The second World Championship gold in three days: Great Britain's Tom Pidcock more than lived up to his role as favourite in the U23 men's cross country race: ‘It's super relieving to be able to finish my last race in the U23 class at this level,’ said the delighted Brit. In second place, Christoper Plevins secured the first World Championship medal for the USA, while bronze went to Switzerland with Joel Roth.
Preview of elite cross country races
Tomorrow, Saturday, at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships presented by Mercedes-Benz in Saalfelden Leogang, is all about the cross country races.
The exciting decision in the U23 women's race awaits at 10am. In the absence of Laura Stigger, the focus will be on Loana Lecomte (FRA), who celebrated a spectacular debut in the elite class with her first World Cup victory in Nove Mesto. Corina Druml, Anna Spielmann and Tamara Wiebmann will represent Austria in the women's U23 class.
XCO Elite Women
The elite women start their world championship race at 12.15 pm. Defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot is also one of the top favourites in Saalfelden Leogang. She was on the podium in all four races in Nove Mesto last weekend. Anne Terpstra from the Netherlands also presented herself in top form in the Czech Republic. However, strong competition awaits from many other top riders, as the women's cross-country decisions are more open and exciting than ever before. Austria's starter in the elite class, Lisi Osl, is looking forward to the races: ‘I really like the course, but I have to admit I'm also extremely nervous,’ says Austria's mountain bike grand dame. Nadja Heigl is another Austrian competing in the women's elite class.
XCO Elite Men
The elite men's race (starting at 2.45 pm) promises to be no less exciting and open. Defending champion Nino Schurter, the most successful mountain biker of the past ten years, has not had the best start to the season in the Czech Republic, but has fond memories of the Saalfelden Leogang region. At the 2012 World Championships, the Swiss mountain bike legend secured his second of a total of eight World Championship titles here. In Nove Mesto, the Brazilian Henrique Avancini stood out with his World Cup victories. Just like the Dane Simon Andreassen, who surprised everyone with his first World Cup triumph in the elite class and has already won World Championship bronze in the e-bike World Championship race in Leogang. In addition to the Dutchman Milan Vader, the strong French riders around Maxime Marotte, Victor Koretzky and Jordan Sarrou should never be forgotten: ‘The difficult conditions here suit us,’ said Sarrou after the French team won gold in the World Championships on Wednesday. Austria will be represented tomorrow by Tyroleans Max Foidl, Gregor Raggl, Fabian Costa and Armin Embacher, as well as Vienna's Moritz Bscherer and Styrian Florian Wimmer.
The elite decisions of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships presented by Mercedes Benz in Saalfelden Leogang will be shown on Saturday and Sunday on ORF Sport+, on ZDF Livestream and on Red Bull TV.
