Nico Lebrun and Helena Erbenova win XTERRA France

Defending XTERRA European Tour champions Nico Lebrun from France and Helena Erbenova of the Czech Republic won the XTERRA France Championship today.

It’s Lebrun’s first win of the year, and he becomes the fourth different man to win a Euro Tour race this season as Ruben Ruzafa took the opener in Spain, Ben Allen claimed Greece, and Victor Del Corral won in Switzerland. Lebrun, the 39-year-old former XTERRA World Champion (2005) is racing his final year as a professional, as he announced he’ll retire following this season.

“In a textbook, beautifully crafted race, Nico “Le Professor” Lebrun won XTERRA France today,” said Dave Nicholas, the managing director of the XTERRA World Tour. “Lebrun always knows what his body will give him on any particular day. Today he put in a reasonable swim not losing too much to speedsters Ben Allen and Branden Rakita. Nico pushed hard on the bike but left plenty in the tank knowing the run here has a ton of climbing – and Nico loves to climb. His worry on the run, Victor del Corral was behind him and Lebrun ran almost 2 minutes faster than the leaders off the bike – Ruben Ruzafa and Hector Guerra. It was Spain 2-3-4 with Ruzafa, Guerra and del Corral next and first lap leader Asa Shaw 5th.”

In the women’s race Erbenova collected her third straight win and her 7th in last eight European majors.

“Erbenova had nearly a perfect race taking the lead on the first bike lap and finishing strongly but within herself to win by 12 minutes,” said Nicholas. “Second was Jacqui Slack with a great comeback by Bubu Lorblanche to third, Maud Golsteyn fourth and Coralie Redelsperger 5th.”

Top 5 Pro Men
Nico Lebrun, FRA 3:06:42
Ruben Ruzafa, ESP 3:07:01
Hector Guerra, ESP 3:07:47
Victor del Corral ESP 3:08:13
Asa Shaw, GBR 3:11:21

Top 5 Pro Women
Helena Erbenova, CZE 3:35:53
Jacqui Slack, GBR 3:48:05
Marion Lorblanchet, FRA 3:49:17
Maud Golsteyn, NED 3:53:30
Coralie Redelsperger FRA 4:00:40

Complete results at xterrafrance.free.fr

Next on the XTERRA World Tour: XTERRA France was the fourth European Tour Championship race and the 13th World Tour event to qualify amateur athletes into the XTERRA World Championship to be held in Kapalua, Maui on October 27, 2013.

Date – Race, Location
July 14 – XTERRA Victoria, Canada
July 20 – XTERRA Abruzzo, Lago di Scanno, Italy
Aug 3 – XTERRA Mexico Championship, Tapalpa, Jalisco
Aug 4 – XTERRA Canmore, Canada
Aug 10 – XTERRA Czech Championship, Prachatice
Aug 17 – XTERRA Germany Championship, Zittau
Aug 24 – XTERRA Japan Championship, Marunuma
Aug 31 – XTERRA Ecuador,
Aug 31 – XTERRA MountainMan – Kualoa Ranch, HI
Sept 8 – XTERRA England, Cranleigh, Surrey
Sept 21 – XTERRA USA Championship, Ogden/Snowbasin, UT
Oct 27 – XTERRA World Championship, Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii