Craig finishes 22nd in world championships

FORT WILLIAM, Scotland – Adam Craig of Corinth and Bend, Ore., was the top North American finisher in Saturday’s men’s cross country race at the International Cycling Union’s 2007 Mountain Bike World Championships.

Craig finished 22nd overall among 107 participants in the race, which was won by 2004 Olympic champion Julien Absalon of France. Absalon won his fourth world championship, breaking the previous record for world titles held by Henk Djernis of Denmark.

Absalon was timed in 2 hours, 17 minutes, 6 seconds, 25 seconds ahead of second-place Ralph Naf of Switzerland and 54 seconds ahead of another Swiss rider, third-place Florian Vogel.

Craig, 26, finished 4:51 behind Absalon in 2:21:58.

Craig was in 31st place after the first of six laps in the race, then moved up to 22nd before posting the fastest lap time of any competitor in the event (22:55) to advance to 16th place after three laps.