After Vali Höll led the way yesterday with second place in the downhill, Laura Stigger celebrated her best career result to date on the final day with third place in the Olympic cross country and - spurred on by the enthusiastic fans in the stadium. Day three of the World Cup also brought another Austrian success for Mona Mitterwallner in the junior women's event. And the organisers can also be pleased - for the first time, spectators were once again allowed at a mountain bike race: 1600 fans were able to attend the World Cup weekend in compliance with all corona rules, and the athletes and world federation were full of praise.
For the first time in 12 years, a Cross Country World Cup over the Olympic distance took place in Austria. It has been almost as long, namely eleven years, since an Austrian woman last finished in the top three over this distance. In Saalfelden Leogang today, the Tyrolean Laura Stigger achieved the next milestone in her career, spurred on by her home fans: ‘The fans were screaming for me in the stadium, which gave me extra motivation. It's just incredible, but you can see what the support of the home crowd can do,’ said the Ötztal native, celebrating third place in her first home World Cup in the elite class. Undisturbed by the exciting battle for second and third place, in which Stigger only had to let Olympic champion Jenny Rissveds (SWE) go in the final lap, Loana Lecomte (FRA) rode to an impressive solo victory. It is the fifth World Cup title of her young career and the third consecutive victory in the Olympic discipline.
Hat-trick for Mitterwallner (AUT) in the juniors
A few hours earlier, another Austrian celebrated a hat-trick in the U23 World Cup: Mona Mitterwallner also remained unbeaten at her home World Cup in Saafelden Leogang and secured her third World Cup victory in a row with a lead of over a minute over second-placed Blanka Kata Vas (HUN): ‘Leogang is now my favourite track,’ said the gold medal winner from last autumn's World Championships happily.
Double from Flückiger
Like Leona Lecomte shortly before in the women's race, Switzerland's Matthias Flückiger also managed the double in the men's race and thus his second World Cup victory in 48 hours: ‘Today was particularly difficult for me mentally, I was still a bit tired from Friday's race. But I found my rhythm during the race and I'm happy about the win.’ After Van der Poel (NED) and Avancini (BRA), Flückiger is only the third man to achieve the double with two victories in one weekend.
Double World Cup 2022: 10 to 12 June
The organisers can also be pleased, as spectators were allowed at a mountain bike race for the first time in over a year: 1600 fans watched the race decisions - in compliance with all corona rules - over the three days of the event. Athletes and the world federation were full of praise. ‘The organisation of the double World Cup was not always easy this year due to the circumstances. We are therefore all the more pleased that we were rewarded again this year for the risk we took at the World Championships,’ explained the two World Cup organisers Marco Pointner and Kornel Grundner.
Next year, Saalfelden Leogang will once again host a double World Cup in Downhill and Cross Country, with the date already set for 10 to 12 June 2022.
