On Thursday, the Italians won their second gold medal at 2009 Mountain Bike World Championships. Gerhard Kerschbaumer won the Junior Mens Cross-Country title. Kerschbaumer was part of the Team Relay team that won the Italian gold medal earlier in the week. He was the dominant rider and dropped Portugal’s Ricardo Marinheiro on lap four of the five-lap event. Marinheiro was Finish of the Junior Mens Race photo by Rob Jones
On the first lap, a select group of four riders split off Kerschbaumer (Switzerland), Marinheiro, Indergand, and Matthias Stirnemann. Stirnemann was dropped during the second lap. The remaining three riders rode together until lap 4. Kerschbaumer picked up the pace and first shed Indergand on the singletrack climb. Marinheiro followed after the first feedzone of the second half. Kerschbaumer pulled away steadily to win the title. Marinheiro just managed to hold off Indergand, and a revived Stirnemann for silver.
Gerhard Kerschbaumer on Hammerhead. Rob Jones photo
It went well because my legs were perfect. stated Kerschbaumer. Although the track was extremely technical and difficult, the atmosphere and conditions were favorable for me to win. The first two to three laps were calm. I tried to control other riders. On the fourth lap, I overtook them all on the climb.
Eric Emsky just came off a serious injury. Rob Jones photo
Marinheiro was happy with his second place and gave Portugal their first medal at the championships. The result is good. Although I tried my best, Kerschbaumer was strong up the hills and I couldn’t keep up with him. I was determined to keep second place.
Canada’s top-ranked rider Evan Guthrie broke his handlebar on the first lap. This caused him to crash hard. Guthrie started in 70th after he stopped in the pit to get his bars replaced by mechanics. Guthrie rode strong through the race, moving up 40 places to take 30th place overall.
Evan Guthries’ broken handlebar in his pits is being replaced by mechanics. Rob Jones photo
Guthrie explained that I did the wrong jump on the downhill section and it really hurt my bars. The bar broke off in the corner I was standing on and I fell hard. It was really too bad because it made me feel so good. After a slow start, I was quickly moving up and was in the top 20 at the time. Overall, I’m happy with my ride and am thrilled to have been able to climb so many places.
Finsterwald was pleased with his ride. I thought I had a great race. My chain got caught between the cassette and wheel on the final lap. It was a long process, but it was worth it. It was only a minute or two that I lost, but I wasn’t doing too hot. Although I felt good, there were a lot more fast guys. As I had spent a month in Europe earlier this year, I was familiar with what I could expect. But here, there were more!
Russell Finsterwald was content with his ride. Rob Jones photo
Emsky was able, after a back injury, to see his results in context. I was second last after the start! At the beginning, I was just lacking punch. I got involved in a crash and was at one point dead last at the start. I then slowly worked my way up the field. I didn’t have a great day. I had high hopes of making top 25, but my knee injury has made it difficult. My first race was June. It was not a great race and I didn’t have a solid base. It was hard to watch it all, but I’m here.
Brendan Johnston, an Australian rider, is the one that has been receiving a lot local attention. Johnston was recently diagnosed as having testicular cancer. Johnston had an operation during the weeks that led to today’s race and will begin chemotherapy next week.
Gerhard Kerschbaumer leading Reto Indergand and Ricardo Paulo-Reis-Marinheiro. Rob Jones photo
Today was very difficult. I don’t know if you are aware of my current problems. It was crucial for me to get started today. It was only four to five days since I had committed to racing. To be there and finish in the top 50 was amazing.
It was a very emotional experience. It just happened at the top corner and I realized what I had accomplished. Although it wasn’t an exceptional ride, I was there and did it. It was a difficult operation that resulted in a loss of fitness. I also had to take a few weeks off from the race, so I wasn’t prepared for it.
Gerhard Kerschbaumer wins for Italy. Rob Jones photo
My collar bone was broken at a National race this year and I missed the team trip to Europe. However, I did go to Canada to race the World Cups, which was great, and I also got the blood results about the cancer. It’s been a difficult year and I still have a lot to do.
Podium: Ricardo Paulo Reis Marinheiro, Gerhard Kerschbaumer, Reto Indergand
Junior Men 32.35km Average Speed: 21.33 km/h
1 Gerhard Kerschbaumer (Italy) 2 Ricardo Paulo Reis Marinheiro (Portugal) 3 Reto Indergand (Switzerland) 4 Matthias Stirnemann (Switzerland) 5 Tobias Ludvigsson (Sweden) 6 Hugo Drechou (France) 7 Julian Schelb (Germany) 8 Luca Braidot (Italy) 9 Tomas Paprstka (Czech Republic) 10 David Miguel Costa Rodrigues (Portugal) 11 Ruben Scheire (Belgium) 12 Dirk Peters (New-Zealand) 13 Michiel Van Der Heijden (Netherlands) 14 Richard Anderson (New-Zealand) 15 Lukas Loretz (Switzerland) 16 Wenzel Bhm-Grber (Germany) 17 Mitchell Codner (Australia) 18 Daniele Braidot (Italy) 19 Rourke Croeser (South Africa) 20 Jeff Luyten (Belgium) 21 Martin Gluth (Germany) 22 Michael Baker (Australia) 23 Roger Walder (Switzerland) 24 Bart De Vocht (Belgium) 25 Maciej Adamczyk (Poland) 26 Gregor Raggl (Austria) 27 Jonas Pedersen (Denmark) 28 Mitchell Bailey (Canada) 29 Nicholas Pettina (Italy) 30 Evan Guthrie (Canada) 31 Vid Tancer (Slovenia) 32 Kenta Gallagher (Great Britain) 1 33 Mauricio Foronda (Colombia) 1 34 Marcus Schulte-Luenzum (Germany) 1 35 Urban Ferencak (Slovenia) 1 36 Cameron Ivory (Australia) 1 37 Patrick Avery (New-Zealand) 1 38 Emilien Barben (Switzerland) 1 39 Daniel Vesely (Czech Republic) 1 40 Carlos enrique Moran Manzo (Mexico) 1 41 Russell Finsterwald (United States Of America) 1 42 Amotz Nehoray (Israel) 1 43 Eric Emsky (United States Of America) 1 44 Daniel Hula (Slovakia) 1 45 James Reid (South Africa) 1 46 Ignacio Espinoza (Chile) 1 47 Frederico Mariano (Brazil) 1 48 Steven James (Great Britain) 1 49 Attila Bela (Hungary) 1 50 Brendan Johnston (Australia) 1 51 James Peacock (Australia) 1 52 Antoine Caron (Canada) 1 53 Kevin Santana (Argentina) 1 54 Michalis Kittis (Cyprus) 1 55 Tyler Allison (Canada) 1 56 Ivan Smirnov (Russian Federation) 2 57 Locky Mcarthur (New-Zealand) -1lap
58 Mario Luis Miranda Costa (Portugal) -1lap
59 Logan Horn (New-Zealand), -1lap
60 Kieran Hambrook (New-Zealand) -1lap
61 Nikolay Zaitsev (Kazakhstan) -1lap
62 Kyriakos Sketos (Cyprus) -1lap
63 Almaz Almabayev (Kazakhstan) -2laps
64 Idomu Yamamoto, Japan (-2laps)
65 Brenton Jones (Australia) -2laps
66 Vadim Galeyev (Kazakhstan) -3laps
67 Adrian Retief (New-Zealand) -3laps
DNF Jordan Sarrou (France).
DNF Jan Nesvadba (Czech Republic)
DNF Zach Mcdonald (United States Of America).
DNF Javier Etcheto (Argentina)
