How it stands

Jaroslav Kulhavy moved to the top of the World Cup standings after dominating round four. With previous leader Julien Absalon opting not to race, Kulhavy, who stormed to victory in May’s Dalby Forest leg, seized the initiative to lead from start to finish.

Czech rider Kulhavy now tops the World Cup standings on 860 points, while Nino Schurter, who collected silver in Canada, is second on 670 points and Absalon slips to third on 650 points.

Absalon is absent once again, preferring to fine-tune his World Championship preparations instead of heading across the pond, meaning Kulhavy and Schurter have the opportunity to put daylight between themselves and the two-time Olympic gold medallist.

Meanwhile, Catharine Pendrel recorded victory on home soil ahead of Russian Irina Kalentieva and French World Cup leader Julie Bresset.

Suntour-Peisey Vallandry rider Bresset continues to lead the overall competition on 860 points, while Pendrel closes the gap to 140 points. Marie-Helene Premont, fifth in Mont-Saint-Anne, is third on 480 points.

Elite men

1. Jaroslav Kulhavy – 860 points
2. Nino Schurter – 670 pts
3. Julien Absalon – 650 pts

Elite women

1. Julie Bresset – 860 points
2. Catharine Pendrel – 720 pts
3. Marie-Helene Premont – 480 pts

What happened last year?

Windham made its debut on the World Cup circuit last year and the the 5.5km cross country course remains much the same, with a long climb to the top of the hill before a swooping descent. The elite men will ride six laps, the elite women and under-23 men five, and under-23 women four.

Last year, Kulhavy recorded his first ever World Cup victory on what was the final stop of the 2010 season. Schurter took the overall title with 1136 points, while Absalon and Kulhavy were level on 1040 points. Both had one win but Absalon had two second places to Kuhavy’s one – leaving the Frenchman to take overall silver.

In the women’s field, Pendrel started the weekend top of the overall standings and rode away from the field to seal the title.

What else?

Four cross has been scrapped from the Windham schedule for 2010, but there’s still plenty of downhill action to enjoy this weekend.

Trek World Racing duo Tracy Moseley and Aaron Gwin have dominated the World Cup scene in 2011, both registering three wins from four, and head to Windham as firm favourites.

Head to www.racewindham.com for the full lowdown.