Photo Epic: Runaway Train - Leogang World Cup XC 2021
The racing kicked off early doors with the U23 women and it was a familiar story with Mona Mitterwallner the runaway winner on home soil. She got the better of Kata Blanka Vas who managed to battle her way ahead of Caroline Bohe, Puck Pieterse and Leonie Daubermann. In the U23 men, Riley Amos started hard and led from the front, not allowing that number one spot to slip from his grasp the whole race. Martin Vidaurre Kossmann ran him closest with Joel Roth and Simone Avondetto behind him, while World Cup overall leader Carter Woods was fifth.
Loana Lecomte has been a force to be reckoned with so far in 2021 and today proved once again that she is the one to beat. She simply rode away from her competition in a faultless display. The fight for the other podium spots was a much tighter affair with race-long battles. Jenny Rissveds ended up being best of the rest, two seconds ahead of Laura Stigger, who managed to break free from Jolanda Neff and Pauline Ferrand Prevot.
The fight at the front of the elite men's race was a little more open with Ondrej Cink and Mathias Flueckiger going toe to toe. In the end, it was a tactical masterclass by the Swiss rider to open up a fifteen-second gap late in the race. Cink finished ahead of Anton Cooper who returned to the podium after a lengthy absence, while Thomas Griot and Vlad Dascalu rounded out the podium positions.
Attention now turns to Les Gets in two weeks time but before that, relive the action once more:
The mountains surrounding the venue were draped in a moody cloud, unsure if moisture would be factor in today's racing. Luckily by morning's end, the sun made its appearance.
Mona Mitterwallner gets her first opportunity to race a World Cup at home in Austria.
The racing kicked off with the U23 women at 0830 this morning.
Puck Pieterse stayed within touch of a podium position but never any closer. She'd end the day in fourth.
Fifth place for Leonie Daubermann.
Mona Mitterwallner had a bit of a slow start again but it didn't take her long to find her racing legs.
Caroline Bohe has been on the podium at all 3 races so for this year.
Kata Blanka Vas blasts along a traverse in the middle of the course.
3 out of 3 for Mona Mitterwallner.
Your top 3 U23 women: 1st Mona Mitterwallner, 2nd Kata Blanka Vas, and 3rd Caroline Bohe
Carter Woods is in the zone coming off two back to back wins in Germany and Czech Republic. A third win would be phenomenal.
U23 men's start had Riley Amos take the holeshot.
Joel Roth closes the podium in third.
Huge win today for Riley Amos on a gruelling course. He would be unchallenged near the end, guaranteeing himself the top spot.
Second for Martin Vidarre Kossmann. He managed to close in on Riley's pace but was ultimately out of time.
Simone Avondetto was just off the podium today. That's one he'd like to have back.
Unfortunately for Carter Woods, his win streak would come to an end here in Austria. Fifth place for him after falling short to keep up on the climbs.
First World Cup win for Riley Amos and he chose one of the hardest tracks to do it on. Well done.
Your top 3 U23 men: 1st Riley Amos 2nd Martin Vidaurre Kossmann 3rd Joel Roth
Sina Frei ready to race.
Jenny Rissved is due for another big result and what better place than Leogang?
Loana Lecomte has been a force to be reckoned with. She's raced many solo laps out front recently, almost as if she'd been out for a training ride.
Pauline Ferrand Prevot leads them off the line and up the first climb.
Rocio Del Alba Garcia Martinez enjoying the view into ninth.
The Leogang XC track is a wild one! Yana Belomoina dwarfed by an overhanging rock face.
Jenny Rissveds, Jolanda Neff and Rebecca McConnell were locked in battle for a long period of the race.
Inside the top ten in a very respectable seventh for Rebecca McConnell.
By mid race, Lecomte would be about a minute ahead of everyone else.
Laura Stigger on her way to third, just a couple of seconds back from Jenny Rissveds.
Strong race from Jolanda. Unfortunately, she took a crash in the later laps and ended up breaking a bone in her hand. In true warrior fashion, she managed to deal with the pain until the race was done.
Evie Richards went her own pace throughout the race, eventually climbing to 6th.
It was a lonely race for Loana Lecomte, once again.
Pauline Ferrand Prevost would enjoy the head of the race only briefly before finishing on fifth. It's not the repeat performance from Worlds last year she'd hope for but a lot has changed since then.
Rissveds leads out Stigger and Jolanda going into the final lap.
Lecomte charges even further ahead, finishing just under two minutes before second place.
Another commanding win for Lecomte.
Eighth today for Anne Terpstra.
Visibly in pain after her big crash, Jolanda checked out as soon as podiums were complete.
Rebecca McConnell would have hoped for more after a strong start to the race.
Haley Batten couldn't quite match her pace in the opening 2 rounds of 2021.
Your top 5 elite women: 1st Loana Lecomte 2nd Jenny Rissveds 3rd Laura Stigger 4th Jolanda Neff 5th Pauline Ferrand Prevot
Will anyone be able to take down Lecomte in Les Gets? She’ll be the one to beat this season.
Jordan Sarrou would slip back in the rankings late on in the race.
Mathias Flueckiger locked and loaded.
A blistering men's start included three crashes before the start loop was over.
The elite men head out on the long drag to the far end of the course for the first time.
Your eventual top three leading out the field on lap one.
Simon Andreassen had a strong ride to 8th.
Maxime Marotte fought his way into the top 10 with a 7th placed finish.
Anton Cooper was at the pointy end of proceedings for the whole race.
Sixth today for Thomas Litscher, coming oh so close to Dascalu for the last podium step.
Big moves today for Thomas Griot taking home fourth place.
Vlad Dascalu found himself on the elite podium in fifth. He fought hard for that last spot and secured his first ever elite podium.
Flueckiger has been on one lately. He showed his grit fighting off Cink and Cooper, pulling away for the eventual win.
Ondrej Cink getting closer and closer to that victory in 2021. Will it come next time out in Les Gets?
Mathias Flueckiger makes his move on Ondrej Cink, he would end up 15 seconds ahead by the line.
Mathias Flueckiger picked his moment to attack with pinpoint precision.
Vlad Dascalu gave it his all but was pipped to the line by Thomas Griot. He still took his first elite podium though.
His racing in Albstadt and Nove Mesto showed he had the pace for a podium and he well and truly delivered today. 3rd for Anton Cooper.
Your top 5 men elite: 1st Thomas Flueckiger, 2nd Ondrej Cink, 3rd, Anton Cooper, 4th Thomas Griot, and 5th Vlad Dascalu
This has been on the cards all season. Mathias Flueckiger takes the win in Leogang.
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He was the revelation of the race riding into the chasing group all race except last lap where he suffered dramatically severe cramps laying on the flor in some turns...
Good story here to report.
The caption below the Elite men's podium photo needs to be updated:
from:
Your top 5 men elite: 1st Thomas Flueckiger
to:
Your top 5 men elite: 1st Mathias Flueckiger
and whats going on with Nino? is this the end of him? is it time for the new generation?
[Reply]
Maybe You should attend the voting recount committee, Sure to recognize the obvious steal of election.