Schurter wins Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup

Nino Schurter (Scott-Odlo) won a closely fought battle against arch rival Julien Absalon (BMC) to take his second cross country World Cup victory of the season on Sunday at Mont-Sainte-Anne in Quebec, Canada.

Mont-Sainte-Anne is always one of the hardest courses on the World Cup circuit; a true classic with steep climbs and rocky, rooty descents. Add in mud from heavy rain the night before and hot, humid conditions on race day, and this became a race of attrition.

The men's race, as expected, became a duel between the two preeminent men on the circuit - Schurter and Absalon. Between the two riders, they have won all five rounds of the World Cup thus far, with Absalon holding an advantage by one win.

World champion Schurter attacked after the start loop and had a 15-second lead after the first lap over a chase group containing Absalon. However, the French rider bridged across on the second lap and the pair rode away from the rest of the field to battle it out for the win. Each tested the other on the steep climbs and technical descents, but it wasn't until the penultimate lap that Schurter finally got a gap. Even then, there was no time to back off because the gap never went over 18 seconds, and was 16 seconds at the line.

Dan McConnell (Trek Factory Racing), after a slow start, steadily worked his way up through the field to move into third with one lap to go and held it to the finish, with Lukas Fluckiger (BMC) taking fourth and brother Mathias Fluckiger (Stockli) fifth.

"It was a super tough race," said Schurter. "It's a really hard course here with the changes they made for this year, with super hard climbing. It's really exciting to win here in Mont-Sainte-Anne."

"I had quite a crash; I nearly took down Absalon, I'm sorry about that! The past years I've had a lot of bad luck here; at the world championships [in 2010] I flatted twice, so I feel really lucky to win here. It's an awesome feeling and always nice to do well here. I missed one round, so it's going to be tough to catch up in the standings, but you never know - it's still two races to go and I will fight until the last race."

Absalon leads Schurter by 260 points with two races to go, which makes it virtually impossible for the Swiss rider to catch him. McConnell remains in third, a further 140 points back.

Results

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Elite men cross country
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team1:38:15
2Julien Absalon (Fra) Bmc Mountainbike Racing Team0:00:16
3Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing0:01:27
4Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Bmc Mountainbike Racing Team0:01:49
5Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team0:02:00
6Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing XC0:02:06
7Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Trek Factory Racing0:02:14
8José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:02:33
9Thomas Litscher (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:03:19
10Stéphane Tempier (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC0:03:27
11Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing0:03:36
12Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing0:03:41
13Moritz Milatz (Ger) Bmc Mountainbike Racing Team0:03:57
14Gerhard Kerschbaumer (Ita) I.Idro Drain Bianchi0:04:16
15Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team0:04:20
16Fabian Giger (Swi) Giant Pro XC Team0:04:41
17Emil Lindgren (Swe) Giant Pro XC Team0:04:55
18Miguel Martinez (Fra) Tropix-Frm0:05:03
19Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing0:05:08
20Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Tropix-Frm0:05:21
21Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing0:05:33
22Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:05:39
23David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por)0:06:07
24Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team0:06:36
25Matthias Stirnemann (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team0:06:44
26Martin Gujan (Swi) Orange Monkey Pro Team0:07:13
27Martin Gluth (Ger)0:07:24
28Michal Lami (Svk)0:07:36
29Matiss Preimanis (Lat) Dpa0:07:40
30Raphael Gagne (Can)0:07:45
31Martin Loo (Est) Merida Italia Team0:07:51
32Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) Mmr Bikes Pro Team0:08:10
33Stephen Ettinger (USA) Bmc Mountainbike Racing Team0:08:26
34Ruben Scheire (Bel) Feenstra Felt Pb Kenda Bike Team0:08:33
35Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Mmr Bikes Pro Team0:08:41
36Evan Guthrie (Can)0:08:53
37Simon Scheiber (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team0:09:06
38Ismael Ventura Sanchez (Spa)0:09:16
39Nicola Rohrbach (Swi)0:09:25
40Marek Konwa (Pol) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens MTB Racing Team0:09:26
41Russell Finsterwald (USA) Sram/Tld Racing0:09:29
42Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC0:09:49
43Sergji Rysenko (Ukr) Cycling Club Roma MTB Team0:09:58
44Robby De Bock (Bel) Feenstra Felt Pb Kenda Bike Team0:10:20
45Karl Markt (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team0:10:22
46Kerry Werner (USA)0:10:37
47Markus Schulte-Luenzum (Ger) Focus XC Team0:10:48
48Hector Riveros (Col)0:10:59
49Andrew Watson (Can)0:11:15
50Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized Racing XC0:11:25
51Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Team Merida Wallonie MTB0:11:55
52Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona Factory Team0:12:16
53Paolo Cesar Montoya Cantillo (CRc)0:13:07
54Henrique Avancini (Bra) Caloi Team0:14:15
-1lapHugo Drechou (Fra) Calvisson VttRow 54 - Cell 2
-1lapUwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Focus XC TeamRow 55 - Cell 2
-1lapAndras Parti (Hun) Waberer's Areus Cube MTB TeamRow 56 - Cell 2
-1lapMitchell Hoke (USA)Row 57 - Cell 2
-1lapMarc Stutzmann (Swi) Giant-Swiss-TeamRow 58 - Cell 2
-1lapCameron Jette (Can) Scott-3Rox RacingRow 59 - Cell 2
-1lapMarcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing TeamRow 60 - Cell 2
-1lapShlomi Haimy (Isr) Focus XC TeamRow 61 - Cell 2
-1lapSherman De Paiva (Bra) Caloi TeamRow 62 - Cell 2
-1lapHans Becking (Ned) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens MTB Racing TeamRow 63 - Cell 2
-1lapFabio Hernando Castaneda Monsalve (Col)Row 64 - Cell 2
-1lapSébastien Cadieux-Duval (Can)Row 65 - Cell 2
-2lapsPeter Glassford (Can)Row 66 - Cell 2
-2lapsChristian Helmig (Lux)Row 67 - Cell 2
-2lapsSteffen Thum (Ger)Row 68 - Cell 2
-2lapsCameron Dodge (USA)Row 69 - Cell 2
-2lapsRicardo Pscheidt (Bra)Row 70 - Cell 2
-2lapsPatricio Maximiliano Farias Diaz (Chi)Row 71 - Cell 2
-2lapsRotem Ishay (Isr)Row 72 - Cell 2
-2lapsZsolt Juhasz (Hun) Waberer's Areus Cube MTB TeamRow 73 - Cell 2
-2lapsAndrew L'esperance (Can)Row 74 - Cell 2
-2lapsMichael Broderick (USA)Row 75 - Cell 2
-2lapsThomas Sampson (USA)Row 76 - Cell 2
-2lapsDario Alejandro Gasco (Arg)Row 77 - Cell 2
-2lapsSimon Gegenheimer (Ger)Row 78 - Cell 2
-3lapsSeiya Hirano (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor Cycling TeamRow 79 - Cell 2
-3lapsPatricio Andres Campbell Vilches (Chi)Row 80 - Cell 2
-3lapsPatrick Chartrand (Can)Row 81 - Cell 2
-3lapsLuciano Caraccioli (Arg)Row 82 - Cell 2
-3lapsChristopher Hamlin (USA)Row 83 - Cell 2
-3lapsSepp Freiburghaus (Swi)Row 84 - Cell 2
-3lapsDaniel Federspiel (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing TeamRow 85 - Cell 2
-3lapsRyo Saito (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor Cycling TeamRow 86 - Cell 2
-3lapsCole Oberman (USA)Row 87 - Cell 2
-3lapsNoah Tautfest (USA)Row 88 - Cell 2
-3lapsRubens Valeriano (Bra)Row 89 - Cell 2
-4lapsTravis Woodruff (USA)Row 90 - Cell 2
-4lapsErnie Watenpaugh (USA)Row 91 - Cell 2
-4lapsAdrian Retief (NZl)Row 92 - Cell 2
-4lapsNicolas Lüthi (Swi)Row 93 - Cell 2
-4lapsWilliam Melone (USA)Row 94 - Cell 2
-4lapsPaul Van Der Ploeg (Aus)Row 95 - Cell 2
-5lapsBesik Gavasheli (Geo)Row 96 - Cell 2
-6lapsJean-Philippe Thibault-Roberge (Can)Row 97 - Cell 2
DNFRalph Naef (Swi) Bmc Mountainbike Racing TeamRow 98 - Cell 2
DNFMax Plaxton (Can) Cannondale Factory RacingRow 99 - Cell 2
DNFJan Skarnitzl (Cze) Sram Rubena TrekRow 100 - Cell 2
DNFJosé Alberto Gonzalez Merchan (Ecu)Row 101 - Cell 2
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Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Bmc Mountainbike Racing Team83pts
2Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team56Row 1 - Cell 3
3Trek Factory Racing56Row 2 - Cell 3
4Multivan Merida Biking Team54Row 3 - Cell 3
5Stöckli Pro Team34Row 4 - Cell 3
6Scott-3Rox Racing31Row 5 - Cell 3
7Cannondale Factory Racing30Row 6 - Cell 3
8Giant Pro XC Team29Row 7 - Cell 3
9Specialized Racing XC26Row 8 - Cell 3
10Tropix-Frm24Row 9 - Cell 3
11BH-Suntour-KMC21Row 10 - Cell 3
12I.Idro Drain Bianchi17Row 11 - Cell 3
13Versluys Team7Row 12 - Cell 3
14Orange Monkey Pro Team5Row 13 - Cell 3
15Dpa2Row 14 - Cell 3
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Elite men cross country World Cup standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Julien Absalon (Fra) Bmc Mountainbike Racing Team1090pts
2Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team830Row 1 - Cell 3
3Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing690Row 2 - Cell 3
4Stéphane Tempier (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC621Row 3 - Cell 3
5José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team598Row 4 - Cell 3
6Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing566Row 5 - Cell 3
7Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team535Row 6 - Cell 3
8Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC522Row 7 - Cell 3
9Fabian Giger (Swi) Giant Pro XC Team486Row 8 - Cell 3
10Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Trek Factory Racing485Row 9 - Cell 3
11Moritz Milatz (Ger) Bmc Mountainbike Racing Team460Row 10 - Cell 3
12Thomas Litscher (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team435Row 11 - Cell 3
13Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Bmc Mountainbike Racing Team399Row 12 - Cell 3
14Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team366Row 13 - Cell 3
15Emil Lindgren (Swe) Giant Pro XC Team354Row 14 - Cell 3
16Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing350Row 15 - Cell 3
17Gerhard Kerschbaumer (Ita) I.Idro Drain Bianchi323Row 16 - Cell 3
18Alexander Gehbauer (Aut) I.Idro Drain Bianchi297Row 17 - Cell 3
19Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) Mmr Bikes Pro Team292Row 18 - Cell 3
20Ondrej Cink (Cze) Multivan Merida Biking Team282Row 19 - Cell 3
21Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Tropix-Frm263Row 20 - Cell 3
22Raphael Gagne (Can)240Row 21 - Cell 3
23Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing XC225Row 22 - Cell 3
24Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team218Row 23 - Cell 3
25Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team217Row 24 - Cell 3
26Ralph Naef (Swi) Bmc Mountainbike Racing Team213Row 25 - Cell 3
27Martin Fanger (Swi) Bmc Mountainbike Racing Team206Row 26 - Cell 3
28Stephen Ettinger (USA) Bmc Mountainbike Racing Team203Row 27 - Cell 3
29Markus Schulte-Luenzum (Ger) Focus XC Team201Row 28 - Cell 3
30Martin Gujan (Swi) Orange Monkey Pro Team196Row 29 - Cell 3
31Reto Indergand (Swi) Bmc Mountainbike Racing Team182Row 30 - Cell 3
32Michal Lami (Svk)170Row 31 - Cell 3
33Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized Racing XC166Row 32 - Cell 3
34Ruben Scheire (Bel) Feenstra Felt Pb Kenda Bike Team164Row 33 - Cell 3
35David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por)160Row 34 - Cell 3
36Nicola Rohrbach (Swi)159Row 35 - Cell 3
37Sven Nys (Bel)132Row 36 - Cell 3
38Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing130Row 37 - Cell 3
39Miguel Martinez (Fra) Tropix-Frm119Row 38 - Cell 3
40Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Sram Rubena Trek118Row 39 - Cell 3
41Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team118Row 40 - Cell 3
42Karl Markt (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team115Row 41 - Cell 3
43Luca Braidot (Ita)110Row 42 - Cell 3
44Martin Gluth (Ger)110Row 43 - Cell 3
45Jonas De Backer (Bel)106Row 44 - Cell 3
46Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Team Merida Wallonie MTB103Row 45 - Cell 3
47Hugo Drechou (Fra) Calvisson Vtt102Row 46 - Cell 3
48Anton Sintsov (Rus) Titici Lgl International Team102Row 47 - Cell 3
49Shlomi Haimy (Isr) Focus XC Team101Row 48 - Cell 3
50Daniele Braidot (Ita)100Row 49 - Cell 3
51Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing98Row 50 - Cell 3
52Matiss Preimanis (Lat) Dpa98Row 51 - Cell 3
53Matthias Stirnemann (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team86Row 52 - Cell 3
54Sergji Rysenko (Ukr) Cycling Club Roma MTB Team82Row 53 - Cell 3
55Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team80Row 54 - Cell 3
56Russell Finsterwald (USA) Sram/Tld Racing79Row 55 - Cell 3
57Michele Casagrande (Ita)70Row 56 - Cell 3
58Martin Loo (Est) Merida Italia Team69Row 57 - Cell 3
59Andrew Blair (Aus)64Row 58 - Cell 3
60Andras Parti (Hun) Waberer's Areus Cube MTB Team63Row 59 - Cell 3
61Matthias Wengelin (Swe)60Row 60 - Cell 3
62Frank Beemer (Ned) Mpl Specialized MTB Team58Row 61 - Cell 3
63Kerry Werner (USA)58Row 62 - Cell 3
64Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Focus XC Team58Row 63 - Cell 3
65Paolo Cesar Montoya Cantillo (CRc)57Row 64 - Cell 3
66Marek Konwa (Pol) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens MTB Racing Team55Row 65 - Cell 3
67Henrique Avancini (Bra) Caloi Team54Row 66 - Cell 3
68Marc Stutzmann (Swi) Giant-Swiss-Team53Row 67 - Cell 3
69Kristian Hynek (Cze) Topeak Ergon Racing Team52Row 68 - Cell 3
70Robby De Bock (Bel) Feenstra Felt Pb Kenda Bike Team51Row 69 - Cell 3
71Mark Tupalski (Aus)47Row 70 - Cell 3
72Carl Jones (NZl)44Row 71 - Cell 3
73Jan Nesvadba (Cze)40Row 72 - Cell 3
74Paul Oldham (GBr)37Row 73 - Cell 3
75Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Mmr Bikes Pro Team36Row 74 - Cell 3
76Brendan Johnston (Aus)35Row 75 - Cell 3
77Evan Guthrie (Can)34Row 76 - Cell 3
78Sepp Freiburghaus (Swi)34Row 77 - Cell 3
79Simon Scheiber (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team32Row 78 - Cell 3
80Tom Meeusen (Bel)32Row 79 - Cell 3
81Mario Luis Miranda Costa (Por)31Row 80 - Cell 3
82Ismael Ventura Sanchez (Spa)30Row 81 - Cell 3
83Matous Ulman (Cze)30Row 82 - Cell 3
84Philip Buys (RSA)29Row 83 - Cell 3
85Dirk Peters (NZl)29Row 84 - Cell 3
86Shaun Lewis (Aus)28Row 85 - Cell 3
87Steffen Thum (Ger)26Row 86 - Cell 3
88Fabian Rabensteiner (Ita) Focus XC Italy Team25Row 87 - Cell 3
89Cory Wallace (Can) Kona Factory Team25Row 88 - Cell 3
90Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Team Bulls25Row 89 - Cell 3
91Ryo Saito (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor Cycling Team24Row 90 - Cell 3
92Ivan Seledkov (Rus)23Row 91 - Cell 3
93Paul Van Der Ploeg (Aus)23Row 92 - Cell 3
94Daniel Federspiel (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team22Row 93 - Cell 3
95Filip Eberl (Cze) Remerx-Merida Team Kolin21Row 94 - Cell 3
96Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Btwin MTB Racing Team21Row 95 - Cell 3
97Simon Gegenheimer (Ger)21Row 96 - Cell 3
98Markus Bauer (Ger)21Row 97 - Cell 3
99Hector Riveros (Col)20Row 98 - Cell 3
100Andrew Watson (Can)19Row 99 - Cell 3
101Travis Frisby (Aus)19Row 100 - Cell 3
102Matthys Beukes (RSA)18Row 101 - Cell 3
103Christian Helmig (Lux)17Row 102 - Cell 3
104Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona Factory Team16Row 103 - Cell 3
105Jochen Kass (Ger)16Row 104 - Cell 3
106Ola Kjören (Nor)16Row 105 - Cell 3
107Ramon Sagues Portabella (Spa)15Row 106 - Cell 3
108David Fletcher (GBr) Orange Monkey Pro Team15Row 107 - Cell 3
109Hans Becking (Ned) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens MTB Racing Team13Row 108 - Cell 3
110David Valero (Spa)12Row 109 - Cell 3
111Oleksandr Gerashchenko (Ukr) Isd MTB Team11Row 110 - Cell 3
112Rourke Croeser (RSA) Kargo Pro MTB Team11Row 111 - Cell 3
113Daniel Eymann (Swi) Giant-Swiss-Team11Row 112 - Cell 3
114Mitchell Hoke (USA)10Row 113 - Cell 3
115Martin Haring (Svk)10Row 114 - Cell 3
116Renay Groustra (RSA)10Row 115 - Cell 3
117Hamish Batchelor (GBr) Fluid Fin Race Team9Row 116 - Cell 3
118Cameron Jette (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing8Row 117 - Cell 3
119Jiri Novak (Cze) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens MTB Racing Team8Row 118 - Cell 3
120Zsolt Juhasz (Hun) Waberer's Areus Cube MTB Team8Row 119 - Cell 3
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Team World Cup standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Bmc Mountainbike Racing Team404pts
2Multivan Merida Biking Team284Row 1 - Cell 3
3Trek Factory Racing237Row 2 - Cell 3
4BH-Suntour-KMC223Row 3 - Cell 3
5Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team220Row 4 - Cell 3
6Cannondale Factory Racing165Row 5 - Cell 3
7Giant Pro XC Team164Row 6 - Cell 3
8I.Idro Drain Bianchi119Row 7 - Cell 3
9Stöckli Pro Team111Row 8 - Cell 3
10Specialized Racing XC61Row 9 - Cell 3
11Tropix-Frm58Row 10 - Cell 3
12Mmr Bikes Pro Team40Row 11 - Cell 3
13Scott-3Rox Racing31Row 12 - Cell 3
14Orange Monkey Pro Team18Row 13 - Cell 3
15Focus XC Team16Row 14 - Cell 3
16Sram Rubena Trek15Row 15 - Cell 3
17Versluys Team14Row 16 - Cell 3
18Titici Lgl International Team7Row 17 - Cell 3
19Calvisson Vtt7Row 18 - Cell 3
20Feenstra Felt Pb Kenda Bike Team6Row 19 - Cell 3
21Dpa5Row 20 - Cell 3
22Topeak Ergon Racing Team5Row 21 - Cell 3
23Sram/Tld Racing4Row 22 - Cell 3
24Ötztal Scott Racing Team2Row 23 - Cell 3

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