July 27, 2013 (Vallnord, Andorra) – It’s sunny and warm 30 degrees in beautiful Andorra for the start of the Elite Men’s race with 95 starters including Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott Swisspower, Julien Absalon (Fra) BMC, and Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized – Schurter bested Absalon at the last round in Val di Sole, Italy. Racing for Canada are Scott-3RoxRacing teammates Geoff Kabush and newly crowned Canadian champ Derek Zandstra in Maple Leaf colours. Max Plaxton (Sho-Air/Cannondale) opted not to race telling Pedal, “…staying close to home for the up-coming races. Those single euro wcups are tough for us west coast peeps! Cheers.” The men’s race was reduced from 7 to 6 laps (4.6km) for 27.6km and the altitude again will be a factor in these warm conditions…
Lap 1
Giger gets the holeshot… Absalon is there – now Schurter takes over 2nd followed by Lukas Fluckiger (Sui).
Absalon fell back perhaps with a chain problem.
Schurter takes over the lead – Kabush is 20th
Schurter flats…
Giger passes Fluckiger to take over the lead – 9 riders are out front…
Lap 2
Andre Cink (Cze) Multivan Merida is leading at 14:01… Kerschbaumer is 2nd and Vogel is 3rd – Schurter is 11th at 16s
Cink is trying to drop the others – behind there are 2 to 3 chase groups
Kulhavy is 18th… Kabush is behind and Absalon is further back.
It’s Cink and Kerschbaumer followed by Giger, Vogel, Litscher and a large group chasing – Fluckiger fell back.
Cink is off the front on his own on fire… he’s the 2012 U23 champ
Lap 3
Cink is charging ahead and starts the third lap at 28:17 with a 22s lead over Giger, Kerschbaumer, Litscher
Marotte takes over 4th from Litscher… Schurter is 6th.
Schurter and Fontana are trying to close – Absalon is trying to gain spots as well
Schurter is now 4th…
Lap 4
Cink starts the fourth of 6 laps in 43:07 – a group of 7 chasers w/Schurter, Kerschbaumer, Giger, Vogel, Tempier, Marotte and Fontana at 28s.
Then it’s Hermida with 5 riders at 45s… Absalon is alone in 14th at 1:05.
Absalon has passed Giger and is on pace to catch the leaders.
Fontana is walking the bike… he’s got a flat.
Cink keeps driving the bus ahead… he smells victory – 5 chasers now are trying to close.
Absalon has a chain problem again…
Lap 5
Cink extends his lead to 39s over Schurter, Kerschbaumer, Vogel, Tempier, Marotte – the time is 57:44
Giger is 7th Martinez is 8th, Absalon is 9th, Hermida is 10th
Absalon is not giving up and keeps charging.
Lap 6 FINAL
Cink still looks strong… there are 4 chasers now Schurter, Kerschbaumer, Tempier, Marotte at 29s now.
Vogel in 6th dropped off to 49s – Absalon is 7th at 59s with Giger and Martinez
The gap is dropping now only 15s as Schurter, Tempier and Marotte have gapped Kerschbaumer
Schurter is gaining on the descent… he catches and passes Cink.
Cink is holding on to second – Tempier is in 3rd.
Schurter is alone out front…Cink is trying to close
Cink is on Schurter’s wheel…
Schurter gaps him in the woods…
Results
1. Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team 1:27:07
2. Ondrej Cink (Cze) Multivan Merida Biking Team 0:06
3. Stéphane Tempier (Fra) BH – SR Suntour – KMC 0:11
4. Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH – SR Suntour – KMC 0:31
5. Gerhard Kerschbaumer (Ita) Tx Active Bianchi 0:45
6. Fabian Giger (Sui) Giant Pro XC Team 0:51
7. Florian Vogel (Sui) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team 1:15
8. Julien Absalon (Fra) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 1:19
9. Miguel Martinez (Fra) 1:25
10. Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing 1:36
11. Daniel McConnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing 2:01
12. Mathias Flückiger (Sui) Stöckli Pro Team 2:11
13. Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Esp) Wild Wolf Trek Pro Racing 2:16
14. Ralph Naef (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 2:22
15. Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) SRAM Rubena Trek 2:28
16. Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team 2:35
17. Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing 2:55
18. Alexander Gehbauer (Aut) Tx Active Bianchi 2:56
19. Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Esp) Elettroveneta-Corratec 3:00
20. Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Controltech Nevi 3:07
21. José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan Merida Biking Team 3:15
22. Lukas Flückiger (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 3:19
23. Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized Racing XC 3:22
24. Martin Loo (Est) Merida Italia Team 3:32
25. Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team 3:40
26. Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team 4:03
27. Martin Gujan (Sui) Tx Active Bianchi 4:18
28. Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Focus XC Team 4:29
29. Thomas Litscher (Sui) Multivan Merida Biking Team 4:42
30. Andras Parti (Hun) Waberer’s Areus Cube MTB Team 4:47
31. David Valero (Esp) 4:50
32. Karl Markt (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team 4:59
33. Patrik Gallati (Sui) Focus XC Team 5:10
34. Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing XC 5:18
35. Zsolt Juhasz (Hun) Waberer’s Areus Cube MTB Team 5:23
36. David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por) 5:33
37. Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) 5:35
38. Alexis Chenevier (Fra) Scott La Clusaz 5:48
39. Jiri Novak (Cze) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team 5:55
40. Ramon Sagues Portabella (Esp) 6:18
41. Marcel Wildhaber (Sui) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team 6:25
42. Daniel Eymann (Sui) 6:30
43. Markus Bauer (Ger) 6:41
44. David Fletcher (Gbr) Orange Monkey Pro Team 6:42
45. Hans Becking (Ned) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team 7:38
46. Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Wild Wolf Trek Pro Racing 8:07
47. Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing 8:25
48. Robby De Bock (Bel) Feenstra Felt Powered By Kenda 8:45
49. Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned) Giant Pro XC Team 9:08
50. Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Team Merida Wallonie MTB 9:14
51. Cristofer Bosque Ruano (Esp) 9:36
52. Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Team Bulls 9:51
53. Francesc Guerra (Esp) 9:55
54. Mykhaylo Batsutsa (Ukr) Cycling Club Roma MTB Team 0:12
55. Sepp Freiburghaus (Sui) 0:19
56. Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing 0:10:17
57. Pavel Priadein (Rus) 0:10:36
58. Pascal Meyer (Sui) JB Felt Team 0:10:50
59. Kornel Osicki (Pol) 0:11:02
60. Lucien Besancon (Sui) 0:11:12
61. David Escolar Ballesteros (Esp) 0:11:51
62. Andy Eyring (Ger) 0:12:14
63. Fabian Rabensteiner (Ita) Focus XC Italy Team 0:12:48
64. Renay Groustra (RSA) 0:13:06
65. Gareth Montgomerie (Gbr) 0:13:34
66. Ivan Diaz (Esp) 0:13:56
67. Philip Buys (RSA) -1lap
68. Franco Molina (Arg)
69. Javier Altamirano Rodrigo (Arg) -2laps
70. Alejo Moya (Esp)
71. Mario Matijevic (Bel)
72. Sang Hoon Na (Kor) Calvisson VTT
73. Zdenek Vobecky (Cze)
DNF Fabien Canal (Fra) ASPTT Definitive Tec
DNF Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team
DNF Nicola Rohrbach (Sui) Goldwurst-Power / Stöckli
DNF Simon Scheiber (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team
DNF Daniel Federspiel (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team
DNF Marek Konwa (Pol) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team
DNF Fabio Hernando Castaneda Monsalve (Col)
DNF Mirko Tabacchi (Ita)
DNF Guy Diaz Groiller (And)
DNF Carlos Portilla Parrilla (Esp)
DNF Dario Alejandro Gasco (Arg)
DNS Martin Fanger (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team
Standings after 4 events
1. Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team 820 pts
2. Daniel McConnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing 540
3. Julien Absalon (Fra) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 510
4. Ondrej Cink (Cze) Multivan Merida Biking Team 510
5. Lukas Flückiger (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 502
6. Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing XC 412
7. Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH – SR Suntour – KMC 405
8. Mathias Flückiger (Sui) Stöckli Pro Team 403
9. Thomas Litscher (Sui) Multivan Merida Biking Team 374
10. Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing 366
11. Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Esp) Wild Wolf Trek Pro Racing 340
12. Fabian Giger (Sui) Giant Pro XC Team 330
13. Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team 310
14. Gerhard Kerschbaumer (Ita) Tx Active Bianchi 293
15. Alexander Gehbauer (Aut) Tx Active Bianchi 282
16. José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan Merida Biking Team 264
17. Max Plaxton (Can) Sho-Air/Cannondale 260
18. Stéphane Tempier (Fra) BH – SR Suntour – KMC 255
19. Martin Fanger (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 251
20. Florian Vogel (Sui) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team 248
21. Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Controltech Nevi 226
22. Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team 226
23. Martin Loo (Est) Merida Italia Team 222
24. Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing 217
25. Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned) Giant Pro XC Team 215
26. Emil Lindgren (Swe) Giant Pro XC Team 210
27. Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized Racing XC 206
28. Miguel Martinez (Fra) 205
29. Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Focus XC Team 198
30. Martin Gujan (Sui) Tx Active Bianchi 193
31. Marcel Wildhaber (Sui) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team 173
32. Marek Konwa (Pol) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team 171
33. Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) SRAM Rubena Trek 171
34. Nicola Rohrbach (Sui) Goldwurst-Power / Stöckli 166
35. Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team 158
36. Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Esp) Elettroveneta-Corratec 150
37. Andras Parti (Hun) Waberer’s Areus Cube MTB Team 134
38. Jiri Novak (Cze) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team 129
39. Ralph Naef (Sui) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 116
40. Sergji Rysenko (Ukr) Cycling Club Roma MTB Team 116
41. Jürg Graf (Sui) BSK Graf-Rollmat-Koba MTB Team 106
42. Fabien Canal (Fra) ASPTT Definitive Tec 104
43. Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing 95
44. Patrik Gallati (Sui) Focus XC Team 94
45. Michal Lami (Svk) 92
46. Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing 90
47. Hans Becking (Ned) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team 85
48. Karl Markt (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team 78
49. David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por) 70
50. Anton Sintsov (Rus) Titici Lgl International Team 66
51. Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team 66
52. Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Team Merida Wallonie MTB 66
53. Zsolt Juhasz (Hun) Waberer’s Areus Cube MTB Team 62
54. Michele Casagrande (Ita) Elettroveneta-Corratec 61
55. Shlomi Haimy (Isr) Focus XC Team 59
56. Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Team Bulls 59
57. Sepp Freiburghaus (Sui) 55
58. Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) 51
59. Daniel Eymann (Sui) 51
60. Fabio Hernando Castaneda Monsalve (Col) 50
61. Alban Lakata (Aut) Topeak Ergon Racing Team 50
62. Oleksandr Gerashchenko (Ukr) ISD MTB Team 48
63. Jochen Kass (Ger) 46
64. Giancarlo Sax (Sui) 46
65. David Valero (Esp) 44
66. Henrique Avancini (Bra) Caloi 44
67. Pascal Meyer (Sui) JB Felt Team 43
68. Raphael Gagne (Can) Rocky Mountain 43
69. Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Wild Wolf Trek Pro Racing 43
70. Umberto Corti (Ita) Controltech Nevi 42
71. Lucien Besancon (Sui) 42
72. Paolo Cesar Montoya Cantillo (Crc) 40
73. Robby De Bock (Bel) Feenstra Felt Powered By Kenda 36
74. Filip Eberl (Cze) 35
75. Jonas De Backer (Bel) 32
76. Kornel Osicki (Pol) 32
77. Alexis Chenevier (Fra) Scott La Clusaz 30
78. Matous Ulman (Cze) 30
79. Philip Buys (RSA) 30
80. Ramon Sagues Portabella (Esp) 28
81. Mitchell Hoke (USA) 26
82. Markus Bauer (Ger) 25
83. David Fletcher (Gbr) Orange Monkey Pro Team 24
84. Matthias Wengelin (Swe) 24
85. Frank Beemer (Ned) Mpl Specialized MTB Team 20
86. Pavel Priadein (Rus) 19
87. Pavel Boudny (Cze) 18
88. Cristofer Bosque Ruano (Esp) 17
89. Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing XC 17
90. Andy Eyring (Ger) 17
91. Simon Scheiber (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team 16
92. Francesc Guerra (Esp) 15
93. Mykhaylo Batsutsa (Ukr) Cycling Club Roma MTB Team 14
94. Carl Jones (Nzl) 14
95. Mirko Tabacchi (Ita) 12
96. Ismael Ventura Sanchez (Esp) 12
97. Marcel Fleschhut (Ger) 11
98. Ludovic Dubau (Fra) Newcycling 10
99. Tim Wynants (Bel) Toka Print MTB Team 10
100. Kristian Hynek (Cze) Elettroveneta-Corratec 9
101. Cameron Jette (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing 9
102. Dmytro Titarenko (Ukr) ISD MTB Team 8