Schurter seals World Cup with second place

The 2010 UCI cross country Mountain Bike World Cup concluded on Saturday in Windham, New York, and a new champion was crowned: Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower). Schurter had to settle for second place in the final race behind first time World Cup winner Jaroslav Kulhavy (Rubena-Birell-Specialized), who became the first Czech rider to win a World Cup cross country event.

"I was more conservative in the beginning, to preserve my third place [in the overall standings] from [Jose] Hermida," said Kulhavy. "But we dropped him, and I could see that I was riding the technical sections better than the others, so I was able to move up there.

"I tried to get by Nino before the downhill, but he beat me there, so I just had to wait for the right moment," he said. "This is an incredible win, the highest of my career, and it is very good timing, just before the world championships."

The 5.4-kilometre course was straightforward: a long climb followed by a quick descent. The riders zig-zagged their way up the climb, alternating open double track with loose, rocky and rooty single track, then descended through more of the same back to the start.

The six-lap race pitted Schurter against his season-long rival Julien Absalon (Orbea), the defending champion, with only 26 points separating the pair. Coming through the finish line at the end of the first lap, a group of five riders were at the front - Schurter, his teammate Florian Vogel, Burry Stander (Specialized), Manuel Fumic (Cannondale) and Martin Gujan (Cannondale). Absalon was just behind, having had a slightly slower start.

The race also saw the beginning of a flurry of flats and mechanicals, especially among the North Americans, with Geoff Kabush (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain), Adam Craig (Giant), Todd Wells (Specialized), Adam Morka and Peter Glassford (Toronto Trek Store) and Andrew Watson (Norco) all affected. Kabush pulled out after a very lengthy stop in the pits that dropped him to the back of the field.

However Absalon was the most significant, flatting on the second lap, having to run to the pits for service, and dropping to the high teens. There then became two races - the one at the front, and the one behind as Absalon tried to claw his way back into contention, working his way through the traffic of slower riders. He made a magnificent effort, turning in some of the fastest laps of the race, but could only move up as high as sixth by the finish.

Schurter and Vogel were the only consistent riders to stay at the front of the race, as they poured on the power to keep Absalon at bay. Stander, Gujan and Fumic eventually burned out, and were replaced by Christoph Sauser (Specialized), Lukas Flückiger (Trek World Racing) and Kulhavy, who joined the leaders on the fourth lap.

By the final lap, it was still these five, with Vogel doing the pace making. Kulhavy finally made his move just before the top of the climb, but Schurter immediately responded, taking the lead into the descent. Kulhavy then made a brilliant pass on the descent to take the lead. Sauser also managed to get by Schurter, but then crashed, allowing both Schurter and Vogel to pass as Kulhavy extended his lead. This would be the final order, with Schurter taking second, Vogel third and Sauser fourth. Flückiger held off Absalon by 26 seconds for the final podium spot.

Schurter took the overall title with 1136 points, followed by Absalon at 1040 and Kulhavy, also at 1040 points. Absalon got the nod for second, but it took some calculating: they both had one win, but Absalon had two second places results to Kuhavy's one making it a very tight finish to the season. Vogel jumped from sixth to fourth overall and Jose Hermida (Multivan Merida) took the fifth and final podium spot.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Rubena-Birell-Specialized Cycling Team1:39:28
2Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing0:00:14
3Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing0:00:15
4Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized Factory Racing0:00:17
5Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing0:00:44
6Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea0:01:11
7José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:01:19
8Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Factory Racing0:01:57
9Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing0:02:31
10Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo0:02:41
11Martin Gujan (Swi) Cannondale Factory Racing0:02:49
12Liam Killeen (GBr)0:02:54
13Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing0:03:15
14Cédric Ravanel (Fra) Lapierre International0:03:56
15Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team0:04:20
16Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa) Orbea0:04:38
17Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour0:04:49
18Mathias Flückiger* (Swi) Trek World Racing0:04:58
19Ralph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:05:42
20Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa) Orbea0:06:24
21Patrik Gallati* (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing0:06:34
22Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru-Trek0:06:47
23Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Giant Italia Team0:06:51
24Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Factory Racing0:07:05
25Umberto Corti (Ita) Team Cbe Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.0:07:23
26Jukka Vastaranta (Fin) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team0:07:24
27Alexis Vuillermoz* (Fra) Lapierre International0:07:33
28Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) MSC Bikes0:07:46
29Fabian Giger (Swi) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team0:08:08
30Henk Jaap Moorlag* (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team0:08:14
31Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team0:08:28
32Magnus Darvell (Swe)0:08:37
33Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:08:56
34Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team0:09:21
35Jelmer Jubbega* (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team0:09:29
36Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:09:34
37Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn)0:10:08
38Matthew Hadley (Can)0:10:29
39Oliver Beckingsale (GBr) Giant Factory Team0:10:32
40Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi0:10:38
41Derek Zandstra (Can)0:10:52
42Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Trek0:10:58
43Adam Craig (USA) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team0:11:06
44Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team0:11:12
45Moritz Milatz (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:11:21
46Jan Skarnitzl (Cze)0:11:28
47Michael Broderick (USA)0:11:41
48Robert Mennen (Ger)0:12:07
49Martin Loo* (Est) Infotre - Leecougan0:12:10
50David Fletcher* (GBr)0:12:54
51Hannes Metzler (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team0:12:56
52Lachlan Norris (Aus)0:12:59
53Carl Decker (USA) Giant Factory Team0:13:13
54Spencer Paxson (USA)0:13:36
55Rotem Ishai (Isr)0:14:12
56Cameron Jette (Can)0:14:41
57Kyosuke Takei (Jpn)0:14:52
58Troy Wells (USA)0:15:17
-1lapFabian Strecker* (Ger)Row 58 - Cell 2
-1lapMichael Northcott (NZl)Row 59 - Cell 2
-1lapFelix Euteneuer* (Ger)Row 60 - Cell 2
-1lapPierre Lebreton (Fra) BH-SuntourRow 61 - Cell 2
-1lapEric Batty (Can)Row 62 - Cell 2
-1lapEmil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank-Giant Offroad TeamRow 63 - Cell 2
-1lapZhen Wang* (Chn)Row 64 - Cell 2
-1lapBenjamin Buchi* (Swi)Row 65 - Cell 2
-1lapStephen Ettinger* (USA)Row 66 - Cell 2
-1lapJianhua Ji (Chn)Row 67 - Cell 2
-1lapKarl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic TeamRow 68 - Cell 2
-1lapAndy Eyring* (Ger)Row 69 - Cell 2
-1lapPeter Glassford (Can)Row 70 - Cell 2
-1lapMichael Mccalla (USA)Row 71 - Cell 2
-1lapCarl Jones* (NZl)Row 72 - Cell 2
-1lapFélix Cote* (Can)Row 73 - Cell 2
-1lapBryan Alders (USA)Row 74 - Cell 2
-1lapMitch Hoke* (USA)Row 75 - Cell 2
-2lapsJack Hinkens* (USA)Row 76 - Cell 2
-2lapsPete Ostroski* (USA)Row 77 - Cell 2
-2lapsThomas Sampson* (USA)Row 78 - Cell 2
-2lapsZsolt Juhasz* (Hun) Euro One-Cube MTB TeamRow 79 - Cell 2
-2lapsMarkus Bauer* (Ger)Row 80 - Cell 2
-2lapsYu Takenouchi* (Jpn)Row 81 - Cell 2
-2lapsKerry Werner* (USA)Row 82 - Cell 2
-2lapsRussell Finsterwald* (USA) Subaru-TrekRow 83 - Cell 2
-2lapsSeamus Powell* (USA)Row 84 - Cell 2
-2lapsRyan Atkins (Can)Row 85 - Cell 2
-2lapsEthan Gilmour* (USA)Row 86 - Cell 2
-3lapsStuart Houltham (NZl)Row 87 - Cell 2
-3lapsScott Green* (NZl)Row 88 - Cell 2
-3lapsAdam Morka (Can)Row 89 - Cell 2
-3lapsRobbie Squire* (USA)Row 90 - Cell 2
-3lapsEudaldo Asencio Rosario (PuR)Row 91 - Cell 2
-3lapsCal Britten* (Aus)Row 92 - Cell 2
-3lapsAdrian Retief* (NZl)Row 93 - Cell 2
-3lapsAndy Schultz (USA)Row 94 - Cell 2
-3lapsAlex Ryan* (USA)Row 95 - Cell 2
DNFZachary Hughes* (Can)Row 96 - Cell 2
DNFNicolas Jeantet* (Ita) ISD Cycling TeamRow 97 - Cell 2
DNFGeoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky MountainRow 98 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Snyder (USA)Row 99 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Watson (Can)Row 100 - Cell 2
DNFZhiqiang Duan (Chn)Row 101 - Cell 2
DNSMattias Wengelin* (Swe) Team Firebike-DroessigerRow 102 - Cell 2
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Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing77pts
2Specialized Factory Racing60Row 1 - Cell 3
3Cannondale Factory Racing60Row 2 - Cell 3
4Orbea52Row 3 - Cell 3
5Trek World Racing41Row 4 - Cell 3
6Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team40Row 5 - Cell 3
7Multivan Merida Biking Team36Row 6 - Cell 3
8Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo21Row 7 - Cell 3
9Lapierre International21Row 8 - Cell 3
10JBG-2 Professional MTB Team16Row 9 - Cell 3
11BH-Suntour14Row 10 - Cell 3
12Subaru-Gary Fisher9Row 11 - Cell 3
13Giant Italia Team8Row 12 - Cell 3
14Team CBE Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.6Row 13 - Cell 3
15Trek-Brentjens Mountain Bike Racing Team5Row 14 - Cell 3
16MSC Bikes3Row 15 - Cell 3
17Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team3Row 16 - Cell 3
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Final World Cup individual standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing1136pts
2Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea1040Row 1 - Cell 3
3Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team1040Row 2 - Cell 3
4Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing795Row 3 - Cell 3
5José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team795Row 4 - Cell 3
6Mathias Flückiger* (Swi) Trek World Racing710Row 5 - Cell 3
7Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized Factory Racing590Row 6 - Cell 3
8Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing570Row 7 - Cell 3
9Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Factory Racing567Row 8 - Cell 3
10Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa) Orbea494Row 9 - Cell 3
11Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing489Row 10 - Cell 3
12Ralph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team488Row 11 - Cell 3
13Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo429Row 12 - Cell 3
14Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team384Row 13 - Cell 3
15Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi372Row 14 - Cell 3
16Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing368Row 15 - Cell 3
17Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour354Row 16 - Cell 3
18Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Giant Italia Team342Row 17 - Cell 3
19Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Factory Racing341Row 18 - Cell 3
20Fabian Giger (Swi) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team332Row 19 - Cell 3
21Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) MSC Bikes322Row 20 - Cell 3
22Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa) Orbea321Row 21 - Cell 3
23Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team318Row 22 - Cell 3
24Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team300Row 23 - Cell 3
25Moritz Milatz (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team287Row 24 - Cell 3
26Martin Gujan (Swi) Cannondale Factory Racing286Row 25 - Cell 3
27Cédric Ravanel (Fra) Lapierre International278Row 26 - Cell 3
28Henk Jaap Moorlag* (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team269Row 27 - Cell 3
29Alexis Vuillermoz* (Fra) Lapierre International263Row 28 - Cell 3
30Roel Paulissen (Bel) Cannondale Factory Racing229Row 29 - Cell 3
31Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain228Row 30 - Cell 3
32Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher203Row 31 - Cell 3
33Martin Fanger* (Swi) Giant Swiss Team202Row 32 - Cell 3
34Jan Skarnitzl (Cze)198Row 33 - Cell 3
35Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Team New Cycling198Row 34 - Cell 3
36Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher185Row 35 - Cell 3
37Patrik Gallati* (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing183Row 36 - Cell 3
38Tony Longo (Ita)182Row 37 - Cell 3
39Adam Craig (USA) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team175Row 38 - Cell 3
40Marek Konwa* (Pol) Elettroveneta-Corratec172Row 39 - Cell 3
41Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team165Row 40 - Cell 3
42Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Trek-Brentjens Mountain Bike Racing Team160Row 41 - Cell 3
43Thomas Litscher* (Swi) M.I.G. Team152Row 42 - Cell 3
44Christoph Soukup (Aut) Merida Biking Team148Row 43 - Cell 3
45Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team143Row 44 - Cell 3
46Robert Mennen (Ger)138Row 45 - Cell 3
47François Bailly Maitre (Fra) Scott Les Saisies136Row 46 - Cell 3
48Sven Nys (Bel)132Row 47 - Cell 3
49Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team132Row 48 - Cell 3
50Liam Killeen (GBr)130Row 49 - Cell 3
51Umberto Corti (Ita) Team CBE Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.118Row 50 - Cell 3
52Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn)114Row 51 - Cell 3
53Oliver Beckingsale (GBr) Giant Factory Team114Row 52 - Cell 3
54Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team113Row 53 - Cell 3
55Derek Zandstra (Can)113Row 54 - Cell 3
56Jelmer Jubbega* (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team109Row 55 - Cell 3
57Martino Fruet (Ita)108Row 56 - Cell 3
58Johnny Cattaneo (Ita)102Row 57 - Cell 3
59Jukka Vastaranta (Fin) Trek-Brentjens Mountain Bike Racing Team102Row 58 - Cell 3
60Bas Peters (Ned) Team Merida Combee102Row 59 - Cell 3
61Nicola Rohrbach (Swi)96Row 60 - Cell 3
62Gerhard Kerschbaumer* (Ita)88Row 61 - Cell 3
63Magnus Darvell (Swe)77Row 62 - Cell 3
64Niels Wubben* (Ned) Team Merida Combee75Row 63 - Cell 3
65Hannes Metzler (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team75Row 64 - Cell 3
66Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra)70Row 65 - Cell 3
67Pascal Meyer* (Swi) M.I.G. Team63Row 66 - Cell 3
68Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing62Row 67 - Cell 3
69Fabien Canal* (Fra) Keops ITWO54Row 68 - Cell 3
70Marc Colom (Fra)52Row 69 - Cell 3
71Filip Eberl (Cze)49Row 70 - Cell 3
72Lukas Kaufmann (Swi) Trek-Brentjens Mountain Bike Racing Team49Row 71 - Cell 3
73Frank Schotman (Ned) Stappenbelt Specialized MTB Team48Row 72 - Cell 3
74Alexander Gehbauer* (Aut)48Row 73 - Cell 3
75Michael Broderick (USA)47Row 74 - Cell 3
76Giuseppe Lamastra (Ita) Hard Rock FRW A.S.D.46Row 75 - Cell 3
77Alexey Medvedev (Rus) Elettroveneta-Corratec44Row 76 - Cell 3
78Marco Minnaard* (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team40Row 77 - Cell 3
79Milan Spesny (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team38Row 78 - Cell 3
80Piotr Brzozka* (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team37Row 79 - Cell 3
81Cristian Cominelli* (Ita) TX Active Bianchi34Row 80 - Cell 3
82Christof Bischof (Swi)33Row 81 - Cell 3
83Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Surfing Shop32Row 82 - Cell 3
84Matthew Hadley (Can)30Row 83 - Cell 3
85Robert Gehbauer (Aut)29Row 84 - Cell 3
86Sebastien Carabin* (Bel) Lingier-Versluys Team28Row 85 - Cell 3
87Alban Lakata (Aut) Topeak Ergon Racing Team27Row 86 - Cell 3
88Sergji Rysenko (Ukr) ISD Cycling Team26Row 87 - Cell 3
89Lachlan Norris (Aus)24Row 88 - Cell 3
90Jiri Novak (Cze)22Row 89 - Cell 3
91Guillaume Vinit (Fra) BH-Suntour21Row 90 - Cell 3
92Balz Weber (Swi)20Row 91 - Cell 3
93Martin Loo* (Est) Infotre - Leecougan19Row 92 - Cell 3
94Sepp Freiburghaus (Swi) Thoemus Racing Team19Row 93 - Cell 3
95David Fletcher* (GBr)18Row 94 - Cell 3
96Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Lingier-Versluys Team18Row 95 - Cell 3
97Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team17Row 96 - Cell 3
98Carl Decker (USA) Giant Factory Team15Row 97 - Cell 3
99Bjorn Brems (Bel) G-Skin-Deforche MTB Racing Team15Row 98 - Cell 3
100Spencer Paxson (USA)14Row 99 - Cell 3
101Rubens Valeriano (Bra)14Row 100 - Cell 3
102Matthias Rupp* (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing14Row 101 - Cell 3
103Rotem Ishai (Isr)13Row 102 - Cell 3
104Jiri Friedl (Cze) Merida Biking Team13Row 103 - Cell 3
105Cameron Jette (Can)12Row 104 - Cell 3
106Rene Tann (Ger)12Row 105 - Cell 3
107Michele Casagrande (Ita) Elettroveneta-Corratec12Row 106 - Cell 3
108Kyosuke Takei (Jpn)11Row 107 - Cell 3
109Severin Disch* (Swi) Giant Swiss Team11Row 108 - Cell 3
110Maxim Gogolev (Rus)11Row 109 - Cell 3
111Sebastian Szraucner (Ger)11Row 110 - Cell 3
112Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Torq Performance Nutrition11Row 111 - Cell 3
113Troy Wells (USA)10Row 112 - Cell 3
114Andrew Watson (Can)10Row 113 - Cell 3
115Fabian Strecker* (Ger)9Row 114 - Cell 3
116Thomas Lapeyrie* (Fra) Scott Les Saisies9Row 115 - Cell 3
117David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por)9Row 116 - Cell 3
118Markus Bauer* (Ger)9Row 117 - Cell 3
119Michael Northcott (NZl)8Row 118 - Cell 3
120Irjan Luttenberg* (Ned) Trek-Brentjens Mountain Bike Racing Team8Row 119 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Final World Cup team standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Multivan Merida Biking Team374pts
2Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing359Row 1 - Cell 3
3Orbea335Row 2 - Cell 3
4Specialized Factory Racing286Row 3 - Cell 3
5Cannondale Factory Racing261Row 4 - Cell 3
6Trek World Racing243Row 5 - Cell 3
7Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team193Row 6 - Cell 3
8Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team107Row 7 - Cell 3
9Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo91Row 8 - Cell 3
10Lapierre International87Row 9 - Cell 3
11TX Active Bianchi66Row 10 - Cell 3
12Topeak Ergon Racing Team61Row 11 - Cell 3
13Giant Italia Team58Row 12 - Cell 3
14BH-Suntour57Row 13 - Cell 3
15MSC Bikes45Row 14 - Cell 3
16Merida Biking Team30Row 15 - Cell 3
17Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain29Row 16 - Cell 3
18M.I.G. Team27Row 17 - Cell 3
19Subaru-Gary Fisher26Row 18 - Cell 3
20Giant Swiss Team25Row 19 - Cell 3
21Elettroveneta-Corratec20Row 20 - Cell 3
22JBG-2 Professional MTB Team16Row 21 - Cell 3
23Scott Les Saisies11Row 22 - Cell 3
24Team CBE Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.7Row 23 - Cell 3
25Team New Cycling7Row 24 - Cell 3
26Trek-Brentjens Mountain Bike Racing Team5Row 25 - Cell 3
27Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team5Row 26 - Cell 3
28S&H Superior MTB Team4Row 27 - Cell 3
29Team Merida Combee3Row 28 - Cell 3

Race notes

Nino Schurter raced in the world champion's rainbow stripes rather than the World Cup leader's jersey, a big no-no, for which he received a substantial 5000 Swiss Franc ($4865 US) fine. Team director Thomas Frischknecht claimed that the leader's jersey he had been provided with was too small to race in. Frischknecht also pointed to Julien Absalon as the source of the protest that saw Schurter fined, sending out an inflammatory e-mail:

Julien was at all times a great sportsmen when I raced against him and after too. I did not only respect him for his great results, I liked him as a person as well. Now he showed his real face of a sorry loser. Nino beat him over the whole season fair and square. A wrong jersey does not change the fact that Nino was better in 2010.

When I raced against the French armada with Martinez, Dupouey, Chiotti and Absalon I had to live with a second place many times. Sometimes even under special circumstances [when Chiotti won the world title and later admitted to doping]. But I tried to be a fair loser. A champion, and as such I counted Julien up ‘til today, also is a champion in losing.

Sorry Julien. I don't know what you were thinking!

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