Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) and Simon Andreassen (Orbea Fox Factory Team) overcame the foul, wet weather conditions in Saalfelden-Leogang, Austria Friday with victories in the elite cross-country short track races at the third round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.
For Frei, it was her second XCC race win out of three this year, and she padded her lead in the UCI MTB World Series standings. It was a completely different story for Andreassen, as the Danish champion won his first race of the season and his first World Cup XCC race.
"It's quite a cruel sport. I had a tough start to the World Cup season, and then suddenly I'm winning. It's super difficult to suffer weekend in and out, and when you finally win, it's all worth it," Andreassen said to TNT Sports broadcast cameras at the finish, covered in mud.
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"I didn't have a plan, just tried to survive. I'm super proud of this one. It's my first World Cup win in the short track, and also my first World Cup win on my new team, Orbea. So, looking forward to the rest of the season."
Racing at Saalfelden-Leogang was the first of two World Cup weekends with multiple events - UCI Cross-country (XCO and XCC), UCI Downhill and UCI Enduro World Cups. The Salzburgerland venue has hosted 14 UCI MTB World Cups, with a new course designed for the Cross-country competitions, with new rock gardens near the start/finish.
The elite men raced 11 laps of the muddy track, a long line of riders splattering through the rain on the opening laps. Frenchman Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) held the lead at the midpoint of the race, with Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing), Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing), overall elite men's XCC leader, and Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) clinging to his back wheel.
On the tight, downhill left-hand bend to the finish line to end the seventh lap, Martin slipped out in the slippery conditions, with Colombo whipping around the fallen rider to avoid crashing and taking the race lead. But only 500 metres later, Martin blasted back to the front of the race, now with a total of 12 riders forming the lead bunch.
Andreassen set the pace on the penultimate lap, with Colombo still in second place, Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing) in third and Martin slotting in fourth. Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Racing) surged into the group after the rock garden.
Colombo attacked as the bell rang, but his effort was thwarted at the base of the rock garden when he took a wrong line and a rock halted his forward process. He didn't hit the deck, but the change in momentum allowed Andreasson to take off and create space for a solo victory at the line.
"I found myself towards the front in the beginning, and I think the race was set. It was quite atypical for a short track [race]. With two laps to go I moved to the front, I was struggling to see, my glasses were so full of mud. I just wanted to have kind of clear vision. No one came past me after that, so it was a good tactic."
On the last corner Martin crashed in the mud, allowing Colombo to make the pass for second place, riding six second behind the winner, and the Frenchman scrambled back on the bike to salvage third, another two seconds down.
The women's contest featured the XCC World Cup leader against reigning World champion Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon), reigning European champion Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) and Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Premier Tech), who won both the XCC and XCO races at the Epic Bikepark last year.
Rissveds led with three laps to go, race numbers barely recognisable with the splatter of mud. Keller and Frei could see the white and blue of the European Champion's kit as they matched her speed, and Jennifer Jackson (Orbea Fox Factory) beginning to struggle in fourth place as the moisture made the course more technical.
"From lap to lap, it got harder and harder. I couldn't see anymore," Frei confirmed about the rain and mud adding to the difficulty of the course.
On the big climb with three laps to go, the World Champion moved to the front in front of Frei and Rissveds, with the trio creating separation from five chasers.
The final lap began with Rissveds, Keller and Frei in a line, then Keller swept past Rissveds and Frei moved into second, as the battle for the podium steps formed. Frei accelerated to the front across the rock garden and created a gap that the other two could not overcome.
"In the end, it was really like just trying to hit the perfect line. I knew I had to go all-in, and honestly, I crossed the finish but I did not really realise that I won. I was so exhausted. It's very cool to keep the leaders jersey," Frei said to TNT Sports broadcasters.
Frei won by four seconds over Rissveds, and Keller taking third another three seconds back.
"She was on my wheel for the whole race. I think she was watching me, I should probably have watched her a bit too," Rissveds admitted at the finish.
Pieterse never made a significant move from the pack of riders pursuing the lead trio and finished eighth, 52 seconds back.
In the U23 races, Germany's Paul Schel (Lexware Mountainbike Team) extended his men's XCC lead with a second victory this season. Monique Halter (Thömus Akros-Youngstars) of Switzerland earned the victory. U23 World Cup leader Makena Kellerman of the USA struggled in the muddy conditions and finished 14th.
Results
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