Photo Epic: Hardpack Soundtrack - Albstadt XC World Cup 2021
It wasn't just the temperatures that heated up today in Albstadt with the on-track action equally as hot. The women kicked off proceedings and we didn't have to wait long for the attacks to come as Loana Lecomte continued her impressive start to her elite career, taking to the front and carving out a commanding victory by nearly a minute over her compatriot Pauline Ferrand Prevot. Fresh out of U23 Haley Batten had a mighty ride into third with Kate Courtney and Yana Belomoina completing the podium positions.
The elite men's race was a little closer, with plenty of swapping and switching going on at the front. Short track winner Mathieu van der Poel couldn't keep at the sharp end of proceedings today and it turned into a sprint finish between Victor Koretzky and Nino Schurter. Koretzky got the better of Schurter on Friday night, laying down the watts to the line, and once again it was the Frenchman that proved the stronger of the two, in doing so taking his first elite World Cup win. Mathias Flückiger and Ondrej Cink took third and fourth whilst Tom Pidcock rode from the back of the grid and onto the podium.
The U23 races took place yesterday, with Mona Mitterwallner taking a huge victory by over two and a half minutes. Her nearest challengers were Caroline Bohe and Kata Blanka Vas. In the U23 men, it was Canadian Carter Woods' time to shine as he put the power down on the last lap to open up a seven second gap to David List, who was a further eleven seconds ahead of Simone Avondetto.
We don't have long to wait for more World Cup XC action with the classic stop of Nove Mesto up next weekend.
U23 Women's start.
Giada Specia took 5th place in U23 women.
Kata Blanka Vas took the final spot on the U23 podium.
Caroline Bohe took her turn at the front of the race but couldn't hold onto eventual winner Mona Mitterwallner.
Leonie Daubermann was around 15 seconds away from the podium spots.
Mona Mitterwallner was in a different league to her competition this week, taking the win by over 2 and a half minutes.
Your top 3 U23 women: 1st Mona Mitterwallner 2nd Caroline Bohe 3rd Kata Blanka Vas
Men's U23 Start.
Riley Amos made his way up the pack for a great ride into fifth.
Joel Roth was thought to have secured the win early on but couldn't hold the pace needed.
Simone Avondetto traded places a number of times, ending the battle in third.
David List was clearly a threat on home soil and finished second.
Carter Woods rode patiently with the lead group, waiting for the right moment to unleash fury on the last lap.
Carter Woods becomes the first Canadian to win a UCI event since Miranda Miller back in 2017 (albeit that was World Champs). Huge day for the Rig.
Your top U23 Men - 1st Carter Woods, 2nd David List, and 3rd Simone Avondetto
Laura Stigger will be eyeing the podium in Nove Mesto after riding into 8th place today.
Kate Courtney getting stuck into her pre-race warm-up.
Pauline Ferrand Prevot is coming off a win on Friday night and as focused as ever.
Loana Lecomte is dialed in for the task at hand here. This course favours sustained power and she showed us exactly that.
Haley Batten is about to have a big afternoon at the races.
It's a long drag to the first turn in Albstadt meaning the start wasn't quite as fierce as it can be.
Kate Courtney will be content with her strong start to the season.
Linda Indergand has had a strong opening weekend to the 2021 season with a 2nd in the short track followed by a 7th place finish in the main race.
Missing the podium by one spot, Anne Terpstra would like that one back in Nove Mesto.
Laura Stigger rode into eighth today.
Sina Frei rounded out the top 10 with a strong ride.
Jenny Rissveds going one better than her number board and into 9th position.
Yana Belomoina catching air and closes out the podium.
Loana Lecomte had a lonely afternoon although I'm sure she didn't mind that one bit.
Pauline Ferrand Prevot chased Loana as hard as she could but would settle for second after creating her own little lead on the women behind her.
Jolanda Neff is always one of the most exciting riders to watch when wheels are pointing down the hill.
Haley Batten hasn't needed anytime to get up to speed after her move up to elites over the winter.
Lecomte pulled away soon after the start loop and pedalled away with the win.
Loana Lecomte had a while to wait for her closet rival to cross the line, 53 seconds to be exact.
Kate Courtney was one of the first to congratulate Haley Batten on her ride to the podium.
Jolanda Neff had a strong opening half to the race before starting to struggle with her breathing thanks to the pollen that was drifting around in the warm spring air.
Loana Lecomte is getting used to this feeling!
Your top 5 women: 1st Loana Lecomte 2nd Pauline Ferrand Prevot 3rd Haley Batten 4th Kate Courtney 5th Yana Belomoina
Pre-race jitters were felt throughout the start boxes.
Alan Hatherly was top dog in the Cannondale tent in his first World Cup outing for the team.
Mathieu Van Der Poel's return to World Cups will be a challenge after two years away.
Jordan Sarrou looking to tap into that World Champs pace once again.
In a little over an hour from this photo Victor Koretzky would be a World Cup winner.
Dibs on lane choice.
Nino Schurter is looking for win no.33 as he takes the start.
Thomas Pidcock rocked number plate 100 and gave exactly that much effort.
The first XCO of the year is go!
Henrique Avancini took to the front on the first lap but couldn't sustain it, eventually falling back to 10th.
Strong ride from Thomas Griot earning him a spot in the top 10.
Alan Hatherly fought hard, finishing eighth.
Mathieu Van Der Poel tried to bring the same intensity as Friday night's short track into today's main event but may have bitten off more than he can chew. He'd manage a seventh place when it was all said and done.
Anton Cooper left it all out on the race track today but couldn't quite hold onto that podium position.
Onto the podium in fourth for Ondrej Cink. Expect more from him in Nove Mesto.
Mathias Flückiger takes his turn at the front of the pack.
Tom Pidcock clawed back 90-something positions and by the second lap was sitting in sixth. He'd finish the day one better and on the podium.
It's not often that Nino Schurter leads into the final lap and doesn't convert that into a victory.
Mathias Flueckiger was showing teeth today and pulled through good enough for third.
Victor Koretzky bided his time today and picked his moment to attack with pinpoint perfection.
Victor Koretzky chased Nino down in the last lap and passed him meters before the final straight. His patience earned his first World Cup win and in spectacular fashion.
The moment Victor Koretzky has been dreaming about for a while.
Don't count Nino out for next round. He wants more and won't be backing down next week.
Flueckiger drained from his performance.
Pidcock put on a clinic and today after starting 11 rows back.
Victor Koretzky is over the moon with how today played out.
That podium was painfully close for Anton Cooper.
First of hopefully many for Victor Koretzky.
Your top 5 men: 1st Victor Koretzky 2nd Nino Schurter 3rd Mathias Flueckiger 4th Ondrej Cink 5th Thomas Pidcock
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Great games today! I had my mouth opened a couple of times.
I cannot see anything happening in the race right before the problem started …
cyclingmagazine.ca/mtb/carter-woods-wins-u23-world-cup-in-germany
Wasn't it one of the women that had dropper issues in the short track also?
Imagine those guys with VDP and Pidcock on the first line of the start.
It would be an exceptionnal exposure for the MTB. It needs it, even if its image is improving.