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Mountain Bike

Hermida opts out of European cross country championships

By Cycling News

published 31 May 2012

Former world champion hopes to regain top form before Olympics

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Jose Hermida (Multivan Merida) chases(Image credit: Armin Küstenbrück)

Jose Antonio Hermida (Team Multivan Merida 1)(Image credit: Sportograf.com/Andalucía Bike Race)

Jose Hermida (Multivan Merida) has decided not to attend the European Cross Country Championships taking place next week from June 7-10 in Moscow, Russia.

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The Spaniard has won the elite European cross country title three times. Although he's always been motivated to do the European championships, he is sitting out this year's race.

"Sunday June the 10th was a date I had marked in my calendar. This season I'm having some problems that will not let me perform at my level," said Hermida. "There are no bad results, but I'm not feeling like I should."

The 2010 world champion is hoping to regain his top form in time for the 2012 Olympic Games in London and as such is cancelling his plans to race the European championships so he can take a break.

"This will be my fourth Olympics and the race is my main goal of the year. That is why I want to get there as fresh as possible. I've focused on that date for months and the abnormal performance of the start of the season has led me to reschedule the next few weeks.

"After deep discussion with my coach and my confidence doctors, we decided that this break until the next World Cup will be a way to start again, albeit from an already high level. This reset will be both physically and mentally positive. I am sure my colleagues in the Spanish team will do a good job in Moscow," said Hermida.