August 28, 2010 (Windham, NY) – The Elite men’s XC final MTB World Cup round is soon underway as the men will race six laps for 32.7km to determine the winner of the overall WCup. Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott-Swisspower is leading by only 26 points over Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea.

Lap 1
At the end of the 300m section before the start of the first lap it’s Schurter leading the field. Carlos Nicolas Coloma (Esp) MSC Bikes had a brief stint at the front but now Absalon has taken over with Schurter second, Florian Vogel (Sui) Scott-Swisspower in 3rd with Coloma in 4th.

A group of six riders are now out front Absalon, Schurter, Vogel, Stander, Fumic and Gujan we think…

Lap 2
Vogel is leading as they start the second lap at 16:26 followed by Schurter and Stander… Abasalon has flatted.

Schurter is leading the charge with Vogel in second as Absalon tries to make back some time – a group of 4 have formed at the front. Schurter, Vogel, Stander and Fumic as Gujan dangles behind.

Absalon is 13th with Mathias Fluckiger in 12th trying to chase back on… Fontana is in fifth and Kulhavy is 6th – Correction – it’s Hermida in 5th and Fontana is 6th, Kulhavy is 7th and Gujan is 8th.

Now Hermida, Fontana and Kulhavy have bridged to the leaders so they’re 7-strong.

Lap 3
Schurter comes thru first in 33:16 followed by Vogel, Stander, Fumic – Hermida is in 5th at 3s back followed by Kulhavy and Gujan. Fluckiger is 11th and Absalon is 12th.

Now the original 4-some have pulled away again as the Hermida group chases on. Lucas Fluckiger has passed Gujan and is trying to bridge to the Hermida group. Abaslon is trailing Mathias Fluckiger and doesn’t look like he’s going contest today.

Stander is now leading the charge with Schurter in second and Vogel in third as Fumic is off the back in fourth.

Lap 4
Stander begins lap 4 at 49:46 followed by the Swiss riders Schurter and Vogel with Fumic in 4th Kulhavy taking overall 5th.

Now Kulhavy has passed Fumic and is trying to bridge to the 3 leaders – and now he’s joined them. Canada’s Derek Zanstra (3 Rox Racing) is in the low 30s – Geoff Kabush (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) was nearby but had a mechanical.

Lap 5
Schurter leads the charge as they begin the penultimate lap at 1:06:39 and now the four leaders are joined by the chasers Hermida, Gujan, Lucas Fluckiger, Fontana and Sauser – so 9 leaders.

Stander had a problem and dropped back and will soon be caught by Absalon… Sauser is now leading the race – Gujan has also dropped back so there now 6 at the front.

Now there are 4 leaders lead by Sauser with Schurter in second, Vogel in 3rd and Kulhavy in 4th. Lucas Fluckiger is in 5th and is trying to bridge to the leaders as Hermida and Fontana are in 6th and 7th.

Lap 6 Final
The five leaders come thru lead by Vogel as they start the final lap. Now Schurter takes over the lead – there are four Swiss riders leading the race with Kulhavy the lone Czech rider.

Fluckiger is dangling in 5th and further back is Hermida in 6th, Fontana in 7th, Stander is 8th and Absalon is 9th. Now Absalon attacks and takes over 8th…

Vogel is leading with Schurter in second and Sauser in third – now Kulhavy attacks but Schurter counters. Absalon has passed Hermida and Fontana and is now in 6th.

Kulhavy attacks again and Schurter and Sauser are chasing – Vogel is in 4th – they’ve all passed a lapped rider.

Kulhavy, a former Junior XC World Champ, wants to win his first WCup and continues his attack and looks strong… Schurter is in second.

Kulhavy wins…

Results

1. Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Rubena-Birell-Specialized Cycling Team 1:39:28
2. Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing at 0:14
3. Florian Vogel (Sui) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing 0:15
4. Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Factory Racing 0:17
5. Lukas Flückiger (Sui) Trek World Racing 0:44
6. Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea 1:11
7. José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan Merida Biking Team 1:19
8. Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Factory Racing 1:57
9. Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing 2:31
10. Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Esp) Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo 2:41
11. Martin Gujan (Sui) Cannondale Factory Racing 2:49
12. Liam Killeen (Gbr) 2:54
13. Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing 3:15
14. Cédric Ravanel (Fra) Lapierre International 3:56
15. Marek Galinski (Pol) JBJ-2 Professional MTB Team 4:20
16. Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Esp) Orbea 4:38
17. Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour 4:49
18. Mathias Flückiger* (Sui) Trek World Racing 4:58
19. Ralph Näf (Sui) Multivan Merida Biking Team 5:42
20. Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Esp) Orbea 6:24
21. Patrik Gallati* (Sui) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing 6:34
22. Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru-Trek 6:47
23. Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Esp) Giant Italia Team 6:51
24. Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Factory Racing 7:05
25. Umberto Corti (Ita) Team Cbe Tecnoimpianti A.S.D. 7:23
26. Jukka Vastaranta (Fin) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team 7:24
27. Alexis Vuillermoz* (Fra) Lapierre International 7:33
28. Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Esp) MSC Bikes 7:46
29. Fabian Giger (Sui) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team 8:08
30. Henk Jaap Moorlag* (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team 8:14
31. Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team 8:28
32. Magnus Darvell (Swe) 8:37
33. Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team 8:56
34. Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team 9:21
35. Jelmer Jubbega* (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team 9:29
36. Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team 9:34
37. Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) 10:08
38. Matthew Hadley (Can) Xprezo-Borsao 10:29
39. Oliver Beckingsale (Gbr) Giant Factory Team 10:32
40. Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi 10:38
41. Derek Zandstra (Can) 3rox Racing 10:52
42. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Trek 10:58
43. Adam Craig (USA) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team 11:06
44. Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team 11:12
45. Moritz Milatz (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team 11:21
46. Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) 11:28
47. Michael Broderick (USA) Kenda/Seven/NoTubes 11:41
48. Robert Mennen (Ger) 12:07
49. Martin Loo* (Est) Infotre – Leecougan 12:10
50. David Fletcher* (Gbr) 12:54
51. Hannes Metzler (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team 12:56
52. Lachlan Norris (Aus) 12:59
53. Carl Decker (USA) Giant Factory Team 13:13
54. Spencer Paxson (USA) 13:36
55. Rotem Ishai (Isr) 14:12
56 Cameron Jette (Can) 14:41
57. Kyosuke Takei (Jpn) 14:52
58. Troy Wells (USA) 15:17
59. Fabian Strecker* (Ger) -1 Lap
60. Michael Northcott (Nzl) -1 Lap
61. Felix Euteneuer* (Ger) -1 Lap
62. Pierre Lebreton (Fra) BH-Suntour -1 Lap
63. Eric Batty (Can) Trek Canada -1 Lap
64. Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team -1 Lap
65. Zhen Wang* (Chn) -1 Lap
66. Benjamin Buchi* (Sui) -1 Lap
67. Stephen Ettinger* (USA) -1 Lap
68. Jianhua Ji (Chn) -1 Lap
69. Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team -1 Lap
70. Andy Eyring* (Ger) -1 Lap
71. Peter Glassford (Can) Trek Canada -1 Lap
72. Michael McCalla (USA) -1 Lap
73. Carl Jones* (Nzl) -1 Lap
74. Félix Cote* (Can) -1 Lap
75. Bryan Alders (USA) -1 Lap
76. Mitch Hoke* (USA) -1 Lap
77. Jack Hinkens* (USA) -2 Laps
78. Pete Ostroski* (USA) -2 Laps
79. Thomas Sampson* (USA) -2 Laps
80. Zsolt Juhasz* (Hun) Euro One-Cube MTB Team -2 Laps
81. Markus Bauer* (Ger) -2 Laps
82. Yu Takenouchi* (Jpn) -2 Laps
83. Kerry Werner* (USA) -2 Laps
84. Russell Finsterwald* (USA) Subaru-Trek -2 Laps
85. Seamus Powell* (USA) -2 Laps
86. Ryan Atkins (Can) -2 Laps
87. Ethan Gilmour* (USA) -2 Laps
88. Stuart Houltham (Nzl) -3 Laps
89. Scott Green* (Nzl) -3 Laps
90. Adam Morka (Can) Trek Canada -3 Laps
91. Robbie Squire* (USA) -3 Laps
92. Eudaldo Asencio Rosario (Pur) -3 Laps
93. Cal Britten* (Aus) -3 Laps
94. Adrian Retief* (Nzl) -3 Laps
95. Andy Schultz (USA) -3 Laps
96. Alex Ryan* (USA) -3 Laps
DNF Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain
DNF Nicolas Jeantet* (Ita) Isd Cycling Team
DNF Andrew Watson (Can) Norco Factory Team
DNF Zachary Hughes* (Can)
DNF Adam Snyder (USA)
DNF Zhiqiang Duan (Chn)
DNS Samuel Friedman (USA)
DNS Mattias Wengelin* (Swe) Team Firebike-Droessiger

Final Overall Standings

1. Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing 1,136
2. Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea 1,040
3. Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Rubena-Birell-Specialized Cycling Team 1,040
4. Florian Vogel (Sui) Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing 795
5. Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Merida Multivan 710

31. Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain 228
55. Derek Zanstra (Can) 3 Rox Racing 113
84. Matthew Hadley (Can) Xprezo-Borsao 30
105. Cameron Jette (Can) 12
114. Andrew Watson (Can) Norco Factory Team 10