Kulhavy claims Cyprus Sunshine Cup finale

Jaroslav Kulhavy (Rubena Birell Specialized) didn't want to wait to see what strategies his competitors would employ during the men's event. After the first lap, the Czech went to the front, attacked and was never seen again until the race had finished. Kulhavy rode aggressively through the singletrack in the area near the Amathous archeological site and showed good early season form with his 3:05 victory over marathon World Champion Roel Paulissen.

This type of course suits me," said Kulhavy. "After my attack I could ride at my own pace and enjoy the race. I had a super bike and very good tires. At the moment I feel pretty good, and it was a perfect day in the sun."

As the gap to Kulhavy grew, Jan Skarnitzl (Dimp-Giant) and Thomas Litscher (MiG) tried to chase on the rocky 5.6km course.

Behind them Christoph Soukup (Merida) was looking strong, together with Frank Schotman (Stappenbelt-Specialized) and Russian Alexej Medvedev (Corratec). Soukup, however, would be hampered by a broken chain.

For a while René Tann (Germina) was riding in this group but he found the pace too difficult to handle.

Paulissen (Cannondale), however, would soon make his mark on the race. The marathon World Champion suffered a flat tire on the first lap and then put on a strong performance as he got back into the race. He soon passed Schotman and Medvedev and on the fifth of seven laps, he reached Litscher and Skarnitzl.

Litscher dropped off the pace and settled into fourth place, while Paulissen was able to drop Skarnitzl on the last lap to finish second.

"I'm disappointed with the flat tire but happy with the race itself," said Paulissen. "It’s difficult to pass on this course. It was warm weather again and the problems with my back are getting better. All in all I had a good feeling and I think that Cyprus was good training."

The Czech Republic's Skarnitzl was not unhappy with his third place because this meant he won the Cyprus Sunshine Cup overall title.

"I'm very happy, it's a perfect start to the season," said Skarnitzl. "I thought I could make it into the top five and now I'm the winner of the Sunshine Cup. That’s much more than I could expect.

"I enjoyed my two weeks on Cyprus. I'm still a student but this year I have a little break so I had more time to train."

Unexpected women's winner

Mona Eiberweiser was on nobody's list of likely winners in the women's event. It was her first race in the elite category and her first race in 2010, but the 2008 junior European champion attacked right after the start and soon found herself in the lead . The 19-year-old German got a lead of 15 seconds ahead of Denmark's Annika Langvad (HMTBK), who tried to close the gap, but was hindered by a puncture in her rear tire.

Eiberweiser extended her lead on the second of five 5.6km laps to one minute while her teammate Lisi Osl moved up from sixth position.

On the third lap the overall World Cup winner caught her other teammate Anja Gradl and when she was already close to Langvad, the Dane had to change her wheel.

The gap between Osl and Eiberweiser remained stable and so the young Bavarian grabbed the win and a perfect start in the elite category. Langvad was able to finish third and secured the Cyprus Sunshine Cup overall title.

"I was really surprised to be in front of the race," said Eiberweiser. "I had a pretty good start and then I tried to stay in that position. The course has a lot of narrow sections so I could ride my rhythm.

"I never thought I'd be able to win my very first race in the elite category, that’s great. This is a pretty good start to the season with my new team."

Eiberweiser's teammate Osl was pleased with her effort. "I'm satisfied but it was a hard race," said Osl. "After a lot of arduous training it was difficult, especially at the start. I needed two laps to recover. It was also my first time in singletrack this year and I made some mistakes.

"I'm also really happy for Mona. I think it’s a good motivation for her and it’s a perfect start in the elite category.

Despite having some bad luck with a mechanical, Langvad was satisfied with her overall win. "I'm very pleased with my ride," said Langvad. "I think I did the best I could. The other girls were very strong.

"I had a flat tire on the opening loop and I slowly lost air. I'm happy to win the overall. This is a really good start for the season."

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elite men
1Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Rubena Birell Specialized2:02:23
2Roel Paulissen (Bel) Belgian Cycling Team0:03:05
3Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Dimp -Giant0:03:11
4Thomas Litscher (Swi) RV Altenrhein0:03:44
5Frank Schotman (Ned) Stappenbelt-Specialized MTB Team0:05:16
6Alexey Medvedev (Rus) Corratec-Elettroveneta0:06:05
7Periklis Ilias (Gre) ISD Cycling Team0:07:24
8Karl Platt (Ger) Team Bulls0:07:40
9Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team0:07:57
10Stefan Sahm (Ger) Team Bulls0:08:05
11Rene Tann (Ger) German National Team0:09:25
12Anders Ljungberg (Swe) Team Firebike-Droessiger0:10:02
13Andy Eyring (Ger) German National Team0:10:18
14Jiri Friedl (Cze) Merida Biking Team0:10:48
15Magnus Darvell (Swe) Team Kalas0:10:59
16Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Belgian Cycling Team0:11:09
17Thomas Dietsch (Fra) Team Bulls0:11:15
18Dries Govaerts (Bel) Belgian Cycling Team0:11:50
19Fredrik Edin (Swe) Cykloteket Racing Team0:12:24
20Ivan Smirnov (Rus) Primorskiy District0:12:45
21Henrique Avancini (Bra) ISD Cycling Team0:13:03
22Artem Orlov (Rus) Len. Obl0:13:05
23Fabian Giger (Swi) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team0:13:27
24Benjamin Wittrup Justesen (Den) Team T-Bikes0:14:12
25Ondrej Cink (Cze) Merida Biking Team0:14:48
26Konny Looser (Swi) Team Stöckli-Craft0:15:11
27Mattias Nilsson (Swe) Team Kalas0:15:18
28Nicolas Vermeulen (Bel) Belgian Cycling Team0:15:50
29Marios Athanasiades (Cyp) Omonoia0:16:24
30Jan Jobanek (Cze) Merida Biking Team0:16:25
31Heiko Gutmann (Ger) Rothaus-Cube Mtb Team0:16:26
32Lee Williams (GBr) Team Wiggle0:17:15
33Alexander Blomqvist (Swe) Alingsas Ck0:17:27
34Ivan Seledkov (Rus) Din-Moscow-Riga0:19:13
35Anton Gogolev (Rus) Samara - Shvsm0:20:42
36Ole Christian Fagerli (Nor) Raumerrytter-3laps
37Nicolas Jeantet (Ita) ISD Cycling TeamRow 36 - Cell 2
38Evgeniy Nikolaev (Rus) Primorskiy DistrictRow 37 - Cell 2
39Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank-Giant Offroad TeamRow 38 - Cell 2
40Oleksandr Gerashenko (Ukr) ISD Cycling TeamRow 39 - Cell 2
41Pavel Priadein (Rus) Dinamo MoscowRow 40 - Cell 2
42Giorgos Fattas (Cyp) Limassol ClubRow 41 - Cell 2
43Casper Saltoft Kristiansen (Den) Team T-BikesRow 42 - Cell 2
44Johnni Nielsen (Den) Team T-BikesRow 43 - Cell 2
45Christoph Soukup (Aut) Merida Biking Team-4laps
46Marcel Fleschhut (Ger) German National TeamRow 45 - Cell 2
47Felix Euteneuer (Ger) Rothaus-Cube Mtb TeamRow 46 - Cell 2
48Chris Andrews (GBr)Row 47 - Cell 2
49Stepan Stepanov (Rus) Crimex - Loko - MosRow 48 - Cell 2
50Maxim Gogolev (Rus) Lenob Din FocusRow 49 - Cell 2
51Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) SRM StevensRow 50 - Cell 2
52Dmytro Titarenko (Ukr) ISD Cycling TeamRow 51 - Cell 2
53Paul Beales (GBr) Orange Monkey Cycling TeamRow 52 - Cell 2
54Timofei Ivanov (Rus) Primorskiy DistrictRow 53 - Cell 2
55Michalis Kittis (Cyp) PolRow 54 - Cell 2
56Evgeny Vitmanovskiy (Rus) Len Obl PguorRow 55 - Cell 2
57Anatoliy Gavrilov (Rus) Dinamo MoscowRow 56 - Cell 2
58Timotheos Skettos (Cyp) Limassol ClubRow 57 - Cell 2
59Kyriakos Sketos (Cyp) OmonoiaRow 58 - Cell 2
60Alexey Leontyev (Rus) Dinamo Moscow-5laps
61Dmitry Besingaliev (Rus) Primorskiy DistrictRow 60 - Cell 2
62Mykhaylo Batsutsa (Ukr) ISD Cycling TeamRow 61 - Cell 2
63Fabien Bourly (Fra) A C Bazansourt RamesRow 62 - Cell 2
64Anthony Morris (GBr) Evans Cycles RTRow 63 - Cell 2
65Alexander Ciupin (Cyp) OlymbiadaRow 64 - Cell 2
66Igor Sorin (Mda)Row 65 - Cell 2
67Jiri Hudecek (Cze) Dimp -Giant-6laps
68Volodymyr Zinovkyn (Ukr) ISD Cycling TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
69Igor Bogdan (Ukr)Row 68 - Cell 2
70Loukas Theodorou (Cyp) IraklitosRow 69 - Cell 2
71Michael Hutter (Swi) Rss Rheintal-7laps
72Pascal Hossay (Bel) Belgian Cycling TeamRow 71 - Cell 2
73Ivan Rybarik (Cze) Merida Bankin TeamRow 72 - Cell 2
DNFKlaus Nielsen (Den) DMKRow 73 - Cell 2
DNFDmitry Medvedev (Rus) Corratec-ElettrovenetaRow 74 - Cell 2
DNFFabian Strecker (Ger) German National TeamRow 75 - Cell 2
DNFRyan Sherlock (Irl) CyclewaysRow 76 - Cell 2
DNSBjorn Brems (Bel) Belgian Cycling TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
DNSLars Bleckur (Swe) Cykloteket Racing TeamRow 78 - Cell 2
DNSVladislavs Neroznak (Lat) OmonoiaRow 79 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elite women
1Mona Eiberweiser (Ger) Central Pro Team1:48:27
2Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Central Ghost Pro Team0:01:03
3Annika Langvad (Den) HMTBK0:01:52
4Anja Gradl (Ger) Central Ghost Pro Team0:02:52
5Janka Stavkova (Svk) CK Epic Dohnany0:03:45
6Alexandra Engen (Swe) Rothaus-Cube MTB Team0:04:14
7Ekaterina Anoshina (Rus) Primorskiy District0:04:54
8Barbara Benko (Hun) Rothaus-Cube MTB Team0:05:25
9Suzanne Clarke (GBr) Great Britain0:05:46
10Githa Michiels (Bel) Belgian Cycling Team0:06:47
11Hanna Klein (Ger) Rothaus-Cube MTB Team0:08:44
12Monique Zeldenrust (Ned) Giant Benelux0:09:13
13Melanie Spath (Ger) Cycleways0:10:29
14Anne Terpstra (Ned) Stappenbelt Specialized Mtb Team0:14:18
15Ksenia Chernykh (Rus) Orient Giant Russia0:15:02
16Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) German National Team0:17:14
17Elena Gogoleva (Rus) Lenob Din Focus0:18:23
18Yana Klishina (Rus) Dinamo Moscow0:23:08
19Maaike Polspoel (Bel) Belgian Cycling Team0:25:23
20Alla Boyko (Ukr) ISD Cycling Team-1lap
21Irina Malysheva (Rus)-2laps
22Darya Zaytseva      (Rus) KarofilmRow 21 - Cell 2
23Maria Osl (Aut) Fischer BMC-3laps
24Jelena Petrova (Lat) OmonoiaRow 23 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Junior men
1Anton Stephanov (Rus)1:22:31
2Artem Alexandrov (Rus) Primorskiy District0:01:58
3Ben Roff (GBr) Orange Manky Cycling Team0:02:10
4Egor Komin (Rus) Primorskiy District0:05:29
5Zakhar Bulatov (Rus) Primorskiy District0:08:14
6Ilya Dushakov (Rus)0:08:20
7Alexey Krylov (Rus) Primorskiy District0:09:37
8Alaxey Solovyev (Rus) Dinamo Moscow0:10:55
9Eriksson Martin (Swe) Foreningen Cykloteket RT0:11:10
10Ilya Bykov (Rus)0:14:33
11Katsouris Leontios (Cyp) Pol0:15:28
12Sergey Lahanov (Rus) Dinamo Moscow0:18:23
13Andrey Shirobokov (Rus) Dinamo Moscow0:20:23
14Koutsiou Eirinaios (Cyp) Iraklitos0:22:40
15Kyriacou Mamas (Cyp) DOPI-2laps
16Kyriacou Angelos (Cyp) DOPI-3laps
17Rafail Finikaridis (Cyp) OmonoiaRow 16 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elite men's overall standings
1Jan Skarnitzl (Dimp -Giant)270pts
2Roel Paulissen (Belgian Cycling Team)250Row 1 - Cell 3
3Frank Schotman (Stappenbelt-Specialized Mtb Team)215Row 2 - Cell 3
4Periklis Ilias (ISD Cycling Team)200Row 3 - Cell 3
5Jaroslav Kulhavy (Rubena Birell Specialized)200Row 4 - Cell 3
6Emil Lindgren (Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team)184Row 5 - Cell 3
7Henriqueavancini (ISD Cycling Team)184Row 6 - Cell 3
8Christoph Soukup (Merida Biking Team)152Row 7 - Cell 3
9Jiri Friedl (Merida Biking Team)148Row 8 - Cell 3
10Anton Gogolev (Samara - Shvsm)146Row 9 - Cell 3
11Thomas Litscher (RV Altenrhein)144Row 10 - Cell 3
12Maxim Gogolev (Lenob Din Focus)142Row 11 - Cell 3
13Platt Karl (Team Bulls)142Row 12 - Cell 3
14Nicolas Vermeulen (Belgian Cycling Team)141Row 13 - Cell 3
15Stefan Sahm (Team Bulls)137Row 14 - Cell 3
16Fredrik Edin (Cykloteket Racing Team)129Row 15 - Cell 3
17Magnus Darvel (Team Kalas)126Row 16 - Cell 3
18Fabian Giger (Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team)121Row 17 - Cell 3
19Henk Jaap Moorlag (Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team)120Row 18 - Cell 3
20Ivan Smirnov (Primorskiy District)117Row 19 - Cell 3
21Timofei Ivanov (Primorskiy District)112Row 20 - Cell 3
22Alexander Vincent Blomqvist (Alingsas CK)112Row 21 - Cell 3
23Artem Orlov (Len. Obl)109Row 22 - Cell 3
24Ji?Í Hudecek (Dimp -Giant)105Row 23 - Cell 3
25Nicolas Jeantet (ISD Cycling Team)104Row 24 - Cell 3
26Bjorn Brems (Belgian Cycling Team)103Row 25 - Cell 3
27Ivan Seledkov (Din-Moscow-Riga)103Row 26 - Cell 3
28Evgeniy Nikolaen (Primorskiy District)101Row 27 - Cell 3
29Yamamoto Kohei (V.C.Lapomme Marseille)99Row 28 - Cell 3
30Marios Athanasiades (Omonoia)98Row 29 - Cell 3
31Anders Ljungberg (Team Firebike-Droessiger)98Row 30 - Cell 3
32Medvedev Alexey (Dinamo Moscow)91Row 31 - Cell 3
33Thomas Dietsch (Team Bulls)91Row 32 - Cell 3
34Ondrej Cink (Merida Biking Team)90Row 33 - Cell 3
35Haimy Shlomi (Infotre-Leecougan)88Row 34 - Cell 3
36Konny Looser (Team Stöckli-Craft)87Row 35 - Cell 3
37Dries Govaerts (Belgian Cycling Team)79Row 36 - Cell 3
38Giorgos Fattas (Limassol Club)76Row 37 - Cell 3
39Alexey Medvedev (Corratec-Elettroveneta)70Row 38 - Cell 3
40Klaus Nielsen (DMK)68Row 39 - Cell 3
41Lars Bleckur (Cykloteket Racing Team)67Row 40 - Cell 3
42Williams Lee (Team Wiggle)65Row 41 - Cell 3
43Mattias Nilsson (Team Kalas)64Row 42 - Cell 3
44Ryan Sherlock (Cycleways)60Row 43 - Cell 3
45Tann Rene (German National Team)58Row 44 - Cell 3
46Pascal Hossay (Belgian Cycling Team)56Row 45 - Cell 3
47Evgeniy Vitmanovcky (Len OBL Pguor)56Row 46 - Cell 3
48Ivan Rybarik (Merida Bankin Team)55Row 47 - Cell 3
49Eyring Andy (German National Team)54Row 48 - Cell 3
50Facomprez Pierre Yves (Team Look)51Row 49 - Cell 3
51Andersen Henrik (HMTBK)50Row 50 - Cell 3
52Sebastien Carabin (Belgian Cycling Team)49Row 51 - Cell 3
53Casper Saltoft Kristiansen (Team T-Bikes)47Row 52 - Cell 3
54Nicola Rohrbach (SRM Stevens)45Row 53 - Cell 3
55Stepan Stephanov (Crimex - Loko - Mos)41Row 54 - Cell 3
56Benjamin-Wiitrup Justesen (Team T-Bikes)41Row 55 - Cell 3
57Christopher Andrews (Orange Monkey Cycling Team)38Row 56 - Cell 3
58Simon Tarp Jensen (HMTBK)36Row 57 - Cell 3
59Medvedev Dmitry (Dinamo Moscow)35Row 58 - Cell 3
60Jan Jobanek (Merida Biking Team)35Row 59 - Cell 3
61Gutmann Heiko (Rothaus-Cube Mtb Team)34Row 60 - Cell 3
62Lee Williams (Team Wiggle)33Row 61 - Cell 3
63Alexey Leontyev (Dinamo Moscow)32Row 62 - Cell 3
64Michael Kitis (Pol)32Row 63 - Cell 3
65Pryadein Pavel (Dinamo Moscow)31Row 64 - Cell 3
66Ole-Christian Fagerli (Raumerrytter)29Row 65 - Cell 3
67Philipp Maximilian Daum (Haibike)26Row 66 - Cell 3
68Kyriakos Skettos (Omonoia)25Row 67 - Cell 3
69Oleksandr Gerashchenko (ISD Cycling Team)25Row 68 - Cell 3
70Pavel Pryadein (Dinamo Moscow)24Row 69 - Cell 3
71Neroznaks Vladislavs (Omonoia)22Row 70 - Cell 3
72Johnni Nielsen (Team T-Bikes)21Row 71 - Cell 3
73Busk Kasper (HMTBK)21Row 72 - Cell 3
74Nielsen Johnni (Team T-Bikes)20Row 73 - Cell 3
75Fleschhut Marcel (German National Team)19Row 74 - Cell 3
76Michael Hutter (RSS Rheintal)19Row 75 - Cell 3
77Euteneuer Felix (Rothaus-Cube Mtb Team)18Row 76 - Cell 3
78Crone Claus18Row 77 - Cell 3
79Timotheos Skettos (Limassol Club)18Row 78 - Cell 3
80Anatoly Gavrilov (Dinamo Moscow)16Row 79 - Cell 3
81Paul Beales (Orange Monkey Cycling Team)16Row 80 - Cell 3
82Dmytro Titarenko (ISD Cycling Team)13Row 81 - Cell 3
83Bohme Tim (Team Bulls)13Row 82 - Cell 3
84Hansen Jens Gorm12Row 83 - Cell 3
85Pedersen Lasse Brun (HMTBK)12Row 84 - Cell 3
86Tachopoulos Nicolas (Greek National)10Row 85 - Cell 3
87Pattes-Toumanis Georgios (Greek National)9Row 86 - Cell 3
88Chioupin Alaxander (Olymbiada)9Row 87 - Cell 3
89Loukas Theodorou (Iraklitos)7Row 88 - Cell 3
90Dmitry Besingaliev (Primorskiy District)4Row 89 - Cell 3
91Mykhaylo Batsutsa (ISD Cycling Team)3Row 90 - Cell 3
92Fabien Bourly (A C Bazansourt Rames)2Row 91 - Cell 3
93Anthony Morris (Evans Cycles Rt)1Row 92 - Cell 3
94Wengelin Matthias (Team Firebike-Droessiger)1Row 93 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elite women overall standings
1Annika Langvad (HMTBK)285pts
2Janka Stavkova (CK Epic Dohnany)245Row 1 - Cell 3
3Alexandra Engen (Rothaus-Cube MTB Team)230Row 2 - Cell 3
4Suzanne Clarke (Great Britain)205Row 3 - Cell 3
5Melanie Spath (Cycleways)204Row 4 - Cell 3
6Ekaterina Anoshina (Primorskiy District)202Row 5 - Cell 3
7Githa Michiels (Belgian Cycling Team)184Row 6 - Cell 3
8Maaike Polspoel (Belgian Cycling Team)168Row 7 - Cell 3
9Anne Terpstra (Stappenbelt Specialized MTB Team)166Row 8 - Cell 3
10Yana Klishina (Dinamo Moscow)161Row 9 - Cell 3
11Elena Gogoleva (Lenob Din Focus)158Row 10 - Cell 3
12Elisabeth Brandau (German National Team)139Row 11 - Cell 3
13Darya Zaytseva      (Karofilm)135Row 12 - Cell 3
14Julie Krasniak (Team Look)130Row 13 - Cell 3
15Jelena Petrova (Omonoia)130Row 14 - Cell 3
16De Jager Nicoletta (Rijwielpaleis Mountainbike Team)114Row 15 - Cell 3
17Ksenia Chernykh (Orient Giant Russia)108Row 16 - Cell 3
18Barbara Benko (Rothaus-Cube Mtb Team)107Row 17 - Cell 3
19Mona Eiberweiser (Central Pro Team)100Row 18 - Cell 3
20Monique Zeldenrust (Giant Benelux)99Row 19 - Cell 3
21Shub Idit (City Cycling Club)97Row 20 - Cell 3
22Irina Malysheva93Row 21 - Cell 3
23Alla Boyko (ISD Cycling Team)93Row 22 - Cell 3
24Elisabeth Osl (Central Ghost Pro Team)90Row 23 - Cell 3
25Anja Gradl (Central Ghost Pro Team)80Row 24 - Cell 3
26Vanessa Mosch60Row 25 - Cell 3
27Hanna Klein (Rothaus-Cube MTB Team)58Row 26 - Cell 3
28Vanessa Mosch56Row 27 - Cell 3
29Rieder Nadine48Row 28 - Cell 3
30Petrova Ekaterina47Row 29 - Cell 3
31Malysheva Irina45Row 30 - Cell 3
32Maria Osl (Fischer BMC)42Row 31 - Cell 3

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Latest on Cyclingnews