Schurter sprints to World Cup win

Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) proved that there was no "rainbow curse" on him as he matched women's world champion Irina Kalentieva (Topeak Ergon) in swapping his rainbow jersey for the World Cup leader's one.

The Swiss rider won the men's 43km race in a finish very similar to last year's World Championships, when he outsprinted Olympic champion Julien Absalon (Orbea). Again, it came down to a sprint between the two, with Schurter winning by less than a wheel length. Burry Stander (Specialized) of South Africa took third, 14 seconds behind the front two.

The six lap men's race started very fast, with eight riders initially making the selection at the front, but by the fourth lap that was whittled down to just Schurter, Absalon and Stander. The South African looked to be the strongest, but he made a mistake on the last lap, allowing the other two to get away.

Absalon took the lead, setting the pace, but could not shake Schurter, and when they turned onto the gravel finishing straight, the Swiss rider came up alongside his French rival and pulled ahead in the final 10 metres to take the win.

"This is an incredible victory, to win the World Cup and take the leader's jersey is very special," said Schurter. "I hoped to do well here, but there was a very, very strong field, so I was only looking to make the podium. I was dying out there, to stay with Julien, but I knew that if it came to a sprint I was a little bit faster."

Absalon, for his part, revealed that he was quite content with second. "I have been sick this week, so I didn't know if I could race in the middle of the week. But each day I got a little bit better, and by Saturday I was okay again. I didn't know how strong I was going to be, and I was just hoping to get on the podium."

"But it was good for me when the three of us went away, because I was able to rest a bit at the back. I think Stander was the strongest, but maybe he did too much work, and then made a little mistake that allowed Nino and I to get away. At the finish I tried to control it, but Nino was just to strong."

For Geoff Kabush Maxxis-Rocky Mountain), it was a disappointing day to finish 28th, after riding so strongly a week earlier at Sea Otter. "I definitely didn't have the form that I had at Sea Otter. I had a good start, but then I just didn't have the power to keep up. Maybe it was because of all the travel problems to get here; it took me three days, and that didn't help."

Kabush was the second North American, behind Todd Wells (Specialized) in 19th.

Full Results

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Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing1:54:52
2Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea0:00:01
3Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Factory Racing0:00:14
4Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team0:00:28
5Ralph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:00:41
6Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing0:00:52
7Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa) Orbea0:00:55
8Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing0:01:19
9José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:01:37
10Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing0:01:45
11Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Giant Italia Team0:01:54
12Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing0:02:17
13Mathias Flückiger* (Swi) Trek World Racing0:02:32
14Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo0:02:42
15Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi0:02:48
16Christoph Soukup (Aut) Merida Biking Team0:02:54
17Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:03:03
18Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa) Orbea0:03:24
19Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Factory Racing0:03:49
20Roel Paulissen (Bel) Cannondale Factory Racing0:03:53
21Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team0:04:18
22Marek Konwa* (Pol) Elettroveneta-Corratec0:04:23
23Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized Factory Racing0:04:25
24Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team0:04:32
25Jan Skarnitzl (Cze)0:04:45
26Alexis Vuillermoz* (Fra) Lapierre International0:05:04
27François Bailly Maitre (Fra) Scott Les Saisies0:05:06
28Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain0:05:28
29Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) MSC Bikes0:05:29
30Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher0:05:43
31Maxime Marotte (Fra) Bh-Suntour0:06:03
32Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:06:30
33Tony Longo (Ita)0:06:37
34Derek Zandstra (Can)0:06:44
35Robert Mennen (Ger)0:07:04
36Martin Fanger* (Swi) Giant Swiss TeamRow 35 - Cell 2
37Oliver Beckingsale (GBr) Giant Factory Team0:07:06
38Fabian Giger (Swi) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team0:07:16
39Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher0:07:25
40Martino Fruet (Ita)0:07:38
41Henk Jaap Moorlag* (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team0:07:45
42Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Team New Cycling0:07:49
43Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team0:07:50
44Cristian Cominelli* (Ita) Tx Active Bianchi0:07:53
45Giuseppe Lamastra (Ita) Hard Rock Frw A.S.D.0:07:57
46Marc Colom (Fra)0:08:01
47Patrik Gallati* (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing0:08:05
48Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team0:08:07
49Hannes Metzler (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team0:08:14
50Liam Killeen (GBr)0:08:18
51Piotr Brzozka* (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team0:08:19
52Bas Peters (Ned) Team Merida Combee0:08:34
53Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team0:08:35
54Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team0:08:36
55Sebastien Carabin* (Bel) Lingier-Versluys Team0:08:37
56Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn)0:08:42
57Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Torq Performance Nutrition0:08:57
58Cédric Ravanel (Fra) Lapierre International0:09:07
59Markus Bauer* (Ger)0:09:20
60Irjan Luttenberg* (Ned) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team0:09:44
61Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Surfing Shop0:09:55
62Nicola Rohrbach (Swi)0:10:00
63Guillaume Vinit (Fra) BH-Suntour0:10:04
64Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team0:10:06
65Lukas Kaufmann (Swi) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team0:10:08
66Thomas Litscher* (Swi) M.I.G. Team0:10:21
67Niels Wubben* (Ned) Team Merida Combee0:10:27
68Johnny Cattaneo (Ita)0:10:42
69Lachlan Norris (Aus)0:10:50
70Nicolas Vermeulen (Bel) Lingier-Versluys Team0:10:54
71Diego Rosa* (Ita) Giant Italia Team0:10:58
72Milan Spesny (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team0:11:04
73Andy Eyring* (Ger)0:11:05
74Anders Hovdenes (Nor) Team United Bakeries, Hoydahl MTB Racing0:11:09
75Andrew Watson (Can)0:11:15
76Paul Van Der Ploeg* (Aus) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team0:11:28
77Yader Zoli (Ita) Surfing Shop0:11:34
78Pascal Meyer* (Swi) M.I.G. Team0:11:40
79David Fletcher* (GBr)Row 78 - Cell 2
80Fabien Canal* (Fra) Keops Itwo0:12:10
81Simon Scheiber* (Aut) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team0:12:13
82Adrian Brzozka (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team0:12:21
83Erik Groen* (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team0:12:29
84Torsten Marx (Ger)0:12:34
85Benjamin Buchi* (Swi)0:12:50
86Klaus Nielsen (Den)0:13:01
87Magnus Darvell (Swe)0:13:14
88Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Lingier-Versluys Team0:13:15
89Kornel Osicki* (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team0:13:18
90Mattias Nilsson* (Swe)0:13:35
91Silvio Bundi (Swi)0:13:42
92Fabian Strecker* (Ger)0:13:43
93Kristian Hynek (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team0:13:44
94Manfred Reis* (Ger) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team0:13:46
95Jérémy Huguenin* (Swi) Giant Swiss Team0:13:54
96Marcel Fleschhut* (Ger)0:14:06
97Balz Weber (Swi)0:14:08
98Tim Lemmers* (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team0:14:11
99Alessandro Gambino (Ita) GT Brondello Team0:14:15
100Dries Govaerts* (Bel) Team Saeco0:14:25
101Matthew Hadley (Can)0:14:32
102Rene Tann (Ger)0:14:36
103Konny Looser* (Swi)0:14:37
104Mattias Wengelin* (Swe) Team Firebike-Droessiger0:14:52
105Jelmer Jubbega* (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team0:14:56
106Michael Broderick (USA)0:14:59
107Paul Oldham (GBr)0:15:02
108Ondrej Cink* (Cze) Merida Biking Team0:15:04
109Pierre Lebreton (Fra) BH-SuntourRow 108 - Cell 2
110Sebastian Szraucner (Ger)0:15:13
111Ricardo Paulo Reis Marinheiro* (Por) TX Active Bianchi0:15:21
112Tiago Jorge Oliveira Ferreira* (Por)0:15:25
113Jiri Hudecek (Cze)0:15:31
114Patxi Cia Apezteguia (Spa) MSC Bikes0:15:43
115Matthias Stirnemann* (Swi)0:15:47
116Matej Nepustil* (Cze) Merida Biking Team0:16:09
117Joris Massaer (Bel) G-Skin-Deforche MTB Racing Team0:16:11
118Robert Gehbauer (Aut)0:16:31
119Marco Schätzing (Ger) Team Firebike-Droessiger0:16:40
120Severin Disch* (Swi) Giant Swiss Team0:16:52
121Christopher Maletz (Ger)0:17:57
122Jakub Magnusek* (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team0:18:08
123Freddy Betremieux* (Fra)0:18:35
124Michele Casagrande (Ita) Elettroveneta-Corratec0:19:22
125Nicolas Jeantet* (Ita) ISD Cycling Team0:19:37
126Laurent Mineur* (Bel)-1lap
127Daniel Eymann* (Swi) Thoemus Racing TeamRow 126 - Cell 2
128Alexander Gehbauer* (Aut)Row 127 - Cell 2
129Wolfgang Krenn (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis TeamRow 128 - Cell 2
130Marco Arnold* (Swi) Giant Swiss TeamRow 129 - Cell 2
131Tim Dunford (GBr) Torq Performance NutritionRow 130 - Cell 2
132Sebastian Batchelor* (GBr) Infotre - LeecouganRow 131 - Cell 2
133Florian Thie* (Swi)Row 132 - Cell 2
134Thomas Lapeyrie* (Fra) Scott Les SaisiesRow 133 - Cell 2
135Jonas De Backer* (Bel) Team SaecoRow 134 - Cell 2
136Andrew Blair (Aus) Torq Performance NutritionRow 135 - Cell 2
137Dave Henderson (GBr)Row 136 - Cell 2
138Ben Thomas* (GBr) Torq Performance NutritionRow 137 - Cell 2
139Sepp Freiburghaus (Swi) Thoemus Racing TeamRow 138 - Cell 2
140Robin Roelofs* (Ned) Stappenbelt Specialized MTB Team-2laps
141Cody Canning* (Can)Row 140 - Cell 2
142Amaury Gernez Aurenge* (Fra) Keops ItwoRow 141 - Cell 2
143Dror Pekatch (Isr) Subaru-Gary FisherRow 142 - Cell 2
144Billy Joe Whenman* (GBr)Row 143 - Cell 2
145Rob Vangenechten* (Bel) Team SaecoRow 144 - Cell 2
146Chris Andrews (GBr)Row 145 - Cell 2
147Travis Frisby* (Aus)Row 146 - Cell 2
148Richard Felle (Irl)-3laps
149Pascal Hossay (Bel) G-Skin-Deforche MTB Racing TeamRow 148 - Cell 2
150Allan Clark (GBr)-4laps
DNFLudovic Dubau (Fra) Team New CyclingRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFMoritz Milatz (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking TeamRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFJiri Friedl (Cze) Merida Biking TeamRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFJimmy Tielens (Bel) Team SaecoRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFAlban Lakata (Aut) Topeak Ergon Racing TeamRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFBjorn Brems (Bel) G-Skin-Deforche MTB Racing TeamRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFTim Wynants (Bel) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing TeamRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFJohn Whittington* (GBr)Row 157 - Cell 2
DNFAnthony O'boyle (GBr) Torq Performance NutritionRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFLee Williams (GBr)Row 159 - Cell 2
DNFPaolo Cesar Montoya Cantillo (CRc) GT Brondello TeamRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFUmberto Corti (Ita) Team CBE Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.Row 161 - Cell 2
DNFRyan Sherlock (Irl)Row 162 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Fillion (Can)Row 163 - Cell 2
DNSFrank Beemer (Ned) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing TeamRow 164 - Cell 2
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Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Orbea72pts
2Multivan Merida Biking Team64Row 1 - Cell 3
3Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing59Row 2 - Cell 3
4Cannondale Factory Racing58Row 3 - Cell 3
5Specialized Factory Racing52Row 4 - Cell 3
6Trek World Racing41Row 5 - Cell 3
7Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team30Row 6 - Cell 3
8Giant Italia Team20Row 7 - Cell 3
9Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo17Row 8 - Cell 3
10TX Active Bianchi16Row 9 - Cell 3
11Merida Biking Team15Row 10 - Cell 3
12Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team10Row 11 - Cell 3
13Elettroveneta-Corratec9Row 12 - Cell 3
14Topeak Ergon Racing Team7Row 13 - Cell 3
15Lapierre International5Row 14 - Cell 3
16Scott Les Saisies4Row 15 - Cell 3
17Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain3Row 16 - Cell 3
18MSC Bikes2Row 17 - Cell 3
19Subaru-Gary Fisher1Row 18 - Cell 3
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World Cup individual standings after one round
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing250pts
2Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea200Row 1 - Cell 3
3Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Factory Racing160Row 2 - Cell 3
4Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team150Row 3 - Cell 3
5Ralph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team140Row 4 - Cell 3
6Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing130Row 5 - Cell 3
7Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa) Orbea120Row 6 - Cell 3
8Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing110Row 7 - Cell 3
9José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team100Row 8 - Cell 3
10Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing95Row 9 - Cell 3
11Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Giant Italia Team90Row 10 - Cell 3
12Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing85Row 11 - Cell 3
13Mathias Flückiger* (Swi) Trek World Racing80Row 12 - Cell 3
14Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo78Row 13 - Cell 3
15Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi76Row 14 - Cell 3
16Christoph Soukup (Aut) Merida Biking Team74Row 15 - Cell 3
17Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team72Row 16 - Cell 3
18Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa) Orbea70Row 17 - Cell 3
19Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Factory Racing68Row 18 - Cell 3
20Roel Paulissen (Bel) Cannondale Factory Racing66Row 19 - Cell 3
21Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team64Row 20 - Cell 3
22Marek Konwa* (Pol) Elettroveneta-Corratec62Row 21 - Cell 3
23Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized Factory Racing60Row 22 - Cell 3
24Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team58Row 23 - Cell 3
25Jan Skarnitzl (Cze)56Row 24 - Cell 3
26Alexis Vuillermoz* (Fra) Lapierre International54Row 25 - Cell 3
27François Bailly Maitre (Fra) Scott Les Saisies52Row 26 - Cell 3
28Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain50Row 27 - Cell 3
29Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) MSC Bikes48Row 28 - Cell 3
30Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher46Row 29 - Cell 3
31Maxime Marotte (Fra) Bh-Suntour44Row 30 - Cell 3
32Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team42Row 31 - Cell 3
33Tony Longo (Ita)40Row 32 - Cell 3
34Derek Zandstra (Can)38Row 33 - Cell 3
35Robert Mennen (Ger)36Row 34 - Cell 3
36Martin Fanger* (Swi) Giant Swiss Team34Row 35 - Cell 3
37Oliver Beckingsale (GBr) Giant Factory Team32Row 36 - Cell 3
38Fabian Giger (Swi) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team30Row 37 - Cell 3
39Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher29Row 38 - Cell 3
40Martino Fruet (Ita)28Row 39 - Cell 3
41Henk Jaap Moorlag* (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team27Row 40 - Cell 3
42Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Team New Cycling26Row 41 - Cell 3
43Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team25Row 42 - Cell 3
44Cristian Cominelli* (Ita) Tx Active Bianchi24Row 43 - Cell 3
45Giuseppe Lamastra (Ita) Hard Rock Frw A.S.D.23Row 44 - Cell 3
46Marc Colom (Fra)22Row 45 - Cell 3
47Patrik Gallati* (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing21Row 46 - Cell 3
48Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team20Row 47 - Cell 3
49Hannes Metzler (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team19Row 48 - Cell 3
50Liam Killeen (GBr)18Row 49 - Cell 3
51Piotr Brzozka* (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team17Row 50 - Cell 3
52Bas Peters (Ned) Team Merida Combee16Row 51 - Cell 3
53Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team15Row 52 - Cell 3
54Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team14Row 53 - Cell 3
55Sebastien Carabin* (Bel) Lingier-Versluys Team13Row 54 - Cell 3
56Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn)12Row 55 - Cell 3
57Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Torq Performance Nutrition11Row 56 - Cell 3
58Cédric Ravanel (Fra) Lapierre International10Row 57 - Cell 3
59Markus Bauer* (Ger)9Row 58 - Cell 3
60Irjan Luttenberg* (Ned) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team8Row 59 - Cell 3
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World Cup team standings after one round
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Orbea72pts
2Multivan Merida Biking Team64Row 1 - Cell 3
3Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing59Row 2 - Cell 3
4Cannondale Factory Racing58Row 3 - Cell 3
5Specialized Factory Racing52Row 4 - Cell 3
6Trek World Racing41Row 5 - Cell 3
7Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team30Row 6 - Cell 3
8Giant Italia Team20Row 7 - Cell 3
9Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo17Row 8 - Cell 3
10TX Active Bianchi16Row 9 - Cell 3
11Merida Biking Team15Row 10 - Cell 3
12Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team10Row 11 - Cell 3
13Elettroveneta-Corratec9Row 12 - Cell 3
14Topeak Ergon Racing Team7Row 13 - Cell 3
15Lapierre International5Row 14 - Cell 3
16Scott Les Saisies4Row 15 - Cell 3
17Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain3Row 16 - Cell 3
18MSC Bikes2Row 17 - Cell 3
19Subaru-Gary Fisher1Row 18 - Cell 3

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