Burry Stander (Specialized) gets his first Mountain Bike World Cup victory
Burry Stander (Specialized Factory Racing) has had what he considers to be the best week of his career, after following up his Under 23 cross country world championship title last weekend with his first World Cup win. Taking what was also the first South African cross country World Cup win, Stander beat series leader Julien Absalon (Orbea) in a thrilling come from behind victory at round seven in Champéry, Switzerland.
Absalon's second place locked up the overall title for the French rider with one race remaining, while Stander did the same for the Under 23 title. Ralph Näf (Multivan Merida) took third. Adam Craig (Giant) was the top North American, finishing sixth, with Sam Schultz (Subaru-Gary Fisher) 16th and Canadian champion Geoff Kabush (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) fading to 21st after riding in the front group for the first few laps.
Alexis Vuillermoz (Lapierre International) led the field of 144 out of the start loop for the first of six laps. He continued to ride at the front on lap two, but Absalon was reeling him in, and took the lead on lap three, attacking on the main climb. As Absalon extended his lead to over one minute by the fourth lap, it appeared that the race was unfolding as expected.
However, on lap five, the first indication that this might be a historic day occurred when Stander began to slowly pull back the Olympic champion, knocking 20 seconds off the lead. An interesting and unprecedented situation was happening: Absalon was fading while Stander was getting stronger.
Going into the final, long climb before the technical descent to the finish, Absalon still had a lead of 25 seconds, but while he was struggling, Stander was powering up the climb, and he caught his rival at the top shortly before entering the singletrack. Stander swept by Absalon, who could only watch him go, and the recently crowned Under 23 world champion rolled into the finishing straight 15 seconds ahead of Absalon, punching the air in victory. Absalon rolled across the line and collapsed at the side of the track, utterly shattered after his ride, and only holding off Näf by nine seconds. The Flückiger brothers - Lukas and Mathias - both for Trek World Racing, completed the podium at 28 and 41 seconds respectively.
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