The first round of the 2019 XC World Cup is over and the controversial track in Albstadt provided some great racing, no matter the weather. In the Elite Women's race, current World Champion Kate Courtney would take the lead in the first lap and continue to build a gap to second place throughout the race. Taking her first Elite World Cup win after winning XCC on Friday shows Courtney is the one to beat this season. After a tough race, Jolanda Neff would cross the line in 2nd place only 49 seconds back. Anne Tauber would be looking strong the whole race, but a huge crash after her front wheel washed out on one of the new wood sections would mean she crossed the line 4th. Yana Belamoina fought her way through the ranks and would eventually end up in 3rd position.
Although taking the win in the women's race, the Scott-Sram team would not have luck on their side in the Elite men's race. Lars Forster would be looking good at the start but after three crashes, the last of which may have caused injury, his race was over. Teammate and current World Champion Nino Schurter would not have a great race either and looked to be struggling to find power. He would finish sixth. Mathias Flueckiger took over the lead on the third lap and would look unstoppable for the rest of the race. He will be the man to watch this season. Mathieu Van Der Poel didn't have the best of starts. but he would quickly find a rhythm and moved into second place on the last lap to finish with one of his best results. Jordan Sarrou would be right behind him, 33 seconds off the winning pace. Titouan Carod and Florian Vogel would complete the podium, around one minute and 20 seconds off Flueckiger's speed.
Watch the replay on RedBull TVResults:Elite Men:
1st. Mathias Flueckiger: 1:23:54
2nd. Mathieu Van Der Poel: +0:32
3rd. Jordan Sarrou: +0:33
4th. Titouan Carod: +1:20
5th. Florian Vogel: +1:22
Elite Women:
1st. Kate Courtney: 1:26:03
2nd. Jolanda Neff: +0:49
3rd. Yana Belomoina: +1:31
4th. Anne Tauber +1:49
5th. Anne Terpstra: +2:20
Full ResultsElite MenElite Women
Race AnalysisElite MenElite Women
Live Race Updates:
2:20 am PDT The Elite Women have left the start with Jolanda Neff at the front.
2:24 am PDT The track is looking pretty wet, it will be interesting to see how the new changes hold up throughout the day.
2:27 am PDT Jolanda Neff and Kate Courtney have managed to pull out a 10-second lead at the first split on the opening lap. Emily Batty and Annika Langvad are way back in the main group of riders.
2:28 am PDT Kate Courtney is first up the main opening lap climb, starting to put a gap between her and Neff.
2:29 am PDT Jolanda Neff is down. She is back up and riding but lost a lot of time.
2:30 am PDT Kate Courtney is now 13 seconds ahead of Jolanda Neff.
2:30 am PST Top three after the Opening Lap: 1st. Kate Courtney / 2nd. Anne Tauber / 3rd. Jolanda Neff
2:38 am PDT Kate Courtney is starting has made an impressive lead, 20 seconds ahead of Anne Tauber in 2nd.
2:40 am PDT It looks like Annika Langvad has pulled out of the race.
2:46 am PDT Anne Tauber is now 29 seconds back from Kate Courtney after the first lap.
2:47 am PDT Top three after the First Lap: 1st. Kate Courtney: 25:11 / 2nd. Anne Tauber: +29 / 3rd. Jolanda Neff: +50
2:48 am PDT Two minutes now separate the top 20 riders after the first full lap.
2:51 am PDT Annie Last has also pulled out of the race.
2:53 am PDT Kate Courtney loses grip on the new wooden bridge section and has gone down. She is back up and looks to be okay.
2:56 am PDT The gap to Anne Tauber in 2nd is now just 18 seconds.
3:02 am PDT Top three after the Second Lap: 1st. Kate Courtney: 40:34 / 2nd. Anne Tauber: +19 / 3rd. Jolanda Neff: +58
3:08 am PDT Anne Tauber 33 seconds back at the first split on lap three.
3:15 am PDT Yana Belomoina has fought her way up to 6th position.
3:18 am PDT Top three after the Third Lap: 1st. Kate Courtney: 55:36 / 2nd. Anne Tauber: +43 / 3rd. Jolanda Neff: +1:25
3:24 am PDT Huge crash on the new wooden section for Anne Tauber.
3:27 am PDT Tauber is now 1:19 behind Kate Courtney.
3:30 am PDT Jolanda Neff has moved into second place.
3:32 am PDT Top three after the Fourth Lap: 1st. Kate Courtney: 1:10:55 / 2nd. Jolanda Neff: +1:10 / 3rd. Anne Tauber: +1:27
3:36 am PDT Yana Belomoina overtakes Anne Tauber and goes into third.
3:40 am PDT Kate Courtney continues to build her lead on the last lap.
3:46 am PDT World Champion Kate Courtney takes her first Elite World Cup win!
3:47 am PDT Second place goes to Jolanda Neff, 49 seconds off the winning time.
3:48 am PDT Yana Belomoina finishes third, 1:31 back from Courtney.
3:50 am PDT Elite Women's Podium: 1st. Kate Courtney: 1:26:03 / 2nd. Jolanda Neff: +0:49 / 3rd. Yana Belomoina: +1:31 / 4th. Anne Tauber: +1:49 / 5th. Anne Terpstra: +2:20
5:35 am PDT The Elite Men are on track with Mathieu Van Der Poel at the front of the race.
5:37 am PDT Nino Schurter takes the lead.
5:41 am PDT Rain has started falling, will the new wooden sections become even more treacherous for the riders?
5:45 am PDT Top three after the Opening Lap: 1st. Nino Schurter: 10:02 / 2nd. Lars Forster: +0 / 3rd. Florian Vogel: +18
5:50 am PDT The new wooden section is looking lethal in the wet.
5:51 am PDT Lars Forster goes down in one of the grass turns. Schurter now leads.
5:53 am PDT Mathieu Van Der Poel is currently back in 12th.
5:55 am PDT Mathias Flueckiger has closed the gap to Nino Schurter.
5:56 am PDT The rain is really coming down now.
5:58 am PDT Top three after the First Lap: 1st. Nino Schurter: 21:32 / 2nd. Mathias Flueckiger: +1 / 3rd. Henrique Avancini: +4
6:00 am PDT Mathias Flueckiger is leading the race ahead of Jordan Sarrou and Nino Schurter.
6:04 am PDT Another crash for Forster
6:05 am PDT Front wheel change for Henrique Avancini.
6:07 am PDT Another wheel change, this time its Anton Cooper.
6:10 am PDT Top three after the Second Lap: 1st. Mathias Flueckiger: 33:52 / 2nd. Jordan Sarrou: +1 / 3rd. Nino Schurter: +1
6:15 am PDT Mathias Flueckiger leads by one second with Jordan Sarrou right behind. Nino Schurter has fallen 17 seconds back.
6:17 am PDT Nino Schurter drops back further on the second half of the lap, Mathieu Van Der Poel is right on his back wheel in fourth.
6:22 am PDT Top three after the Third Lap: 1st. Mathias Flueckiger: 46:18 / 2nd. Jordan Sarrou: +1 / 3rd. Mathieu Van Der Poel: +19
6:23 am PDT The third crash for Lars Forster, he looks in pain after this one.
6:28 am PDT Mathias Flueckiger and Jordan Sarrou have extended their lead to 23 seconds. Mathieu Van Der Poel sits in third with a ten-second gap back to Schurter.
6:34 am PDT Top three after the Fourth Lap: 1st. Mathias Flueckiger: 58:41 / 2nd. Jordan Sarrou: +11 / 3rd. Mathieu Van Der Poel: +34
6:35 am PDT Nino Schurter is 45 seconds back in fifth position.
6:39 am PDT Schurter is almost a minute back, he looks to be struggling to keep up with the leading pack.
6:45 am PDT Mathieu Van Der Poel is closing the gap to second-placed rider Jordan Sarrou.
6:47 am PDT Top three after the Fourth Lap: 1st. Mathias Flueckiger: 1:11:16 / 2nd. Jordan Sarrou: +28 / 3rd. Mathieu Van Der Poel: +42
6:48 am PDT With riders on the last lap can anyone catch Mathias Flueckiger?
6:54 am PDT Mathieu Van Der Poel has caught Jordan Sarrou. They are still over 30 seconds back from Mathias Flueckiger.
6:58 am PDT Mathieu Van Der Poel moves into second place.
6:59 am PDT Mathias Flueckiger crosses the line first!
7:00 am PDT Elite Men's Podium: 1st. Mathias Flueckiger: 1:26:03 / 2nd. Mathieu Van Der Poel: +0:32 / 3rd. Jordan Sarrou: +0:33 / 4th. Titouan Carod: +1:20 / 5th. Florian Vogel: +1:22
Yana Belomoina was amazing, from the fourth row to the third place.
What a shame for Anne Tauber, that crash wasn't the best birthday gift.
Jolanda Neff the best taking risks on the downhills.
Hi, could you elaborate on the track changes, or point me to where I can read about it? I'm out of the loop and interested to know more.
Track POV 2017 HERE
Track POV 2018 HERE
Track POV 2019 HERE
Pinkbike Course Preview HERE
Lots of Images HERE
I hope it helps
I see that as potentially being trouble later during the Men's race as well.
I think her story continues to be inspirational given her openness about mental health issues and the pressures of competing at such a high level.
www.instagram.com/jennyrissveds/?hl=en
www.instagram.com/p/BxncMJ6CmoR
It's not clear from the footage later in the race but I wouldn't be surprised if the reason he crashed again after that was cause his bars went one way and wheel the other?