Switzerland's Nino Schurter has won gold in the cross country event of the World Mountain Bike Championships in Canberra, Australia.

Schurter beat Olympic champion Julien Absalon of France by three one-hundredths of a second on Saturday in a sprint finish. Florian Vogel of Switzerland was third in a photo finish.

Schurter, the Beijing bronze medallist in the event, finished seven laps of the 6.5-kilometer course in two hours, four minutes, 39 seconds.

"It was really technical and that's what I like," Schurter said. "It's an amazing feeling; the dream has come true for me."

Reigning world champion Christoph Sauser of Switzerland was 10th.

In the women's event, also held at Canberra's Stromlo Forest Park, Russia's Irina Kalentieva took gold, Norway's Lene Byberg silver and American Willow Koerber the bronze.

Switzerland's best finish was by Esther Süss who came eighth, three minutes and 40 seconds behind the leader.

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