Kulhavy wins elite men's cross country at Hafjell World Cup

Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized Racing) won the elite men's cross country World Cup in Hafjell, Norway on Saturday afternoon. He triumphed in the two-man battle with Nino Schurter (Scott Swisspower) for the top spot on the podium. Manuel Fumic (Cannondale), Mathias Flueckiger (Stockli) and Marco Fontana (Cannondale) rounded out the top five.

It was Kulhavy's first World Cup win of the season and his first since 2011. The Czech rider showed good form at Worlds two weeks ago, but didn't have great luck there after an otherwise lackluster season.

"It's amazing because I had a crazy season. This is the last race and I'm back in my old shape," said Kulhavy. "It's important for me for going into the winter time. It was a nice fight with Nino - I'm very happy. I don't know who is best, maybe me."

The race was largely between Schurter and Kulhavy. In the early laps of the eight-lap race, a few other riders took turns joining them, including Marco Fontana (Cannondale), Ondrej Cink (Multivan Merida) and Mathias Flueckiger (Stockli).

The race was absent Schurter's usual rival, Julien Absalon (BMC), who did not start after breaking his ribs at the world championships. Schurter had already won the World Cup mathematically, with the absence of Absalon, but Kulhavy, the Olympic champion and 2011 World Cup champion, stepped up in this last race of the year to show the form that previously made him unstoppable.

The men raced on what was a rough course. Schurter and Kulhavy were joined at the front in the opening laps by Cink and Fontana, with Fumic and Flueckiger chasing up through the field to join the leaders by the halfway mark.

"It was a hard course. It was bumpy and rocky and there were a lot of sharp stones, which meant a big chance of a flat tire. It was a good course for my full suspension," said Kulhavy. "I look forward to next year and the world championships that will be here."

With two laps to go, Schurter turned on the afterburners and decisively opened a permanent gap on everyone but Kulhavy. The two came through the start/finish together with one to go. Neither of the leaders could crack the other, with Schurter stronger in the technical sections, and Kulhavy showing power on the climbs.

Schurter had seemed to be saving something during most of the race. He strategically stayed near the front and answered all the attacks. During the first half of the last lap, Schurter and Kulhavy traded leads, each attacking the other to get the coveted front spot, but on the final big climb, Kulhavy powered around Schurter for good. The world champion was unable to answer the Olympic champion's attack.

Fumic dropped Fluckiger in the last lap to take third.

Schurter was happy to bask in the glory of the World Cup overall win, just two weeks after re-staking his claim on the rainbow jersey for another year.

"I'm really not disappointed. After Worlds, it's hard to stay focused and to work hard again. I'm super happy about the second place," said Schurter. "It was a nice battle with Jaro. I had a little bit of a flashback to the Olympics. I was sad that Absalon wasn't here - it's always good to race him. But the chance to win a World Cup is always enough motivation."

"It's an awesome feeling to win the world champs and win the World Cup," said Schurter. "It's the perfect season for me. The world championships is maybe the bigger victory because you get to wear the rainbow jersey all year, but the World Cup, you have to do well all season to win it.

While Schurter had locked up the title prior to the race, there was a battle for the remaining top spots, with round one winner Daniel McConnell (Trek Factory) finishing seventh and taking second place overall from the absent Absalon, who dropped to third, while Kulhavy climbed from seventh to fourth with his win.

Race note

Lukas Flueckiger, brother of Mathias, did not start due to broken ribs sustained in a crash at the world championships.

Full Results

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Elite men cross country
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing XC1:36:19
2Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team0:00:07
3Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing0:01:34
4Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team0:01:46
5Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing0:02:07
6Matthias Wengelin (Swe)0:02:17
7Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing0:02:28
8Ondrej Cink (Cze) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:02:38
9Miguel Martinez (Fra)0:02:46
10Fabian Giger (Swi) Giant Pro XC Team0:03:02
11Emil Lindgren (Swe) Giant Pro XC Team0:03:21
12Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team0:03:31
13Gerhard Kerschbaumer* (Ita) TX Active Bianchi0:04:01
14José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:04:18
15Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Sram Rubena Trek0:04:47
16Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:04:53
17Ralph Naef (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:05:21
18Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized Racing XC0:05:37
19Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Focus XC Team0:05:49
20Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - KMC0:07:01
21Karl Markt (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team0:07:18
22Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Team Bulls0:07:34
23Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Controltech Nevi0:07:39
24Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team0:07:51
25Markus Bauer (Ger)0:08:24
26Piotr Brzozka (Pol) Jbg - 2 Professional MTB Team0:08:39
27Michal Lami (Svk)0:08:48
28Calle Friberg (Swe)0:09:06
29Shlomi Haimy (Isr) Focus XC Team0:09:16
30David Valero (Spa)0:09:24
31Martin Fanger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:09:36
32Marek Konwa (Pol) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team0:09:47
33Stéphane Tempier (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - KMC0:10:00
34Hans Becking (Ned) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team0:10:31
35Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) Wild Wolf Trek Pro Racing0:11:04
36Daniel Eymann (Swi)0:11:17
37Sergji Rysenko (Ukr) Cycling Club Roma MTB Team0:11:29
38Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:12:04
39Fabian Rabensteiner (Ita) Focus XC Italy Team0:12:19
-1lapPierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra)Row 39 - Cell 2
-1lapKornel Osicki (Pol)Row 40 - Cell 2
-1lapSimon Scheiber (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
-1lapPhilip Buys (RSA)Row 42 - Cell 2
-1lapFrank Beemer (Ned) Mpl Specialized MTB TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
-1lapRobby De Bock (Bel) Feenstra Felt Powered By KendaRow 44 - Cell 2
-1lapDavid Fletcher (GBr) Orange Monkey Pro TeamRow 45 - Cell 2
-2lapsBenjamin Wittrup Justesen (Den)Row 46 - Cell 2
-2lapsFredrik Edin (Swe)Row 47 - Cell 2
-2lapsGerrit Rosenkranz (Ger)Row 48 - Cell 2
-2lapsAndy Eyring (Ger)Row 49 - Cell 2
-2lapsIvan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Elettroveneta-CorratecRow 50 - Cell 2
-2lapsOla Kjören (Nor) Team Herbalife 24 RaumerrittetRow 51 - Cell 2
-2lapsJiri Novak (Cze) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing TeamRow 52 - Cell 2
-2lapsHamish Batchelor (GBr)Row 53 - Cell 2
-2lapsGareth Montgomerie (GBr)Row 54 - Cell 2
-2lapsPavel Priadein (Rus)Row 55 - Cell 2
-3lapsMichael Broderick (USA)Row 56 - Cell 2
-3lapsBrice Scholtes (Bel) Team Merida Wallonie MTBRow 57 - Cell 2
-3lapsZdenek Vobecky (Cze)Row 58 - Cell 2
-3lapsHenrik Kippernes (Nor)Row 59 - Cell 2
-4lapsJohan J. Stroemberg (Nor)Row 60 - Cell 2
-4lapsTomasz Drozdz (Pol) Jbg - 2 Professional MTB TeamRow 61 - Cell 2
-4lapsSebastien Carabin (Bel) Team Merida Wallonie MTBRow 62 - Cell 2
-4lapsJonas De Backer (Bel)Row 63 - Cell 2
-5lapsSimon Qvortrup (Den)Row 64 - Cell 2
-6lapsGeorge-Vlad Sabau (Rom)Row 65 - Cell 2
DNFSergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Wild Wolf Trek Pro RacingRow 66 - Cell 2
DNFNicola Rohrbach (Swi) Goldwurst-Power / StöckliRow 67 - Cell 2
DNFFredrik Ericsson (Swe)Row 68 - Cell 2
DNFCatriel Andres Soto (Arg) Wild Wolf Trek Pro RacingRow 69 - Cell 2
DNFGiancarlo Sax (Swi)Row 70 - Cell 2
DNFMartin Loo (Est) Merida Italia TeamRow 71 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Gehbauer (Aut) TX Active BianchiRow 72 - Cell 2
DNFKlaus Nielsen (Den)Row 73 - Cell 2
DNFErvins Smolins (Lat)Row 74 - Cell 2
DNFPatrik Gallati (Swi) Focus XC TeamRow 75 - Cell 2
DNFCasper Saltoft (Den)Row 76 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Federspiel (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
DNSLukas Flückiger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing TeamRow 78 - Cell 2
DNSTimofei Ivanov (Rus) Forward - UdmurtiaRow 79 - Cell 2
DNSSebastian Batchelor (GBr)Row 80 - Cell 2
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Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Cannondale Factory Racing60pts
2Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team54Row 1 - Cell 3
3Specialized Racing XC53Row 2 - Cell 3
4Giant Pro XC Team41Row 3 - Cell 3
5Multivan Merida Biking Team40Row 4 - Cell 3
6Stöckli Pro Team30Row 5 - Cell 3
7BMC Mountainbike Racing Team29Row 6 - Cell 3
8Trek Factory Racing24Row 7 - Cell 3
9TX Active Bianchi18Row 8 - Cell 3
10Sram Rubena Trek16Row 9 - Cell 3
11Focus XC Team14Row 10 - Cell 3
12BH - SR Suntour - KMC11Row 11 - Cell 3
13Ötztal Scott Racing Team10Row 12 - Cell 3
14Team Bulls9Row 13 - Cell 3
15Controltech Nevi8Row 14 - Cell 3
16Versluys Team7Row 15 - Cell 3
17Jbg - 2 Professional MTB Team5Row 16 - Cell 3
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Elite men cross country World Cup final standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Nino Schurter (Swi)1180pts
2Daniel Mcconnell (Aus)800Row 1 - Cell 3
3Julien Absalon (Fra)760Row 2 - Cell 3
4Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze)736Row 3 - Cell 3
5Ondrej Cink (Cze)705Row 4 - Cell 3
6Mathias Flückiger (Swi)643Row 5 - Cell 3
7Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita)616Row 6 - Cell 3
8Fabian Giger (Swi)555Row 7 - Cell 3
9Maxime Marotte (Fra)551Row 8 - Cell 3
10José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa)542Row 9 - Cell 3
11Lukas Flückiger (Swi)502Row 10 - Cell 3
12Stéphane Tempier (Fra)415Row 11 - Cell 3
13Florian Vogel (Swi)405Row 12 - Cell 3
14Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa)398Row 13 - Cell 3
15Thomas Litscher (Swi)374Row 14 - Cell 3
16Gerhard Kerschbaumer* (Ita)373Row 15 - Cell 3
17Max Plaxton (Can)360Row 16 - Cell 3
18Manuel Fumic (Ger)350Row 17 - Cell 3
19Martin Fanger (Swi)349Row 18 - Cell 3
20Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn)344Row 19 - Cell 3
21Rudi Van Houts (Ned)340Row 20 - Cell 3
22Ralph Naef (Swi)338Row 21 - Cell 3
23Miguel Martinez (Fra)305Row 22 - Cell 3
24Emil Lindgren (Swe)300Row 23 - Cell 3
25Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut)298Row 24 - Cell 3
26Jan Skarnitzl (Cze)295Row 25 - Cell 3
27Geoff Kabush (Can)293Row 26 - Cell 3
28Andrea Tiberi (Ita)286Row 27 - Cell 3
29Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel)284Row 28 - Cell 3
30Martin Loo (Est)284Row 29 - Cell 3
31Alexander Gehbauer (Aut)282Row 30 - Cell 3
32Martin Gujan (Swi)271Row 31 - Cell 3
33Nicola Rohrbach (Swi)226Row 32 - Cell 3
34Marcel Wildhaber (Swi)225Row 33 - Cell 3
35Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned)215Row 34 - Cell 3
36Marek Konwa (Pol)213Row 35 - Cell 3
37Moritz Milatz (Ger)210Row 36 - Cell 3
38Shlomi Haimy (Isr)171Row 37 - Cell 3
39Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa)167Row 38 - Cell 3
40Wolfram Kurschat (Ger)158Row 39 - Cell 3
41Matthias Wengelin (Swe)154Row 40 - Cell 3
42Sergji Rysenko (Ukr)148Row 41 - Cell 3
43Derek Zandstra (Can)146Row 42 - Cell 3
44Michal Lami (Svk)144Row 43 - Cell 3
45Jiri Novak (Cze)144Row 44 - Cell 3
46Karl Markt (Aut)142Row 45 - Cell 3
47Andras Parti (Hun)134Row 46 - Cell 3
48Hans Becking (Ned)123Row 47 - Cell 3
49Simon Stiebjahn (Ger)121Row 48 - Cell 3
50Jürg Graf (Swi)106Row 49 - Cell 3
51Fabien Canal (Fra)104Row 50 - Cell 3
52Sebastien Carabin (Bel)102Row 51 - Cell 3
53Henrique Avancini (Bra)94Row 52 - Cell 3
54Patrik Gallati (Swi)94Row 53 - Cell 3
55David Valero (Spa)90Row 54 - Cell 3
56David Fletcher (GBr)86Row 55 - Cell 3
57Daniel Eymann (Swi)85Row 56 - Cell 3
58Markus Bauer (Ger)81Row 57 - Cell 3
59Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra)79Row 58 - Cell 3
60Paolo Cesar Montoya Cantillo (CRc)78Row 59 - Cell 3
61David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por)70Row 60 - Cell 3
62Raphael Gagne (Can)70Row 61 - Cell 3
63Stephen Ettinger (USA)66Row 62 - Cell 3
64Anton Sintsov (Rus)66Row 63 - Cell 3
65Zsolt Juhasz (Hun)62Row 64 - Cell 3
66Michele Casagrande (Ita)61Row 65 - Cell 3
67Kornel Osicki (Pol)59Row 66 - Cell 3
68Robby De Bock (Bel)59Row 67 - Cell 3
69Mirko Tabacchi (Ita)56Row 68 - Cell 3
70Cameron Jette (Can)55Row 69 - Cell 3
71Sepp Freiburghaus (Swi)55Row 70 - Cell 3
72Philip Buys (RSA)55Row 71 - Cell 3
73Piotr Brzozka (Pol)54Row 72 - Cell 3
74Calle Friberg (Swe)50Row 73 - Cell 3
75Fabio Hernando Castaneda Monsalve (Col)50Row 74 - Cell 3
76Alban Lakata (Aut)50Row 75 - Cell 3
77Oleksandr Gerashchenko (Ukr)48Row 76 - Cell 3
78Mitchell Hoke (USA)47Row 77 - Cell 3
79Jochen Kass (Ger)46Row 78 - Cell 3
80Giancarlo Sax (Swi)46Row 79 - Cell 3
81Frank Beemer (Ned)44Row 80 - Cell 3
82Pascal Meyer (Swi)43Row 81 - Cell 3
83Catriel Andres Soto (Arg)43Row 82 - Cell 3
84Sherman De Paiva (Bra)42Row 83 - Cell 3
85Umberto Corti (Ita)42Row 84 - Cell 3
86Simon Scheiber (Aut)42Row 85 - Cell 3
87Lucien Besancon (Swi)42Row 86 - Cell 3
88Michael Broderick (USA)39Row 87 - Cell 3
89Hamish Batchelor (GBr)39Row 88 - Cell 3
90Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa)36Row 89 - Cell 3
91Filip Eberl (Cze)35Row 90 - Cell 3
92Andy Eyring (Ger)35Row 91 - Cell 3
93Rubens Valeriano (Bra)34Row 92 - Cell 3
94Jonas De Backer (Bel)32Row 93 - Cell 3
95Pavel Priadein (Rus)31Row 94 - Cell 3
96Ricardo Pscheidt (Bra)30Row 95 - Cell 3
97Alexis Chenevier (Fra)30Row 96 - Cell 3
98Matous Ulman (Cze)30Row 97 - Cell 3
99Fabian Rabensteiner (Ita)29Row 98 - Cell 3
100Sebastian Batchelor (GBr)29Row 99 - Cell 3
101Ramon Sagues Portabella (Spa)28Row 100 - Cell 3
102Andrew Watson (Can)26Row 101 - Cell 3
103Thomas Sampson (USA)24Row 102 - Cell 3
104Jean-Philippe Thibault-Roberge (Can)23Row 103 - Cell 3
105Christopher Hamlin (USA)22Row 104 - Cell 3
106Benjamin Wittrup Justesen (Den)21Row 105 - Cell 3
107Fredrik Edin (Swe)20Row 106 - Cell 3
108William Melone (USA)20Row 107 - Cell 3
109Gerrit Rosenkranz (Ger)19Row 108 - Cell 3
110Mathieu Belanger Barrette (Can)19Row 109 - Cell 3
111Mario Matijevic (Bel)18Row 110 - Cell 3
112Pavel Boudny (Cze)18Row 111 - Cell 3
113Filippo Barbieri (Bra)17Row 112 - Cell 3
114Cristofer Bosque Ruano (Spa)17Row 113 - Cell 3
115Todd Wells (USA)17Row 114 - Cell 3
116Ola Kjören (Nor)16Row 115 - Cell 3
117Francesc Guerra (Spa)15Row 116 - Cell 3
118Mykhaylo Batsutsa (Ukr)14Row 117 - Cell 3
119Carl Jones (NZl)14Row 118 - Cell 3
120Gareth Montgomerie (GBr)13Row 119 - Cell 3
121Ismael Ventura Sanchez (Spa)12Row 120 - Cell 3
122Marcel Fleschhut (Ger)11Row 121 - Cell 3
123Brice Scholtes (Bel)10Row 122 - Cell 3
124Ludovic Dubau (Fra)10Row 123 - Cell 3
125Tim Wynants (Bel)10Row 124 - Cell 3
126Zdenek Vobecky (Cze)9Row 125 - Cell 3
127Kristian Hynek (Cze)9Row 126 - Cell 3
128Henrik Kippernes (Nor)8Row 127 - Cell 3
129Dmytro Titarenko (Ukr)8Row 128 - Cell 3
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Teams World Cup final standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1BMC Mountainbike Racing Team364pts
2Multivan Merida Biking Team343Row 1 - Cell 3
3Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team297Row 2 - Cell 3
4Giant Pro XC Team208Row 3 - Cell 3
5Cannondale Factory Racing200Row 4 - Cell 3
6BH - SR Suntour - KMC187Row 5 - Cell 3
7Specialized Racing XC186Row 6 - Cell 3
8Trek Factory Racing151Row 7 - Cell 3
9TX Active Bianchi150Row 8 - Cell 3
10Stöckli Pro Team129Row 9 - Cell 3
11Wild Wolf Trek Pro Racing68Row 10 - Cell 3
12Scott-3Roxracing63Row 11 - Cell 3
13Controltech Nevi46Row 12 - Cell 3
14Sram Rubena Trek45Row 13 - Cell 3
15Merida Italia Team37Row 14 - Cell 3
16Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team35Row 15 - Cell 3
17Focus XC Team35Row 16 - Cell 3
18Versluys Team34Row 17 - Cell 3
19Goldwurst-Power / Stöckli25Row 18 - Cell 3
20Topeak Ergon Racing Team21Row 19 - Cell 3
21Cycling Club Roma MTB Team14Row 20 - Cell 3
22Elettroveneta-Corratec12Row 21 - Cell 3
23Titici Lgl International Team11Row 22 - Cell 3
24Ötztal Scott Racing Team10Row 23 - Cell 3
25Team Bulls9Row 24 - Cell 3
26Bsk Graf-Rollmat-Koba MTB Team9Row 25 - Cell 3
27Asptt Definitive Tec8Row 26 - Cell 3
28Jbg - 2 Professional MTB Team5Row 27 - Cell 3
29Caloi3Row 28 - Cell 3
30Waberer's Areus Cube MTB Team3Row 29 - Cell 3
31Isd MTB Team2Row 30 - Cell 3

 

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