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2006 UCI World Cup # 1: Curacao
The first leg of the UCI World Cup cross country series was held on the Caribbean island of Curacao over the weekend and, mostly, the big names finished where you’d expect them. The races were shortened because of high temperatures and high humidity — something that many riders had difficulties with on the day.
Men’s results
In the men’s race, Bart Brentjens (Giant) returned to the top of the World Cup podium after a four year absence, followed by current World Champ Julien Absalon (Bianchi), Liam Killeen (Specialized), Roel Paulissen (Giant), and Cristophe Sauser (Specialized).
The top North American in the men’s race was Seamus McGrath, who finished in 9th place. The race also marked the return of Filip Meirhaeghe, who was starting his first event on the world stage following a two year ban that was handed down after the Belgian tested positive for EPO use.
Men’s results. 5 laps, 34km
- Bart Brentjens (NED, Giant) 1:48:52
- Julien Absalon (FRA, Bianchi Agos) 0:21 back
- Liam Killeen (GBR, Specialized) 0:28
- Roel Paulissen (BEL, Giant) 0:45
- Christoph Sauser (SUI, Specialized) 1:28
- Ralph Naf (SUI, Multivan-Merida) 1:35
- Fredrik Kessiakoff (SWE, Cannondale-Vredestein) 1:54
- Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (ESP, Multivan-Merida) 2:57
- Seamus McGrath (CAN, Felt) 3:13
- Florian Vogel (SUI, Swisspower) 3:54
Women’s results
Another race, another Gunn-Rita Dahle (Multivan-Merida) win. Dahle, the current World Champ and defending Olympic gold medallist, was able to open a gap on the rest of the field before cruising to her first World Cup win of the 2006 season.
Dahle finished the four lap, 27.2km course in 1:45:54, 1:38 ahead of Sabine Spitz (Specialized) and just over three minutes in front of Margarita Fullana Riera (Spiuk Illes Balears). Marie-Helene Premont was the top North American and she finished in fourth place overall, 3:39 behind Dahle. Alison Sydor placed eleventh after suffering a flat early in the race.
Women’s results. 4 laps, 27.2 km
- Gunn-Rita Dahle (NOR, Multivan-Merida) 1:45:54
- Sabine Spitz (GER, Specialized) 1:38 back
- Margarita Fullana Riera (ESP, Spiuk Illes Balears) 3:05
- Marie-Hélène Prémont (CAN, Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) 3:39
- Mary McConneloug (USA, Kenda-Seven) 3:49
- Petra Henzi (SUI, Fischer-BMC) 6:05
- Maja Wloszczowska (POL, Lotto) 6:16
- Lene Byberg (NOR, Bikin’Cyprus) 6:26
- Cecile Rode (FRA, Lapierre International) 6:50
- Susan Haywood (USA, Trek-VW) 6:56
Other sources
- BikeMagic: UCI World Cup XC1
- PedalMag: Women’s Report
- CyclingNews: Women’s results and race report
- CyclingNews: Men’s race results and full report
The downhill and 4x series are set to take place in early May in Vigo, Spain.
1. Posted by From around the ‘net 3 » The Biking Hub | 7:39 pm, 4 April 2006
[…] Race season heats up. 1 April saw the first cross country UCI World Cup race and other mountain biking events are swinging into action all over the place. Endurance events like the Trans Iowa Race V.2 is set to take place at the end of April (more on this event from Guitar Ted in the coming weeks) and the scene in British Columbia has a pile of sanctioned mountain bike races over the next month. […]