May 11, 2012 (Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic) – UCI MTB World Cup action kicked off today in the Czech Republic with round two of the new UCI World Cup XC Eliminator discipline. Alexandra Engen (Swe) Ghost Factory Racing won the women’s competition.

In the men’s ranks, it was Swiss rider Sepp Freiburghaus (Sui) Thoemus Racing Team who took the victory after winning his first heat and then finishing third in his semi-final. He then pulled it together in the big final to score the win. No Canadians competed. Brian Lopes (USA), who dominated the first round in Houffalize, did not advance pas the first round.

The exciting race was held on a short course with riders sprinting along a route a filled with obstacles, with the top two moving on to the next round after each heat. Usually the Eliminator runs heats of four, however, Nové Mesto na Morave ran heats of six riders to make the racing even more action-packed. The move significantly affected the outcome of the men’s race. If the event had been run in the traditional four-up format, Freiburghaus would have been eliminated after the semi’s.

Results

Women

Big Final
1. Alexandra Engen (Swe) Ghost Factory Racing
2. Julie Bresset (Fra) BH – SR Suntour – Peisey Vallandry
3. Cécile Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix
4. Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Sudtirol
5. Laura Turpijn (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team
6. Rowena Fry (Aus)

Men

Big Final
1. Sepp Freiburghaus (Sui) Thoemus Racing Team
2. Paul van der Ploeg (Aus) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic
3. Mirco Widmer (Sui) Giant Swiss SR – Suntour
4. Marcel Wildhaber (Sui) Scott-Swisspower
5. Marek Konwa (Pol) Milka-Superior
6. Martin Gluth (Ger)

Full results HERE.