Schurter wins Nove Mesto cross country World Cup

One week after both Nino Schurter (Scott Swisspower) and Julien Absalon (BMC) had their worst World Cup performances in recent memory, the duo put on an incredible show in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic for round 2 of the cross country World Cup. After dropping all other contenders, the pair went wheel to wheel for the final laps, with Schurter besting his perennial rival by a slim three seconds to take both his second consecutive win in Nove Mesto, and the overall World Cup series lead.

Absalon's BMC teammate Lukas Flückiger held on for third place while Thomas Litscher (Multivan Merida) and Max Plaxton (Sho-Air/Cannondale) finished off the podium.

"I'm really happy about the victory," said Schurter, "because this is an awesome place to race. It suits me well, the climbs are not too long and the technical sections are good. Last week did not go so well, so it was a tough week coming here."

"I had a good start today, and felt really strong, so I'm happy to be back on top."

The men's seven-lap race got off to an explosive start, with a group of eight setting the pace. In addition to Schurter and Absalon, the group included Lukas Flückiger, Thomas Litscher (Multivan Merida), Emil Lindgren (Giant Pro XC), Ondrej Cink (Multivan Merida), Fabian Giger (Giant Pro XC) and the Olympic champion, and local favourite, Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized Factory).

However, this group soon began to splinter under the pace set by Schurter and Absalon. After the usual shuffling at the pointy end of the race, four leaders emerged: Schurter, Absalon, Lukas Flückiger and Stephane Tempier (BH-SR Suntour-KMC). Schurter did much of the pace setting.

Crashes took out several podium favorites, including last weekend's runner-up Sergio Mantecon (Wildwolf-Trek) who injured his knee and pulled out. Home crowd favorite Kulhavy, who seemed to be not quite as strong as Schurter and Absalon, went down hard on the rocks in a technical downhill section about halfway through the race.

Then on lap 4, Tempier, who was still with the lead group, crashed hard, clearly shaking himself up in the process. He quit the race and headed to the hospital for further examination.

That left Schurter, Absalon and Flückiger at the front to battle it out for the second half of the race. Finally, even Flückiger was shed leaving just Schurter and Absalon to fight it out, as they have so many times before.

Together, two Multivan Merida teammates, Ondrej Cink and Thomas Litscher chased the top three.

Schurter led much of the last two laps, but Absalon went to the front on the penultimate lap for a time. The effort seemed to cost him as on the final lap, Schurter was back in front and in the last half lap, he started to get a small gap on Absalon.

The French man never gave up - the margin was too small and as he knew from his own experience last weekend, anything can happen. But there would be no upsets as they approached the finish. Schurter had enough time to celebrate his victory, clearly a relief after his performance in Albstadt last weekend.

The world champion was riding the technical sections better than Absalon, and on the last lap finally began to open a few second gap, but his margin of victory was just three seconds after over 90 minutes of racing. Flückiger hung on for third, with Litscher fourth, and a late charge putting Canadian national champion Plaxton into fifth.

"I recognized that Julien was always losing a little bit on the downhill sections, so I tried to race at the front there and get little gaps that made him chase and get more tired," said Schurter.

Absalon, who had to drop out in the first round with mechanical problems while leading the race, said, "It was a really nice fight. I tried, but Nino was stronger today. He is stronger on the short steep climbs, so it was not possible for me to pass him. I lost a few seconds there on the last lap and so I could not catch him for a sprint."

The men's overall standings are also tied, with Schurter and round one winner Daniel McConnell (Trek Factory Racing) both at 320 points although Schurter gets to wear the Word Cup leader's jersey. Flückiger is third with 300 points, and Plaxton fourth at 260.

Full Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elite men cross country
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team1:39:33
2Julien Absalon (Fra) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:00:03
3Lukas Flückiger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:00:45
4Thomas Litscher (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:01:02
5Max Plaxton (Can)0:02:02
6Ondrej Cink (Cze) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:02:11
7Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Roxracing0:02:12
8Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team0:02:36
9Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing0:03:00
10Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - KMC0:03:05
11Fabian Giger (Swi) Giant Pro XC Team0:03:16
12Martin Fanger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:03:19
13Emil Lindgren (Swe) Giant Pro XC Team0:03:20
14Marek Konwa (Pol) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team0:03:41
15Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned) Giant Pro XC Team0:03:43
16Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:04:08
17Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized Racing XC0:04:14
18Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing0:04:29
19Martin Loo (Est) Merida Italia Team0:04:50
20Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Sram Rubena Trek0:05:10
21Martin Gujan (Swi) TX Active Bianchi0:05:31
22Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Controltech Nevi0:05:39
23Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) Goldwurst-Power / Stöckli0:05:43
24Alexander Gehbauer (Aut) TX Active Bianchi0:05:54
25Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team0:06:03
26Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing XC0:06:17
27Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Focus XC TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Alban Lakata (Aut) Topeak Ergon Racing Team0:06:25
29Oleksandr Gerashchenko (Ukr) ISD MTB Team0:06:35
30Jiri Novak (Cze) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team0:06:55
31Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Roxracing0:07:21
32Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:07:29
33Patrik Gallati (Swi) Focus XC Team0:07:31
34Michal Lami (Svk)0:07:47
35David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por)0:08:05
36Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team0:08:06
37Jonas De Backer (Bel)0:08:11
38Matous Ulman (Cze)0:08:13
39Giancarlo Sax (Swi)0:08:31
40Gerhard Kerschbaumer* (Ita) TX Active Bianchi0:08:42
41Shlomi Haimy (Isr) Focus XC Team0:08:49
42Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team0:08:55
43Andras Parti (Hun)0:09:01
44Matthias Wengelin (Swe)0:09:05
45Kornel Osicki (Pol)0:09:06
46Fabien Canal (Fra) Asptt Definitive Tec0:09:12
47Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Elettroveneta-Corratec0:09:13
48Raphael Gagne (Can)0:09:27
49Philip Buys (RSA)0:09:43
50Pavel Boudny (Cze)0:09:48
51Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing XC0:09:54
52Sergji Rysenko (Ukr) Cycling Club Roma MTB Team0:10:15
53Filip Eberl (Cze)0:10:42
54Umberto Corti (Ita) Controltech Nevi0:10:52
55Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Team Bulls0:10:59
56Daniel Eymann (Swi)Row 55 - Cell 2
57Hans Becking (Ned) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team0:11:11
58Ludovic Dubau (Fra) Newcycling0:11:20
59Kristian Hynek (Cze) Elettroveneta-Corratec0:11:34
60Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Wild Wolf Trek Pro Racing0:11:43
61Martino Fruet (Ita)0:11:56
62Cameron Jette (Can) Scott-3Roxracing0:12:49
63Carl Jones (NZl)0:12:58
-1lapLucien Besancon (Swi)Row 63 - Cell 2
-1lapFranz Hofer (Ita)Row 64 - Cell 2
-1lapPaolo Cesar Montoya Cantillo (CRc)Row 65 - Cell 2
-1lapRobert Wardell (GBr)Row 66 - Cell 2
-1lapOla Kjören (Nor) Team Herbalife 24 RaumerrittetRow 67 - Cell 2
-1lapMitchell Hoke (USA)Row 68 - Cell 2
-1lapGareth Montgomerie (GBr)Row 69 - Cell 2
-1lapPavel Priadein (Rus)Row 70 - Cell 2
-1lapTimofei Ivanov (Rus) Forward - UdmurtiaRow 71 - Cell 2
-1lapDavy Huygens (Bel)Row 72 - Cell 2
-1lapMartin Haring (Svk)Row 73 - Cell 2
-1lapCristofer Bosque Ruano (Spa)Row 74 - Cell 2
-1lapZsolt Juhasz (Hun)Row 75 - Cell 2
-1lapDmytro Titarenko (Ukr) ISD MTB TeamRow 76 - Cell 2
-2lapsDaniel Federspiel (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
-2lapsPascal Meyer (Swi) JB Felt TeamRow 78 - Cell 2
-2lapsLukas Sablik (Cze)Row 79 - Cell 2
-2lapsRenay Groustra (RSA)Row 80 - Cell 2
-2lapsPierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra)Row 81 - Cell 2
-2lapsMichael Broderick (USA)Row 82 - Cell 2
-2lapsRobby De Bock (Bel) Feenstra Felt Powered By KendaRow 83 - Cell 2
-2lapsMilan Barenyi (Svk)Row 84 - Cell 2
-2lapsRafal Alchimowiz (Pol)Row 85 - Cell 2
-2lapsDavid Escolar Ballesteros (Spa)Row 86 - Cell 2
-2lapsEvgeniy Pechenin (Rus) Forward - UdmurtiaRow 87 - Cell 2
-2lapsErik Groen (Ned) Feenstra Felt Powered By KendaRow 88 - Cell 2
-3lapsBrice Scholtes (Bel) Team Merida Wallonie MTBRow 89 - Cell 2
-3lapsChristopher Maletz (Ger)Row 90 - Cell 2
-3lapsMarcin Kawalec (Pol)Row 91 - Cell 2
-3lapsPeter Ostroski (USA)Row 92 - Cell 2
-3lapsKirill Kazantsev (Kaz)Row 93 - Cell 2
-3lapsTim Wynants (Bel) Toka Print MTB TeamRow 94 - Cell 2
-3lapsMykhaylo Batsutsa (Ukr) Cycling Club Roma MTB TeamRow 95 - Cell 2
-3lapsAntonio Guzman (Ven)Row 96 - Cell 2
-4lapsMatthias Grick (Aut)Row 97 - Cell 2
-4lapsPawel Wojczal (Pol)Row 98 - Cell 2
-4lapsAndy Eyring (Ger)Row 99 - Cell 2
-4lapsElisei Miron (Rom)Row 100 - Cell 2
-4lapsMario Matijevic (Bel)Row 101 - Cell 2
-4lapsAlexey Belokrylov (Rus) Forward - UdmurtiaRow 102 - Cell 2
-5lapsGeorge-Vlad Sabau (Rom)Row 103 - Cell 2
-5lapsBesik Gavasheli (Geo)Row 104 - Cell 2
-6lapsMarco Schätzing (Ger)Row 105 - Cell 2
DNFKarl Markt (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing TeamRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFJosé Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking TeamRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFStéphane Tempier (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - KMCRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFMilan Spesny (Cze)Row 109 - Cell 2
DNFSergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Wild Wolf Trek Pro RacingRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFIsmael Ventura Sanchez (Spa)Row 111 - Cell 2
DNFMichele Casagrande (Ita) Elettroveneta-CorratecRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFSepp Freiburghaus (Swi)Row 113 - Cell 2
DNFSebastien Carabin (Bel) Team Merida Wallonie MTBRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Scheiber (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing TeamRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFSang Hoon Na (Kor) Calvisson VttRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFColin Cares (USA)Row 117 - Cell 2
DSQMiguel Martinez (Fra)Row 118 - Cell 2
DNSFlorian Vogel (Swi) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing TeamRow 119 - Cell 2
DNSRalph Naef (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing TeamRow 120 - Cell 2
DNSMirko Pirazzoli (Ita)Row 121 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1BMC Mountainbike Racing Team86pts
2Multivan Merida Biking Team71Row 1 - Cell 3
3Giant Pro XC Team54Row 2 - Cell 3
4Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team40Row 3 - Cell 3
5Scott-3Roxracing24Row 4 - Cell 3
6Stöckli Pro Team23Row 5 - Cell 3
7Cannondale Factory Racing22Row 6 - Cell 3
8BH - SR Suntour - Kmc21Row 7 - Cell 3
9Specialized Racing XC19Row 8 - Cell 3
10Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team18Row 9 - Cell 3
11TX Active Bianchi17Row 10 - Cell 3
12Trek Factory Racing13Row 11 - Cell 3
13Merida Italia Team12Row 12 - Cell 3
14Sram Rubena Trek11Row 13 - Cell 3
15Controltech Nevi9Row 14 - Cell 3
16Goldwurst-Power / Stöckli8Row 15 - Cell 3
17Versluys Team6Row 16 - Cell 3
18Focus XC Team4Row 17 - Cell 3
19Topeak Ergon Racing Team3Row 18 - Cell 3
20ISD MTB Team2Row 19 - Cell 3
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Elite men cross country World Cup standings after round 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team320pts
2Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing320Row 1 - Cell 3
3Lukas Flückiger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team300Row 2 - Cell 3
4Max Plaxton (Can)260Row 3 - Cell 3
5Thomas Litscher (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team250Row 4 - Cell 3
6Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - KMC245Row 5 - Cell 3
7Ondrej Cink (Cze) Multivan Merida Biking Team215Row 6 - Cell 3
8Martin Fanger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team215Row 7 - Cell 3
9Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing XC214Row 8 - Cell 3
10Julien Absalon (Fra) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team200Row 9 - Cell 3
11Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Wild Wolf Trek Pro Racing200Row 10 - Cell 3
12Fabian Giger (Swi) Giant Pro XC Team200Row 11 - Cell 3
13Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Roxracing196Row 12 - Cell 3
14Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing174Row 13 - Cell 3
15Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team168Row 14 - Cell 3
16Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team154Row 15 - Cell 3
17Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned) Giant Pro XC Team154Row 16 - Cell 3
18Emil Lindgren (Swe) Giant Pro XC Team146Row 17 - Cell 3
19Marek Konwa (Pol) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team146Row 18 - Cell 3
20Martin Loo (Est) Merida Italia Team130Row 19 - Cell 3
21Alexander Gehbauer (Aut) TX Active Bianchi122Row 20 - Cell 3
22Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team112Row 21 - Cell 3
23Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) Goldwurst-Power / Stöckli104Row 22 - Cell 3
24Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Focus XC Team102Row 23 - Cell 3
25Jiri Novak (Cze) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team100Row 24 - Cell 3
26Stéphane Tempier (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - KMC95Row 25 - Cell 3
27Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Sram Rubena Trek95Row 26 - Cell 3
28José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team90Row 27 - Cell 3
29Martin Gujan (Swi) TX Active Bianchi89Row 28 - Cell 3
30Fabien Canal (Fra) Asptt Definitive Tec82Row 29 - Cell 3
31Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Controltech Nevi80Row 30 - Cell 3
32Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team78Row 31 - Cell 3
33Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Roxracing78Row 32 - Cell 3
34Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized Racing XC72Row 33 - Cell 3
35Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team72Row 34 - Cell 3
36Gerhard Kerschbaumer* (Ita) TX Active Bianchi68Row 35 - Cell 3
37Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Elettroveneta-Corratec59Row 36 - Cell 3
38Patrik Gallati (Swi) Focus XC Team54Row 37 - Cell 3
39Alban Lakata (Aut) Topeak Ergon Racing Team50Row 38 - Cell 3
40Oleksandr Gerashchenko (Ukr) ISD MTB Team48Row 39 - Cell 3
41Jürg Graf (Swi) Bsk Graf-Rollmat-Koba MTB Team48Row 40 - Cell 3
42Jochen Kass (Ger)46Row 41 - Cell 3
43Sergji Rysenko (Ukr) Cycling Club Roma MTB Team44Row 42 - Cell 3
44Raphael Gagne (Can)43Row 43 - Cell 3
45Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team42Row 44 - Cell 3
46Sepp Freiburghaus (Swi)42Row 45 - Cell 3
47Hans Becking (Ned) Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team41Row 46 - Cell 3
48Andras Parti (Hun) Waberer's Areus Cube MTB Team40Row 47 - Cell 3
49Michal Lami (Svk)38Row 48 - Cell 3
50David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por)36Row 49 - Cell 3
51Karl Markt (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team36Row 50 - Cell 3
52Filip Eberl (Cze)35Row 51 - Cell 3
53Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team34Row 52 - Cell 3
54Jonas De Backer (Bel)32Row 53 - Cell 3
55Michele Casagrande (Ita) Elettroveneta-Corratec32Row 54 - Cell 3
56Matous Ulman (Cze)30Row 55 - Cell 3
57Philip Buys (RSA)30Row 56 - Cell 3
58Giancarlo Sax (Swi)29Row 57 - Cell 3
59Shlomi Haimy (Isr) Focus XC Team27Row 58 - Cell 3
60Miguel Martinez (Fra)27Row 59 - Cell 3
61Mitchell Hoke (USA)26Row 60 - Cell 3
62Matthias Wengelin (Swe)24Row 61 - Cell 3
63Pascal Meyer (Swi) JB Felt Team24Row 62 - Cell 3
64Kornel Osicki (Pol)23Row 63 - Cell 3
65Paolo Cesar Montoya Cantillo (CRc)22Row 64 - Cell 3
66Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Team Merida Wallonie MTB21Row 65 - Cell 3
67Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Wild Wolf Trek Pro Racing21Row 66 - Cell 3
68Lucien Besancon (Swi)19Row 67 - Cell 3
69Pavel Boudny (Cze)18Row 68 - Cell 3
70Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing XC17Row 69 - Cell 3
71Andy Eyring (Ger)17Row 70 - Cell 3
72Simon Scheiber (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team16Row 71 - Cell 3
73Umberto Corti (Ita) Controltech Nevi14Row 72 - Cell 3
74Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Team Bulls13Row 73 - Cell 3
75Daniel Eymann (Swi)12Row 74 - Cell 3
76Ismael Ventura Sanchez (Spa)12Row 75 - Cell 3
77Ludovic Dubau (Fra) Newcycling10Row 76 - Cell 3
78Tim Wynants (Bel) Toka Print MTB Team10Row 77 - Cell 3
79Kristian Hynek (Cze) Elettroveneta-Corratec9Row 78 - Cell 3
80Cameron Jette (Can) Scott-3Roxracing9Row 79 - Cell 3
81Pavel Priadein (Rus)8Row 80 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Team World Cup standings after round 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1BMC Mountainbike Racing Team140pts
2Multivan Merida Biking Team132Row 1 - Cell 3
3Giant Pro XC Team105Row 2 - Cell 3
4BH - SR Suntour - Kmc72Row 3 - Cell 3
5Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team71Row 4 - Cell 3
6Trek Factory Racing53Row 5 - Cell 3
7Specialized Racing XC51Row 6 - Cell 3
8Scott-3Roxracing40Row 7 - Cell 3
9Cannondale Factory Racing37Row 8 - Cell 3
10Wild Wolf Trek Pro Racing35Row 9 - Cell 3
11Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team35Row 10 - Cell 3
12Stöckli Pro Team30Row 11 - Cell 3
13TX Active Bianchi27Row 12 - Cell 3
14Merida Italia Team21Row 13 - Cell 3
15Versluys Team12Row 14 - Cell 3
16Sram Rubena Trek11Row 15 - Cell 3
17Controltech Nevi9Row 16 - Cell 3
18ASPTT Definitive Tec8Row 17 - Cell 3
19Goldwurst-Power / Stöckli8Row 18 - Cell 3
20Focus XC Team7Row 19 - Cell 3
21Topeak Ergon Racing Team3Row 20 - Cell 3
22BSK Graf-Rollmat-Koba MTB Team2Row 21 - Cell 3
23ISD MTB Team2Row 22 - Cell 3

 

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