Spain’s José Antonio Hermida upset the odds to win men’s cross-country World Championship gold in Mont Saint Anne, Canada on Saturday.

Hermida clocked 1:52.26 hours on the 33km course, while the Czech Republic’s Jaroslav Kulhavy and South Africa’s Burry Stander claimed silver and bronze respectively.

But Swiss 2009 world champion Nino Schurter and France’s two-time Olympic champion Julien Absalon were out of the medals in fourth and fifth respectively.

Meanwhile, Poland’s Maja Wloszczowska romped to victory in the women’s race, while defending champion Irina Kalentieva had to settle for silver and the United States’ Willow Koerber was third

The 26-year-old Wloszczowska, who won Olympic silver in Athens in 2004, surged into the lead on the final three laps of the 26km route to bag gold in 1:48.21.