Absalon back to winning ways in Houffalize

Julien Absalon (Orbea) scored a decisive victory at the second round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Houffalize, Belgium, letting all his rivals know that the two-time defending Olympic champion is on track for his title defence later this summer in London. Absalon's victory was his third at Houffalize.

"Houffalize is incredible, all the spectators, lots of fans from France and Belgium behind me, so maybe that is why I push like this," said Absalon. "I am really happy because it is always special to win in Houffalize."

Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower), the winner of round one last month in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, jumped out in front on the opening start lap, but Absalon bridged up to him on the first of five laps and then set the pace on all the remaining climbs as the duo distanced themselves from the rest of the field.

Initially, Schurter and Absalon were joined by Manuel Fumic (Cannondale), Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized) and Burry Stander (Specialized), but the others could not match the pace of the two top riders and fell back. 

Schurter was clearly riding the descents better, opening gaps every time, but Absalon would always close them. For Absalon, this was a problem - the final tricky descent before the paved finish straight was less than 200 metres from the line. Clearly, he had to drop Schurter before that last downhill.

"Nino was so fast on that last downhill," said Absalon. "I saw his line that he kept on taking, and after that I did the same (line). I knew there was no chance to win the sprint, because on that downhill he took maybe 20 metres each lap, so that is why I attacked before."

"I was feeling good, but I was thinking: 'Okay, I need to attack Nino before the last lap, because I know he is always strong on the last lap'. I knew there was no chance to win because I knew he is faster than me on the last downhill. So my tactic was to go before that, so I attacked on the climbs of the fifth lap."

Marco Fontana (Cannondale Factory) took third, just ahead of Burry Stander (Specialized).  Manuel Fumic (Cannondale) completed the podium in fifth place.

World champion Kulhavy had a tough day and fell back mid-race.  He started to feel better near the end and move back up, but a flat tire brought those efforts to a halt.

Schurter continues to lead the World Cup with 450 points, followed by Absalon at 400 points. Stander sits in third place with 350 points.

Full Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea Racing Team1:30:22
2Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team0:00:38
3Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing0:01:03
4Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Racing0:01:20
5Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing0:01:34
6Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team0:02:17
7Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi0:02:23
8Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra)0:02:34
9José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:02:38
10Fabian Giger (Swi) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team0:02:47
11Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Roxracing0:03:05
12Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing0:03:15
13Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing0:03:32
14Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry0:03:58
15Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:04:04
16Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team0:04:10
17Martin Gujan (Swi) Cannondale Factory Racing0:04:20
18Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:04:26
19Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized Racing0:04:28
20Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team0:04:34
21Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa) Orbea Racing Team0:05:03
22Thomas Litscher (Swi) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team0:05:06
23Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Rubena Auto-Mencik Specialized0:05:16
24Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing0:05:25
25Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Wildwolf - Trek Pro Racing0:05:32
26Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:05:36
27Tony Longo (Ita) TX Active Bianchi0:05:38
28Henk Jaap Moorlag* (Ned) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team0:05:42
29Liam Killeen (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team0:05:44
30Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized Racing0:05:46
31Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team0:05:53
32Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) Wildwolf - Trek Pro Racing0:06:05
33Sven Nys (Bel)0:06:20
34Marek Konwa* (Pol) Milka-Superior MTB Racing Team0:06:29
35Fabien Canal (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix0:06:34
36Stephen Ettinger (USA) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:06:37
37Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru - TrekRow 36 - Cell 2
38Jürg Graf (Swi) Bskgraf Rollmat-Koba MTB Team0:06:45
39Milan Spesny (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team0:06:51
40Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Roxracing0:06:57
41Jiri Novak (Cze)0:06:58
42Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Elettroveneta - Corratec0:07:06
43Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) Lapierre International0:07:16
44Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team0:07:21
45Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing0:07:22
46Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:07:24
47Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team0:07:44
48Chris Jongewaard (Aus) Milka-Superior MTB Racing Team0:07:53
49Robert Mennen (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team0:08:10
50Piotr Brzozka (Pol) JBG - 2 Professional MTB Team0:08:18
51Michele Casagrande (Ita) Elettroveneta - Corratec0:08:23
52Lachlan Norris (Aus) Giant Factory Off-Road Team0:08:25
53Patrik Gallati (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:08:37
54Alban Lakata (Aut) Topeak Ergon Racing Team0:08:39
55Cédric Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix0:08:42
56Umberto Corti (Ita) Team CBE Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.0:08:44
57Martino Fruet (Ita)0:08:52
58David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por)Row 57 - Cell 2
59Max Plaxton (Can)0:08:58
60Lukas Sablik (Cze) Rubena Auto-Mencik Specialized0:09:02
61Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Cannondale Factory Racing0:09:10
62Robby De Bock (Bel)0:09:17
63Daniel Mcconnell (Aus)0:09:21
64Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa) Orbea Racing Team0:09:27
65Christoph Soukup (Aut)0:09:28
66Martin Loo (Est) Hard Rock Canossa Merida0:09:38
67Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Wildwolf - Trek Pro Racing0:09:43
68Shlomi Haimy (Isr) Focus Mig TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
69Hannes Metzler (Aut)0:09:44
70Hans Becking (Ned) Milka-Superior MTB Racing Team0:10:02
71Kristian Hynek (Cze)0:10:08
72Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG - 2 Professional MTB Team0:10:09
73Marc Colom (Fra) Team Newcycling0:10:15
74Klaus Nielsen (Den)0:10:18
75Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team0:10:24
76Michal Lami (Svk)0:10:35
77Dariusz Batek (Pol)0:10:38
78Jérémy Huguenin (Swi) Giant Swiss Sr - Suntour0:10:51
79Sergji Rysenko (Ukr) ISD MTB Team0:11:02
80Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Lapierre International0:11:09
81Giancarlo Sax (Swi) Thoemus Racing Team0:11:19
82Magnus Darvell (Swe) Team Herbalife 24 Raumerrittet0:11:22
83Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru - Trek0:11:33
84Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Torpado Surfing Shop0:11:39
85Ola Kjören (Nor) Team Herbalife 24 Raumerrittet0:11:43
86Alexis Chenevier (Fra) Scott Les Saisies0:11:51
87Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona0:11:57
88Martin Fanger (Swi) Giant Swiss Sr - Suntour0:11:58
89Karl Platt (Ger) Team Bulls0:12:00
90Filip Eberl (Cze)0:12:04
91Cameron Jette (Can) Scott-3Roxracing0:12:05
92Andy Eyring (Ger)Row 91 - Cell 2
93Andras Parti (Hun)0:12:06
94David Fletcher (GBr) Orange Monkey-Cannondale0:12:21
95Tim Wynants (Bel) Milka Brentjens MTB Racing Team0:12:22
96Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team0:12:34
97Oliver Beckingsale (GBr)0:12:45
98Tiago Jorge Oliveira Ferreira (Por) Bi&Esse - Infotre Protek0:12:46
99Daniel Eymann (Swi) Thoemus Racing TeamRow 98 - Cell 2
100Frank Beemer (Ned)0:12:49
101Bjorn Brems (Bel)0:12:50
102Paul Van Der Ploeg (Aus) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team0:13:09
103Markus Bauer (Ger)0:13:25
104Irjan Luttenberg (Ned)0:13:41
105Ludovic Dubau (Fra) Team Newcycling0:13:48
106Periklis Ilias (Gre) Team Protek0:13:50
107Pascal Meyer (Swi)0:14:13
108Giuseppe Lamastra (Ita)0:14:15
109Simon Gegenheimer (Ger)0:14:19
110Fredrik Edin (Swe)0:14:20
111Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Versluys Team0:14:24
112Lee Williams (GBr)0:14:34
113Oleksandr Gerashchenko (Ukr) ISD MTB Team0:15:56
114Robert Gehbauer (Aut)0:16:55
-1lapOle Christian Fagerli (Nor) Team Herbalife 24 RaumerrittetRow 114 - Cell 2
-1lapSang Hoon Na (Kor)Row 115 - Cell 2
-1lapFrank Schotman (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB TeamRow 116 - Cell 2
-1lapTim Lemmers (Ned) Feenstra Stevens Bike TeamRow 117 - Cell 2
-1lapSeverin Disch (Swi) Thoemus Racing TeamRow 118 - Cell 2
-1lapDavy Huygens (Bel)Row 119 - Cell 2
-1lapSteffen Thum (Ger)Row 120 - Cell 2
-1lapPatrick Gaudy (Bel)Row 121 - Cell 2
-1lapJimmy Tielens (Bel)Row 122 - Cell 2
-1lapSeiya Hirano (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor Cycling TeamRow 123 - Cell 2
-1lapBenjamin Sonntag (Ger)Row 124 - Cell 2
-1lapPascal Hossay (Bel) Merida Wallonie Mountain Bike TeamRow 125 - Cell 2
-1lapMichael Broderick (USA)Row 126 - Cell 2
-1lapPaul Oldham (GBr)Row 127 - Cell 2
-1lapKazuhiro Yamamoto (Jpn)Row 128 - Cell 2
-1lapAdam Craig (USA) Rabobank Giant Offroad TeamRow 129 - Cell 2
-1lapSepp Freiburghaus (Swi) Thoemus Racing TeamRow 130 - Cell 2
-1lapRafal Alchimowiz (Pol)Row 131 - Cell 2
-2lapsMarios Athanasiadis (Cyp)Row 132 - Cell 2
-2lapsChristopher Maletz (Ger)Row 133 - Cell 2
-2lapsAbdulkadir Kelleci (Tur)Row 134 - Cell 2
-2lapsJonas Baumann (Swi) Wheeler - Ixs TeamRow 135 - Cell 2
-2lapsJohn Whittington (GBr)Row 136 - Cell 2
-2lapsMariusz Gil (Pol)Row 137 - Cell 2
-2lapsVitalii Zubchenko (Ukr) ISD MTB TeamRow 138 - Cell 2
-2lapsMarco Schätzing (Ger)Row 139 - Cell 2
-3lapsRuben Almeida (Por)Row 140 - Cell 2
-3lapsDennis Ebert (Ned)Row 141 - Cell 2
-3lapsMarc Metzler (Swi)Row 142 - Cell 2
-3lapsMatthias Waldhart (Aut)Row 143 - Cell 2
-3lapsBostjan Hribovsek (Slo)Row 144 - Cell 2
-3lapsGiorgos Fattas (Cyp)Row 145 - Cell 2
DNFNicola Rohrbach (Swi)Row 146 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Scheiber (Aut) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic TeamRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFRalph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking TeamRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFTomasz Drozdz (Pol) JBG - 2 Professional MTB TeamRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFWeisong Tong (Chn)Row 150 - Cell 2
DNFRafal Hebisz (Pol)Row 151 - Cell 2
DNFLukas Kaufmann (Swi) Team Fujibikes RocketsRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Collins (GBr)Row 153 - Cell 2
DNFMiha Halzer (Slo) Energijateam.ComRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFMatthias Wengelin (Swe) Team Herbalife 24 RaumerrittetRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFJorgen Flion (Bel)Row 156 - Cell 2
DNFPrzemyslaw Ebertowski (Pol)Row 157 - Cell 2
DNSDaniel Federspiel (Aut) Notebooksbilliger.De TeamRow 158 - Cell 2
DNSBrian Lopes (USA)Row 159 - Cell 2
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Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Cannondale Factory Racing74pts
2Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team61Row 1 - Cell 3
3Specialized Racing61Row 2 - Cell 3
4Orbea Racing Team50Row 3 - Cell 3
5Multivan Merida Biking Team43Row 4 - Cell 3
6Rabobank Giant Offroad Team35Row 5 - Cell 3
7TX Active Bianchi28Row 6 - Cell 3
8Trek World Racing25Row 7 - Cell 3
9Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team24Row 8 - Cell 3
10Scott-3Roxracing20Row 9 - Cell 3
11BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry17Row 10 - Cell 3
12BMC Mountainbike Racing Team13Row 11 - Cell 3
13Rubena Auto-Mencik Specialized8Row 12 - Cell 3
14Wildwolf - Trek Pro Racing6Row 13 - Cell 3
15Giant Factory Off-Road Team2Row 14 - Cell 3
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Elite men World Cup standings after two rounds
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team450pts
2Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea Racing Team400Row 1 - Cell 3
3Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Racing350Row 2 - Cell 3
4Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing300Row 3 - Cell 3
5Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing260Row 4 - Cell 3
6Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi230Row 5 - Cell 3
7Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing225Row 6 - Cell 3
8José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team220Row 7 - Cell 3
9Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing210Row 8 - Cell 3
10Fabian Giger (Swi) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team180Row 9 - Cell 3
11Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team160Row 10 - Cell 3
12Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry158Row 11 - Cell 3
13Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized Racing144Row 12 - Cell 3
14Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team142Row 13 - Cell 3
15Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra)139Row 14 - Cell 3
16Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa) Orbea Racing Team136Row 15 - Cell 3
17Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team130Row 16 - Cell 3
18Thomas Litscher (Swi) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team130Row 17 - Cell 3
19Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing128Row 18 - Cell 3
20Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team128Row 19 - Cell 3
21Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team124Row 20 - Cell 3
22Martin Gujan (Swi) Cannondale Factory Racing124Row 21 - Cell 3
23Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Roxracing122Row 22 - Cell 3
24Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) Wildwolf - Trek Pro Racing120Row 23 - Cell 3
25Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team118Row 24 - Cell 3
26Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized Racing106Row 25 - Cell 3
27Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Elettroveneta - Corratec100Row 26 - Cell 3
28Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Wildwolf - Trek Pro Racing98Row 27 - Cell 3
29Ralph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team95Row 28 - Cell 3
30Tony Longo (Ita) TX Active Bianchi88Row 29 - Cell 3
31Milan Spesny (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team83Row 30 - Cell 3
32Liam Killeen (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team82Row 31 - Cell 3
33Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Roxracing76Row 32 - Cell 3
34Fabien Canal (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix74Row 33 - Cell 3
35Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team68Row 34 - Cell 3
36Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team65Row 35 - Cell 3
37Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Rubena Auto-Mencik Specialized60Row 36 - Cell 3
38Daniel Mcconnell (Aus)58Row 37 - Cell 3
39Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru - Trek58Row 38 - Cell 3
40Marek Konwa* (Pol) Milka-Superior MTB Racing Team57Row 39 - Cell 3
41Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Wildwolf - Trek Pro Racing56Row 40 - Cell 3
42Stephen Ettinger (USA) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team56Row 41 - Cell 3
43Cédric Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix53Row 42 - Cell 3
44Henk Jaap Moorlag* (Ned) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team50Row 43 - Cell 3
45Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) Lapierre International49Row 44 - Cell 3
46Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team48Row 45 - Cell 3
47Martin Fanger (Swi) Giant Swiss Sr - Suntour46Row 46 - Cell 3
48Michele Casagrande (Ita) Elettroveneta - Corratec45Row 47 - Cell 3
49Piotr Brzozka (Pol) JBG - 2 Professional MTB Team41Row 48 - Cell 3
50Sven Nys (Bel)40Row 49 - Cell 3
51Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team40Row 50 - Cell 3
52Jürg Graf (Swi) Bskgraf Rollmat-Koba MTB Team38Row 51 - Cell 3
53Max Plaxton (Can)34Row 52 - Cell 3
54Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team30Row 53 - Cell 3
55Robert Mennen (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team30Row 54 - Cell 3
56Alban Lakata (Aut) Topeak Ergon Racing Team29Row 55 - Cell 3
57Jiri Novak (Cze)27Row 56 - Cell 3
58Patrik Gallati (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team24Row 57 - Cell 3
59Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing23Row 58 - Cell 3
60Chris Jongewaard (Aus) Milka-Superior MTB Racing Team20Row 59 - Cell 3
61Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG - 2 Professional MTB Team20Row 60 - Cell 3
62Philip Buys (RSA)17Row 61 - Cell 3
63Lachlan Norris (Aus) Giant Factory Off-Road Team16Row 62 - Cell 3
64Paul Van Der Ploeg (Aus) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team16Row 63 - Cell 3
65Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Torpado Surfing Shop14Row 64 - Cell 3
66Adam Craig (USA) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team13Row 65 - Cell 3
67Umberto Corti (Ita) Team CBE Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.12Row 66 - Cell 3
68Nicola Rohrbach (Swi)12Row 67 - Cell 3
69Martino Fruet (Ita)11Row 68 - Cell 3
70David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por)10Row 69 - Cell 3
71Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Versluys Team10Row 70 - Cell 3
72Lukas Sablik (Cze) Rubena Auto-Mencik Specialized8Row 71 - Cell 3
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Team World Cup standings after two rounds
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Specialized Racing140pts
2Cannondale Factory Racing132Row 1 - Cell 3
3Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team101Row 2 - Cell 3
4Multivan Merida Biking Team99Row 3 - Cell 3
5Orbea Racing Team94Row 4 - Cell 3
6Trek World Racing64Row 5 - Cell 3
7Rabobank Giant Offroad Team63Row 6 - Cell 3
8TX Active Bianchi51Row 7 - Cell 3
9Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team39Row 8 - Cell 3
10BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry35Row 9 - Cell 3
11BMC Mountainbike Racing Team33Row 10 - Cell 3
12Wildwolf - Trek Pro Racing29Row 11 - Cell 3
13Scott-3Roxracing22Row 12 - Cell 3
14Elettroveneta - Corratec15Row 13 - Cell 3
15Rubena Auto-Mencik Specialized8Row 14 - Cell 3
16S&H Superior MTB Team5Row 15 - Cell 3
17Giant Factory Off-Road Team2Row 16 - Cell 3
18Giant Swiss SR - Suntour1Row 17 - Cell 3

 

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