MTB World Cup Cross Country #1, Downhill #1 & Four Cross #1 2011: Elite men cross country Results

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Florian Vogel (Scott Swisspower) (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Vuvuzelas were used along the track and made for a very unique African vibe (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Todd Wells (Specialized) (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Burry Stander (Specialized) (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Burry Stander (Specialized) was the home crowd favorite but had a bad crash (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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A sky diver made his way down to the race venue (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Switzerland's Nino Schurter takes the opening World Cup round (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) celebrates his win. (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) on the podium (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) takes a very fast line through a technical rock garden (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) made light work of the course. (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) in the UCI World Cup leader's jersey. (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) was focused. (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Christoph Sauser (Specialized) (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Rwandan Adrien Niyonshuti (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Ralph Naef (Multivan Merida) (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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The elite men's cross country podium (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) rides through a rock garden. (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) wins in Pietermartizburg. (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Namibian Marc Bass (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Julien Absalon (Orbea) would eventually finish second. (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Jose Antonio Hermida (Multivan Merida) (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Nino Schurter (Scott Swisspower) celebrates a win in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa (Image credit: Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing)

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Nino Schurter (Scott Swisspower) showed himself to be the best technical rider on Sunday as he was the fastest consistently through the rock gardens (Image credit: Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing)

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Nino Schurter (Scott Swisspower) on his way to a win (Image credit: Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing)

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Nino Schurter (Scott Swisspower) topped the elite men's cross country World Cup at the opening round (Image credit: Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing)

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Jose Antonio Hermida was all smiles on the podium (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Julien Absalon (Orbea) descends through a rock garden (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Julien Absalon (Orbea) (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Crowds lined the forest of Pietermaritzburg. (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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A Swedish racer (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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World Champion Jose Antonio Hermida (Multivan Merida) (Image credit: Zoon Cronje)

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Ralph Naf (Multivan Merida Biking Team) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Christoph Sauser (Specialized Racing) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Liam Killeen (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Samuel Schultz (Subaru-Trek) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Wolfram Kurschat (Topeak Ergon Racing Team) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Burry Stander (Specialized Racing) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Manuel Fumic (Cannondale Factory Racing) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Florian Vogel (Scott-Swisspower Mtb-Racing) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Todd Wells (Specialized Racing) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Orbea) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Adam Craig (Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized Racing) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cannondale Factory Racing) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Podium: Hermida, Absalon, Schurter, Kulhavy, Fontana (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower Mtb-Racing) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Marco Fontana (Cannondale Factory Racing) was blazing fast through the Treehouse rock garden (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Trek) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

The first round of the cross country UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, held in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, served notice that riders are entering the season in top form, with the elite men averaging over 20 kilometre per hour for their 31.8-kilometre race.

In the elite men's cross country race, the top three finishers in the 2010 World Cup standings finished in exactly that order, with Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) beating rival Julien Absalon (Orbea) of France by a meager 16 seconds, with Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized) of the Czech Republic in third at 1:07. World Champion Jose Hermida (Multivan Merida Mountain Bike Team) and Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cannondale Factory Racing) claimed the final two podium spots.

Constant rivals Schurter and Absalon rode away from the rest of the field, with Kulhavy only able to hold on for the first half of the race before the duo dropped him. Absalon had the power on the climbs, but it was in the all important technical sections where Schurter held the advantage.

In the Treehouse rock garden section, Schurter was noticeably smoother, and it was here on lap five of the six-lap race that the Swiss rider made his move.

"Again, it was a great fight between Julien and me," said Schurter. "We are so close, but I was a little faster in the technical section and was able to get a gap, which I could hold to the finish line. I could see that he was coming back a bit on the climbs on the last lap, but it was just enough to hold on. It is always special to win against Julien."

Schurter entered the last lap 20 seconds ahead of Absalon, a gap which shrunk to only a handful of seconds by the top of the climb before he was able to open it again to finish 16 seconds ahead.

"I expected Nino would do well," said Absalon. "This track suited him very well, and I was having trouble with the rocky section each time. On lap five, I didn't crash, but I hit a tree and lost some time. And after that, we were both going full gas, so there was no chance to catch him."

Full Results

#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing	1:34:50
2	Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea	0:00:16
3	Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing	0:01:07
4	José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team	0:01:15
5	Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing	0:01:46
6	Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing	0:01:48
7	Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa) Orbea	0:01:51
8	Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi	0:01:54
9	Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) Wildwolf-Trek Racing	0:02:33
10	Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing	0:02:36
11	Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Racing	0:02:45
12	Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry	0:02:57
13	Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized Racing	0:03:08
14	Martin Gujan (Swi) Cannondale Factory Racing	0:03:11
15	Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing	0:03:30
16	Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Giant Italia Team	0:03:45
17	Patrik Gallati (Swi) BMC Mountain Bike Racing Team	0:03:53
18	Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Wildwolf-Trek Racing	0:04:08
19	Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain	0:04:22
20	Ralph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team	0:04:47
21	Thomas Litscher (Swi) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team	0:05:11
22	Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing	0:05:32
23	Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountain Bike Racing Team	0:05:36
24	Rudi Van Houts (Ned)	0:05:44
25	Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team	0:05:56
26	Martin Fanger (Swi) Giant Swiss SR-Suntour	0:05:59
27	Liam Killeen (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team
28	Fabian Giger (Swi) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team	0:06:06
29	Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Team Newcycling	0:06:14
30	Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing	0:06:34
31	Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa) Orbea	0:06:53
32	Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team	0:07:06
33	Lukas Kaufmann (Swi)	0:07:18
34	Derek Zandstra (Can)	0:07:28
35	Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team	0:07:37
36	Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team	0:07:51
37	Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Trek	0:07:52
38	Jukka Vastaranta (Fin) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team	0:08:08
39	Tony Longo (Ita) TX Active Bianchi	0:08:20
40	Oliver Beckingsale (GBr)	0:08:23
41	Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team
42	Andras Parti (Hun) Euro One-Cube MTB Team	0:08:27
43	Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) Elettroveneta-Corratec	0:08:29
44	Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys-Evenza Team
45	Jiri Friedl (Cze) Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team	0:08:30
46	Milan Spesny (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team	0:08:34
47	Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team
48	Daniel Mcconnell (Aus)	0:09:02
49	Pascal Meyer (Swi) Thoemus Racing Team	0:09:03
50	Adam Craig (USA) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team	0:09:26
51	Jiri Novak (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team	0:09:41
52	Martino Fruet (Ita)	0:09:58
53	Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team	0:10:07
54	Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru-Trek	0:10:13
55	Chris Jongewaard (Aus)
56	Hannes Metzler (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team	0:10:22
57	Marc Colom (Fra) Team Newcycling	0:10:24
58	Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team	0:10:45
59	Umberto Corti (Ita) Team CBE Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.	0:11:02
60	Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team	0:11:13
61	Alban Lakata (Aut) Topeak Ergon Racing Team	0:11:18
62	Rene Tann (Ger)	0:11:48
63	Simon Scheiber (Aut) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team	0:12:03
64	Robert Mennen (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team	0:12:20
65	Sergji Rysenko (Ukr) ISD Cycling Team	0:12:22
66	Matthias Leisling (Ger) Muskelkater Genesis Team	0:12:23
67	Ben Henderson (Aus)	0:12:29
68	Andrew Watson (Can)	0:12:33
69	Giuseppe Lamastra (Ita) Elettroveneta-Corratec	0:12:42
70	Adam Morka (Can)	0:13:10
71	Matthys Beukes (RSA)	0:13:41
72	Martin Loo (Est) Infotre - Bi&Esse- Leecougan	0:14:02
73	Torsten Marx (Ger)	0:14:14
74	Evgeniy Pechenin (Rus) Forward-Udmurtia	0:14:25
75	Ludovic Dubau (Fra) Team Newcycling	0:14:42
76	Steffen Thum (Ger)	0:14:59
77	Magnus Darvell (Swe)	0:15:21
78	Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Torpado Surfing Shop	0:15:56
79	Simon Gegenheimer (Ger)	-1 lap
80	Frank Schotman (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team
81	Christopher Maletz (Ger)
82	Irjan Luttenberg (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team
83	Michael Broderick (USA) Kenda/Seven/No Tubes
84	Severin Disch (Swi) Thoemus Racing Team
85	Troy Wells (USA)
86	Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor
87	Mattias Wengelin (Swe)
88	Lee Williams (GBr)
89	Bjorn Brems (Bel) Versluys-Evenza Team
90	Renay Groustra (RSA)
91	Oliver Munnik (RSA)
92	Pierre Lebreton (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry
93	Michele Casagrande (Ita) Elettroveneta-Corratec	-2 laps
94	Ben Melt Swanepoel (RSA)
95	Alexey Medvedev (Rus) Elettroveneta-Corratec
96	Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) MTN Qhubeka
97	Matthias Waldhart (Aut)
98	Lachlan Norris (Aus) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	-3 laps
99	Jelmer Jubbega (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team
100	Christoph Soukup (Aut)
101	Lee John (Zim)
102	Martinus Esmeyer (RSA)
103	Christopher Wolhuter (RSA)	-4 laps
104	Sepp Freiburghaus (Swi) Thoemus Racing Team
DNF	Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) Lapierre International
DNF	Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team
DNF	Philip Buys (RSA)
DNF	Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team
DNF	Cédric Ravanel (Fra) Gt Skoda Chamonix
DNF	Adrian Brzozka (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team
DNF	Brandon Stewart (RSA)
DNF	Marc Bassingthwaighte (Nam)
DNF	Francois Theron (RSA)
DNS	Max Knox (RSA)

Elite men cross country World Cup standings after one round
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing	250	pts
2	Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea	200
3	Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing	160
4	José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team	150
5	Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing	140
6	Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing	130
7	Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa) Orbea	120
8	Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi	110
9	Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) Wildwolf-Trek Racing	100
10	Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing	95
11	Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Racing	90
12	Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry	85
13	Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized Racing	80
14	Martin Gujan (Swi) Cannondale Factory Racing	78
15	Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing	76
16	Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Giant Italia Team	74
17	Patrik Gallati (Swi) BMC Mountain Bike Racing Team	72
18	Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Wildwolf-Trek Racing	70
19	Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain	68
20	Ralph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team	66
21	Thomas Litscher (Swi) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team	64
22	Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing	62
23	Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountain Bike Racing Team	60
24	Rudi Van Houts (Ned)	58
25	Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team	56
26	Martin Fanger (Swi) Giant Swiss SR-Suntour	54
27	Liam Killeen (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	52
28	Fabian Giger (Swi) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team	50
29	Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Team Newcycling	48
30	Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing	46
31	Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa) Orbea	44
32	Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team	42
33	Lukas Kaufmann (Swi)	40
34	Derek Zandstra (Can)	38
35	Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team	36
36	Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team	34
37	Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru-Trek	32
38	Jukka Vastaranta (Fin) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team	30
39	Tony Longo (Ita) TX Active Bianchi	29
40	Oliver Beckingsale (GBr)	28
41	Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team	27
42	Andras Parti (Hun) Euro One-Cube MTB Team	26
43	Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) Elettroveneta-Corratec	25
44	Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys-Evenza Team	24
45	Jiri Friedl (Cze) Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team	23
46	Milan Spesny (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team	22
47	Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team	21
48	Daniel Mcconnell (Aus)	20
49	Pascal Meyer (Swi) Thoemus Racing Team	19
50	Adam Craig (USA) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team	18
51	Jiri Novak (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team	17
52	Martino Fruet (Ita)	16
53	Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team	15
54	Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru-Trek	14
55	Chris Jongewaard (Aus)	13
56	Hannes Metzler (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team	12
57	Marc Colom (Fra) Team Newcycling	11
58	Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team	10
59	Umberto Corti (Ita) Team CBE Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.	9
60	Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team	8

Elite men cross country teams World Cup standings after one round
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Specialized Racing	73	pts
2	Cannondale Factory Racing	71
3	Orbea	59
4	Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing	41
5	Multivan Merida Biking Team	41
6	Wildwolf-Trek Racing	35
7	Trek World Racing	25
8	TX Active Bianchi	23
9	BMC Mountain Bike Racing Team	22
10	BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry	19
11	Giant Italia Team	15
12	Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain	12
13	Felt Oetztal X-Bionic Team	10
14	Milka Trek MTB Racing Team	6
15	Giant Swiss SR-Suntour	5
16	Giant Factory Off-Road Team	4
17	Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team	3
18	Team Newcycling	2

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