Beijing - Sabine Spitz of Germany and Frenchman Julien Absalon on Saturday won the mountain bike competition at the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Spitz was in a class of her own as she took the women's title, while Absalon successfully defended his men's crown, after already picking up gold in Athens four years ago.

Spitz, 36, cycled away from all rivals early on the 27-kilometres course and had enough time to carry her bike across the finish line in delight.

The 2003 world champion and 2004 Olympic bronze medallist, who only started cycling as a 22-year-old, got the gold in 1 hour 45 minutes 11 seconds.

Former two-time world champion Maja Wloszczowska of Poland took silver, 41 seconds behind the winner on 1:45:52. The reigning world champion Irina Kalentyeva of Russia came from behind to salvage bronze with 1:46:28.

Spitz, who will be 40 at the next Olympics in four years, said she was going to be there too. "It's a question of age as an athlete. I am still hungry.

"If athletes start at an early age, they get tired of the sport. Every day it goes better. It's just a question of mind. Mountain bike, mentally, is a tough sport, but with age, it gets better."

The German took a little swipe at doping cheats - of which there have already been six at these Games. "Standing on the podium, I would have loved to have had a sign that said, 'It is possible without doping'."

Absalon, meanwhile, beat his own team-mate Jean-Christophe Peraud into second place by more than a minute, with the winner finishing in 1:55.59, while Peraud had 1:57.06.

Swiss Nino Schurter managed to take bronze ahead of his team-mate Christoph Sauser.

Absalon said he could enjoy this victory more than the one four years ago. "It is more exciting because I know what gold is. I dreamed about it in 2004 and it's like a dream now."

"When you ride your bike at the Olympic Games you can't play safe. It is not a question of riding a careful race. You don't think, you just go, because if you don't, if you lose, it is four years of regrets," he said.

Absalon's team-mate Peraud said that he had been hoping to win a medal. "It is my first time. I am proud to be on the podium. Having a medal was my goal. I trained the whole year for that."