Absalon tops Schurter in Albstadt World Cup

Julien Absalon (BMC) took over the series lead in the men's Cross-country World Cup on Sunday with a record breaking 30th World Cup victory in Albstadt, Germany.

The men's race was a battle to the end. Absalon, the defending champion, came into this race as a favourite, however, his constant rival Nino Schurter (Scott-Odlo) gave no ground.

Four riders finished the first lap together at the front - Absalon, Schurter, Round 1 winner Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized) and Florian Vogel (Focus XC). A lap later, Kulhavy and Vogel were still there but starting to show the pressure and, by the third lap it was just Absalon and Schurter.

Absalon tried attacking his rival on the climbs in the final laps but could not drop the Swiss champion. Schurter then attacked before the final descent to the finish and got a small gap, only to crash in the final gravel corner after carrying too much speed. Absalon was then able to get by Schurter to record the 30th World Cup victory of his career.

Kulhavy was dropped by Vogel in the middle portion of the race, only to retake the lead in the final lap for third, followed by Vogel and then Mathias Fluckiger (Stoeckli) in fifth.

"It is always hard to beat him [Schurter]," agreed Absalon, "but I really like this track, this kind of climb it suits me really well. I am really happy also because it was hard for me to start my preparation this year; I started late because of sickness. So I am really happy to be in the rhythm now."

"In the last lap I realized 'oh it's not possible to do a gap', so I knew it would be difficult on the last downhill to beat him. I tried on the last climb, but he passed me just before the last downhill and then I try to go full gas and keep his wheel, but lost only maybe five seconds. After the last downhill, I don't know, he did a mistake on a corner and I passed him, and then full gas to the finish."

Schurter agreed that it was his own fault; "It was a bad mistake. I felt super strong today, I had a good feeling the whole race through and I was just waiting for that last climb. I knew I could pass Absalon in this last uphill, and get a gap on the downhill ... then I just risked it a bit too much. I was thinking too much about the win on last corner and then I went down. One should never think too early about winning the race."

"I'm okay. At first my ankle was a bit painful, but it is probably just scratched."

The men's standings couldn't get much tighter, with Absalon tied at 410 points with Kulhavy (Absalon holds the jersey due to the most recent win), followed by Schurter at 400 points.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Julien Absalon (Fra) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team1:30:36
2Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Odlo Mtb Racing Team0:00:11
3Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing0:01:13
4Florian Vogel (Swi) Focus Xc Team0:01:39
5Mathias Fluckiger (Swi) Stoeckli Pro Team0:02:07
6Fabian Giger (Swi) Team Colnago Sudtirol0:02:28
7Lukas Fluckiger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:02:53
8Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing XcRow 7 - Cell 2
9Maxime Marotte (Fra) Bh-Sr Suntour-Kmc0:03:25
10Hugo Drechou (Fra) Calvisson Vtt0:03:34
11Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Trek Factory RacingRow 10 - Cell 2
12Matthias Stirnemann (Swi) Moebel Maerki Mtb Pro Team0:03:56
13Moritz Milatz (Ger) Koch Engineering / Muesing Racing Team0:03:59
14David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por)0:04:05
15Reto Indergand (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:04:09
16Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Frm Factory Racing Team0:04:31
17Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:04:48
18Ondrej Cink (Cze) Multivan Merida Biking TeamRow 17 - Cell 2
19Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing Xc0:05:34
20Gerhard Kerschbaumer (Ita) Bianchi I.Idro Drain0:05:42
21Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:05:43
22Raphael Gagne (Can)0:06:05
23Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa)0:06:19
24Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Trek Factory Racing0:06:28
25Nicholas Pettina (Ita)0:06:35
26Michiel Van Der Heijden (Ned) Scott-Odlo Mtb Racing Team0:06:39
27Rourke Croeser (RSA)0:06:46
28Ralph Naef (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:06:55
29Bart De Vocht (Bel) Goeman Scott Cycling Team Vzw0:06:57
30Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team0:07:01
31Karl Markt (Aut) Haibike Oetztal Pro Team0:07:03
32Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing0:07:05
33Nicola Rohrbach (Swi)0:07:29
34Martin Fanger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:07:32
35Leandre Bouchard (Can)0:07:33
36Mirko Tabacchi (Ita)Row 35 - Cell 2
37Martin Gujan (Swi) Novus Omx Pro Team0:07:50
38Anton Sintsov (Rus) Titici Factory Team Lgl0:08:07
39Jordan Sarrou (Fra) Bh-Sr Suntour-Kmc0:08:15
40Andrea Righettini (Ita)0:08:30
41Martin Loo (Est)0:08:34
42Jhonnatan Botero Villegas (Col)0:08:38
43Thomas Litscher (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team0:08:40
44Jeff Luyten (Bel)0:08:55
45Frank Beemer (Ned)0:08:59
46Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) SRAM Mitas Trek0:09:17
47Michal Lami (Svk)0:09:24
48Timofei Ivanov (Rus) Format-Udmurtia0:09:29
49Markus Schulte-Luenzum (Ger) Focus Xc Team0:09:40
50Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Koch Engineering / Muesing Racing TeamRow 49 - Cell 2
51Zsolt Juhasz (Hun) Waberer's Areus Mtb Team0:09:47
52Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Merida-Wallonie Mountain Bike Team0:10:02
53Marek Konwa (Pol)Row 52 - Cell 2
54David Valero (Spa)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Team BullsRow 54 - Cell 2
56Martin Gluth (Ger) Novus Omx Pro TeamRow 55 - Cell 2
57Stephen Ettinger (USA) Teamshoair/CannondaleRow 56 - Cell 2
58Alexander Gehbauer (Aut) Bianchi I.Idro DrainRow 57 - Cell 2
59Maximilian Vieider (Ita)Row 58 - Cell 2
60Jan Nesvadba (Cze) Nilfisk Alto Pro CyclingRow 59 - Cell 2
61Cameron Ivory (Aus)Row 60 - Cell 2
62Shlomi Haimy (Isr) Novus Omx Pro TeamRow 61 - Cell 2
63Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott-Odlo Mtb Racing TeamRow 62 - Cell 2
64Catriel Andres Soto (Arg)Row 63 - Cell 2
65Daniele Braidot (Ita)Row 64 - Cell 2
66Russell Finsterwald (USA) SRAM/Tld RacingRow 65 - Cell 2
67Henrique Avancini (Bra) Cannondale Factory Racing XcRow 66 - Cell 2
68Tomas Paprstka (Cze) Remerx-Merida Team KolinRow 67 - Cell 2
69Stephane Tempier (Fra) Bh-Sr Suntour-KmcRow 68 - Cell 2
70Andras Parti (Hun) Waberer's Areus Mtb TeamRow 69 - Cell 2
71Simon Gegenheimer (Ger) Rose Vaujany Fueled By UltrasportsRow 70 - Cell 2
72Sergji Rysenko (Ukr)Row 71 - Cell 2
73Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Rox RacingRow 72 - Cell 2
74Kohei Yamamoto (Jpn) Trek Factory RacingRow 73 - Cell 2
75James Reid (RSA)Row 74 - Cell 2
76Steffen Thum (Ger) Rose Vaujany Fueled By UltrasportsRow 75 - Cell 2
77Martino Fruet (Ita)Row 76 - Cell 2
78Hans Becking (Ned) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens Mtb Racing TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
79Heiko Gutmann (Ger)Row 78 - Cell 2
80Patricio Maximiliano Farias Diaz (Chi)Row 79 - Cell 2
81Markus Bauer (Ger)Row 80 - Cell 2
82Cristian Cominelli (Ita) Titici Factory Team LglRow 81 - Cell 2
83Ricardo Pscheidt (Bra)Row 82 - Cell 2
84Michael Stunzi (Swi)Row 83 - Cell 2
85Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona Factory TeamRow 84 - Cell 2
86Mario Luis Miranda Costa (Por)Row 85 - Cell 2
87Marco Ponta (Ita)Row 86 - Cell 2
88Ricardo Paulo Reis Marinheiro (Por)Row 87 - Cell 2
89Evan Guthrie (Can)Row 88 - Cell 2
90Gregor Raggl (Aut) Haibike Oetztal Pro TeamRow 89 - Cell 2
91Emilien Barben (Swi)Row 90 - Cell 2
92Filip Eberl (Cze) Remerx-Merida Team KolinRow 91 - Cell 2
93Rotem Ishay (Isr)Row 92 - Cell 2
94Matthias Wengelin (Swe)Row 93 - Cell 2
95Marc Stutzmann (Swi) Giant Swiss TeamRow 94 - Cell 2
96Rubens Donizete Valeriano (Bra)Row 95 - Cell 2
97Luca Braidot (Ita)Row 96 - Cell 2
98Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet (Fra) Btwin Mtb Racing TeamRow 97 - Cell 2
99Kerry Werner (USA)Row 98 - Cell 2
100Matiss Preimanis (Lat) DpaRow 99 - Cell 2
101Paolo Cesar Montoya Cantillo (CRc)Row 100 - Cell 2
102Maximilian Holz (Ger)Row 101 - Cell 2
103Michal Malik (Cze)Row 102 - Cell 2
104Jonas De Backer (Bel)Row 103 - Cell 2
105Sascha Weber (Ger)Row 104 - Cell 2
106Giuseppe Lamastra (Ita)Row 105 - Cell 2
107Miguel Martinez (Fra)Row 106 - Cell 2
108Michele Casagrande (Ita)Row 107 - Cell 2
109Zhen Wang (Chn)Row 108 - Cell 2
110Phillip Pearce (GBr)Row 109 - Cell 2
111Erik Groen (Ned) Mpl Specialized Mtb TeamRow 110 - Cell 2
112Gerrit Rosenkranz (Ger)Row 111 - Cell 2
113Daniel Eymann (Swi) Wheeler - Ixs TeamRow 112 - Cell 2
114Jorgen Flion (Bel)Row 113 - Cell 2
115Oleksandr Gerashchenko (Ukr) Isd Mtb TeamRow 114 - Cell 2
116Kirill Kazantsev (Kaz)Row 115 - Cell 2
117Rick Reimann (Swi)Row 116 - Cell 2
118Maximilian Maier (Ger)Row 117 - Cell 2
119Christopher Maletz (Ger)Row 118 - Cell 2
120Lysander Kiesel (Ger)Row 119 - Cell 2
121Torsten Marx (Ger)Row 120 - Cell 2
122Artyom Golovaschenko (Kaz)Row 121 - Cell 2
123Kornel Osicki (Pol) Kross Racing TeamRow 122 - Cell 2
124Philip Buys (RSA) Scott Factory Racing Powered By LcbRow 123 - Cell 2
125Cole Oberman (USA)Row 124 - Cell 2
126Jan Withaar (RSA)Row 125 - Cell 2
127Miranda Maldonado S. (Chi)Row 126 - Cell 2
128Emmanuel Castillo (Mex)Row 127 - Cell 2
129Kevin Krieg (Swi)Row 128 - Cell 2
130Luciano Caraccioli (Arg)Row 129 - Cell 2
131Oriol Domenech (Spa)Row 130 - Cell 2
132Cristobal Silva Ibaceta (Chi) Frm Factory Racing TeamRow 131 - Cell 2
133Cory Wallace (Can) Kona Factory TeamRow 132 - Cell 2
134Andrea Dei Tos (Ita)Row 133 - Cell 2
135David Flaten (USA)Row 134 - Cell 2
136Sonke Wegner (Ger)Row 135 - Cell 2
137Daniel Castillo (Mex)Row 136 - Cell 2
138Jan Schaer (Swi)Row 137 - Cell 2
139Noe Alejandro Rodriguez Acevedo (Mex) Nilfisk Alto Pro CyclingRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFSven Nys (Bel)Row 139 - Cell 2
DNFRuben Scheire (Bel) Habitat MountainbiketeamRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFFabian Paumann (Swi) Wheeler - Ixs TeamRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFZdenek Vobecky (Cze)Row 142 - Cell 2
DNFMatthys Beukes (RSA) Scott Factory Racing Powered By LcbRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Grossi Soares De Souza (Bra)Row 144 - Cell 2
DNSJulian Schelb (Ger) Multivan Merida Biking TeamRow 145 - Cell 2
DNSAdam Morka (Can)Row 146 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
World Cup standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Julien Absalon (Fra) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team410pts
2Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing410Row 1 - Cell 3
3Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Odlo Mtb Racing Team400Row 2 - Cell 3
4Florian Vogel (Swi) Focus Xc Team300Row 3 - Cell 3
5Mathias Fluckiger (Swi) Stoeckli Pro Team280Row 4 - Cell 3
6Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing Xc210Row 5 - Cell 3
7Fabian Giger (Swi) Team Colnago Sudtirol206Row 6 - Cell 3
8Lukas Fluckiger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team205Row 7 - Cell 3
9Andrea Tiberi (Ita) Frm Factory Racing Team194Row 8 - Cell 3
10Ralph Naef (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team180Row 9 - Cell 3
11Daniel Mcconnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing180Row 10 - Cell 3
12Matthias Stirnemann (Swi) Moebel Maerki Mtb Pro Team163Row 11 - Cell 3
13Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spa) Multivan Merida Biking Team159Row 12 - Cell 3
14Hugo Drechou (Fra) Calvisson Vtt153Row 13 - Cell 3
15Gerhard Kerschbaumer (Ita) Bianchi I.Idro Drain146Row 14 - Cell 3
16Reto Indergand (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team146Row 15 - Cell 3
17Maxime Marotte (Fra) Bh-Sr Suntour-Kmc144Row 16 - Cell 3
18David Joao Serralheiro Rosa (Por)144Row 17 - Cell 3
19Thomas Litscher (Swi) Multivan Merida Biking Team135Row 18 - Cell 3
20Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Spa) Trek Factory Racing132Row 19 - Cell 3
21Ondrej Cink (Cze) Multivan Merida Biking Team132Row 20 - Cell 3
22Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spa)128Row 21 - Cell 3
23Bart De Vocht (Bel) Goeman Scott Cycling Team Vzw120Row 22 - Cell 3
24Raphael Gagne (Can)116Row 23 - Cell 3
25Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing102Row 24 - Cell 3
26Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing Xc97Row 25 - Cell 3
27Rourke Croeser (RSA)84Row 26 - Cell 3
28Leandre Bouchard (Can)84Row 27 - Cell 3
29Martin Loo (Est)83Row 28 - Cell 3
30Moritz Milatz (Ger) Koch Engineering / Muesing Racing Team80Row 29 - Cell 3
31Karl Markt (Aut) Haibike Oetztal Pro Team80Row 30 - Cell 3
32Stephen Ettinger (USA) Teamshoair/Cannondale75Row 31 - Cell 3
33Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) SRAM Mitas Trek74Row 32 - Cell 3
34Michiel Van Der Heijden (Ned) Scott-Odlo Mtb Racing Team73Row 33 - Cell 3
35Rudi Van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida Biking Team72Row 34 - Cell 3
36Jeff Luyten (Bel)70Row 35 - Cell 3
37Nicola Rohrbach (Swi)64Row 36 - Cell 3
38Anton Sintsov (Rus) Titici Factory Team Lgl64Row 37 - Cell 3
39Michal Lami (Svk)63Row 38 - Cell 3
40Frank Beemer (Ned)61Row 39 - Cell 3
41Nicholas Pettina (Ita)56Row 40 - Cell 3
42Martin Fanger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team52Row 41 - Cell 3
43Mario Luis Miranda Costa (Por)50Row 42 - Cell 3
44Martin Gujan (Swi) Novus Omx Pro Team50Row 43 - Cell 3
45Timofei Ivanov (Rus) Format-Udmurtia50Row 44 - Cell 3
46Andrea Righettini (Ita)49Row 45 - Cell 3
47Mirko Tabacchi (Ita)47Row 46 - Cell 3
48Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel) Versluys Team46Row 47 - Cell 3
49Jordan Sarrou (Fra) Bh-Sr Suntour-Kmc44Row 48 - Cell 3
50Ruben Scheire (Bel) Habitat Mountainbiketeam40Row 49 - Cell 3
51Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Team Bulls40Row 50 - Cell 3
52David Valero (Spa)36Row 51 - Cell 3
53Tom Meeusen (Bel)28Row 52 - Cell 3
54Martin Gluth (Ger) Novus Omx Pro Team28Row 53 - Cell 3
55Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Koch Engineering / Muesing Racing Team27Row 54 - Cell 3
56Jhonnatan Botero Villegas (Col)26Row 55 - Cell 3
57Daniele Braidot (Ita)26Row 56 - Cell 3
58Catriel Andres Soto (Arg)25Row 57 - Cell 3
59Marc Stutzmann (Swi) Giant Swiss Team23Row 58 - Cell 3
60Shlomi Haimy (Isr) Novus Omx Pro Team20Row 59 - Cell 3
61Markus Schulte-Luenzum (Ger) Focus Xc Team19Row 60 - Cell 3
62Zsolt Juhasz (Hun) Waberer's Areus Mtb Team17Row 61 - Cell 3
63Jiri Novak (Cze) Betch.Nl Superior Brentjens Mtb Racing Team17Row 62 - Cell 3
64Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Merida-Wallonie Mountain Bike Team16Row 63 - Cell 3
65Marek Konwa (Pol)15Row 64 - Cell 3
66Martino Fruet (Ita)12Row 65 - Cell 3
67Kerry Werner (USA)11Row 66 - Cell 3
68Alexander Gehbauer (Aut) Bianchi I.Idro Drain10Row 67 - Cell 3
69Luca Braidot (Ita)10Row 68 - Cell 3
70Maximilian Vieider (Ita)9Row 69 - Cell 3
71Jan Nesvadba (Cze) Nilfisk Alto Pro Cycling8Row 70 - Cell 3
72Philip Buys (RSA) Scott Factory Racing Powered By Lcb8Row 71 - Cell 3

 

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