After his first two wins in the MTB World Cup, Bianchi-Agos rider Julien Absalon is aiming at the World's in Livigno on September 4, 2005 and is giving up his scheduled events in America. After competing in the Internazionali d'Italia Liquigas Cup MTB circuit where he scored two wins and took second overall, the French champion posted two consecutive wins in the first two World Cup events in Spa Francorchamps and in Madrid and jumped to the top of the overall ranking. Absalon has held onto the leadership for six weeks and surrendered to Christoph Sauser only after the fourth event last Saturday, June 4 in Germany, where he finished third.
"My first goal this year was to score two World Cup wins," Absalon said. "As I hit it early in the season with two consecutive wins, now I can put all my energy in the second target I have: another World Championship title. I had already included Livigno in my main goals. Now I'm going to chase the rainbow jersey."
