MONT-Sainte-Anne's notorious forests didn't disappoint as the Men's World Cup field took to the slopes of the famous venue for their six-lap, two-hour race.

The forests had many technical sections with buttress tree roots, slippery rocks, and steep descents, all of which played into the hands of World Champion Filip Meirhaeghe (BEL) who not only handled these difficult sections with relative ease, but also climbed super strongly.

Malvern's Liam Killeen (Subaru-Gary Fisher) was in the top ten from the outset and gave himself every chance of returning to the podium for the second time in his career.

Riding for most of the race in sixth place, behind Meirhaeghe, Christophe Sauser (SUI), Jean-Christophe Perraud (FRA), Roel Paulissen (BEL) and Jose Hermida (ESP), Liam started to pick up time on the top five with only two laps to go.

Heading out after completing the fourth lap, Liam was only 37 seconds off the podium fifth spot while Paulissen was starting to tire, and Hermida was on the charge. In the final lap, Hermida moved up to third, and Liam got right onto the tail of Paulissen who was now back to fifth. In a sprint finish, in torrential rain, it was Paulissen however who held onto the podium fifth.

Liam said: "I'm pretty happy with my form, and even though I didn't make the podium, it was as close as it gets. I have to be happy with my second best World Cup result, and I've extended my lead in the U23 competition, so overall it was a good day. I'm looking forward to Calgary for round five."