The 2011 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup concludes this weekend in Val di Sole, Italy, with all three disciplines coming together for the final round. While a number of titles have already been mathematically won, there will still be intense competition for individual victory in this final lead up to the world championships in ten days time. Val di Sole has attracted more than 900 participants from 43 nations, making it the best attended World Cup in history.
4-Cross
Jared Graves wrapped up the men's title in round four, in Mont Ste Anne, Canada, however, there is still a three-way battle for second place in the overall standings between Swiss riders Roger Rinderknecht and David Graf, plus former world champion Michal Prokop from the Czech Republic, all of whom are separated by 50 points. There are at least five other riders also in contention for a top-five in the final overall standings, depending on the outcome here in Val di Sole, so expect some very aggressive racing.
In the women's series, Anneke Beerten has successfully defended her World Cup title, with an insurmountable lead of 160 points over second place Melissa Buhl of the United States. Buhl could still be bumped out of second by Switzerland's Lucia Oetjen or Celine Gros and there are a total of seven riders who could still make the final podium for the overall standings.
Results:
Men
1 Tomas Slavik (Cze) RSP 4 Cross Racing Team
2 Johannes Fischbach (Ger) Ghost Factory Racing Team
3 Jared Graves (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team
4 Kamil Tatarkovic (Cze)
5 Lucas Rafael Alvarez De Lara (Esp)
6 Jakub Riha (Cze)
7 Joost Wichman (Ned) RSP 4 Cross Racing Team
8 Premek Tejchman (Cze)
Women
1 Anneke Beerten (Ned) Milka Trek MTB Racing Team
2 Lucia Oetjen (Sui)
3 Melissa Buhl (USA) KHS
4 Céline Gros (Fra) Team Morzine - Avoriaz / Haute - Savoie
5 Steffi Marth (Ger)
6 Joanna Petterson (USA)
7 Neza Knez (Slo) Unior Tools Team
8 Helene Valerie Fruhwirth (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria
Cross-Country
Jaroslav Kulhavy became the men's cross-country World Cup champion last week after taking his fourth win of the season before a very enthusiastic home crowd, while Nino Scurter also wrapped up second place in the final standings. The battle for third, fourth and fifth is much tighter, with Julien Absalon facing competition from Maxime Marotte, world champion Jose Hermida and Burry Stander for third. In total, there are seven riders vying for the final three spots in the overall standings.
Last weekend, at round six in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic, the defending World Cup champion, Catharine Pendrel cut into the points lead of World Cup leader Julie Bresset by taking her second victory of the season. Bresset still leads Pendrel by a significant 140 point margin, but this battle is not over, and a bad day for Bresset could see an upset in the final round. Behind the two leaders there is a cluster of riders who are fighting for the three remaining top-five spots in the standings. Irina Kalentieva and Marie-Helene Premont are separated by ten points only in the battle for third, with four riders having a real potential to take the fifth and final spot on the podium.
Results
 
Elite Men
1 Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Specialized Racing
2 Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott - Swisspower MTB
3 Florian Vogel (Sui) Scott - Swisspower MTB
4 Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea
5 Lukas Flückiger (Sui) Trek World Racing
6 Stéphane Tempier (Fra) TX Active Bianchi
7 Mathias Flückiger (Sui) Trek World Racing
8 Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Racing
9 Thomas Litscher (Sui) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team
10 Fabian Giger (Sui) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team
11 Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing
12 José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan Merida Biking Team
13 Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team
14 Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Esp) Wildwolf - Trek Racing
15 Catriel Andres Soto (Arg) Team Protek
16 Henk Jaap Moorlag (Ned) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team
17 Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing 4:06
18 Maxime Marotte (Fra) BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry
19 Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing
20 Samuel Schultz (USA) Subaru - Trek
Women
1 Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team
2 Maja Wloszczowska (Pol) CCC Polkowice
3 Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Nor) Multivan Merida Biking Team
4 Julie Bresset (Fra) BH - Suntour - Peisey Vallandry
5 Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Farbe Sudtirol
6 Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing
7 Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team
8 Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru - Trek
9 Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team
10 Annie Last (GBr) British National Team
11 Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain
12 Emily Batty (Can) Subaru - Trek
13 Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team
14 Tanja Zakelj (Slo) Orbea Geax
15 Nathalie Schneitter (Sui) Colnago Farbe Sudtirol
16 Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team
17 Esther Süss (Sui) Wheeler - iXS pro team
18 Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt Oetztal X - Bionic Team
19 Marielle Saner-Guinchard (Sui) Bikepark.ch Scott
20 Rosara Joseph (NZl) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team
Downhill
World champion Tracy Moseley holds a commanding 150 point lead over second place Floriane Pugin going into this final round, but in the downhill discipline, one mechanical or crash could change things drastically. While these two battle for the title, Rachel Atherton - who has only the slimmest of chances to move into second - will have to fend off challenges to her third place ranking from Sabrina Jonnier. Jonnier, in turn, will be pushed by Myriam Nicole and Emmeline Ragot.
In the men's competition, Aaron Gwin became the first American man in over a decade to win the World Cup downhill title, with his third place at La Bresse, France, two weeks ago. Greg Minnaar has a 151 point lead over Gee Atherton in the fight for second but, as Atherton knows from his flat tire in round four, one problem can quickly change the standings. Minnaar, if he makes the podium, will set a new record of 53 World Cup podiums, as would his team mate Steve Peat. Below the top three, Steve Smith, Danny Hart and Brook MacDonald are all in contention for the final two spots on the podium.
Results:
Elite Men
1 Aaron GWIN USA
2 Danny HART GBR
3 Gee ATHERTON GBR
4 Troy BROSNAN AUS
5 Cameron COLE NZL
6 Greg MINNAAR RSA
7 Brook MACDONALD NZL
8 Matti LEHIKOINEN FIN
9 Andrew NEETHLING RSA
10 Matthew SCOLES NZL
11 Josh BRYCELAND GBR
12 Justin LEOV NZL
13 Marc BEAUMONT GBR
14 Rémi THIRION FRA
15 Bernat GUARDIA PASCUAL ESP
16 Matthew SIMMONDS GBR
17 Loic BRUNI FRA
18 Damien SPAGNOLO FRA
19 Luke STROBEL USA
20 Mickael PASCAL FRA
Elite Woman:
1 Myriam NICOLE FRA
2 Floriane PUGIN FRA
3 Rachel ATHERTON GBR
4 Emmeline RAGOT FRA
5 Tracy MOSELEY GBR
6 Emilie SIEGENTHALER SUI
7 Sabrina JONNIER FRA
8 Manon CARPENTER GBR
9 Petra BERNHARD AUT
10 Jill KINTNER USA
11 Harriet RUCKNAGEL GER
12 Jessica STONE GBR
13 Caroline SAX FRA
14 Céline GROS FRA
15 Mio SUEMASA JPN
16 Alia MARCELLINI ITA
17 Lea FOURTON FRA
18 Fionn GRIFFITHS GBR
19 Agnes DELEST FRA
30 Anita AGER-WICK NOR
|
|