After five long months, and eight races on three continents, the cross-country series of the 2009 Nissan UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano finally concluded in Schladming, Austria on Saturday. 

Women: Osl pleased home crowd

Elisabeth 'Lisi' Osl gave the Austrian crowd what they had hoped for: an Austrian win and the World Cup title in the women's category. Osl took her third World Cup win of the season after an impressive start to finish ride at the front. Lene Byberg (Specialized) confirmed her second place overall by catching Canada's Catharine Pendrel (Luna) on the final climb to take second, while Pendrel hung on for third in both the race and the overall standings. U23 World Champion Aleksandra Dawidowicz (CCC Polkowice) took the U23 World Cup title ahead of Canada's Emily Batty.

Osl came into the final round of the World Cup with a 65 point lead over Byberg. Pendrel was mathematically still in the running to win the title, but more concerned with holding onto third ahead of World Champion Irina Kalentieva (Topeak Ergon). The only other rider who could have been in the mix - Marga Fullana (Massi) - was out after fracturing a vertebra in a crash a week earlier, prior to the Champery (Switzerland) round.

The steep climbs of Schladming certainly suited the diminutive Osl, who was out in front by the top of the first climb of the four lap race. Pendrel was gaining on Osl after the technical, muddy descents, but would lose time on each climb. The Austrian was steadily extending her lead, to eventually finish more than a minute ahead. The remaining riders in the top five were in a more tense battle, with the gap from second to fifth only 48 seconds.

"I have no words," said Osl, who was overcome with emotion on the podium during the Austrian national anthem. "It has been a fantastic season, and I have surprised myself this year. My tactic today was just to give it my best. My legs felt bad before the start in the warmup, so I just decided to go out hard and see what would happen. But the pressure, it was not easy. To come to Austria in the leaders jersey and hold onto it ... this was great pressure." 

Men: Hermida concludes the season as it started

Since Julien Absalon (Orbea), had already locked up the World Cup title a week earlier in Champery, Switzerland, the men's World Cup final did not have the potential drama of the women's. However, second for fifth in the series was still in play among seven riders, and it was Jose Hermida (Multivan Merida) who took control, vaulting from fourth to second in the final World Cup standings with a strong win at the final round in Schladming. Spanish compatriot Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (Orbea) took second for his first World Cup podium, followed by Trek World Racing's Mathias Flückiger, the first U23 rider. Absalon, after racing in the front three for most of the six lap race, retired after a flat just before the start of the final lap.

The men's race started very aggressively, with Absalon attacking on the second lap. Hermida and Flückiger gave chase, with the Spanish champion bridging up to Absalon on the fourth lap and then attacking. Absalon was still in second at the start of lap five, but Ruzafa Cueto and Flückiger were gaining ground. While the French rider would not give in easily, he did not feel the pressure to come back from his flat.

"I was without pressure," Absalon admitted. "For me, the plan was, if I felt good then fight for victory. So I went to the front and got a little gap, but Jose came up. So, I was thinking that second would be good at the end of the season, but I got my flat tire at the end of the fifth lap, and I knew it would not be possible to be back up there with one lap left in the race."

Hermida's victory moved him up to second in the final standings, as he bumped the U23 champion Burry Stander (Specialized Factory Racing) down to third.

Written by :

stumpy_dan

 

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed