July 28/12 7:55 am - Val d'Isere World Cup: Men's XC UPdates

Posted by Editoress on 07/28/12
 

The rain has backed off again for the start of the Men's 6 lap race.

The field is 97 riders strong with the notable riders missing:  Max Plaxton, Todd Wells and Jean Perraud, all Olympins who have opted to take teh extra time to prepare for the Olympic MTB race in 2 weeks in Hadleigh

Lap 1

Nino Schurter (Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team) rockets off the front and has a large lead of 15 seconds on a group of 6 chasers at 6 min into the race.

The rain has made the course VERY slippery and the climb has a lot of riders opting to "hike a bike" rather than ride.

The rain has come back

8:09 am

1/2 way thru lap 1

Schurter has 11 sec on Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cannondale Factory Racing), 3 Florian Vogel (Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team) at 12 sec, 4 Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Wildwolf - Trek Pro Racing) at 14 sec, 5 Ralph Naef (Multivan Merida Biking Team) at 15 sec,  6 Burry Stander (Specialized Racing) 7 Julien Absalon (Orbea Racing Team) at 19 sec

Lap 2

Heading out on to lap 2

Schurter still leading but the gap to Vogel just 9 sec.  3 Fontana at 13 sec, 4 Lukas Flückiger (Trek World Racing) at 18 sec, , 5 Naef at 21 sec, 6 Absalon 23 sec

Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Roxracing) 25th at 1:44

8:23 am

Absalon crashes at technical downhill and rolls down the side of the hill after bumping into another rider

Absalon changes tires.  Made bad choice B4 race obviously.

Lap 3

8:31 am

Heading out on to the 3rd lap: Now 3 at front as Fontana and Vogel join him.  Hermida 4th leading group of 3 at 27 sec

L. Flückiger, Fumic

7 Stander , 8 Naef, 9 Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized Racing)

28 Kabush

Sun starting to poke thru again

8:36 am

Vogel has gone off his bike while chasing in 3rd on slippery descent

Course remains very slippery.  Everyone pushing on uphills

8:41 am

1/2 way thru the lap

Schurter and Fontana have a gap of 15 sec on Vogel in 3rd.  4 Hermida at 30 sec, 5 L Fluckiger at 31 sec. 6 Fumic at 47 sec. 7 Stander at 57 sec

Kabush 29th

Lap 4

Heading out, Fontana again leading Schurter.  3 Voglel at 29 sec, 4 Hermida at 42 sec, 5 L Fluckiger at 43 sec. 6 Fumic at 55 sec. 7 Stander at 1:02

Sam Schultz 25th, Kabush 29th 4:15

Peter Glassford other Canuck was DNS

When MTB is done go HERE to watch LIVE the finish of Men's RR in London

8:57 am

1/2 way round

Schurter has a 1 sec gap on Fontana.  3 Vogel at 38 sec, 4 Hermida at 45 sec, 5 L Fluckiger at 46 sec, 6 Stander at 58 sec, 7 Fumic at 59 sec

Absalon 14th at 3:07

Sam Schultz 25th at 4:27

Kabush 30th at 5:15

9:11 am

Schurter and Fontana gonna take it own to the line unless someone attacks soon.

Lap 5

1/2 way around the 5th lap

Fontana leading Schurter.  L Fluckiger now 3rd at 18 sec.  4 Hermida at 53 sec. 5 Vogel at 1 min, 6 Fumic at 1:01

Last lap - 9:19 am

Schurter leading as they head out onto the final lap.  Fluckiger at 16 sec.  4 Hermida at 58 sec. 5 Fumic at 1:04, 6 Vogel at 1:05

9:25 am

Schurter starting to gap Fontana on the climb

9:27 am

1/2 way through the last lap:  Schurter now has 18 sec on Fontana and Fluckiger is about to catch Fontana

9:29 am

Fluckiger catches and passes Fontana

Fumic now 4th at 1:21, Hermida 4th at 1:25, Vogel 6th at 1:29

Finish

1 Nino Schurter (Scott - Swisspower MTB Racing Team), 1:34:03

2 Lukas Flückiger (Trek World Racing), at 0:13

3 Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cannondale Factory Racing), 0:33

4 Manuel Fumic (Cannondale Factory Racing), 1:17

5 José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Multivan Merida Biking Team), 1:25