.”

Teammate Liam Killeen (Specialized) was happy with his ride that saw him move through the field and cross the line in ninth spot. “It’s a great result for the team, but it’s been a long season and I’m going to take a break for a couple of weeks.”

Results

Elite Women

1. Marie-Hélène Prémont (Can) Rocky Mountain/Business Objects 1:46:50
2. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team 0:10
3. Irina Kalentieva (Rus) 3:09
4. Ren Chengyuan (Chn) 4:25
5. Ying Liu (Chn) 4:52
6. Jingjing Wang (Chn) 5:04
7. Sabine Spitz (Ger) Specialized Factory Racing 5:21
8. Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Lotto 6:29
9. Margarita Fullana Riera (Esp) Spiuk Illes Balears 6:37
10. Mary McConneloug (USA) Seven 6:40
11. Elsbeth Van Rooij-Vink (Ned) 6:52
12. Anna Szafraniec (Pol) Lotto 7:51
13. Petra Henzi (Sui) Fischer/BMC 8:17
14. Nina Göhl (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team 8:54
15. Eva Lechner (Ita) 9:19
16. Sarah Koba (Sui) 9:39
17. Willow Koerber (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 9:40
18. Maroussia Rusca (Sui) Team Bikepark.Ch Tui 9:42
19. Kiara Bisaro (Can) Team R.A.C.E. 9:45
20. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Women’s MTB 10:29

Final World Cup Standings

1. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team 1,300 pts
2. Marie-Hélène Prémont (Can) Rocky Mountain/Business Objects 1,105
3. Sabine Spitz (Ger) Specialized Factory Racing 900
4. Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak 896
5. Margarita Fullana Riera (Esp) Spiuk Illes Balears 700
6. Nina Göhl (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team 685
7. Lene Byberg (Nor) Bikin’cyprus Int. 596
8. Mary McConneloug (USA) Seven 577
9. Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) Lotto 545
10. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Women’s MTB 417

14. Alison Sydor (Can) Rocky Mountain/Business Objects 400
15. Kiara Bisaro (Can) Team R.A.C.E. 391
30. Wendy Simms (Can) Velobella 246
65. Patricia Sinclair (Can) Scott 59
77. Mical Dyck (Can) 34
83. Amanda Sin (Can) 30
89. Julie Sanders (Can) 25
98. Jean Ann McKirdy (Can) 22
116. Sophie Fortin (Can) 16
121. Catherine Vipond (Can) 13
122. Mathilde Hupin-Debeurme (Can) 12
124. Anne-Marie Jobin (Can) 11
128. Elsie Torresan (Can) 9

Elite Men

1. Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Factory Racing 2:00:36
2. Florian Vogel (Sui) Swisspower MTB Team 0:33
3. Ralph Näf (Sui) Multivan Merida Biking Team 0:57
4. Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan Merida Biking Team 2:18
5. Roel Paulissen (Bel) Giant Racing Team 2:29
6. Jader Zoli (Ita) KTM International Team 2:45
7. Christoph Soukup (Aut) 3:01
8. Adam Craig (USA) 3:10
9. Liam Killeen (GBR) Specialized Factory Racing 3:10
10. Julien Absalon (Fra) Bianchi Agos 3:27
11. Karl Markt (AUT) 3:41
12. Bart Brentjens (Ned) Giant Racing Team 3:45
13. Oliver Beckingsale (GBR) Giant Racing Team 3:48
14. Martin Kraler (Aut) Giant Racing Team 3:49
15. Martin Gujan (Sui) Athleticum MTB Team 4:01
16. Stefan Sahm (Ger) Giant Racing Team 4:03
17. Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Esp) Proflex 4:12
18. Moritz Milatz (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team 4:13
19. Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Esp) Proflex 4:18
20. Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Trek Volkswagen Pro Factory 4:31

Final World Cup Standings

1. Julien Absalon (Fra) Bianchi Agos 1,205 pts
2. Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Factory Racing 1,080
3. Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan Merida Biking Team 960
4. Bart Brentjens (Ned) Giant Racing Team 800
5. Florian Vogel (Sui) Swisspower MTB Team 713
6. Liam Killeen (GBR) Specialized Factory Racing 652
7. Roel Paulissen (Bel) Giant Racing Team 648
8. Ralph Näf (Sui) Multivan Merida Biking Team 610
9. Nino Schurter (Sui) Swisspower MTB Team 481
10. Michael Weiss (Aut) 410

17. Seamus McGrath (Can) Felt 336
56. Geoff Kabush (Can) Maxxis 113
68. Ricky Federau (Can) 60
81. Max Plaxton (Can) Rocky Mountain/Business Objects 44
87. Raphael Gagne (Can) Rocky Mountain/Business Objects 40
88. Neal Kindree (Can) Kona/Les Gets 36
98. Matthew Hadley (Can) Rocky Mountain/Business Objects 27
101. Andrew Watson (Can) 25
108. Derek Zandstra (Can) 21
111. Mathieu Toulouse (Can) Maxxis 20
121. Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona/Les Gets 14
129. Martin Lazarski (Can) Rocky Mountain/Business Objects 11
130. Benoit Simard (Can) Specialized 10
133. Frederic Bussieres (Can) Rocky Mountain/Business Objects 9
137. Mike Garrigan (Can) 8