April 15/12 7:23 am - Mountain Bike World Cup Houffalize: Men XC UPDATES
Posted by Editoress on 04/15/12
Welcome to our coverage of the Elite men's race in Houffalize
The large Men's field(160) is on course after a huge effort from the line as they head out onto the start loop after which they will go 5 full laps
Start loop
Manuel Fumic (Cannondale Factory Racing) hit the top of the first climb leading a long LONG line of riders.
Nino Schurter (Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team), Julien Absalon (Orbea Racing Team), Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized Racing) were on his wheel
8:06 am
Kulhavy now leading Shurter, Absalon, Fumic and Ralph Näf (Multivan Merida Biking Team)
There is a group of 15 forming at the front, but it is taking a lot of power and determintation to do it. This is an almost all power on course, with very little place to get a rest.
8:10 am
Schurter has taken the lead now with Kulhavy struggloing to keep on his wheel
Lap 1 starting - 5 to go
Schurter leading with Kulhavy 2nd, Fumic 3rd, Absalon 4th, Burry Stander (Specialized Racing) 5th at 9 sec
Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Roxracing) 16th at 36 sec back
Zandstra (Scott-3Roxracing) 53rd
Plaxton (Team Canada) 60th
8:16 am
Schurter still leading with Absalon, Fumic and Kulhavy bringing up the rear. They are starting to get a gap on the chasers Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cannondale Factory Racing) and Stander.
8:20 am
Absalon now leading with Schurter on his wheel, Kulavy 3rd and Fumic 4th at 4 sec
8:22 am
leaders are now 6 with Stander at the back at 7 sec
Then a chase group of 3: Tempier, Lindgren and Vogel at 20 to 25 sec
José Hermida (Multivan Merida Biking Team) 10th at 34 sec
Kabush sitting 15th at 47 sec
8:24 am
Absalon and Schurter are really hitting it hard on the climb after the 1/2 way point. They have opened a gap on Kulhavy and Fumic
Fontana 3rd out of the saddle and chasing hard
8:27 heading to the end of lap 1 and Schurter is very aggressive
Lap 2 starts
Schurter with Absalon at 2 sec, Fontana 3rd at 8 sec, Stander 4th at 20 sec, Kulhavy 5th at 22 sec, Fumic 6th at s.t.
Kabush 15th at 1:05
8:33 am
Absalon and Schurter are keeping the pressure on
8:36 am 1/2 way through lap 2
Fontana 3rd at 13 sec, Stander 4th at 24 sec, Fumic 5th at s.t., Kulhavy 6th at 42 sec
Kabush up to 11th at 1:14 back
Zandstra 50th and Plaxton 52nd at 3:32
8:43 am
Down the descent heading for the line, Schurter is obviously the better descender
Lap 3 starting
Schurter, with Absalon at 1 sec, Fontana 3rd at 20 sec
Stander and Fumic 4th and 5th at 39 sec
Florian Vogel (Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team) 6th at 1:07
Kulhavy 7th at 1:08
Stéphane Tempier (TX Active Bianchi) 8th at s.t.
Jean-Christophe Peraud (AG2R la Mondiale) 9th at 1:22
Lukas Flückiger (Trek World Racing) 10th at 1:23
Kabush 12th at s.t.
Zandstra 47th
Plaxton 52nd
8: 52 am 1/2 way point on lap 3
Absalon and Schurter
3rd is Fontana at 19 sec
4th Fumic at 36 sec, 5th Stander at 38 sec
Vogel 6th at 1:17
Tempier 7th at 1:18
Kulhavy 8th at 1:19
Peraud 9th at 1:25
Kabush 10th at 1:37
Schurter starting to up the pressure on the descent
Lap 4 start
Schurter with Absalon at 2 sec
Fontana 3frd at 24 sec
Fumic 4th at 44 sec
Stander 5th at 47 sec
Tempier 6th at 1:28
Vogel 7th at 1:29
Kulhavy 8th at 1:31
Peraud 9th at 1:34
Kabush 10th at 1:47
Todd Wells (Specialized) 44th at 4:46
Zandstra 45th at s.t.
Plaxton 56th
Cameron Jette (Scott - 3Rox) 93rd
9:03 am
Schurter is really starting the push the pace, trying to force Absalon onto the rivet
9:07 am
1/2 way through the 4th lap
Absalon and Schurter
Fontana 3rd at 21 sed
Fumic 4th at 39 sec
Stander 5th at 41 sec
Tempier 6th at 1:33
Kabush 10th at 1:52
9:13 am
Stander has caught Fumic and is starting to challenge for 4th spot
9:14 am
Heading to the finish line and Schurter leading Absalon
Lap 5 - Last lap
Schurter leading with a gap of 3 sec on Absalon
Fontana at 33 sec
Fumic 4th at 51 sec
Stander 5th at 53 sec
Kulhavy 6th at 1:51
Vogel 7th at 1:52
Tempier 8th at 1:53
Peraud 9th
Hermida 10th
Kabush 12th at 2:18
9:16 am
Absalon attacks on the climb
9:18 am
Absalon has a gap, Schurter does not seem to be able to match the pace
9:23 am 1/2 way point on final lap
Absalon, Schurter at 21 sec
Fontana 3rd at 57 sec
Fumic 4th at 1:18
Stander 5th at 1:19
Kulhavy 6th at 2:04
Kabush 12th at 2:51
9:26 am
Stander attacks, forcing Fumic to chase. Up the last big climb he has a gap
9:29 am
Absalon on the final descent with a good gap on Schurter
Final UNOFFICIAL
1 Julien Absalon (Orbea Racing Team)
2 Nino Schurter (Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team)
3 Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cannondale Factory Racing)
4 Burry Stander (Specialized Racing)
5 Manuel Fumic (Cannondale Factory Racing)
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