Kulhavy crushes the competition for solo win on home turf

World Cup leader Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized) had stated before the sixth round of the series, held in his home country of the Czech Republic, that he considered winning this event more important than a victory at the world championships. He did not disappoint nearly 20,000 of his compatriots in Nove Mesto na Morave, with a dominant performance that also locked up the World Cup title, with one race still remaining in the series. Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) secured second in the overall standings with his second place in Nove Mesto, while Julien Absalon (Orbea) took third.

The pressure was on Kulhavy to win the first cross country World Cup to be held in the Czech Republic in 14 years, with his face plastered on posters and billboards in the surrounding towns and countryside. On paper, it was almost a sure thing, since Kulhavy has been so dominant this year, and he admitted, the night before the race, that this was more important than the world championships for him.

One thing he was certainly not lacking was confidence. "When I heard and saw all the people cheering for me, I knew I would win for sure," he said.

He took no chances, attacking on the start loop and opening a gap of eight seconds on Nino Schurter by the start of the first lap, and then extending it steadily through the rest of the seven laps. Schurter, fighting an infection and having just finished a training camp at altitude, dropped back after he realized he could not match Kulhavy's pace.

"I wanted to get away early," said Kulhavy, "so that I could avoid any traffic and ride at my own pace. It was almost a perfect race for me, with only some little mistakes. It was incredible."

Absalon, another favourite, had a slow start to the race, commenting afterward, "That was the worst start I have ever had for a World Cup! I did not have the power to be able to follow, so I started losing places. It was not until maybe halfway through the race that I began to feel better and could move up again."

While Schurter and Absalon were fading, world champion Jose Hermida (Multivan Merida) took up the chase, closing to within 31 seconds by the end of lap two. However, that was as close as he would get to Kulhavy, and he was eventually picked up and dropped by Schurter and Absalon as they recovered and began moving back through the chasers.

By the end of lap five, the pair was back with Hermida, and then dropped him in lap six. Schurter had opened a small gap on Absalon as they began the sixth lap, but the Frenchman quickly closed it up again, and the pair started the seventh and final lap together, one minute and 15 seconds down on Kulhavy. Kulhavy was beginning to cruise on the last lap, confident of his victory, and enjoying the cheers of his compatriots.

He rolled into the finishing stadium to the roar of over 5,000 people in the stands, and lifted his bike over his head to stride across the finish line, with a wide grin cracking his normally serious demeanor.

Behind, Schurter had finally managed to drop Absalon in the last kilometres to claim second by nine seconds over Absalon. Hermida hung on for fourth, and a last lap surge by Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Wild Wolf-Trek) gave the Spaniard the final podium spot - his first ever World Cup podium finish.

Race Notes

- Kulhavy's fourth win (plus a second and a third) give him 1360 points to Schurter's 1070 and Absalon's 810 (Absalon skipped the two North American rounds). With a win worth 250 points, the Czech rider now has an unassailable lead in the standings. Schurter is also assured of second by the same margin, but Absalon is not as secure in third, going into next weekend's final in Val di Sole, Italy. Maxime Marotte (BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry) is 70 points in back of Absalon, Hermida is 82 points behind and Burry Stander (Specialized) is at 102 points back.

- Sam Schultz (Subaru-Trek) was the top North American finisher, in 15th, his best ever World Cup result. He was followed by teammate Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski in 22nd, and Canada's Geoff Kabush (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) in 30th. Todd Wells (Specialized) remains the top North American in the overall standings, despite missing the race (to compete in and win Leadville), in 21st, followed by Kabush in 24th place.

Full Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing1:41:52
2Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott - Swisspower MTB - Racing0:00:45
3Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea0:00:54
4José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:01:23
5Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Wildwolf - Trek Racing0:01:51
6Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing0:02:11
7Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry0:02:32
8Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized Racing0:02:46
9Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:02:54
10Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing0:03:03
11Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing0:03:16
12Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott - Swisspower MTB - Racing0:03:23
13Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:03:25
14Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) Wildwolf - Trek Racing0:03:37
15Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru - Trek0:03:43
16Martin Gujan (Swi) Cannondale Factory Racing0:04:35
17Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa) Orbea0:04:47
18Fabian Giger (Swi) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team0:05:02
19Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Racing0:05:10
20Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team0:05:14
21Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi0:05:19
22Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru - Trek0:05:27
23Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing0:05:36
24Kristian Hynek (Cze)0:05:39
25Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys - Evenza Team0:05:51
26Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team0:05:56
27Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team0:06:20
28Jiri Friedl (Cze) Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team0:06:28
29Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team0:06:34
30Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain0:06:41
31Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa) OrbeaRow 30 - Cell 2
32Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Torpado Surfing Shop0:06:52
33Jukka Vastaranta (Fin) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team0:06:59
34Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Team Protek0:07:03
35Christoph Soukup (Aut)Row 34 - Cell 2
36Lukas Kaufmann (Swi)0:07:18
37Milan Spesny (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team0:07:33
38Liam Killeen (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team0:07:50
39Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team0:08:02
40Cédric Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix0:08:10
41Adam Craig (USA) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team0:08:25
42Anton Sintsov (Rus)0:08:34
43Derek Zandstra (Can)0:08:37
44Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor0:08:42
45Umberto Corti (Ita) Team CBE Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.Row 44 - Cell 2
46Filip Eberl (Cze)0:09:02
47Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team0:09:22
48Martino Fruet (Ita)0:09:40
49Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Giant Italia Team0:09:53
50Balz Weber (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:10:00
51Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:10:08
52Hannes Metzler (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team0:10:09
53Robert Gehbauer (Aut)0:10:41
54Robert Mennen (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team0:10:58
55Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG - 2 Professional MTB Team0:11:01
56Tony Longo (Ita) TX Active Bianchi0:11:34
57Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team0:12:30
58Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team0:13:09
-1lapRalph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking TeamRow 58 - Cell 2
-1lapSimon Scheiber (Aut) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic TeamRow 59 - Cell 2
-1lapRene Tann (Ger)Row 60 - Cell 2
-1lapMichal Lami (Svk)Row 61 - Cell 2
-1lapSid Taberlay (Aus)Row 62 - Cell 2
-1lapAndras Parti (Hun) Euro One - Cube MTB TeamRow 63 - Cell 2
-1lapSpencer Paxson (USA) KonaRow 64 - Cell 2
-1lapMichael Broderick (USA)Row 65 - Cell 2
-1lapSepp Freiburghaus (Swi) Thoemus Racing TeamRow 66 - Cell 2
-1lapAdam Morka (Can)Row 67 - Cell 2
-1lapPascal Meyer (Swi) Thoemus Racing TeamRow 68 - Cell 2
-1lapGiuseppe Lamastra (Ita) Elettroveneta - CorratecRow 69 - Cell 2
-1lapRobby De Bock (Bel)Row 70 - Cell 2
-1lapNiels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road TeamRow 71 - Cell 2
-2lapsNicola Rohrbach (Swi) Elettroveneta - CorratecRow 72 - Cell 2
-2lapsSteffen Thum (Ger)Row 73 - Cell 2
-2lapsJulien Taramarcaz (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing TeamRow 74 - Cell 2
-2lapsSzilard Buruczki (Hun)Row 75 - Cell 2
-2lapsCarl Jones (NZl)Row 76 - Cell 2
-2lapsKazuhiro Yamamoto (Jpn)Row 77 - Cell 2
-2lapsCameron Jette (Can)Row 78 - Cell 2
-2lapsMatthias Waldhart (Aut)Row 79 - Cell 2
-3lapsKen Onodera (Jpn)Row 80 - Cell 2
-3lapsOleksandr Gerashchenko (Ukr) ISD Cycling TeamRow 81 - Cell 2
-3lapsSang Hoon Na (Kor)Row 82 - Cell 2
-3lapsSimon Gegenheimer (Ger)Row 83 - Cell 2
-3lapsEddie Andres Rendon (Col)Row 84 - Cell 2
-3lapsMartin Fanger (Swi) Giant Swiss Sr - SuntourRow 85 - Cell 2
-3lapsMartin Loo (Est) Infotre - Bi & Esse - LeecouganRow 86 - Cell 2
-3lapsSeiya Hirano (Jpn) Team Bridgestone AnchorRow 87 - Cell 2
-3lapsPierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Lapierre InternationalRow 88 - Cell 2
-3lapsChun Hing Chan (HKg)Row 89 - Cell 2
-3lapsKyosuke Takei (Jpn)Row 90 - Cell 2
-3lapsRenay Groustra (RSA)Row 91 - Cell 2
-3lapsGiancarlo Sax (Swi) Thoemus Racing TeamRow 92 - Cell 2
-3lapsCristobal Silva Ibaceta (Chi)Row 93 - Cell 2
-3lapsLudovic Dubau (Fra) Team NewcyclingRow 94 - Cell 2
-3lapsMarco Schätzing (Ger) Team Firebike - DroessigerRow 95 - Cell 2
-3lapsLuis Anderson Mejia Sanchez (Col) Asptt Definitive GitaneRow 96 - Cell 2
-3lapsGabor Bogar (Hun) Euro One - Cube MTB TeamRow 97 - Cell 2
-3lapsLukas Sablik (Cze)Row 98 - Cell 2
-3lapsPeriklis Ilias (Gre) Team ProtekRow 99 - Cell 2
-4lapsMartin Haring (Svk)Row 100 - Cell 2
-4lapsOliver Munnik (RSA)Row 101 - Cell 2
-4lapsGeorgios Pattes-Toumanis (Gre) Team ProtekRow 102 - Cell 2
-4lapsMarc Colom (Fra) Team NewcyclingRow 103 - Cell 2
-4lapsPaul Remy (Fra)Row 104 - Cell 2
-4lapsSeverin Disch (Swi) Thoemus Racing TeamRow 105 - Cell 2
-5lapsJohn Whittington (GBr)Row 106 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Litscher (Swi) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic TeamRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFPatrik Gallati (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing TeamRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFOliver Beckingsale (GBr)Row 109 - Cell 2
DNFIrjan Luttenberg (Ned) Mpl Specialized MTB TeamRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFSven Nys (Bel)Row 111 - Cell 2
DNFSergji Rysenko (Ukr) ISD Cycling TeamRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFMichele Casagrande (Ita) Elettroveneta - CorratecRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Mcconnell (Aus)Row 114 - Cell 2
DNFJiri Novak (Cze) S&H Superior MTB TeamRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFMichal Prokop (Cze)Row 116 - Cell 2
DNSOla Kjören (Nor) Team Fokus - DanicaRow 117 - Cell 2
DNSDaniel Federspiel (Aut)Row 118 - Cell 2
DNSPierre Lebreton (Fra) BH - Suntour - Peisey VallandryRow 119 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Specialized Racing75pts
2Scott - Swisspower MTB - Racing54Row 1 - Cell 3
3Multivan Merida Biking Team48Row 2 - Cell 3
4Trek World Racing47Row 3 - Cell 3
5Orbea46Row 4 - Cell 3
6Wildwolf - Trek Racing45Row 5 - Cell 3
7Cannondale Factory Racing43Row 6 - Cell 3
8Subaru - Trek25Row 7 - Cell 3
9BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry24Row 8 - Cell 3
10BMC Mountainbike Racing Team22Row 9 - Cell 3
11Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team18Row 10 - Cell 3
12Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team11Row 11 - Cell 3
13TX Active Bianchi10Row 12 - Cell 3
14Versluys - Evenza Team6Row 13 - Cell 3
15Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team5Row 14 - Cell 3
16Topeak Ergon Racing Team4Row 15 - Cell 3
17Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain1Row 16 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elite men cross country World Cup standings after six rounds
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing1360pts
2Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott - Swisspower MTB - Racing1070Row 1 - Cell 3
3Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea810Row 2 - Cell 3
4Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry740Row 3 - Cell 3
5José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team728Row 4 - Cell 3
6Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Racing708Row 5 - Cell 3
7Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized Racing650Row 6 - Cell 3
8Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing600Row 7 - Cell 3
9Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing568Row 8 - Cell 3
10Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi532Row 9 - Cell 3
11Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott - Swisspower MTB - Racing498Row 10 - Cell 3
12Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing496Row 11 - Cell 3
13Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) Wildwolf - Trek Racing488Row 12 - Cell 3
14Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing478Row 13 - Cell 3
15Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team450Row 14 - Cell 3
16Thomas Litscher (Swi) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team437Row 15 - Cell 3
17Fabian Giger (Swi) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team434Row 16 - Cell 3
18Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team431Row 17 - Cell 3
19Martin Gujan (Swi) Cannondale Factory Racing413Row 18 - Cell 3
20Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Wildwolf - Trek Racing392Row 19 - Cell 3
21Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing369Row 20 - Cell 3
22Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa) Orbea367Row 21 - Cell 3
23Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Giant Italia Team358Row 22 - Cell 3
24Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain327Row 23 - Cell 3
25Liam Killeen (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team318Row 24 - Cell 3
26Karl Markt (Aut) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team304Row 25 - Cell 3
27Ralph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team249Row 26 - Cell 3
28Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team249Row 27 - Cell 3
29Patrik Gallati (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team241Row 28 - Cell 3
30Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team235Row 29 - Cell 3
31Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA) Subaru - Trek228Row 30 - Cell 3
32Derek Zandstra (Can)225Row 31 - Cell 3
33Martin Fanger (Swi) Giant Swiss Sr - Suntour214Row 32 - Cell 3
34Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru - Trek213Row 33 - Cell 3
35Matous Ulman (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team204Row 34 - Cell 3
36Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team182Row 35 - Cell 3
37Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team179Row 36 - Cell 3
38Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa) Orbea174Row 37 - Cell 3
39Jiri Friedl (Cze) Rubena - Birell - Specialized Cycling Team173Row 38 - Cell 3
40Cédric Ravanel (Fra) GT Skoda Chamonix169Row 39 - Cell 3
41Lukas Kaufmann (Swi)168Row 40 - Cell 3
42Adam Craig (USA) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team142Row 41 - Cell 3
43Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys - Evenza Team142Row 42 - Cell 3
44Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor141Row 43 - Cell 3
45Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG - 2 Professional MTB Team137Row 44 - Cell 3
46Oliver Beckingsale (GBr)135Row 45 - Cell 3
47Andras Parti (Hun) Euro One - Cube MTB Team134Row 46 - Cell 3
48Marc Colom (Fra) Team Newcycling130Row 47 - Cell 3
49Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Lapierre International125Row 48 - Cell 3
50Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) Elettroveneta - Corratec125Row 49 - Cell 3
51Severin Disch (Swi) Thoemus Racing Team114Row 50 - Cell 3
52Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team109Row 51 - Cell 3
53Jeremiah Bishop (USA)100Row 52 - Cell 3
54Martino Fruet (Ita)99Row 53 - Cell 3
55Jiri Novak (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team90Row 54 - Cell 3
56Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team85Row 55 - Cell 3
57Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Team Protek84Row 56 - Cell 3
58Irjan Luttenberg (Ned) Mpl Specialized MTB Team82Row 57 - Cell 3
59Christoph Soukup (Aut)78Row 58 - Cell 3
60Daniel Mcconnell (Aus)73Row 59 - Cell 3
61Jukka Vastaranta (Fin) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team70Row 60 - Cell 3
62Sepp Freiburghaus (Swi) Thoemus Racing Team68Row 61 - Cell 3
63Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team65Row 62 - Cell 3
64Kristian Hynek (Cze)58Row 63 - Cell 3
65Milan Spesny (Cze) S&H Superior MTB Team54Row 64 - Cell 3
66Robert Mennen (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team52Row 65 - Cell 3
67Pascal Meyer (Swi) Thoemus Racing Team51Row 66 - Cell 3
68Balz Weber (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team50Row 67 - Cell 3
69Chris Jongewaard (Aus) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team47Row 68 - Cell 3
70Hannes Metzler (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team46Row 69 - Cell 3
71Adam Morka (Can)43Row 70 - Cell 3
72Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Torpado Surfing Shop42Row 71 - Cell 3
73Tony Longo (Ita) TX Active Bianchi41Row 72 - Cell 3
74Filip Eberl (Cze)38Row 73 - Cell 3
75Michal Lami (Svk)38Row 74 - Cell 3
76Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team37Row 75 - Cell 3
77Matthew Hadley (Can)34Row 76 - Cell 3
78Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra)32Row 77 - Cell 3
79Umberto Corti (Ita) Team CBE Tecnoimpianti A.S.D.32Row 78 - Cell 3
80Andrew Watson (Can)32Row 79 - Cell 3
81Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona30Row 80 - Cell 3
82Lachlan Norris (Aus) Giant Factory Off-Road Team30Row 81 - Cell 3
83Anton Sintsov (Rus)26Row 82 - Cell 3
84Peter Glassford (Can)25Row 83 - Cell 3
85Periklis Ilias (Gre) Team Protek21Row 84 - Cell 3
86Max Plaxton (Can)20Row 85 - Cell 3
87Eric Batty (Can)19Row 86 - Cell 3
88Michele Casagrande (Ita) Elettroveneta - Corratec19Row 87 - Cell 3
89Rotem Ishai (Isr)17Row 88 - Cell 3
90Martin Loo (Est) Infotre - Bi & Esse - Leecougan17Row 89 - Cell 3
91Robert Gehbauer (Aut)15Row 90 - Cell 3
92Benjamin Wittrup Justesen (Den)15Row 91 - Cell 3
93Raphael Gagne (Can)13Row 92 - Cell 3
94Alban Lakata (Aut) Topeak Ergon Racing Team13Row 93 - Cell 3
95Joshua Carlson (Aus)11Row 94 - Cell 3
96Rene Tann (Ger)10Row 95 - Cell 3
97Michael Broderick (USA)9Row 96 - Cell 3
98Simon Scheiber (Aut) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team8Row 97 - Cell 3

 

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