Schurter’s second defeat: Vallnord World Cup XCO

Kerschbaumer comes out on top in rematch of last weekends showdown in Val di Sole

Terry McKall July 15, 2018

World Cup XCO Vallnord Andorra — Nino Schurter. Image: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

After a perfect season in 2017, Nino Schurter suffered his second loss this World Cup season in Vallnord, Andorra on Sunday.

The fifth round of the cross country World Cup played out a rematch of last weekend’s race in Val di Sole, Italy. There, Schurter and Gerhard Kerschbaumer raced together for the final laps before the Swiss rider was able to escape to win his third round in the race series this season.

Racing at altitude in Andorra, the two riders again found themselves together at the front of the race. Showing that the second place at his country’s course was not just home crowd advantage, Kerschbaumer revered his fourtunes from a week prior, handing Schurter his second defeat this year.

In his first season dabbling in World Cup cross country racing, Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon Circus) struggled at the race circuits high elevation stops. This year the cyclocross star, who spends most of his winter riding and racing at sea level in Belgium and the Netherlands, seemed more prepared for the effects of altitude. Van der Poel still hasn’t found a way to beat Schurter outside of the Short Track Cross Country course, but the Dutch racer did find himself on the podium again in Andorra, and again it was third place.

World Cup Vallnord Andora XCO — Scenic for fans, but the high altitude start had racers suffering. Image: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

Canadian Men at World Cup cross country Round #5 – Vallnord, Andorra

As soon as Sunday’s elite Men’s race started a giant cloud of dust billowed up from the pack, obscuring the view of any rider outside the first few rows on the start grid. Racing in Andorra was not only complicated by the tracks elevation, but by the hot and dry weather leading into finals.

Leandré Bouchard (KMC-Ekoi-SR Suntour) fared the best of the five Canadians riders contesting the Elite Men’s race. Bouchard rode in the high 30’s for the first half of the race before moving up steadily in the latter laps to finish 34th.

Canadian national cross country champion Peter Disera (Norco Factory Team) was next across the line for Canada in 43rd. Like Bouchard, Disera was able to move up through the field once traffic thinned out a bit. Disera moved up 16 spots in the closing laps, showing that with an open course, the Canadians can keep pace.

Raphaël Gagné (Silverback OMX Pro Team) finished 61st in Andorra and Andrew L’Esperance (Forward Racing / Team Canada) improved on his Val di Sole result to finish 69th. Alexandre Vialle was the final Canadian in Vallnord, finishing in 90th.

Canadian Men at World Cup cross country Round #5 – Vallnord, Andorra

As he has at each event this year, Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM) started the Vallnord cross country World Cup round with his characteristic and un-matchable turn of pace. The Swiss cycling star quickly established a sizeable lead over the field on the opening lap. Wise to his game, a lead group responded before the gap could grow too problematic.

With the field keeping Schurter on a short leash, and every rider dealing with the complication of racing at altitude, all options were open for how the fifth round of World Cup racing would play out.

Cross country fans who made their way up to the Andorra track were treated to a rematch of Schurter and Kerschbaumer’s showdown a week prior at Round #4 of World Cup racing in Val di Sole, Italy. There, Schurter escaped the Torpado Gabogas rider on the last lap to claim his third win this season. Neither Kerschbaumer nor the wildly supportive Italian fans seemed disappointed, as it was the Italian national champions best World Cup result to date.

Kerschbaumer celebrates his win in Andorra. Image: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

This week, it was again Kerschbaumer and Schurter who found themselves alone off the front. Kerschbaumer proved a fast learner, and showed that his home track result was no fluke. Just a week after finishing second to the Swiss superstar, the Italian reversed the result to claim his first ever World Cup win.

Behind, Mathieu van der Poel, Henrique Avancini (Conndale Factory XC), and Jordan Sarrou (KMC-Ekoi-SR Suntour) were battling for the remaining podium positions.

L-R: Henrique Avancini, Nino Schurter, Gerhard Kerschbaumer, Mathieu van der Poel, Jordan Sarrou. Image: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool.

Having learned from his struggles with altitude the previous season, van der Poel kept a more consistent pace than his usual attack race style. The tactic paid off, and the Dutch cyclocross-crossover landed on the podium in third.

In the fight for the extended podium positions the winner of Friday’s Short Track XC, Henrique Avancini claimed fourth ahead of Sarrou. Clearly motivated by delivering Brazil’s first World Cup win in any discipline, Avancini backed up his stellar result Friday with another impressive showing on Sunday.