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."

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