Cross country’s elite pedal for the medal in Turkey
7-17-07 // Online Exclusive: European MTB Championships
Text by Mollie Foster
Photos by Cüneyt Kazokoglu
The elite men and women’s European Cross-Country Mountain Bike Championships took place the weekend of July 12th in Cappadocia Turkey. The cross-country championship began on a cool and cloudy morning with the elite women’s and men’s races.
Challenging conditions and exotic terrain kept the women’s race full of excitement. After three days of racing, the course became softer with tricky sand traps and loose descents that soaked the racer’s momentum and will to pedal.
Sabine Spitz, Irina Kalentiyeva and Katerina Nash pushed hard at the front of the field until the third and final lap when Spitz took advantage of her tiring opponents and made a break for the lead. The German rider crossed the finish first followed by Irina Kalentiyeva of Russia and Luna Team member Katerina Nash of Czech Republic in 3rd.
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The men’s cross-country championship played out in predictable fashion as Jose Hermida put the hammer down from the very beginning. Julien Absalon had some difficulty finding his rhythm and hid in the pack to conserve his energy. Hermida began extending his gap on the pack consisting of Roel Paulissen, Christof Sauser, Julien Absalon and Fredrik Kessiakoff and Florien Vogel as he attacked the first lap’s downhill section.
Hermida’s relentless pace extended his lead and awarded him his third European championship title. Absalon got in the groove as the race neared its finish and attacked for second place leaving Vogel, Sauser and Kessiakoff to fight for third.
Cappadocia, Turkey’s rugged eroded landscape and a great trail network are the perfect match for mountain biking. The venue is hoping to host the 2010 MTB World Championships so keep your ears peeled for more news on mountain biking riding and racing in Turkey.
Results Mountainbike European Championships 2007, Men:
1. Jose Antonio Herminda (ESP), 2:06:42
2. Julien Absalon (FRA), 2:08:17
3. Fredrik Kessiakoff (SWE), 2:09:20
4. Christoph Sauser (SUI), 2:09:56
5. Florian Vogel (SUI), 2:10:56
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