Fun facts and figures relating to the Albstadt MTB World Cup

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The 2013 UCI MTB World Cup will kick off in Albstadt Germany from May 17-19. Below are some fun facts and figures relating to the World Cup opener.

- 676 athletes from 40 countries are registered to take part in the World Cup opener. The largest contingent, however, doesn't come from Germany. The strong cross country racing nation of Switzerland is in the first spot with 92 athletes. The German Cycling Federation (BDR) is sending 70 athletes. France comes in third with 72 athletes.

- Regarding the continents, Asia represents the smallest contingent with four athletes. These include Kohei Yamamoto (26th in the world rankings) and his compatriot, U23 rider Toki Sawada, as well as Korean Sang Hoon Na and Iranian Mohsen Ramezani Alavi.

- Albstadt is the 176th cross country World Cup in the official history of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, which began in 1991.

- Albstadt is the 16th World Cup to be held on German soil. It ran six times in St. Wendel and five times in Offenburg.

- Only six male riders on the start list of World Cup opener have ever won a World Cup. These are Julien Absalon (25), Nino Schurter (7), José Antonio Hermida (6), Jaroslav Kulhavy (6), Ralph Naef (2) and Florian Vogel (2).

- Nine women on the start line have won World Cups: Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (28), Catharine Pendrel (10), Irina Kalentieva (7), Elisabeth Osl (3), Maja Wloszczowska (3), Eva Lechner , Nathalie Schneitter, Sabine Spitz and Nina Wrobel (1 each). The absent and injured Julie Bresset claims 4 such wins.

- Among nations, France can boast 43 men's World Cup wins to Switzerland's 42. The Swiss could catch up in Albstadt. In the women's category, the battle is between the USA and Canada, with 36 and 34 wins respectively.

-In the elite men's category, the last German victory in the cross country World Cup discipline dates back exactly 20 years. Mike Kluge won in Houffalize, Belgium in 1993. Afterwards, the next best results are Wolfram Kurschat climbing on the podium in 2009, followed by Manuel Fumic in 2010. Both men were second, both in Houffalize.

- No German woman has won a World Cup for the past seven years. The last winner was Nina Wrobel (formerly Göhl) in Fort William, Scotland in 2006. She is now back in the World Cup game after five years of absence.