Absalon wins Pietermaritzburg cross country World Cup
French man takes 27th World Cup win after Schurter flats
Julien Absalon (BMC) took the 27th victory in his storied career in the elite men's race on Sunday, at the opening round of the cross country UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
The 5.7-kilometre course is completely new from the one riders saw last fall at the world championships, and most riders considered it to be harder. It challenged riders with technical rock gardens and jumps, and gave them no chance to rest with multiple climbs per lap. The heat also took its toll, although the late start to the men's race meant that they missed the fierce heat that the women faced.
The men's race saw world champion Nino Schurter (Scott-Odlo) make his trademark fast start, with only Manuel Fumic (Cannnondale Factory Racing) able to match him on the first lap. Absalon got caught in traffic early on the race and had to battle his way to the leaders, joining Schurter and Fumic on the second lap.
From this point, the race followed a pattern that has been seen many times, as the two top riders in the world, Absalon and Schurter, rode Fumic off their wheels and then began to test each other. Schurter appeared to be the stronger on the downhills, but that was where he possibly made a mistake, suffering a flat tire that gave his rival an advantage.
While Schurter had to ride slowly on his flat to the technical zone for a replacement wheel, Absalon continued to push hard, aware that Fumic was still less than 30 seconds back. The two-time Olympic champion was successful in holding on to the finish, taking his first win at Pietermaritzburg. Fumic held on for second, with Maxime Marotte (BH-Suntour-KMC) taking third. Schurter managed to improve to finish sixth after his flat.
"It is nice to win the first World Cup [of the year]," saidAbsalon, "especially here because I was pretty disappointed last year because I had two crashes [at the world championships] and I broke my ribs, so I was a bit afraid of this course. Especially the rocky garden where I crashed."
"But all this week, the feeling was good. I had a poor start, so I used a lot of energy during the first lap to overtake about 15 guys. Once I got up to Nino, it was a nice fight though. He was very fast in some of the technical sections, but then he got a flat tire. I knew Manuel [Fumic] was only 15 seconds back, so I had to keep full gas to the end."
In the under 23 race held earlier in the day, Jordan Sarrou (BH-Suntour-KMC) won the men's event.
The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano now moves to Cairns, Australia, for round two of both the downhill and cross country, plus the first round of the Eliminator, taking place April 25-27.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Julien Absalon (Fra) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team | 1:38:05 |
2 | Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing | 0:00:34 |
3 | Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC | 0:00:54 |
4 | Ondrej Cink (Cze) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 0:01:32 |
5 | José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 0:01:39 |
6 | Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team | 0:02:16 |
7 | Thomas Litscher (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 0:02:19 |
8 | Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team | 0:02:24 |
9 | Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing | 0:02:37 |
10 | Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Trek Factory Racing | 0:02:51 |
11 | Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team | 0:03:16 |
12 | Ralph Naef (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team | 0:03:32 |
13 | Lukas Flückiger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team | 0:03:55 |
14 | Raphael Gagne (Can) | 0:03:58 |
15 | Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) | 0:04:02 |
16 | Gerhard Kerschbaumer (Ita) I.Idro Drain Bianchi | 0:04:22 |
17 | Emil Lindgren (Swe) Giant Pro XC Team | 0:04:26 |
18 | Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 0:04:48 |
19 | Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized Racing XC | 0:05:05 |
20 | Stéphane Tempier (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC | 0:05:32 |
21 | Alexander Gehbauer (Aut) I.Idro Drain Bianchi | 0:05:46 |
22 | Fabian Giger (Swi) Giant Pro XC Team | 0:05:51 |
23 | Martin Gujan (Swi) Orange Monkey Pro Team | 0:06:09 |
24 | Martin Fanger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team | 0:06:18 |
25 | Anton Sintsov (Rus) Titici LGL International Team | 0:06:43 |
26 | Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing | 0:07:16 |
27 | Michal Lami (Svk) | |
28 | Matiss Preimanis (Lat) DPA | 0:07:17 |
29 | Karl Markt (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team | |
30 | Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team | 0:08:11 |
31 | Marc Stutzmann (Swi) Giant-Swiss-Team | 0:08:12 |
32 | Paolo Cesar Montoya Cantillo (CRc) | 0:08:20 |
33 | Markus Schulte-Luenzum (Ger) Focus XC Team | 0:08:31 |
34 | Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 0:08:53 |
35 | Daniele Braidot (Ita) | 0:09:18 |
36 | Sepp Freiburghaus (Swi) | 0:09:36 |
37 | Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) MMR Bikes Pro Team | 0:09:42 |
38 | Matthias Stirnemann (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team | 0:09:51 |
39 | Shlomi Haimy (Isr) Focus XC Team | 0:10:05 |
40 | Matthias Wengelin (Swe) | 0:10:12 |
41 | Paul Oldham (GBr) | 0:10:21 |
42 | Ruben Scheire (Bel) Feenstra Felt Pb Kenda Bike Team | 0:10:39 |
43 | Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Team Bulls | 0:10:46 |
44 | Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Team Merida Wallonie MTB | 0:10:47 |
45 | Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team | 0:11:19 |
46 | Martin Gluth (Ger) | 0:11:24 |
47 | Markus Bauer (Ger) | 0:11:27 |
48 | Luca Braidot (Ita) | 0:12:13 |
49 | Sergji Rysenko (Ukr) Cycling Club Roma MTB Team | |
50 | Matthys Beukes (RSA) | 0:12:22 |
51 | Mark Tupalski (Aus) | 0:12:25 |
52 | Ola Kjören (Nor) | 0:12:26 |
53 | David Fletcher (GBr) Orange Monkey Pro Team | 0:13:30 |
54 | Andrew Blair (Aus) | 0:13:45 |
55 | Hugo Drechou (Fra) Calvisson VTT | 0:13:56 |
56 | Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Focus XC Team | 0:14:19 |
57 | Daniel Eymann (Swi) Giant-Swiss-Team | 0:15:13 |
58 | Renay Groustra (RSA) | 0:16:02 |
-1lap | Hamish Batchelor (GBr) Fluid Fin Race Team | |
-1lap | Brendan Johnston (Aus) | |
-1lap | Lucien Besancon (Swi) Wheeler - Ixs Team | |
-1lap | Jan Withaar (RSA) | |
-1lap | Rourke Croeser (RSA) Kargo Pro MTB Team | |
-2laps | Reinis Andrijanovs (Lat) DPA | |
-2laps | Stuart Marais (RSA) Kargo Pro MTB Team | |
-2laps | Louis-Bresler Knipe (RSA) | |
-3laps | Heiko Redecker (Nam) | |
-3laps | Teboho Khantsi LES19910101 Ace - The Sufferfest - Lesotho MTB Team | |
-4laps | Henrique Avancini (Bra) Caloi Team | |
DNF | Phetetso Monese LES19840922 Ace - The Sufferfest - Lesotho MTB Team | |
DNF | Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team | |
DNF | Simon Scheiber (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team | |
DNF | Sebastian Batchelor (GBr) Fluid Fin Race Team | |
DNF | Martinus Esmeyer (RSA) | |
DNF | Tyron Bird (RSA) | |
DNS | Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Sram Rubena Trek | |
DNS | Cameron Jette (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Multivan Merida Biking Team | 82 | pts |
2 | BMC Mountainbike Racing Team | 77 | |
3 | Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team | 47 | |
4 | BH-Suntour-KMC | 43 | |
5 | Trek Factory Racing | 43 | |
6 | Cannondale Factory Racing | 40 | |
7 | I.Idro Drain Bianchi | 25 | |
8 | Stöckli Pro Team | 23 | |
9 | Giant Pro XC Team | 23 | |
10 | Specialized Racing XC | 12 | |
11 | Orange Monkey Pro Team | 8 | |
12 | Titici Lgl International Team | 6 | |
13 | DPA | 3 | |
14 | Ötztal Scott Racing Team | 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Julien Absalon (Fra) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team | 250 | pts |
2 | Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing | 200 | |
3 | Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC | 160 | |
4 | Ondrej Cink (Cze) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 150 | |
5 | José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 140 | |
6 | Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team | 130 | |
7 | Thomas Litscher (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 120 | |
8 | Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team | 110 | |
9 | Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing | 100 | |
10 | Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Trek Factory Racing | 95 | |
11 | Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team | 90 | |
12 | Ralph Naef (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team | 85 | |
13 | Lukas Flückiger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team | 80 | |
14 | Raphael Gagne (Can) | 78 | |
15 | Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) | 76 | |
16 | Gerhard Kerschbaumer (Ita) I.Idro Drain Bianchi | 74 | |
17 | Emil Lindgren (Swe) Giant Pro XC Team | 72 | |
18 | Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team | 70 | |
19 | Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized Racing XC | 68 | |
20 | Stéphane Tempier (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC | 66 | |
21 | Alexander Gehbauer (Aut) I.Idro Drain Bianchi | 64 | |
22 | Fabian Giger (Swi) Giant Pro XC Team | 62 | |
23 | Martin Gujan (Swi) Orange Monkey Pro Team | 60 | |
24 | Martin Fanger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team | 58 | |
25 | Anton Sintsov (Rus) Titici LGL International Team | 56 | |
26 | Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing | 54 | |
27 | Michal Lami (Svk) | 52 | |
28 | Matiss Preimanis (Lat) DPA | 50 | |
29 | Karl Markt (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team | 48 | |
30 | Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team | 46 | |
31 | Marc Stutzmann (Swi) Giant-Swiss-Team | 44 | |
32 | Paolo Cesar Montoya Cantillo (CRc) | 42 | |
33 | Markus Schulte-Luenzum (Ger) Focus XC Team | 40 | |
34 | Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team | 38 | |
35 | Daniele Braidot (Ita) | 36 | |
36 | Sepp Freiburghaus (Swi) | 34 | |
37 | Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) MMR Bikes Pro Team | 32 | |
38 | Matthias Stirnemann (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team | 30 | |
39 | Shlomi Haimy (Isr) Focus XC Team | 29 | |
40 | Matthias Wengelin (Swe) | 28 | |
41 | Paul Oldham (GBr) | 27 | |
42 | Ruben Scheire (Bel) Feenstra Felt Pb Kenda Bike Team | 26 | |
43 | Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Team Bulls | 25 | |
44 | Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Team Merida Wallonie MTB | 24 | |
45 | Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team | 23 | |
46 | Martin Gluth (Ger) | 22 | |
47 | Markus Bauer (Ger) | 21 | |
48 | Luca Braidot (Ita) | 20 | |
49 | Sergji Rysenko (Ukr) Cycling Club Roma MTB Team | 19 | |
50 | Matthys Beukes (RSA) | 18 | |
51 | Mark Tupalski (Aus) | 17 | |
52 | Ola Kjören (Nor) | 16 | |
53 | David Fletcher (GBr) Orange Monkey Pro Team | 15 | |
54 | Andrew Blair (Aus) | 14 | |
55 | Hugo Drechou (Fra) Calvisson VTT | 13 | |
56 | Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Focus XC Team | 12 | |
57 | Daniel Eymann (Swi) Giant-Swiss-Team | 11 | |
58 | Renay Groustra (RSA) | 10 | |
59 | Hamish Batchelor (GBr) Fluid Fin Race Team | 9 | |
60 | Brendan Johnston (Aus) | 8 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Multivan Merida Biking Team | 82 | pts |
2 | BMC Mountainbike Racing Team | 77 | |
3 | Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team | 47 | |
4 | BH-Suntour-KMC | 43 | |
5 | Trek Factory Racing | 43 | |
6 | Cannondale Factory Racing | 40 | |
7 | I.Idro Drain Bianchi | 25 | |
8 | Stöckli Pro Team | 23 | |
9 | Giant Pro XC Team | 23 | |
10 | Specialized Racing XC | 12 | |
11 | Orange Monkey Pro Team | 8 | |
12 | Titici Lgl International Team | 6 | |
13 | DPA | 3 | |
14 | Ötztal Scott Racing Team | 2 |
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