September 4, 2010 (Mont-Sainte-Anne, QC) – The sky is clearing slowly and the sun was out for awhile for the start of Elite Men’s XC race starting in about 5 min – but will the weather hold? All eyes will be on defending champ Nino Schurter (Switzerland) and Julien Absalon (France) who will be out to recapture the rainbow jersey. Jaroslav Kulhavy (Czech Republic) who recently won his first WCup in Windham, NY, and many other top riders are also vying for the top spot on the podium. Canada has seven riders racing including Geoff Kabush, Max Plaxton, Derek Zanstra, Andrew Watson, Raphael Gagne, Kris Sneddon, and Matthew Hadley. The 88 starters will complete one 3km start loop and 6 laps for a total of 33km.

Start Loop
Schurter and Stander are at the front with Vogel there as well as the men are underway.

Kulhavy is now leading as through the first climb followed by Schurter. Absalon is further back. Kulhavy is thru the rock garden with Schurter just behind with Vogel in third – Lukas Flückiger (Switzerland) crashed hard near the end.

Kulhavy and Schurter have a 10s lead over Vogel… Marco Aurelio Fontana (Italy) is in 4th – then it’s Stander at the front of a group of chasers including Absalon. Kabush is further back just behind Todd Wells (USA).

Schurter has caught and passed Kulhavy up the climb… it looks like Stander has take over third.

Lap 1
Kulhavy takes the lead as they start the first lap at 16:46 with Schurter at 1s – then it’s Stander in 3rd at 14s followed by Ralph Naef in 4th at 19 second – Fontana is 5th – Marotte from France is 6th and Absalon is 7th at 28s.

Kabush is 15th at 1 min, Zanstra is 37th at 2:43, Plaxton is 39th at 2:54, Gagne is 42nd at 2:55, Hadley is 63rd and Watson is 67th.

It’s starting to rain… thru the rock garden it’s Schurter leading with Stander being chased down by Naef.

Lap 2
Kulhavy takes over the lead – 32:40 – as Schurter had a problem or crashed as Naef takes over second followed by Fontana in third with Schurter in 4th at 13s, Stander is 5th, Hermida is 6th and Absalon is 7th at 51s. The USA’s Todd Wells is 13th at 1:24 and Kabush is 14th at 1:30.

Schurter has regained his poise and is now back in second with Naef in 3rd. Schurter and Fontana charge ahead and catch Kulhavy and now Schurter is back in front.

It’s Schurter, Kulhavy, Fontana, Hermida, Stander at the front – then Naef with Abaslon behind in 6th and 7th.

Lap 3
Schurter comes thru with a time of 48:40 followed closely by Kulhavy at 1s with Hermida taking over 3rd at 4s – then it’s Stander in 5th at 7s with Naef in 7th at 26s and Absalon in 6th at 38s.

The rain has stopped and the skies are clearing with sun starting to come out.

Hermida is now leading with Schurter on his wheel as Kulhavy trails them by 3-5s. Kabush has moved up to 11th at 1:45.

Schurter’s foot came out of the pedal and Kulhavy and Stander passed him… Hermida could not hold his pace and Kulhavy took over the over the lead. Now it’s South Africa’s Stander passing Kulhavy with Hermida in 3rd and Schurter in 4th.

Thru the rock garden Schurter unclips again but makes it thru.

Lap 4
With two to go It’s Stander coming thru at 1:04:46 with Kulhavy at 1s and then Hermida at 9s – then Absalon and Schurter come thru in 4th and 5th at 35s followed by Naef in 6th at 49s.

The three leaders are close together as Schurter looks like he’s dropping Absalon as he tries to make up lost ground and catch the front riders.

Zanstra is 35th and Plaxton is 36th at 5:14 while Gagne is 41st.

Hermida has now taken over the lead with Stander in second and Kulhavy in 3rd as they hit another climb – Schurter is making up ground with Absalon further back.

Thru the rock garden no change as Hermida leads the threesome as Schurter continues to try and bridge to them… Absalon makes it thru as well but crashed on another corner… he’s back up.

Lap 5
On the penultimate lap it’s Hermida coming thru at 1:20:49 followed by Stander in 2nd at 8s with Kulhavy on his wheel at 9s – then it’s Nino Schurter at 36s in 4th – Absalon is 5th at 1:02, then it’s Colomo in 6th at 1:53, Naef in 7th at 1:54, Killeen in 8th at 2:06.

Kabush is now 9th at 2:21 – Zanstra has moved up to 32nd at 6:26 and Plaxton is 35th at 6:38, Hadley is 50th at 8:29 and Watson is 60th.

Hermida and Kulhavy have gapped Stander and have come thru the rock garden…

Lap 6 Final
Hermida is at the front starting the last lap at 1:36:52 with Kulhavy close behind at 3s – then it’s Stander at 22s followed by Schurter who is not giving up at 51s.

Hermida looks strong as he pulls away from Kulhavy smelling gold – Kabush has moved into 8th at 2:57…

Hermida is thru the rock garden with about 15s on Kulhavy. On the climb Hermida can see his lead over Kulhavy… Schurter is now thru the rock garden as Stander in 3rd hits the climb.

Hermida takes it…

Results

1. José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spain) 1:52:26
2. Jaroslav Kulhavy (Czech Republic) 0:29
3. Burry Stander (South Africa) 1:10
4. Nino Schurter (Switzerland) 2:03
5. Julien Absalon (France) 2:23
6. Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spain) 2:43
7. Liam Killeen (Great Britain) 2:51
8. Geoff Kabush (Canada) 3:58
9. Florian Vogel (Switzerland) 4:14
10. Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spain) 4:30
11. Ralph Naf (Switzerland) 4:35
12. Cédric Ravanel (France) 4:57
13. Manuel Fumic (Germany) 5:23
14. Moritz Milatz (Germany) 5:41
15. Stéphane Tempier (France) 6:37
16. Martin Gujan (Switzerland) 7:42
17. Lukas Flückiger (Switzerland) 7:58
18. Maxime Marotte (France) 8:21
19. Emil Lindgren (Sweden) 8:31
20. Samuel Schultz (United States Of America) 8:31
21. Todd Wells (United States Of America) 8:32
22. Fabian Giger (Switzerland) 8:45
23. Jan Skarnitzl (Czech Republic) 8:45
24. Tony Longo (Italy) 9:13
25. Martino Fruet (Italy) 9:23
26. Oliver Beckingsale (Great Britain) 9:39
27. Jukka Vastaranta (Finland) 9:45
28. Kohei Yamamoto (Japan) 10:18
29. Adam Craig (United States Of America) 10:29
30. Catriel Andres Soto (Argentina) 10:37
31. Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spain) 10:51
32. Christoph Sauser (Switzerland) 11:23
33. Marek Galinski (Poland) 11:34
34. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (United States Of America) 11:55
35. Rubens Valeriano (Brazil) 12:18
36. Christoph Soukup (Austria) 12:20
37. Derek Zandstra (Canada) 12:38
38. Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spain) 12:55
39. Max Plaxton (Canada) 13:10
40. Evgeniy Pechenin (Russian Federation) 13:16
41. Michael Broderick (United States Of America) 13:25
42. Karl Markt (Austria) 14:06
43. Raphael Gagne (Canada) 14:39
44. Maxim Gogolev (Russian Federation) 14:44
45. Matthew Hadley (Canada) 14:48
46. Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spain) 15:13
47. Magnus Darvell (Sweden) 16:26
48. Carl Decker (United States Of America) – 1 lap
49. Hannes Metzler (Austria) – 1 lap
50. Lachlan Norris (Australia) – 1 lap
51. Andrea Tiberi (Italy) – 1 lap
52. Matous Ulman (Czech Republic) – 1 lap
53. Jelmer Pietersma (Netherlands) – 1 lap
54. Ricardo Pscheidt (Brazil) – 1 lap
55. Robert Mennen (Germany) – 1 lap
56. Kris Sneddon (Canada) – 1 lap
57. Wolfram Kurschat (Germany) – 1 lap
58. Andrew Watson (Canada) -2 laps
59. Edivando De Souza Cruz (Brazil) -2 laps
60. Cristobal Silva Ibaceta (Chile) -2 laps
61. Chun Hing Chan (Hong-Kong, China) -2 laps
62. Rotem Ishai (Israel) -2 laps
63. Sven Nys (Belgium) -2 laps
64. Ignacio Torres Acosta (Mexico) -2 laps
65. Michael Northcott (New Zealand) -2 laps
66. Luis Anderson Mejia Sanchez (Colombia) -2 laps
67. Zhiqiang Duan (People’s Republic Of China) -2 laps
68. Spencer Paxson (United States Of America) -3 laps
69. Anton Gogolev (Russian Federation) -3 laps
70. Jianhua Ji (People’s Republic Of China) -3 laps
71. Seiya Hirano (Japan) -3 laps
72. Kyosuke Takei (Japan) -3 laps
73. Shun Matsumoto (Japan) -3 laps
74. Stuart Houltham (New Zealand) -3 laps
75. Hector Daniel Gasco (Argentina) -3 laps
76. Ryo Saito (Japan) -3 laps
77. Emmanuel Valencia (Mexico) -4 laps
78. Hector Rivero (Colombia) -4 laps
79. Andrew Blair (Australia) -4 laps
80. Eudaldo Asencio (Chile) -4 laps
DNF Marco Aurelio Fontana (Italy)
DNF Rudi Van Houts (Netherlands)
DNF Michal Lami (Slovakia)
DNF Dario Alejandro Gasco (Argentina)
DNF Jochen Kass (Germany)