The Biking Hub: Mountain

Events » Cory

2006 UCI World Cup # 2: Madrid, Spain

The second event on the UCI World Cup cross country schedule went down over the weekend on a fast-rolling 7km course in Madrid, Spain. With a six week layoff after the first event in Curacao and a brief interlude at Sea otter, most of the world’s top cross country racers were ready to get back at it.

Women’s event

It’s pretty difficult to understate the complete stranglehold that Gunn-Rita Dahle (NOR, Multivan-Merida) has held on the women’s World Cup circuit over the past few years. After dusting the rest of the field at Curacao six weeks ago, Dahle won yet another race in convincing fashion. Nobody really came close to the Norwegian, although Marie-Helene Premont (CAN, Rocky Mountain - Business Objects) was running in second place before a flat tire derailed her podium challenge.

Women’s results. 6 laps, 42km

1. Gunn-Rita Dahle (NOR, Multivan-Merida) 1:39:11
2. Margarita Fullana Riera (ESP, Spiuk Illes Balears 1:55 back
3. Irina Kalentieva (RUS) 3:09
4. Maja Wloszczowska (POL, Lotto)
5. Sabine Spitz (DEU, Specialized) 3:13
6. Lene Byberg (NOR, Bikin’Cyprus Int.) 4:40
7. Petra Henzi (SWI, Fischer-Bmc) 4:53
8. Maroussia Rusca (SWI, Team Bikepark.Ch Tui) 5:11
9. Rosara Joseph (NZL) 5:17
10. Marie-Helene Premont (CAN, Rocky Mountain - Business Objects) 5:28

Men’s event

A large crowd turned out to cheer on the 225+ man field and they weren’t let down at the finish, when the current men’s champion, Julien Absalon (FRA, Bianchi - Agos), outsprinted Christoph Sauser (SUI, Specialized) to take the top podium spot.

Because the men’s field was so large, event organizers decided to go with an 80% rule, which meant that riders who weren’t with 80% of the lead rider’s time after the first lap wouldn’t be allowed to continue. Not all of the riders were happy with the decision, even though it makes a bunch of sense — especially because there wasn’t a qualifying race.

Men’s results. 7 laps, 49km

1. Julien Absalon (FRA, Bianchi-Agos) 2:02:18
2. Christoph Sauser (SUI, Specialized) :01 back
3. Ralf Näf (SUI, Multivan-Merida) 0:31
4. Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (ESP, Multivan-Merida) 0:52
5. Roel Paulissen (BEL, Giant) 1:07
6. Liam Killeen (GBR, Specialized) 1:08
7. Michael Weiss (AUT, Cube) 1:31
8. Frederik Kessiakoff (SWE, Cannondale, Vredestein) 1:31
9. Lado Fumic (GER, Fumic Brothers Racing) 2:18
10. Bart Brentjens (NED, Giant) 2:45

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 14th, 2006 at 9:59 pm and is filed under Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.