March 17/12 7:24 am - Pietermaritzburg MTB World Cup: Men XC LIVE Updates
Posted by Editoress on 03/17/12
Men are on the line about to take the start of their first race of the season.
After a rainy night, the skies have cleared and it has become very hot, humid and sunny - temperature is 30C in the sun. The track is pretty much dried out after last nights rain,so the racing should be FAST.
US's top contender Todd Wells will not start because of left ankle injury from crash on Wednesday. He hasn't trained since the injury. Will definitely hurt the U.S. in nations ranking points hunt.
It is now clear that the wires seen running from a battery mounted on Catharine Pendrel's bike to her handlebars is for a fork lock put system that Fox is working on.
Start of the 6 lap race
Fast start and it is Nino Schurter (Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team) getting the holeshot.
Men are on course and it is Nino Schurter (Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team) and Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized Racing) well out front at the top of the first climb.
8:08 am Schurter is really putting the pressure on
8:12 am EDT
Through the Shark's Playground and it is Shurter leading Kulhavy with Stander in 3rd, Hermida 4th, Vogel, Manuel Fumic (Cannondale Factory Racing), Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cannondale Factory Racing)
8:15 am EDT
Schurter now has a bit of a gap after the 2nd rock garden
Lap 2
15 min lap time
Starting the 2nd lap Schurter leading with Stander 2nd at 2 sec and Kulhavy 3rd at 4 sec, Hermida 4th at 6 sec, Fumic 5th 7 sec, Fontana 6th, L. Fluckiger 7th at 19 sec, Absalon 8th at 21 sec
Plaxton 27th
40th Zandstra
41st Kabush
Lots of 29ers on course today, but Nino Schurter is running a 650b prototype
8:22 am
Kulhavy takes the lead through the first rock garden
Florian Vogel has had a mechanical and is out
8:26 am
Schurter has now taken the lead with Stander 2nd at 2 sec, Fumic 3rd at 3 sec. Kulhavy 4th at 13 sec, Hermida 5th at 14 sec, Fontana 6th at 15 sec
8:27 am EDT
Group of 4 with Stander leading, getting LOTS of crowd support
8:31 am EDT
The sky has really clouded over, winds are up and it is threatening to rain. That could really change the dynamic of the race.
Lap 3
Starting the 3rd lap
Schurter with Stander at the same time. Fumic 3rd at 1 sec, Hermida 4th at 8 sec, Kulhavy 5th at 18 sec, Fontana 6th at s.t., Absalon 7th at 23 sec, Fontana 8th, Fluckiger 9th at 38 sec, Giger 10th at 54 sec
Plaxton 28th, Schultz 32nd, Zandstra 38th, Kabush 42nd, Ettinger 54th
837 am
Through the feedzone - Fumic leading now with Stander following and Shurter sitting 3rd wheel
Hermida 4th at 5 sec, Absalon 5th at 18 sec
8:43 am
Schurter is putting the pressure on at the front and has opened abit of a gap on Fumic with Stander tailing off
8:45 am
All 3 leaders together again
Through the Tree House rocks, Schurter out front floating over the big rocks, barely on the edge of control. Fumic 2nd, Stander tailed off. Stander crashed badly here last year and I am sure that is still on his mind
lap 3 ending
3 leaders all together
Chasers are Abslaon leading Hermida at 33 sec
Lap 4 start
Stander, Schurter, Fumic
Hermida and Absalon at 34 sec
Kulhavy 6th
Fontana 7th
Fontana drops his chain just after the end of hte lap and loses some spots
8:53 am
Through the first feedzone - no change at the front
Absalon has dropped Hermida
Kulhavy and Fluckiger are riding together
8:57 am
Stander and Schurter have dropped Fumic, now at 10 sec back
Absalon 4th at 33 sec, hermida at 42 sec
Through the Sharks Playground and Fumic has started to drop well off the pace being set by the leaders. Absalon is moving up
The rain is holding off so far
Lap 5 start
Stander leads with Schurter on his wheel out as they head out for the 2nd last lap, Fumic is now well off the pace and Absalon continues to close
31 Zandstra, 34 Kabush, 35 Schultz, 38 Plaxton
9:08 am
Stander is attacking, forcing Schurter to chase
Fumic still 3rd, Absalon is 4th, Kulhavy 5th
9:13 am
Schurter and Stander
Fumic at 20 sec
Absalon at 43 sec,
Kulhavy, 1:03
9:15 am EDT
Schurter attacks through the rocks
Last Lap
Schurter has a gap of 5 second on Schurter
Fumic 3rd at 30 sec
Absalon 4th at 1:02
9:20 am EDT
Schurter looks to be opening the gap on Stander
9:23am
1/2 a lap to go and Schurter is opening up a sizeable gap on Stander
9:26 am EDT
Schurter, w. Stander at 17 sec, Fumic at 58 sec,
Through the Sharks Playground and it has started to rain
Schurter's gap ~ 18 sec on Stander
Finish
1 Nino Schurter (Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team), 1:30:38
2 Burry Stander (Specialized Racing) at 11 sec
3 Manuel Fumic (Cannondale Factory Racing) 0:59
Course Profile Course Map
| Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top |
