Flueckiger out-duels Schurter in Leogang
Disera top Canadian man in Sunday's elite XCO World Cup
Sunday’s World Cup XCO proved to be a Swiss showdown, with Mathias Flueckiger and Nino Schurter dueling head-to-head on the steep slopes of Leogang, Austria.
Canadians in Austria
Peter Disera (Norco Factory Team) led the Canadian effort in 41st. He was followed by teammate Sean Fincham in 55th. Tyler Orschel (Canyon Devo) added a 59th and Malcom Barton a 77th in the elite men’s XCO.
How the race unfolded
Off the line, it was Romanian Vlad Dascalu (Trek Factory Racing) on the front. Henrique Avancini (Cannondale) and Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM) were on his wheel, but the field stayed largely together throughout the start loop. Canada’s Tyler Orschel (Canyon Devo) had a strong start, sitting 30th part-way through the opening half-lap.
Going out onto the first full lap, Schurter and Avancini pushed the pace and the field started to splinter. A small group of five formed on the front, though the Brazilian found himself quickly dropped from it. At the end of the lap it was Schurter driving the pace with Alan Hatherly (Cannondale), Mathias Flueckiger (Thomus Maxon), Anton Cooper (Trek Factory Racing) and Dascalu following.
The group stayed relatively stable until lap three of six. Flueckeger went on the offensive, putting a massive uphill sprint in and breaking the group apart. Schurter followed. Dascalu and Hatherly tried, but were quickly distanced.
As Flueckiger and Schurter started to play tactics, Hatherly was briefly allowed to rejoin the leading duo. Behind, Maxime Marotte (Santa Cruz) and Dascalu chased at 16 seconds back.
Flueckiger attacked, again on the steep climbs of Leogang, and Schurter was unable to respont.
Mathias Flueckiger takes his first World Cup XCO win of 2022 in dramatic fashion.
“I am really exhausted. After Friday’s win, I know I am in good shape but this was so tough. It was a great battle once again with Nino. It is a really demanding course here with so much climbing and you never have the chance to recover, while it is really hot today.”
Schurter crossed the line in second, six seconds back. The Swiss star will have to wait for another weekend in his quest to beat Julien Absalon’s career World Cup win record.
Hatherly holds on for third, just six seconds ahead of Dascalu. Maxime Marotte rounds out the podium in fifth.
Results: 2022 World Cup XCO#4 – Leogang, Austria
Elite Men
| 1. |  |
FLÜCKIGER Mathias (THÖMUS MAXON)
|
1:15:31 |
| 2. | |
SCHURTER Nino (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM)
|
1:15:37 +6 |
| 3. |  |
HATHERLY Alan (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING)
|
1:16:10 +39 |
| 4. |  |
DASCALU Vlad (TREK FACTORY RACING XC)
|
1:16:16 +45 |
| 5. |  |
MAROTTE Maxime (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM)
|
1:16:40 +1:09 |
| 6. |  |
VALERO SERRANO David (BH TEMPLO CAFÉS UCC)
|
1:16:49 +1:18 |
| 7. |  |
COOPER Anton (TREK FACTORY RACING XC)
|
1:16:49 +1:18 |
| 8. |  |
BRAIDOT Luca (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM)
|
1:17:34 +2:03 |
| 9. |  |
SCHUERMANS Jens (SCOTT CREUSE OXYGENE GUERET)
|
1:17:40 +2:09 |
| 10. | |
DUBAU Joshua (ROCKRIDER RACING TEAM)
|
1:17:46 +2:15 |
| 11. | |
DE FROIDMONT Pierre (KMC – ORBEA)
|
1:17:53 +2:22 |
| 12. | |
KERSCHBAUMER Gerhard (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING)
|
1:18:03 +2:32 |
| 13. | |
FRISCHKNECHT Andri (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM)
|
1:18:10 +2:39 |
| 14. |  |
CINK Ondrej (KROSS ORLEN CYCLING TEAM)
|
1:18:20 +2:49 |
| 15. | |
ROTH Joel (BIXS PERFORMANCE RACING)
|
1:18:33 +3:02 |
| 16. | |
CAROD Titouan (BMC MTB RACING)
|
1:18:42 +3:11 |
| 17. | |
INDERGAND Reto (GIANT FACTORY OFF – ROAD TEAM)
|
1:18:49 +3:18 |
| 18. |  |
WAWAK Bartlomiej (KROSS ORLEN CYCLING TEAM)
|
1:18:53 +3:22 |
| 19. | |
PHILIPP Antoine (GIANT FACTORY OFF – ROAD TEAM)
|
1:19:02 +3:31 |
| 20. | |
ALBIN Vital (THÖMUS MAXON)
|
1:19:09 +3:38 |
| 21. | |
BERTOLINI Gioele (TRINX FACTORY TEAM)
|
1:19:16 +3:45 |
| 22. | |
LITSCHER Thomas (KROSS ORLEN CYCLING TEAM)
|
1:19:16 +3:45 |
| 23. |  |
FOIDL Maximilian (KTM FACTORY MTB TEAM)
|
1:19:34 +4:03 |
| 24. |  |
AVANCINI Henrique (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING)
|
1:19:59 +4:28 |
| 25. | |
TEMPIER Stephane (ROCKRIDER RACING TEAM)
|
1:20:00 +4:29 |
| 26. | |
SARROU Jordan (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING)
|
1:20:12 +4:41 |
| 27. | |
BRAIDOT Daniele (CS CARABINIERI – CICLI OLYMPIA VITTORIA)
|
1:20:15 +4:44 |
| 28. |  |
SCHWARZBAUER Luca (CANYON CLLCTV)
|
1:20:18 +4:47 |
| 29. | |
RAGGL Gregor (JB BRUNEX SUPERIOR FACTORY RACING)
|
1:20:19 +4:48 |
| 30. | |
COLLEDANI Nadir (MMR FACTORY RACING TEAM)
|
1:20:31 +5:00 |
| 41. |  |
DISERA Peter (NORCO FACTORY TEAM)
|
1:21:49 +6:18 |
| 55. | |
FINCHAM Sean (NORCO FACTORY TEAM)
|
1:23:25 +7:54 |
| 59. | |
ORSCHEL Tyler (CANADA)
|
1:23:47 +8:16 |
| 77. | |
BARTON Malcolm (CANADA)
|
-2 |
