Hermida unbeatable in Austria

José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Multivan Merida Biking Team) bracketed the 2009 World Cup, winning the first round in South Africa and the last on Saturday in Schladming, Austria. The win moved him from fourth to second in the overall standings behind Julien Absalon (Orbea)

Absalon locked up the World Cup title a week earlier. However, second for fifth in the series were still in play among seven riders, and it was Hermida who took control.

Spanish compatriot Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Orbea) took second for his first World Cup podium, followed by Trek's Mathias Flückiger, the first Under 23 rider. Absalon, after racing at the front three for most of the six-lap race retired after a flat just before the start of the final lap. Adam Craig (Giant) was the top North American in 21st, two spots ahead of Canada's Geoff Kabush (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain).

The short men's race started very aggressively, with a group of eight forming at the front. World Champion Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) and Roel Paulissen (Cannondale) set the early pace, joined by Hermida, Absalon, Ralph Näf (Multivan Merida), Florian Vogel (Scott-Swisspower), Flückiger and Alexis Vuillermoz (Lapierre). Early in lap two, Absalon decided it was time to shake things up a bit, and attacked on one of the steep climbs.

The Olympic champion opened a small 10-second gap on Hermida and Flückiger, who were the only two able to respond initially to his attack after Näf broke his chain. Hermida, the winner of the opening round of the World Cup, five long months ago in South Africa, slowly closed the gap, and joined Absalon early in lap four. After a brief time together, Hermida launched the attack which would put him into the lead for good.

"Between Pietermaritzburg [South Africa] and here, it has been a long season," said Hermida, "but my balance through the year has been very good, very stable. I came to this race feeling pretty good, and looking for a final strong result. When I caught Julien, I took a short rest of maybe 30 seconds, and then I attacked again, and he could not come with me. Today was the final exams for the season, and I wanted a strong result."

Behind, Absalon was at 20 seconds at the start of lap five, but Flückiger and Ruzafa Cueto were gaining ground. While the French rider would not give in easily, he did not feel the pressure to come back from his flat.

"I was without pressure," Absalon said. "The plan was if I felt good, then (I would) fight for victory. So I went to the front and got a little gap, but Jose came up. I was thinking that second would be good at the end of the season, but I got my flat tire at the end of the fifth lap, and I knew it would not be possible to get back up there with one lap left in the race."

Ruzafa Cueto was suddenly into second, having passed Flückiger midway through the lap, and the front three were set, with Schurter just holding off Vuillermoz for fourth place.

Hermida's victory moved him up to second in the final standings, as he bumped the Under 23 champion Burry Stander down to third, with Näf fourth and Schurter fifth. Geoff Kabush remained in eighth overall for the series.

"I didn't have the legs today," said Kabush. "I felt really bad last week [in Champery], so I rested all this week. But for this course you needed wings, and I didn't have them. The first lap I made a big effort and milked out everything, but I didn't have it. It's hard to have a mediocre end to the season."

"My goal this year was to win a World Cup, and I achieved that, which was a pretty big dream, and then fifth at the Worlds was big, so I would definitely have to say that this has been my best year ever, and I'll just keep trying to improve for next year."

Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team1:40:42
2Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa) Orbea0:00:30
3Mathias Flückiger* (Swi) Trek World Racing0:01:26
4Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing0:01:52
5Alexis Vuillermoz* (Fra) Lapierre International0:01:58
6Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Massi0:02:25
7Roel Paulissen (Bel) Cannondale Factory Racing0:02:29
8Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Cemelorca-Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo0:02:41
9Moritz Milatz (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:03:15
10Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team0:03:26
11Cédric Ravanel (Fra) Lapierre International0:03:51
12Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized Factory Racing0:04:04
13Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing0:04:05
14Inaki Lejarreta Errasti (Spa) Orbea0:04:06
15Burry Stander* (RSA) Specialized Factory Racing0:04:23
16Guillaume Vinit* (Fra) Team Scott Valloire Galibier0:04:28
17Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa) Msc Bikes0:04:36
18Fabian Giger* (Swi) SKS M.I.G. Team0:05:10
19Oliver Beckingsale (GBr) Giant Mountain Bike Team0:05:16
20Jochen Kass (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:05:31
21Adam Craig (USA) Giant Mountain Bike Team0:05:39
22Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH-Suntour0:05:45
23Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles0:05:53
24Christoph Soukup (Aut) Merida Biking Team0:06:02
25Marek Konwa* (Pol)0:06:12
26Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) Central Ghost Pro Team0:06:38
27Robert Mennen (Ger)0:06:56
28Martin Gujan (Swi) Cannondale Factory Racing0:07:04
29Martin Fanger* (Swi) Giant Mountain Bike Team0:07:08
30Liam Killeen (GBr) Trek World Racing0:07:42
31Patrik Gallati* (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing0:07:49
32Yader Zoli (Ita) Torpado-4Us0:08:12
33Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) Giant Mountain Bike Team0:08:27
34Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Torq Performance Nutrition0:08:44
35Thomas Litscher* (Swi) SKS M.I.G. TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
36Giuseppe Lamastra (Ita)Row 35 - Cell 2
37Fabien Canal* (Fra) Lapierre International0:08:46
38Bjorn Brems (Bel) Team Saeco0:08:49
39Jelmer Pietersma (Ned) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Tea0:09:21
40Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher0:09:22
41Lukas Kaufmann* (Swi)0:09:39
42Sebastien Carabin* (Bel) Lingier-Versluys Team0:09:52
43Filip Eberl (Cze)0:09:58
44Pascal Meyer* (Swi) SKS M.I.G. Team0:10:16
45Piotr Brzozka* (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team0:10:43
46Rene Tann (Ger)0:10:46
47Emil Lindgren (Swe) De Brink-Ten Tusscher0:10:52
48Marti Gispert Labarta (Spa) Msc Bikes0:10:53
49François Bailly Maitre (Fra) Team Scott Valloire Galibier0:10:56
50Torsten Marx (Ger) Ds-Rennsport0:10:59
51Stéphane Tempier (Fra) Tx Active Bianchi0:11:05
52Karl Markt (Aut) Srm Stevens Team0:11:13
53Henk Jaap Moorlag* (Ned) De Brink-Ten Tusscher0:11:19
54Marek Galinski (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB Team0:11:28
55Marc Colom (Fra)0:11:57
56Lachlan Norris* (Aus) Discovertasmania.Com0:11:58
57Matous Ulman (Cze) Scott & Hagget MTB Team0:12:05
58Nicolas Vermeulen (Bel) Lingier-Versluys Team0:12:17
59Christof Bischof (Swi) ISD Cycling Team0:12:41
60Anders Hovdenes* (Nor) Team Etto Hoydahl0:13:13
61Simon Scheiber* (Aut) Sunshine Racers Asv Nals0:13:21
62Kristian Hynek (Cze) Scott & Hagget MTB Team0:13:33
63Catriel Andres Soto* (Arg) Infotre - Leecougan0:14:01
64Uwe Hochenwarter (Aut)0:14:37
65Severin Disch* (Swi) Giant Mountain Bike Team0:15:12
66Tim Wynants* (Bel) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Tea0:15:55
-1lapAndras Parti (Hun) Srm Stevens TeamRow 66 - Cell 2
-1lapDerek Zandstra (Can)Row 67 - Cell 2
-1lapIrjan Luttenberg* (Ned)Row 68 - Cell 2
-1lapAdrian Brzozka* (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB TeamRow 69 - Cell 2
-1lapZsolt Juhasz* (Hun)Row 70 - Cell 2
-1lapPeriklis Ilias (Gre) ISD Cycling TeamRow 71 - Cell 2
-1lapLudovic Mottet (Bel)Row 72 - Cell 2
-1lapMarcel Fleschhut* (Ger)Row 73 - Cell 2
-1lapFabian Strecker* (Ger)Row 74 - Cell 2
-1lapMichael Broderick (USA)Row 75 - Cell 2
-1lapPeter Glassford (Can)Row 76 - Cell 2
-1lapNiels Wubben* (Ned)Row 77 - Cell 2
-1lapSergiy Rusenko (Ukr) ISD Cycling TeamRow 78 - Cell 2
-1lapOleksandr Gerashenko (Ukr) ISD Cycling TeamRow 79 - Cell 2
-1lapAndrew Blair (Aus)Row 80 - Cell 2
-1lapConnor Mcconvey* (Irl) De Brink-Ten TusscherRow 81 - Cell 2
-1lapDario Alejandro Gasco* (Arg) MassiRow 82 - Cell 2
-1lapCristobal Silva Ibaceta (Chi)Row 83 - Cell 2
-1lapMatej Nepustil* (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna MTBRow 84 - Cell 2
-1lapErik Groen* (Ned) De Brink-Ten TusscherRow 85 - Cell 2
-1lapMatthys Beukes* (RSA)Row 86 - Cell 2
-1lapMatthias Hoi* (Aut)Row 87 - Cell 2
-1lapSepp Freiburghaus* (Swi)Row 88 - Cell 2
-1lapThibaut Bellanger* (Fra)Row 89 - Cell 2
-1lapAlexis Swetloff (Fra) KeopsRow 90 - Cell 2
-1lapRob Vangenechten* (Bel) Team SaecoRow 91 - Cell 2
-1lapRobert Kircher (Aut)Row 92 - Cell 2
-1lapLuka Mezgec* (Slo) Mbk OrbeaRow 93 - Cell 2
-1lapJiri Hudecek (Cze) Scott & Hagget MTB TeamRow 94 - Cell 2
-1lapMarco Minnaard* (Ned) De Brink-Ten TusscherRow 95 - Cell 2
-2lapsFelix Euteneuer* (Ger)Row 96 - Cell 2
-2lapsDavid Fletcher* (GBr)Row 97 - Cell 2
-2lapsSilvio Bundi (Swi) Giant Mountain Bike TeamRow 98 - Cell 2
-2lapsMatej Lovse (Slo)Row 99 - Cell 2
-2lapsHenrique Avancini* (Bra) ISD Cycling TeamRow 100 - Cell 2
-2lapsKornel Osicki* (Pol) JBG-2 Professional MTB TeamRow 101 - Cell 2
-2lapsDaniel Eymann* (Swi)Row 102 - Cell 2
-2lapsGuido Thaler (Aut)Row 103 - Cell 2
-2lapsRenay Groustra (RSA)Row 104 - Cell 2
-2lapsAndrew Watson (Can)Row 105 - Cell 2
-2lapsMichael Wiessner (Ger)Row 106 - Cell 2
-2lapsJan Jobanek (Cze) Merida Biking TeamRow 107 - Cell 2
-2lapsHeiko Gutmann* (Ger)Row 108 - Cell 2
-2lapsMatej Mugerli (Slo)Row 109 - Cell 2
-2lapsDaniel Kaufmann* (Swi)Row 110 - Cell 2
-2lapsBenjamin Buchi* (Swi)Row 111 - Cell 2
-2lapsAmaury Gernez Aurenge* (Fra) KeopsRow 112 - Cell 2
-2lapsRoberto Crisi* (Ita)Row 113 - Cell 2
-2lapsMirco Widmer* (Swi)Row 114 - Cell 2
-2lapsTim Lemmers* (Ned) De Brink-Ten TusscherRow 115 - Cell 2
-2lapsManfred Zöger* (Aut)Row 116 - Cell 2
-2lapsOleksandr Kachanov* (Ukr)Row 117 - Cell 2
-2lapsSimon Stiebjahn* (Ger)Row 118 - Cell 2
-2lapsCameron Jette* (Can)Row 119 - Cell 2
-2lapsPatxi Cia Apezteguia (Spa) Conor - Camping La SiestaRow 120 - Cell 2
-2lapsHermann Pernsteiner* (Aut)Row 121 - Cell 2
-2lapsZsolt Szlobodnyik (Hun)Row 122 - Cell 2
-2lapsLeni Trudel* (Can)Row 123 - Cell 2
-2lapsValentin Fiderer* (Ger)Row 124 - Cell 2
-2lapsEric Batty (Can)Row 125 - Cell 2
-3lapsMarkus Bauer* (Ger)Row 126 - Cell 2
-3lapsGeorgios Pattes-Toumanis (Gre)Row 127 - Cell 2
-3lapsDennis Ebert* (Ned)Row 128 - Cell 2
-3lapsJonas De Backer* (Bel)Row 129 - Cell 2
-3lapsMatthias Grick* (Aut)Row 130 - Cell 2
-3lapsNejc Cernilogar* (Slo)Row 131 - Cell 2
-3lapsDavid Puskas* (Hun)Row 132 - Cell 2
-3lapsLukas Sablik* (Cze)Row 133 - Cell 2
-3lapsAlexios Kokovikas* (Gre)Row 134 - Cell 2
-4lapsFrank Beemer* (Ned) Trek-Brentjens Mountainbike Racing TeaRow 135 - Cell 2
-5lapsRoman Rametsteiner (Aut)Row 136 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Absalon (Fra) OrbeaRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFTony Longo (Ita)Row 138 - Cell 2
DNFJiri Friedl (Cze) Merida Biking TeamRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFJosef Kamler* (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna MTBRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFFlorian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-RacingRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFRalph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking TeamRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory RacingRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFMilan Spesny (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna MTBRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFPierre Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Lapierre InternationalRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFBenjamin Sonntag (Ger)Row 146 - Cell 2
DNFLee Williams (GBr)Row 147 - Cell 2
DNFTodd Wells (USA) Specialized Factory RacingRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFManfred Reis* (Ger) Team Marin BikesRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFOndrej Cink* (Cze) Merida Biking TeamRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFCalle Friberg (Swe)Row 151 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Gehbauer* (Aut)Row 152 - Cell 2
DNFBalint Lukacs* (Hun)Row 153 - Cell 2
DNFBalz Weber (Swi) Ds-RennsportRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFRudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking TeamRow 155 - Cell 2
DNSRobert Gehbauer* (Aut) Multivan Merida Biking TeamRow 156 - Cell 2
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Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Multivan Merida Biking Team73pts
2Orbea52Row 1 - Cell 3
3Trek World Racing51Row 2 - Cell 3
4Lapierre International48Row 3 - Cell 3
5Specialized Factory Racing35Row 4 - Cell 3
6Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing30Row 5 - Cell 3
7Cannondale Factory Racing27Row 6 - Cell 3
8Massi26Row 7 - Cell 3
9Giant Mountain Bike Team24Row 8 - Cell 3
10Cemelorca-Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo23Row 9 - Cell 3
11Topeak Ergon Racing Team21Row 10 - Cell 3
12Team Scott Valloire Galibier15Row 11 - Cell 3
13MSC Bikes14Row 12 - Cell 3
14SKS M.I.G. Team13Row 13 - Cell 3
15BH-Suntour9Row 14 - Cell 3
16Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles8Row 15 - Cell 3
17Merida Biking Team7Row 16 - Cell 3
18Central Ghost Pro Team5Row 17 - Cell 3
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Elite men final World Cup standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea1472pts
2José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team1190Row 1 - Cell 3
3Burry Stander* (RSA) Specialized Factory Racing1166Row 2 - Cell 3
4Ralph Naef (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team970Row 3 - Cell 3
5Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing859Row 4 - Cell 3
6Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team796Row 5 - Cell 3
7Lukas Flückiger (Swi) Trek World Racing794Row 6 - Cell 3
8Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles741Row 7 - Cell 3
9Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Massi720Row 8 - Cell 3
10Roel Paulissen (Bel) Cannondale Factory Racing663Row 9 - Cell 3
11Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized Factory Racing654Row 10 - Cell 3
12Alexis Vuillermoz* (Fra) Lapierre International644Row 11 - Cell 3
13Moritz Milatz (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking Team596Row 12 - Cell 3
14Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Cemelorca-Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo580Row 13 - Cell 3
15Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing542Row 14 - Cell 3
16Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi541Row 15 - Cell 3
17Cédric Ravanel (Fra) Lapierre International537Row 16 - Cell 3
18Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Spa) Orbea522Row 17 - Cell 3
19Adam Craig (USA) Giant Mountain Bike Team519Row 18 - Cell 3
20Mathias Flückiger* (Swi) Trek World Racing507Row 19 - Cell 3
21Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing481Row 20 - Cell 3
22Martin Gujan (Swi) Cannondale Factory Racing446Row 21 - Cell 3
23Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (Spa) Giant Italia Team423Row 22 - Cell 3
24