Schurter victorious in Méribel cross country World Cup

By Tour of Japan
published

Absalon and Fumic round out podium

Image 1 of 16
Nino Schurter (Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team) wins the elite men's World Cup in Windham, New York (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

The men's cross country World Cup has been dominated by two riders all season - Julien Absalon (BMC) and Nino Schurter (Scott-Odlo), each with three wins apiece. Absalon was virtually assured the overall title, since Schurter had missed the second round, but it did not affect his desire to win the final round before his compatriots in Méribel, France.

Schurter is always a fast starter, and had a 20-second lead by the end of the first lap on a chase group initially containing Absalon, Mathias Fluckiger (Stockli), Lukas Fluckiger (BMC), Emil Lindgren (Giant Pro XC), Dan McConnell (Trek Factory Racing) and Manuel Fumic (Cannondale Factory).

While Absalon was driving the chase on the climbs, with only Fumic able to match him, Schurter was clearly faster on the descents, maintaining a 30-second gap at the start of each lap after final long descent. On the final lap, Absalon finally managed to drop Fumic on the climb to solo in 13 seconds behind Schurter, as he took the 14th World Cup win of his career.

"It's an awesome feeling to win my third [World Cup] in a row, I feel super lucky," said Schurter. "I felt pretty confident on this tricky track. It was a really technical downhill and I chose the full suspension bike, which I think was the right decision, since I think I gained a lot of time on the downhill. I'm really looking forward to the Worlds next, I want to defend my title there."

Absalon won the World Cup title, the sixth of his career but first since 2009, with 1490 points, followed by Schurter at 1330. McConnell finished third with 970 points, while Fumic jumped from fifth to fourth with 856 points after finishing third in the final round.

"I'm really happy to win the title," said Absalon. "I have had it five times, but the last time was a long time ago [2009], so I'm happy to have such a good season. It was really good to have the final here in France with lots of spectators and the ambiance all around the track. It was difficult to fight and still do a safe race."

"For sure it is more pressure for me to race in France; it would be easy for me to do a top-30 to win the [overall] trophy, but in France, for me, it would not be possible to ride in 30th position. For the public I have to fight to be in front. I didn't want to flat, I didn't want to crash or have any technical problems, so I lost lots of time in the downhill. It was a little bit like Windham [round 6], where Nino was also fast in the downhill."

Full Results

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Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team1:33:06
2Julien Absalon (Fra) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:00:13
3Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing0:00:37
4Lukas Flückiger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:00:46
5Gerhard Kerschbaumer (Ita) I.Idro Drain Bianchi0:01:12
6Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing0:01:17
7Ralph Naef (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:01:48
8Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team0:02:06
9Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team0:02:07
10José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:02:11
11Emil Lindgren (Swe) Giant Pro XC Team0:02:34
12Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:02:35
13Fabian Giger (Swi) Giant Pro XC Team0:02:48
14Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Trek Factory Racing0:02:51
15Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC0:03:15
16Luca Braidot (Ita)0:04:12
17Martin Fanger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:04:21
18Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory RacingRow 17 - Cell 2
19Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:04:40
20Stephen Ettinger (USA) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:05:06
21Markus Bauer (Ger)0:05:42
22Ondrej Cink (Cze) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:05:45
23Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team0:05:53
24Daniele Braidot (Ita)0:05:58
25Henrique Avancini (Bra) Caloi Team0:06:01
26Stéphane Tempier (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC0:06:05
27Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Tropix-Frm0:06:07
28Martin Gujan (Swi) Orange Monkey Pro TeamRow 27 - Cell 2
29Hugo Drechou (Fra) Calvisson VTT0:06:08
30Markus Schulte-Luenzum (Ger) Focus XC Team0:06:10
31Reto Indergand (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:06:15
32Matthias Wengelin (Swe)0:06:43
33Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Sram Rubena Trek0:06:52
34Nicola Rohrbach (Swi)0:06:59
35Rourke Croeser (RSA) Kargo Pro MTB Team0:07:01
36Calle Friberg (Swe)0:07:03
37Michal Lami (Svk)0:07:17
38Zsolt Juhasz (Hun) Waberer's Areus Cube MTB Team0:07:24
39Alexander Gehbauer (Aut) I.Idro Drain Bianchi0:07:35
40Ismael Ventura Sanchez (Spa)0:07:44
41Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Team Merida Wallonie MTB0:08:01
42Miguel Martinez (Fra) Tropix-Frm0:08:08
43David Valero (Spa)0:08:22
44Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Team Bulls0:08:29
45Marc Stutzmann (Swi) Giant-Swiss-Team0:08:42
46Frank Beemer (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team0:08:49
47Daniel Eymann (Swi) Giant-Swiss-Team0:08:58
48Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized Racing XC0:09:00
49Matthias Stirnemann (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team0:09:20
50Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) Mmr Bikes Pro Team0:09:27
51Anton Gogolev (Rus)0:09:54
52David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por)0:10:01
53Hans Becking (Ned) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens MTB Racing Team0:10:15
54Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Mmr Bikes Pro Team0:10:32
55Simon Scheiber (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team0:10:40
56Christian Helmig (Lux)0:11:22
57Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Btwin MTB Racing Team0:11:58
58Anton Sintsov (Rus) Titici Lgl International Team0:12:40
59Alexis Chenevier (Fra) Scott - La Clusaz0:13:09
-1lapRotem Ishay (Isr)Row 59 - Cell 2
-1lapMarcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing TeamRow 60 - Cell 2
-1lapMartino Fruet (Ita)Row 61 - Cell 2
-1lapRuben Scheire (Bel) Feenstra Felt Pb Kenda Bike TeamRow 62 - Cell 2
-1lapMirko Tabacchi (Ita)Row 63 - Cell 2
-1lapAndras Parti (Hun) Waberer's Areus Cube MTB TeamRow 64 - Cell 2
-1lapMartin Loo (Est) Merida Italia TeamRow 65 - Cell 2
-1lapUwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Focus XC TeamRow 66 - Cell 2
-1lapRamon Sagues Portabella (Spa)Row 67 - Cell 2
-1lapCristofer Bosque Ruano (Spa)Row 68 - Cell 2
-1lapSteffen Thum (Ger)Row 69 - Cell 2
-1lapRobby De Bock (Bel) Feenstra Felt Pb Kenda Bike TeamRow 70 - Cell 2
-2lapsKarl Markt (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing TeamRow 71 - Cell 2
-2lapsRicardo Paulo Reis Marinheiro (Por)Row 72 - Cell 2
-2lapsJonas De Backer (Bel)Row 73 - Cell 2
-2lapsJorgen Flion (Bel)Row 74 - Cell 2
-2lapsTomas Tvrdik (Cze)Row 75 - Cell 2
-2lapsMarek Konwa (Pol) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens MTB Racing TeamRow 76 - Cell 2
-2lapsMichele Casagrande (Ita)Row 77 - Cell 2
-2lapsGiuseppe Lamastra (Ita)Row 78 - Cell 2
-2lapsJason Bouttell (GBr)Row 79 - Cell 2
-2lapsMarco Schätzing (Ger)Row 80 - Cell 2
-3lapsKornel Osicki (Pol) Kross Racing TeamRow 81 - Cell 2
-3lapsSimon Gegenheimer (Ger)Row 82 - Cell 2
-3lapsCristobal Silva Ibaceta (Chi) Tropix-FrmRow 83 - Cell 2
-3lapsJosé Alberto Gonzalez Merchan (Ecu)Row 84 - Cell 2
-3lapsMario Luis Miranda Costa (Por)Row 85 - Cell 2
-3lapsMarcin Kawalec (Pol) Sante-Bsa Whistle TeamRow 86 - Cell 2
-3lapsJan Withaar (RSA)Row 87 - Cell 2
-3lapsZdenek Vobecky (Cze)Row 88 - Cell 2
-3lapsFabian Rabensteiner (Ita) Focus XC Italy TeamRow 89 - Cell 2
-3lapsMartin Haring (Svk)Row 90 - Cell 2
-3lapsTitouan Perrin Ganier (Fra) Focus Rotor Coaching-SystemRow 91 - Cell 2
-3lapsPiotr Kurczab (Pol)Row 92 - Cell 2
DNFSergji Rysenko (Ukr) Cycling Club Roma MTB TeamRow 93 - Cell 2
DNFJaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing XCRow 94 - Cell 2
DNSThomas Litscher (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking TeamRow 95 - Cell 2
DNSMartin Gluth (Ger)Row 96 - Cell 2
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Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1BMC Mountainbike Racing Team89pts
2Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team62Row 1 - Cell 3
3Cannondale Factory Racing45Row 2 - Cell 3
4Trek Factory Racing43Row 3 - Cell 3
5Multivan Merida Biking Team42Row 4 - Cell 3
6Giant Pro Xc Team38Row 5 - Cell 3
7I.Idro Drain Bianchi28Row 6 - Cell 3
8Stöckli Pro Team23Row 7 - Cell 3
9BH-Suntour-KMC21Row 8 - Cell 3
10Versluys Team8Row 9 - Cell 3
11Caloi Team6Row 10 - Cell 3
12Tropix-FRM4Row 11 - Cell 3
13Orange Monkey Pro Team3Row 12 - Cell 3
14Calvisson Vtt2Row 13 - Cell 3
15Focus Xc Team1Row 14 - Cell 3
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Elite men final World Cup standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Julien Absalon (Fra) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team1490pts
2Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team1330Row 1 - Cell 3
3Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing970Row 2 - Cell 3
4Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing856Row 3 - Cell 3
5Stéphane Tempier (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC785Row 4 - Cell 3
6Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team785Row 5 - Cell 3
7José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team767Row 6 - Cell 3
8Lukas Flückiger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team709Row 7 - Cell 3
9Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Trek Factory Racing683Row 8 - Cell 3
10Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour-KMC668Row 9 - Cell 3
11Fabian Giger (Swi) Giant Pro XC Team656Row 10 - Cell 3
12Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team566Row 11 - Cell 3
13Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team545Row 12 - Cell 3
14Emil Lindgren (Swe) Giant Pro XC Team512Row 13 - Cell 3
15Gerhard Kerschbaumer (Ita) I.Idro Drain Bianchi509Row 14 - Cell 3
16Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing496Row 15 - Cell 3
17Thomas Litscher (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team464Row 16 - Cell 3
18Ralph Naef (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team428Row 17 - Cell 3
19Ondrej Cink (Cze) Multivan Merida Biking Team416Row 18 - Cell 3
20Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Tropix-Frm381Row 19 - Cell 3
21Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team364Row 20 - Cell 3
22Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team327Row 21 - Cell 3
23Alexander Gehbauer (Aut) I.Idro Drain Bianchi326Row 22 - Cell 3
24Stephen Ettinger (USA) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team321Row 23 - Cell 3
25Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) Mmr Bikes Pro Team310Row 24 - Cell 3
26Markus Schulte-Luenzum (Ger) Focus XC Team303Row 25 - Cell 3
27Martin Gujan (Swi) Orange Monkey Pro Team300Row 26 - Cell 3
28Martin Fanger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team278Row 27 - Cell 3
29Michal Lami (Svk)260Row 28 - Cell 3
30Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing XC259Row 29 - Cell 3
31Raphael Gagne (Can)255Row 30 - Cell 3
32Reto Indergand (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team226Row 31 - Cell 3
33Nicola Rohrbach (Swi)224Row 32 - Cell 3
34Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Specialized Racing XC224Row 33 - Cell 3
35Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Sram Rubena Trek218Row 34 - Cell 3
36Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing215Row 35 - Cell 3
37Ruben Scheire (Bel) Feenstra Felt Pb Kenda Bike Team208Row 36 - Cell 3
38David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por)186Row 37 - Cell 3
39Luca Braidot (Ita)184Row 38 - Cell 3
40Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing178Row 39 - Cell 3
41Hugo Drechou (Fra) Calvisson VTT173Row 40 - Cell 3
42Matthias Stirnemann (Swi) Stöckli Pro Team169Row 41 - Cell 3
43Miguel Martinez (Fra) Tropix-Frm163Row 42 - Cell 3
44Daniele Braidot (Ita)158Row 43 - Cell 3
45Henrique Avancini (Bra) Caloi Team152Row 44 - Cell 3
46Karl Markt (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team141Row 45 - Cell 3
47Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Team Merida Wallonie MTB139Row 46 - Cell 3
48Sven Nys (Bel)132Row 47 - Cell 3
49Martin Gluth (Ger)130Row 48 - Cell 3
50Matiss Preimanis (Lat) Dpa128Row 49 - Cell 3
51Marc Stutzmann (Swi) Giant-Swiss-Team124Row 50 - Cell 3
52Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team118Row 51 - Cell 3
53Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Mmr Bikes Pro Team112Row 52 - Cell 3
54Anton Sintsov (Rus) Titici Lgl International Team112Row 53 - Cell 3
55Jonas De Backer (Bel)106Row 54 - Cell 3
56Martin Loo (Est) Merida Italia Team105Row 55 - Cell 3
57Russell Finsterwald (USA) Sram/Tld Racing104Row 56 - Cell 3
58Matthias Wengelin (Swe)102Row 57 - Cell 3
59Shlomi Haimy (Isr) Focus XC Team101Row 58 - Cell 3
60Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team99Row 59 - Cell 3
61Markus Bauer (Ger)85Row 60 - Cell 3
62Sergji Rysenko (Ukr) Cycling Club Roma MTB Team82Row 61 - Cell 3
63Frank Beemer (Ned) MPL Specialized MTB Team80Row 62 - Cell 3
64Ismael Ventura Sanchez (Spa)80Row 63 - Cell 3
65Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut) Focus XC Team74Row 64 - Cell 3
66Michele Casagrande (Ita)70Row 65 - Cell 3
67Andrew Blair (Aus)64Row 66 - Cell 3
68Andras Parti (Hun) Waberer's Areus Cube MTB Team63Row 67 - Cell 3
69Hector Riveros (Col)60Row 68 - Cell 3
70Hans Becking (Ned) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens MTB Racing Team60Row 69 - Cell 3
71Zsolt Juhasz (Hun) Waberer's Areus Cube MTB Team59Row 70 - Cell 3
72Kerry Werner (USA)58Row 71 - Cell 3
73Evan Guthrie (Can)58Row 72 - Cell 3
74Paolo Cesar Montoya Cantillo (CRc)57Row 73 - Cell 3
75Christian Helmig (Lux)57Row 74 - Cell 3
76Simon Scheiber (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team56Row 75 - Cell 3
77Marek Konwa (Pol) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens MTB Racing Team55Row 76 - Cell 3
78Kristian Hynek (Cze) Topeak Ergon Racing Team52Row 77 - Cell 3
79Sepp Freiburghaus (Swi)51Row 78 - Cell 3
80Robby De Bock (Bel) Feenstra Felt Pb Kenda Bike Team51Row 79 - Cell 3
81Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Team Bulls49Row 80 - Cell 3
82Rourke Croeser (RSA) Kargo Pro MTB Team47Row 81 - Cell 3
83Mark Tupalski (Aus)47Row 82 - Cell 3
84Carl Jones (NZl)44Row 83 - Cell 3
85Jan Nesvadba (Cze)40Row 84 - Cell 3
86Paul Oldham (GBr)37Row 85 - Cell 3
87David Valero (Spa)37Row 86 - Cell 3
88Brendan Johnston (Aus)35Row 87 - Cell 3
89Calle Friberg (Swe)34Row 88 - Cell 3
90Daniel Eymann (Swi) Giant-Swiss-Team32Row 89 - Cell 3
91Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Btwin MTB Racing Team32Row 90 - Cell 3
92Tom Meeusen (Bel)32Row 91 - Cell 3
93Mario Luis Miranda Costa (Por)31Row 92 - Cell 3
94Andrew Watson (Can)31Row 93 - Cell 3
95Matous Ulman (Cze)30Row 94 - Cell 3
96Philip Buys (RSA)29Row 95 - Cell 3
97Dirk Peters (NZl)29Row 96 - Cell 3
98Shaun Lewis (Aus)28Row 97 - Cell 3
99Steffen Thum (Ger)26Row 98 - Cell 3
100Fabian Rabensteiner (Ita) Focus XC Italy Team25Row 99 - Cell 3
101Cory Wallace (Can) Kona Factory Team25Row 100 - Cell 3
102Ryo Saito (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor Cycling Team24Row 101 - Cell 3
103Ivan Seledkov (Rus)23Row 102 - Cell 3
104Paul Van Der Ploeg (Aus)23Row 103 - Cell 3
105Daniel Federspiel (Aut) Ötztal Scott Racing Team22Row 104 - Cell 3
106Filip Eberl (Cze) Remerx-Merida Team Kolin21Row 105 - Cell 3
107Simon Gegenheimer (Ger)21Row 106 - Cell 3
108Travis Frisby (Aus)19Row 107 - Cell 3
109Matthys Beukes (RSA)18Row 108 - Cell 3
110Mitchell Hoke (USA)18Row 109 - Cell 3
111Anton Gogolev (Rus)17Row 110 - Cell 3
112Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona Factory Team16Row 111 - Cell 3
113Jochen Kass (Ger)16Row 112 - Cell 3
114Ola Kjören (Nor)16Row 113 - Cell 3
115Ramon Sagues Portabella (Spa)15Row 114 - Cell 3
116David Fletcher (GBr) Orange Monkey Pro Team15Row 115 - Cell 3
117Cameron Dodge (USA)14Row 116 - Cell 3
118Ricardo Pscheidt (Bra)13Row 117 - Cell 3
119Oleksandr Gerashchenko (Ukr) Isd MTB Team11Row 118 - Cell 3
120Martin Haring (Svk)10Row 119 - Cell 3
121Renay Groustra (RSA)10Row 120 - Cell 3
122Alexis Chenevier (Fra) Scott - La Clusaz9Row 121 - Cell 3
123Hamish Batchelor (GBr) Fluid Fin Race Team9Row 122 - Cell 3
124Rotem Ishay (Isr)8Row 123 - Cell 3
125Cameron Jette (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing8Row 124 - Cell 3
126Jiri Novak (Cze) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens MTB Racing Team8Row 125 - Cell 3
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Team final World Cup standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1BMC Mountainbike Racing Team581pts
2Multivan Merida Biking Team372Row 1 - Cell 3
3Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team344Row 2 - Cell 3
4Trek Factory Racing334Row 3 - Cell 3
5BH-Suntour-KMC280Row 4 - Cell 3
6Cannondale Factory Racing252Row 5 - Cell 3
7Giant Pro Xc Team234Row 6 - Cell 3
8Stöckli Pro Team172Row 7 - Cell 3
9I.Idro Drain Bianchi148Row 8 - Cell 3
10Tropix-FRM73Row 9 - Cell 3
11Scott-3Rox Racing68Row 10 - Cell 3
12Specialized Racing Xc61Row 11 - Cell 3
13Mmr Bikes Pro Team49Row 12 - Cell 3
14Orange Monkey Pro Team26Row 13 - Cell 3
15Versluys Team25Row 14 - Cell 3
16Focus Xc Team23Row 15 - Cell 3
17Sram Rubena Trek23Row 16 - Cell 3
18Calvisson Vtt9Row 17 - Cell 3
19Titici Lgl International Team7Row 18 - Cell 3
20Caloi Team6Row 19 - Cell 3
21Feenstra Felt Pb Kenda Bike Team6Row 20 - Cell 3
22Dpa5Row 21 - Cell 3
23Topeak Ergon Racing Team5Row 22 - Cell 3
24Sram/Tld Racing4Row 23 - Cell 3
25Ötztal Scott Racing Team2Row 24 - Cell 3
26Giant-Swiss-Team2Row 25 - Cell 3

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