Susi wins the World Cup Final in Schladming, Austria

The team arrived in Schladming, Austria on Wednesday for the final round of world cup racing. It’s been a long world schedule with nine rounds in total, plus world championships in both marathon plus cross-country and of course the Olympic Games. As always, despite some weary bodies at season end, spirits have been high all week, as they usually are.

Lene 6th overall in the World Cup series showing steady progression

The lady in pink (courtesy Gary Perkin)

Lene told me in the days prior to today’s race that she was not feeling 100%, but was determined to do her best, as is always the case when she is on a start line. As expected the girls with the high power to weight ratio were going to be tough to beat with World Champ Fullana, Irina Kalentieva and Maja Wloszczczoska pushing the pace at the front. In the closing laps it looked like Fullana was going to take the win, but her engine blew pretty bad on the final lap and she had to settle for fourth behind Wloszczczoska, Kalentieva and Premont, who was victorious in the overall series.

Lene passes the hay barn (courtesy Gary Perkin)

Lene started badly but fought her way positively forward to place 11th, but more impressive placing 6th overall in the series, her best world cup overall series position in her young career.

Lene’s Bike:

Bike:     Specialized S Works Epic (Full Suspension)
Tires:   Specialized Sauserwind 1.8 (Front and Rear)
Tire Pressures:  27 PSI (Front and Rear)
Fork Pressure:  50 PSI
Rear Shock Pressure: 150 PSI

Women’s Results in brief:

1 WLOSZCZOWSKA Maja     HAL      1:26:42   
2 KALENTIEVA Irina      TER      +0:00:37   
3 PREMONT Marie-Helene      RMB      +0:01:05   
4 FULLANA RIERA Margarita     MAS      +0:01:17   
5 SPITZ Sabine      CGT      +0:02:26   
6 JOSEPH Rosara     GHO      +0:02:55   
7 NASH Katerina      LUN      +0:03:19   
8 PENDREL Catharine      LUN      +0:03:39   
9 HENZI Petra           +0:03:47   
10 OSL Elisabeth      GHO      +0:04:01   
 
11 BYBERG Lene     Specialized Factory Racing   +0:04:32

Women’s Overall World Cup Rankings in brief:

1 PREMONT Marie-Helene    RMB      1580   
2 PENDREL Catharine    LUN      1243   
3 FULLANA RIERA Margarita    MAS      1060   
4 KALENTIEVA Irina       TER      900   
5 GOULD Georgia      LUN      890   
6 BYBERG Lene       Specialized Factory Racing   870   
7 NASH Katerina     LUN      811   
8 HURIKOVA Tereza   CES      798   
9 MCCONNELOUG Mary          723   
10 SPITZ Sabine       CGT      675

Susi wins his fifteenth world cup:

Susi and Liam arrive at the start (courtesy Gary Perkin) 

Liam in the zone (courtesy Gary Perkin)

Susi and Benno on the startline (courtesy Gary Perkin)

In Australia following his disappointing race both there and in Beijing, Susi told me that he is going to win Schladming! Well he did not let himself down. From the start Susi was always in the thick of the action at the front. Geoff Kabush who had the same points as Susi going into the final round tried to inflict damage early on, but failed in his attempts as Jose Hermida and race surprise Ivan Gutierrez broke away at the front. Gutierrez certainly had everybody guessing as to his capabilities and it was only in the final three laps that the experienced duo of Susi and Jose Hermida shook him. Jose looked strong but with two laps to go Susi started to turn the screw and the gap started to grow. Susi went on to take his fifteenth world cup victory and finished second overall in the series behind Julien Absalon who failed to finish today.

Susi early on (courtesy Gary Perkin)

Liam with Absalon to his side (courtesy Gary Perkin)

Liam Killeen, British National Champion (courtesy Gary Perkin)

Susi at the front eyeing his line (courtesy Gary Perkin)

Liam is still having problems with his back and upper leg following his now infamous crash and comeback ride in Beijing. As always in the closing laps he did make up ground to finish inside the top fifteen.

Christoph’s Bike:

Bike:     Specialized S Works Epic (Full Suspension)
Tires:   Specialized LK Cut 2.0 (Front and Rear)
Tire Pressures:  28 PSI (Front and Rear)
Fork Pressure:  55 PSI
Rear Shock Pressure: 150 PSI

Liam’s Bike:

Bike:     Specialized S Works Epic (Full Suspension)
Tires:   Specialized LK 2.0 (Front and Rear)
Tire Pressures:  28 PSI (Front and Rear)
Fork Pressure:  65 PSI
Rear Shock Pressure: 165 PSI

Susi on top (courtesy Gary Perkin)

Men’s Results in brief:

1 SAUSER Christoph      Specialized Factory Racing   1:57:56   
2 HERMIDA RAMOS José Antonio    MMB      +0:00:19   
3 ALVAREZ GUTIERREZ Ivan      GIT      +0:01:09   
4 FLÜCKIGER Lukas       ATH      +0:02:20   
5 KULHAVY Jaroslav            +0:02:51   
6 MILATZ Moritz       MMB      +0:03:10   
7 VOGEL Florian         SPT      +0:03:23   
8 CRAIG Adam        GMT      +0:03:32   
9 FLÜCKIGER Matthias *        ATH      +0:03:44   
10 STANDER Burry *         GTM      +0:03:53   
     
14 KILLEEN Liam       Specialized Factory Racing   +0:04:35

Men’s Overall World Cup Rankings in Brief:

1  ABSALON Julien        ORB      1340   
2  SAUSER Christoph       Specialized Factory Racing   1195   
3  HERMIDA RAMOS José Antonio      MMB      1064   
4  KABUSH Geoff        TMX      1030   
5  STANDER Burry      GTM      992   
6  CRAIG Adam       GMT      878   
7  VOGEL Florian       SPT      848   
8  SCHURTER Nino      SPT      808   
9  FLÜCKIGER Lukas       ATH      808   
10 WELLS Todd      GTM      803   
   
20 KILLEEN Liam      Specialized Factory Racing   446

Walking back to the pits with a smile (courtesy Gary Perkin)