Australia:World Cup XC 8 of 9
Irina Kalentieva and Ralf Naf won the Australian round of the World Cup. Both absent in Canberra, Julien Absalon (Fra, Orbea) and Marie-Helene Premont (Can, Rocky Mountain) are nevertheless assured of winning the 2008 World Cup. Victorious without even racing!

In Premont's absence it was Irina Kalentieva who ended up capturing her sixth World Cup victory. Not far from home, the New Zealander Rosara Joseph signed the best performance of her career with second place. Fourth in the Beijing Olympics last week, Catherine Pendrel took the third place just ahead of the Czech Tereza Hurikova who takes the lead in the Under 23 standings.

Going into the last leg in Austria, Premont is 287 points ahead of Catherine Pendrel and cannot be reached! After a silver medal at the Olympic Games in 2004 and a bronze medal at the 2006 World Championships, the Canadian, who is set to retire at the end of this season, wins the World Cup for the first time.

CANBERRA XC MEN
Having failed to qualify for the Olympic Games because of his irregular results at the beginning of the season, Swiss rider Ralf Naf was dominant in Australia. It was his second World Cup victory after Fort William in 2005. He was followed across the line by Multivan Merida teammate Jose Hermida. Geoff Kabush  took advantage of an off day for Switzerland's Christoph Sauser (Specialized, 11th in Canberra) to move up to second place in the overall World Cup standings. Immediately following the race Kabush caught the red eye to the Brian Head, UT Norba event. After a 22 hour flight he placed 3rd, which was all it took for him to win the 2008 Norba National Mountain Bike Series. What a great weekend of racing!

In two week's time the Austrian final round in Schladming will be a lot more than a prize giving ceremony for Julien Absalon. It will be another notch in the belt of the most incredible mountain bike racer ever; his fourth World Cup Gold (after 2003, 2006 and 2007) to add to his two Olympic Gold Medals. An absolute record! 

Canberra will be the site of next year’s Mountain Bike World Championships.

CANBERRA WORLD CUP XC RESULTS
1. RALPH NAEF (SWI)...MULTIVAN MERIDA...1:45:28   
2. JOSE  HERMIDA (SPN)...MULTIVAN MERIDA...+0:00:16   
3. GEOFF  KABUSH (CAN)...MAXXIS...0:00:28   
4. FLORIAN VOGEL (SWI)...SWISSPOWER...0:00:47   
5. TODD WELLS (USA)...GT...0:01:46   
6. BURRY STANDER (RSA)...GT...0:02:30   
7. ROEL PAULISSEN (BEL)...CANNONDALE-VREDESTEIN...0:03:33   
8. NINO SCHURTER (SWI)...SWISSPOWER...0:03:38   
9. MARCO FONTANA (ITA)...0:03:41   
10. CHRIS JONGEWAARD (AUS)...DOLPHIN-TREK...0:04:07
13. ADAM CRAIG (USA)...GIANT...0:06:26
21. MICHAEL BRODERICK (USA)...KENDA-SEVEN...0:10:44
WOMEN
1.  IRINA  KALENTIEVA (RUS)...TOPEAK-ERGON...1:39:34   
2.  ROSARA JOSEPH (NZL)...GHOST...+0:00:53   
3.  CATHARINE PENDREL (CAN)...LUNA CHIX...0:00:59   
4.  TEREZA HURIKOVA (CZE)...CESKA SPORITELNA...0:01:10   
5.  MARY MCCONNELOUG (USA)...KENDA-SEVEN...0:03:29   
6.  BLAZA KLEMENCIC (SLO)...GIANT ITALIA...0:05:49   
7.  JODIE  WILLETT (AUS)...0:08:02   
8.  KATHERINE O'SHEA (AUS)...0:11:15   
9.  ZOE KING (AUS)...0:11:37   
10.  JOANNA WALL (AUS)...0:12:29