Two new World Champions were crowned in Mont Saint Anne, Canada on Saturday in Mens and Womans XC after some furious racing on what is one of the most technical courses on the World Cup circuit.
In the ladies race last years silver medalist Maja Wloszczowska rode a commanding race breaking free with two laps to go. The Pole had skipped the last round of the World Cup in Windham, USA to prepare for the race and it paid off with a 48 second buffer to second. Behind her a titanic battle broke out between three riders with positions changing constantly. Last years bronze medalist Willow Koerber broke away only to get caught in fencing and be reeled back by former World Champ Irina Kalentieva the diminutive Russian getting and maintaining a gap. Koerber dropped to third behind native Catherine Pendrel but in a fit of will power managed to get past her to claim the bronze two years in a row.
Womans XC Results
1 Maja Wloszczowska (Poland) 1:48:21
2 Irina Kalentieva (Russian Federation) 0:00:48
3 Willow Koerber (United States Of America) 0:00:52
4 Catharine Pendrel (Canada) 0:00:54
5 Elisabeth Osl (Austria) 0:02:00
6 Heather Irmiger (United States Of America) 0:02:03
7 Anna Szafraniec (Poland) 0:02:16
8 Sabine Spitz (Germany) 0:02:32
9 Marie-Helene Premont (Canada) 0:02:43
10 Eva Lechner (Italy) 0:02:57
In the men’s race the weather saw 4 seasons in one day with fog, sunshine, rain and humidity all appearing at various times making the technical course all the more interesting as the rock slab descents became treacherous. The lead changed a number of times as riders suffered punctures and mechanicals but an elite group containing Windham winner Jaroslav Kulhavy, Burry Stander, Nino Schurter, Julian Absalon, Ralph Naaf and Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos spent most of the day off the front. An early crash between Absalon and Hermida saw them as far back as 10th and Schurter too had his share of drama with trips to the technical zone to get assistance with mechanicals and punctures. For a long time it looked like Stander, Kulhavy and Schurter would duke it out but a late surge from Hermida Ramos saw the veteran Spaniard cross the finish line alone to claim the rainbow jersey. Kulhavy held the chasers off for second with Stander third. Last years Champ could only manage fourth with his nemesis Absalon in fifth.
Mens XC Results
1. Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (ESP) 1h 52:26.
2. Jaroslav Kulhavy (CZE) ˆ 29.
3. Burry Stander (RSA) 1:10.
4. Nino Schurter (SUI) 2:03.
5. Julien Absalon (FRA) 2:23.
6. Carlos Coloma Nicolas (ESP) 2:43.
7. Liam Killeen (GBR) 2:51.
8. Goeff Kabush (CAN) 3:58.
9. Florian Vogel (SUI) 4:14.
10. Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez (ESP) 4:30.
Today is the finals of the downhill competition. High drama is expected in a race that could go to a number of riders.
