July 25/10 8:28 am - Champery World Cup - Men XC UPDATES
Posted by Editoress on 07/25/10
Our coverage made possible with the support of Shimano
The men have just started. A large field of 175 on the start list
The officials have made a decision to shorten the men's race from 7 to 6 laps plus start loop. Each lap is 4.3 km
Ralph Naf (Multivan Merida Biking Team) is a non starter after crashing and bruising his ribs in training
Start loop
A front grpup of 3 : Florian Vogel (Scott-Swisspower Mtb-Racing), Burry Stander (Specialized Factory Racing), Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower Mtb-Racing) have formed at the front and have a small gap 10 sec on a chase group of 2: Jaroslav Kulhavy (Rubena-Birell-Specialized Cycling Team) and Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Trek-Lorca Taller Del Tiempo)
Vogel and Stander are gapping Shurter in the technical section
Lap 1
As they head out for the first lap, Vogel and Stander together with a gap of 9 seconds on Schurter. Mantecon in 4th at 16 sec. Jaroslav Kulhavy (Rubena-Birell-Specialized Cycling Team) 5th at 17 sec. Absalon 6th at 18 sec.
Todd Wells (Specialized Factory Racing) 27th
Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) 28th at 1:22 back, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Trek) 34th
Adam Craig (Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team) 60th
Derek Zandstra (Team Canada) 88th
8:46 am
Absalon is picking his way up through the field.
Lukas Flückiger (Trek World Racing) is out with a mechanical
8:49 am
Absalon has caught the leaders and gone to the front and is rally pushing the pace
On the technical descent at ~ 1.5 km into the lap - the Snake Pit - Kabush has been taking the 'chicken" route, while most are riding it. The reason being he opted to go with super light tires to gain advantage on the climbs. Most of the other top riders opted for heavier mud tires which will (theoretically) hinder them on the uphill sections.
Another missing top rider is Wolfram Kurchat who is also injured
Lap 2
Heading out onto lap 2, Absalon leading with a 1 sec gap on Vogle, Stander 3rd at 2 sec. Schurter 4th at 15 sec. Kulhavy 5th at 19 sec. Mantecon 6th at 29 sec, Sauser 7th at 55 sec.
Wells 16th, JHK 24th
Kabush 30th at 2:02 back
Schultz 33rd, Craig 37th
Zandstra 66th
Watson 51st
U23 rider Alexis Vuillermoz (Lapierre International) has crashed badly on the descent.
9am
Vogel and Stander are at the front and working together to try to gap Absalon.
9:05 am
Schurter has rejoined the front 3 leaders
9:09 am
Schurter has jumped to the front and dropped Absalon. Vogel 3rd at 5 sec and Stander 4th at another 5.
Kulhavy is starting to close the gap on Stander.
Lap 3
Absalon back in the lead as they cross the line to star the 3rd lap. Schurter at 1 sec. Vogle 3rd at 3 se, Stander 4th at 7 sec. Kulhavy 5th at 19 sec. Mathias Flückiger (Trek World Racing) 6th at 1 min. Sauser 7th at 1:03
Wells 10th, JHK 22nd, Craig 29th
Kabush 31st at 3:40 back
9:12 am
Schurter has had a mechanical and now out of the lead group.
9:18 am
Absalon back in the lead with a 10 sec gap on Vogel. Stander 3rd at another 5. Kulhavy 4th, Schurter 5th, Flückiger 6th
9:22 am
Absalon leading up the climb with a gap of 15 on Vogel. Stander at another 5+ sec. with Kulhavy in 4th and closing
Women's UPDATE: Catharine Pendrel had a chain jam at the start and then problems with a tire (slow leak) later on. She is running the 2011 XTR
Lap 4
As they start the 4th lap, Absalon goes thru first with a 22 sec gap on Vogle, but immediately hits the pit with a mechanical and loses the advantage
3rd is Stander at 41 sec. Kulhavy 4th on Stander's wheel.
Schurter 5th at 1 min. Flückiger 6th . Sauser 7th, Marcotte 8thm Coloma 9th, Wells 10th
Craig 22nd
Kabush seems to have got the motor running and is 28th
9:33 am
Up the first climb and Absalon is attacking Vogel and putting some distance between them. Stander has lost a lot of time on the leaders and is now in 4th with Kulhavy in 3rd
9:38 am
On the main climb and Absalon standing up and is attacking, but Vogel is powering along and does not seem to be losing ground.
The battle for 3rd is now Kulhavy and Shurter with no sign of Stander. Mathias Flückiger now 5th
Lap 5
Absalon and Vogel together at the front as the start eh 2nd last lap. Kulhavy 3rd at 22 sec with Schurter on his wheel. Flückiger is 5th at 24 sec. Stander 6th at 32 sec. Sauser 7th at 50 sec.
Wells 10th, Hermida 11th, Craig 18th, JHK 24th, Kabush 26th
9:45 am
Vogel has attacked and has a good gap on Absalon.
9:49 am
Vogel has a gap of 12 sec on Absalon. Schurter, Kulhavy and Flückiger all together and are on Absalon's tail. Stander at ~ another 20 seconds
9:51am
Schurter on Absalon's wheel
9:53am
Kulhavy, Schurter and Flückiger have passed Absalon and are closing on Vogel. Absalon looks tired and is putting his head down a lot.
9:58 am
Kulhavy has dropped Shurter on the climb and Flückiger is sitting on Schurter's wheel. Absalon is now well back
9:57 am
Kulhavy has closed the gap on Vogle and is just a few metres back.
Last Lap
As they start he final lap Kulhavy leading Vogel. Flückiger 3rd at 6 sec, Schurter on his wheel. Absalon at 31 sec, Stander at 45 sec.
Wells 10th, Craig 14th, Kabush 21st, JHK 22nd
10:01 am
Vogel trying to get away on the climb
10:05 am
Halfway through the final lap: Kulhavy leading Vogel. Schurter 3rd and Flückiger has crashed.
10:08 am
Vogel and Kulhavy are battling it out in the technical sections. Schurter and Flückiger still together and will go for 3rd.
10:11 am
Last time up the main climb and Vogel is at the front. and is putting the pressure on Kulhavy.. now at the top has a gap
10:13 am
Vogel on the descent and Vogel has a gap of ~ 15 sec
Final
Unofficial
1 Florian Vogel (Sui) Scott-Swisspower Mtb-Racing, 1:44:08
2 Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Rubena-Birell-Specialized Cycling Team, at 0:11
3 Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott-Swisspower Mtb-Racing, 0:35
4 Mathias Flückiger * (Sui) Trek World Racing, 0:48
5 Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea, 1:03
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