Saalfelden Leogang in Salzburger Land, June 10, 2022 – The start of the promising World Cup weekend in Saalfelden Leogang The international cross-country elite competed in two spectacular races that, despite or perhaps because of the difficult track conditions, could hardly be surpassed in terms of excitement and drama. In the end, Loana Lecomte and Mathias Flückiger came out on top.
Loana Lecomte defends title with creeping record
Just in time for the women's XCC race in the afternoon, the Leogang weather gods showed understanding and stopped the rain. The demanding route with the steep meadow ascent was still tough.
Right from the start, favorite Rebecca McConnell (AUS) lived up to her role, took the lead and set the tone together with Jenny Rissveds (SWE), Haley Batten (USA) and Alessandra Keller (SUI), while Loana Lecomte ( FRA) and Laura Stigger (AUT) tried to keep up. Nove Mesto winner Jolanda Neff (SUI) fell back to 14th place, Mona Mitterwallner (AUT) to 28th.
While McConnell and Rissveds kept pulling away, only Lecomte was able to stay within striking distance and then even take the lead on the fourth lap.
After Rissveds gradually had to pay tribute to the strenuous course, a duel developed between the French and the Australian, which Lecomte ultimately won. While the reigning XCO overall World Cup winner continued to increase her lead, behind her Anne Terpstra (NED), Alessandra Keller (SUI) and Caroline Bohé (DEN) fought their way closer and closer to McConnell and passed her one after the other. Terpstra now secured second place, Bohé and Keller made it exciting at the end - with the better end for the Dane, who crossed the finish line in third place.
Loana Lecomte not only secures her personal Leogang hat trick, but also ensures that there are still only French XC winners. Curious: The Frenchwoman contested the last 2 laps with a creeping flat tire. Laura Stigger finished the race in ninth place, Mona Mitterwallner in 13th place. Nadine Rieder was the best German in 18th place.
"I feel good. I had a puncture on the last two laps and tried to finish the race safely. I wasn't expecting to win today but I felt like I had a chance. I don't feel any pressure and just try to enjoy the weekend. I want to focus on myself." – Loana Lecomte
“Last year I had the worst short track race I've ever ridden here, so I changed my strategy a bit for this year. I didn't want to start too fast to save some energy for the end. You could probably see that at the start, but I stuck with it in the race and was able to make up a few places in the end and finished second. I didn't expect that, so I'm very happy with this result." – Anne Terpstra
Cross-Country (XCC) Results Elite Women:
- Loana Lecomte (FRA) 21:21
- Anne Terpstra (NED) 21:30
- Caroline Bohe (DEN) 21:40
- Alessandra Keller (SUI) 21:48
- Rebecca McConnell (AUS) 21:55
Overall World Cup Standing Top 5:
- Rebecca Ellen Mcconnell (AUS) 740 points
- Alessandra Keller (SUI) 540 points
- Loana Lecomte (FRA) 530 points
- Anne Terpstra (NED) 504 points
- Jolanda Neff (SUI) 475 points
Second title defense: Mathias Flückiger also repeats his victory from last year
Immediately after the women, the men took to the track. After a good start, however, a major crash occurred immediately during the first climb, shortly after the bottleneck, in which XCO overall World Cup leader Nino Schurter (SUI) in particular was at a disadvantage and fell far behind.
In the leading group, nobody initially managed to break out, even though Henrique Avancini (BRA), Vlad Dascalu (ROM), Titouan Carod (FRA) and Vital Albin (SUI) managed to establish themselves at the front. In the middle of the third lap, last year's winner Mathias Flückiger (SUI) joined them, while Avancini remained undeterred in wait in front of the 10-15 riders.
The Brazilian finally used the bridge climb in the fifth round for an attack that only Flückiger and Albin were initially able to follow. The Swiss were fully there now and finally passed the struggling Avancini, who was meanwhile caught by Dascalu again. The gaps between places one and two, as well as three and four, kept growing.
At the beginning of the seventh round Flückiger had already rushed so far that his title defense could only have been stopped by a "mechanical". The Romanian finally won the fight for second place between Avancini, Albin, Dascalu and Jens Schuermans (BEL), which then broke out. Albin crossed the finish line in third place. Avancini secured fourth place in the photo finish ahead of Schuermans. Nino Schurter finished the race in 11th place, XCC overall World Cup leader Luca Schwarzbaur (GER) was 30th. The best German was David List, who fell back to 29th place after placing in the top ten. Austrian Max Foidl crossed the finish line in 34th place.
“I was positively excited before and during the race. The route suits me, this place suits me. Seeing Vital Albin at the top really motivated me. I'm satisfied with my performance, I'm slowly approaching my best form. Normally I'm better in the race over the Olympic distance, but the win gives me confidence for the season and of course for the day after tomorrow." – Mathias Flückiger
“Today's race was anything but optimal. I felt tired and listless, but I still tried to save something. It's a bad race for me with a poorly rolling surface and a steep hill. It was clear that it would be tough, but today I definitely rode below my potential. That's how it works sometimes.” – Luca Schwarzbauer
“Today I had a good start from row 3 and quickly passed the first drivers. Then I just drove ahead. The track suits me very well, it has some climbs and most of them very short, which was perfect for me today. Now I'm really looking forward to starting on the front row on Sunday.” – Vital Albin
Cross-Country (XCC) Results Elite Men:
- Mathias Fluckiger (SUI) 21:46
- Vlad Dascalu (ROM) +0:11
- Vital Albin (SUI) +0:21
- Henrique Avancini (BRA) +0:24
- Jens Schuerman's (BEL) photo
Overall World Cup Standing Top 5:
- Luca Schwarzbauer (GER) 541 points
- Mathias Flückiger (SUI) 538 points
- Henrique Avancini (BRA) 535 points
- Alan Hatherly (RSA) 512 points
- Nino Schurter (SUI) 490 points
Outlook: downhill on Saturday, cross-country on Sunday
The cross-country elite will be back on the track the day after tomorrow when the XCO Olympic distance finals take place on Sunday. Saturday, on the other hand, belongs to the downhill riders, who contest their finals at 12:30 p.m. and 13:30 p.m. In today's qualifying session under difficult track conditions, last year's winner Camille Balanche (SUI) beat local hero Vali Höll (AUT) by a hair's breadth. In the men's race, Benoit Coulanges (FRA) crossed the finish line fastest, closely followed by Finn Iles (CAN).
In the juniors, Jackson Goldstone (CAN) and Jenna Hastings (NZL) prevailed in qualifying. The junior finals take place on Saturday morning at 9:45 a.m. (men) and 10:30 a.m. (women).
Further information on the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Saalfelden Leogang can be found at www.mtb-weltcup.at.
For all those who cannot be there live at the double World Cup, there is the possibility of watching the final races live Red Bull TV and to follow ORF Sport+.
Of course, an all-round successful festival weekend includes numerous side events, such as an air show by the Flying Bulls with the Trojan 28B and pilot Miguel Hochleitner on Saturday noon or the "Long Live Chainsaw" film screening on Saturday evening at 18:30 p.m. in the VIP grandstand. Before the XCO finals on Sunday there will also be a BMX show with Senad Grosic. In addition, the hottest news from the bike world can be admired in the large expo area, while in the team area you can get close enough to touch your idols and heroes. The two areas are open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 20 p.m. and on Sundays from 9.30 a.m. to 17 p.m.