The final day of the UCI Cross Country Mountain Bike World Cup produced more thrills and spills on a memorable day in Dalby Forest. Jaroslav Kulhavy won by a staggeringly impressive 50 seconds from Olympic champion Julien Absalon.

The man from the Czech Republic blew the rest of the field away as early as the first lap and stayed ahead for the remaining five laps to claim only his second UCI World Cup win.

Briton Oli Beckingsale (Endura) enjoyed a return to his best form in the race and starting in 40th place on the grid, finished an impressive 23rd. Liam Killeen came finished in 30th place.

Earlier in the day, Britain’s Annie Last produced her best ever display in a World Cup race with an extraordinary ride to finish 14th in a thrilling Elite Women’s race.

The women’s race was won by one of the favourites on the day, France’s Julie Bresset. In the Women’s U23 race, Lily Matthews who continues to recover from a shoulder injury, finished 15th in the Women’s U23 race

Other Brits who performed well at Dalby include the ever-fast Nick Craig, who despite his advancing years produced a fantastic ride to finish 81st as the third highest Brit.

Results

Elite Men

1 KULHAVY Jaroslav CZE19850108 SPECIALIZED RACING 1:40:53
2 ABSALON Julien FRA19800816 ORBEA +00:50
3 FONTANA Marco Aurelio ITA19841012 CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING +01:39
4 MAROTTE Maxime FRA19861205 BH – SUNTOUR – PEISEY VALLANDRY +01:39
5 FUMIC Manuel GER19820330 CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING +01:40
6 MILATZ Moritz GER19820624 BMC MOUNTAINBIKE RACING TEAM +01:40
7 STANDER Burry RSA19870916 SPECIALIZED RACING +01:51
8 SAUSER Christoph SUI19760413 SPECIALIZED RACING +01:52
9 SCHURTER Nino SUI19860513 SCOTT – SWISSPOWER MTB – RACING +01:58
10 LITSCHER Thomas SUI19890514 FELT OETZTAL X – BIONIC TEAM +02:00
other
23 BECKINGSALE Oliver GBR19760607 +05:03
30 KILLEEN Liam GBR19820412 GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM +06:12
81 CRAIG Nicholas GBR19690403 +11:48
94 WILLIAMS Lee GBR19840730 +13:05
96 COLLINS David GBR19760723 +14:05
100 HENDERSON Dave GBR19830426 -1LAP
107 ADAMS Ross GBR19830920 -1LAP
110 COCKBURN Andrew GBR19800419 -2LAP
114 MONTGOMERIE Gareth GBR19821125 -2LAP
115 WHITTINGTON John GBR19880409 -2LAP
117 SCHOLTES Brice BEL19880731 G – SKIN – DEFORCHE MTB RACING TEAM -2LAP
118 ROBERTSON Paul GBR19760731 -2LAP
119 CRAWFORTH Jody GBR19800804 -3LAP

Elite Women

1 BRESSET Julie FRA19890609 BH – SUNTOUR – PEISEY VALLANDRY 1:40:59
2 LANGVAD Annika DEN19840322 +01:03
3 SPITZ Sabine GER19711227 CENTRAL HAIBIKE PRO TEAM +01:06
4 LECHNER Eva ITA19850701 COLNAGO ARREGHINI SUDTIROL +01:22
5 REN Chengyuan CHN19860920 SPECIALIZED RACING +01:24
6 WLOSZCZOWSKA Maja POL19831109 CCC POLKOWICE +01:31
7 PENDREL Catharine CAN19800930 LUNA PRO TEAM +01:36
8 BYBERG Lene NOR19821125 SPECIALIZED RACING +01:51
9 SCHNEITTER Nathalie SUI19860619 COLNAGO ARREGHINI SUDTIROL +02:05
10 HURIKOVA Tereza CZE19870211 CENTRAL HAIBIKE PRO TEAM +02:06
11 PREMONT Marie-Helene CAN19771024 TEAM MAXXIS – ROCKY MOUNTAIN +02:13
12 ENAUX Sabrina FRA19780401 FELT OETZTAL X – BIONIC TEAM +02:41
13 GOULD Georgia USA19800105 LUNA PRO TEAM +02:51
14 LAST Annie GBR19900907 +03:00
15 BATTY Emily CAN19880616 SUBARU – TREK +03:48
other
53 HORTON Maddie GBR19780607 +14:26
69 MOSELEY Tracy GBR19790412 TREK WORLD RACING -1LAP
74 FILBY Maxine GBR19801030 -1LAP
75 ALEXANDER Melanie GBR19760729 -1LAP
78 GABRIEL Sally GBR19830120 -2LAP
79 BARRY Natasha GBR19801021 -2LAP

Under-23 Women

1 FERRAND PREVOT Pauline FRA19920210 LAPIERRE INTERNATIONAL 1:19:52
2 STIRNEMANN Kathrin SUI19891022 CENTRAL HAIBIKE PRO TEAM +01:25
3 BENKO Barbara HUN19900121 FOCUS MIG TEAM +01:45
4 GROBERT Helen GER19920411 +02:50
5 BOURDON Fanny FRA19890203 GT SKODA CHAMONIX +03:40
other
15 MATTHEWS Lily GBR19890930 +07:41
26 HAINES Carla GBR19910504 -1LAP
27 RIDER Danielle GBR19910829 -1LAP