Julien Abasalon and Eva Lechner take out the XCO win

Photo:Mike blewitt

The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Cairns finished on Sunday with cross country legend Julien Absalon (BMC Mountain Bike Racing Team) and Italian national champion Eva Lechner (Team Colnago Sudtirol) claiming spectacular victories at the Smithfield Regional Park. The sunshine from Saturday continued, and the mud became tacky, making grip plentiful and the racing fast and spectacular.

Earlier in the day German national champion Helen Grobert (Focus XC Team) and Frenchman Victor Koretzky (Giant Pro XC Team) claimed the wins in the under 23 events.

King Absalon conquers the Cairns rainforest

French legend Julien Absalon (BMC Mountain Bike Racing Team) once again showed his prowess, powering to a spectacular victory to claim his twenty-eighth career World Cup victory. It was an epic fight back by the four-time world champion and dual Olympic gold medalist after he suffered a flat front tyre on lap two of the six-lap race, which saw him drop from second to eighth position.

The five-time World Cup Series champion and current leader spent the next three laps chasing, but managed to pass the field with ease with each twist, berm and jump along the course.  He eventually caught race leader, Swiss’ Mathias Fluckiger (Stockli Pro Team), in time to hear the bell ring for the final lap.

A simply superb Absalon powered on, consolidating his lead to cross the line 16 seconds ahead of Fluckiger and a further 24 seconds in front of compatriot Maxime Marotte (BH-Suntour-KMC).

Photo: Tim Bardsley Smith

Australia’s Daniel McConnell (Track Factory Racing) finished on the podium in fourth place.

“I’m very happy to have this victory in Australia,” said an overjoyed Absalon. “I had lots of fun on this track, it was pretty tough, but even with my flat tyre it was very nice.

“When I had this puncture I said ‘ok it is finished for the victory’,” he described. “I did all the downhill with a flat tyre and in front so it was not easy to control the bike especially in the rocks.

“I changed the wheel and after that I was focused on my race, on this long climb it was possible to close some big gaps and that’s how I did it,” said Absalon who is now two-from-two in the 2014 World Cup Series.

Australia’s Daniel McConnell stayed out of trouble to record his best World Cup result for the season.

“I couldn’t have really wished for a better result,” said an excited McConnell. “I have really wanted to have a good result here since it was announced a year ago and I really wanted to get on the podium.

“The crowd was crazy out there and I just used that in the last couple of laps to my advantage.

“The first two World Cups are done and my results have been pretty good so I couldn’t be happier with how the season has started,” said the Australian national champion of his ninth place in South Africa.

Spanish national champion José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Multivan Merida Biking Team), who won the 1996 UCI Junior World Championships in Cairns, completed the podium in fifth.

Earlier in the race, Thomas Litscher (Multivan Merida Biking Team) held the lead for three laps before also suffering a flat tyre, resulting in him rejoining the race in eighth position, over a minute behind Fluckiger.

Absalon (500 points) furthers his lead in the World Cup Series ahead of Marotte (320 points) and Fluckiger (310 points).

Andy Blair (Swell-Specialized) was the next highest placed Australian, finishing 28^th, achieving his goal of a top 30. Mark Tupalski was about 5 minutes further back, finishing 38^th, with Sean Lewis in 40^th, and Brendan ‘Trekky’ Johnston in 42^nd. Paul van der Ploeg and Travis Frisby were lapped out.

Photo:Mike blewitt

The Under 23 men’s race was awash with Australian riders, with the green and gold jerseys mixing in with Australians in their team jerseys too. None shone brighter than the Australian Champion jersey of Cam Ivory, who was the best placed Australian, finishing 8^th, which should send him to Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games. The race winner, Victor Koretzky, was alone for almost the entire race, with his BH-Suntour-KMC team mate Jordan Sarrou in 2^nd, despite puncturing down the A line on Jacob’s Ladder on his last lap.

Many riders were lapped out, or suffered mechanicals. Sebastian Jayne (Subaru-MarathonMTM.com) was unfortunate enough to get caught in a crash down the start straight, the high speed and gravel tearing the back of his bibs off. He did well to move up the field, but a mechanical problem with his wheel forced him out of the race.

Lechner leaves field in wake in Cairns 

A dominant display from Eva Lechner (Team Colnago Sudtirol) saw the reigning Italian national champion storm to a sensational solo victory in the women’s cross country at the second round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Series in Cairns.

Photo:Mike blewitt

Lechner avoided any mechanical issues that plagued many others in the field including reigning world champion Julie Bresset (BH-Suntour-KMC) who crashed and was forced to abandon the race, plus Eliminator champion Alexandra Engen (SWE/Engen) who also came down but recovered to finish at the rear of the field.

Canadian national champion Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing) recovered from a flat tyre to clinch second place ahead of two-time world champion Russian Irina Kalentieva, who salvaged her race after falling on lap three.

“I am so happy, it’s just amazing,” said an elated Lechner. “I did it (led) the whole race, it was a surprise for me. After the second lap I had a long look back and I couldn’t believe I was just alone.

“[It’s] almost one year since I won (opening round of 2013 season in Albstadt), but today was totally different conditions, I usually I don’t like conditions like this, with high humidity and high heat.”

Lechner battled with UCI World Cup round one winner Jolanda Neff (Liv Pro XC Team) for the early part of the race, until stomach cramps hampered the World Cup Series leaders chances of reeling in Lechner.

From there Lechner only extended her lead, with Spitz her closest rival until lap four when the German national champion suffered mechanical issues, allowing Batty and Kalentieva to pass her.

Photo:Mike blewitt

Australia’s Rebecca Henderson (Trek Factory Racing) finished tenth to record her best ever elite women’s World Cup result. Henderson looked super strong the whole race, and claimed it’s the hardest race she has ever done.

Neff (350 points) retains her World Cup Series lead while Lechner moves up from 13th to second position (330 points). Batty (300 points) is in third position.

In the Under 23 race, Helen Grobert won, with Australian’s Em Parkes in 9^th and Holly Harris in 10^th – two riders who have taken their racing against each other to the highest level yet.