Muddy short track shake-up at Austria World Cup
Emily Batty takes top Canadian spot
Photo by:
Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
The sun was out for Friday’s Short Track World Cup racing on Friday in Leogang but that only seemed to make the course harder. After days of rain, the warmth thickened the XCC course into dense, power-sapping mud.
After an early-season dominated by Rebecca McConnel, Tom Pidcock and Nino Schurter, the Austrian mud brought out the best in two riders who dominated the 2021 season: Loana Lecomte and Mathias Flueckiger.
RELATED: What you need to know ahead of the Leogang World Cup weekend
Elite Women
Rebecca McConnell (Mondraker Primaflor) immediately pushed to spread out the field across a muddy Leogang course. Jenny Rissveds (Team 31), Haley Batten (Specialized) and Alessandra Keller (Thomus RN) followed in her wheels.
Tough conditions didn’t reward the early effort, though. While McConnell and Rissveds continued to spread out the field, it was Loana Lecomte (Canyon Cllctv) who would find the correct pace through Leogang’s mud.
RELATED: MvdP vs Me: How hard could a 20-minute short track be?
Lecomte steadily moved through the field, taking over the lead on the fourth lap and never looking back. The French rider rode to a solid victory, her first World Cup win of 2022 after dominating last season’s racing.
A pair of Ghost Factory Racing teammates, Anne Terpstra and Caroline Bohé, rounded out the podium in second and third.
Canadians in Austria
After taking a muddy win at the Baie-St.-Paul Canada Cup, Emily Batty (Canyon MTB) looked comfortable in the Austrian muck. Batty landed in 23rd, the top Canadian finisher in Leogang.
Sandra Walter (Liv) and Jenn Jackson (Canyon MTB) crossed the line five seconds apart, in 35th and 36th.
Elite Men
A crash disrupted the men’s XCC right out of the gates, ending Filippo Colombo and Andri Frischknecht’s races on the very first climb. Sam Gaze (Alpecin-Fenix) was also slowed by the crash, leaving the short track specialist chasing from the back of the field.
On the front, Henrique Avancini (Cannondale) and Vlad Dascalu (Trek Factory) led the main group across the line. The men’s field stayed close together, or as close as the tight and technical Leogang course would allow.
Short Track World Cup leader Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon Cllctv) looked to be struggling on the steep, grassy climb. The powerful German, winner in Nove Mesto, faded to 30th by the day’s end. It was enough to hold on to his lead in the XCC overall, but only by a scant three points.
Schwarzbauer wasn’t the only rider struggling, though. The majority of the field was forced onto foot on several laps, as mud coated a steep wooden ramp at the top of the climb.
Mathias Flueckiger (Thomus RN) proved to be the best at powering through Leogang’s tricky conditions. The Swiss rider stormed to his first World Cup win of 2022, winning by a solid 11-second margin. The win puts Flueckiger second overall in the XCC standings, which are a separate category for 2022.
Ascendant Romanian rider, Vlad Dascalu followed in second. Vital Albin, teammate of Flueckiger, rounds out the podium in third.
World Cup acing continues in Leogang all weekend. Downhill finals run on Saturday, June 11. The Olympic cross country race closes out the Austrian weekend on Sunday.
Results: 2022 World Cup XCC #4 – Leogang, Austria
Elite Women
| 1. |  |
LECOMTE Loana (CANYON CLLCTV)
|
21:21 |
| 2. |  |
TERPSTRA Anne (GHOST FACTORY RACING)
|
21:30 +9 |
| 3. |  |
BOHÉ Caroline (GHOST FACTORY RACING)
|
21:40 +19 |
| 4. |  |
KELLER Alessandra (THÖMUS MAXON)
|
21:48 +27 |
| 5. |  |
MCCONNELL Rebecca Ellen (PRIMAFLOR MONDRAKER GENUINS)
|
21:55 +34 |
| 6. | |
FREI Sina (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING)
|
22:05 +44 |
| 7. | |
GERAULT Léna (KTM VITTORIA TEAM)
|
22:18 +57 |
| 8. |  |
RISSVEDS Jenny (TEAM 31 IBIS CYCLES)
|
22:25 +1:04 |
| 9. |  |
STIGGER Laura (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING)
|
22:30 +1:09 |
| 10. |  |
COURTNEY Kate (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM)
|
22:34 +1:13 |
| 11. | |
INDERGAND Linda (LIV FACTORY RACING)
|
22:34 +1:13 |
| 12. | |
NEFF Jolanda (TREK FACTORY RACING XC)
|
22:36 +1:15 |
| 13. | |
MITTERWALLNER Mona (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING)
|
22:52 +1:31 |
| 14. | |
BATTEN Haley (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING)
|
22:57 +1:36 |
| 15. |  |
SEIWALD Greta (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM)
|
22:57 +1:36 |
| 16. | |
KOOPMANS Lotte (CST POSTNL BAFANG MTB RACING TEAM)
|
23:04 +1:43 |
| 17. | |
LECHNER Eva (TRINX FACTORY TEAM)
|
23:13 +1:52 |
| 18. |  |
RIEDER Nadine (GHOST FACTORY RACING)
|
23:19 +1:58 |
| 19. | |
MARCHET Giorgia (TRINX FACTORY TEAM)
|
23:21 +2:00 |
| 20. | |
DAUBERMANN Leonie (KTM FACTORY MTB TEAM)
|
23:24 +2:03 |
| 21. | |
TEOCCHI Chiara (TRINITY RACING MTB)
|
23:28 +2:07 |
| 22. | |
SCHRIEVERS Lia (GERMANY)
|
23:38 +2:17 |
| 23. |  |
BATTY Emily (CANYON MTB RACING)
|
23:42 +2:21 |
| 24. | |
DEGN Malene (KMC – ORBEA)
|
23:43 +2:22 |
| 25. | |
KOLLER Nicole (GHOST FACTORY RACING)
|
23:44 +2:23 |
| 26. | |
HÄBERLIN Steffi (BIXS PERFORMANCE RACING)
|
24:29 +3:08 |
| 27. |  |
LAST Annie (GREAT BRITAIN)
|
16:45 +2:01 |
| 28. | |
LEUGGER Seraina (SWITZERLAND)
|
16:47 +2:03 |
| 29. |  |
CÁBELICKÁ Jitka (GAPP SYSTEM – KOLOFIX MTB RACING TEAM)
|
16:49 +2:05 |
| 30. | |
GUSTAFZZON Linn (TEAM 31 IBIS CYCLES)
|
16:50 +2:06 |
| 31. |  |
PODGORSKA Aleksandra (KROSS ORLEN CYCLING TEAM)
|
16:54 +2:10 |
| 32. |  |
LILL Candice (SOUTH AFRICA)
|
16:55 +2:11 |
| 33. |  |
DETILLEUX Emeline (ROCKRIDER RACING TEAM)
|
16:59 +2:15 |
| 34. | |
WOJTYLA Gabriela (POLAND)
|
17:06 +2:22 |
| 35. | |
WALTER Sandra (CANADA)
|
17:07 +2:23 |
| 36. | |
JACKSON Jennifer (CANYON MTB RACING)
|
17:12 +2:28 |
| 37. |  |
GARCIA MARTINEZ Rocio Del Alba (BH TEMPLO CAFÉS UCC)
|
13:40 +2:01 |
| 38. | |
FISCHER EGUSQUIZA Natalia (BH TEMPLO CAFÉS UCC)
|
10:30 +1:54 |
Elite Men
| 1. | |
FLÜCKIGER Mathias (THÖMUS MAXON)
|
21:46 |
| 2. |  |
DASCALU Vlad (TREK FACTORY RACING XC)
|
21:57 +11 |
| 3. | |
ALBIN Vital (THÖMUS MAXON)
|
22:07 +21 |
| 4. |  |
AVANCINI Henrique (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING)
|
22:10 +24 |
| 5. | |
SCHUERMANS Jens (SCOTT CREUSE OXYGENE GUERET)
|
22:11 +25 |
| 6. | |
MAROTTE Maxime (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM)
|
22:12 +26 |
| 7. | |
SARROU Jordan (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING)
|
22:15 +29 |
| 8. |  |
COOPER Anton (TREK FACTORY RACING XC)
|
22:16 +30 |
| 9. | |
VALERO SERRANO David (BH TEMPLO CAFÉS UCC)
|
22:16 +30 |
| 10. | |
DUBAU Joshua (ROCKRIDER RACING TEAM)
|
22:21 +35 |
| 11. | |
SCHURTER Nino (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM)
|
22:23 +37 |
| 12. | |
CAROD Titouan (BMC MTB RACING)
|
22:25 +39 |
| 13. | |
ROTH Joel (BIXS PERFORMANCE RACING)
|
22:28 +42 |
| 14. | |
WAWAK Bartlomiej (KROSS ORLEN CYCLING TEAM)
|
22:28 +42 |
| 15. | |
DE FROIDMONT Pierre (KMC – ORBEA)
|
22:29 +43 |
| 16. | |
BRAIDOT Luca (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM)
|
22:30 +44 |
| 17. | |
HATHERLY Alan (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING)
|
22:31 +45 |
| 18. | |
INDERGAND Reto (GIANT FACTORY OFF – ROAD TEAM)
|
22:33 +47 |
| 19. | |
CULLELL ESTAPE Jofre (PRIMAFLOR MONDRAKER GENUINS)
|
22:34 +48 |
| 20. | |
KERSCHBAUMER Gerhard (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING)
|
22:35 +49 |
| 21. | |
CARSTENSEN Sebastian Fini (KMC – ORBEA)
|
22:37 +51 |
| 22. | |
GAZE Samuel (ALPECIN – FENIX)
|
22:37 +51 |
| 23. | |
PHILIPP Antoine (GIANT FACTORY OFF – ROAD TEAM)
|
22:38 +52 |
| 24. | |
OLIVER Ben (NEW ZEALAND)
|
22:40 +54 |
| 25. | |
BERTOLINI Gioele (TRINX FACTORY TEAM)
|
22:44 +58 |
| 26. | |
FRISCHKNECHT Andri (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM)
|
22:45 +59 |
| 27. |  |
GLENDE Mats Tubaas (NORWAY)
|
22:45 +59 |
| 28. | |
COLLEDANI Nadir (MMR FACTORY RACING TEAM)
|
22:55 +1:09 |
| 29. | |
LIST David (LEXWARE MOUNTAINBIKE TEAM)
|
22:58 +1:12 |
| 30. | |
SCHWARZBAUER Luca (CANYON CLLCTV)
|
23:02 +1:16 |
| 31. | |
CINK Ondrej (KROSS ORLEN CYCLING TEAM)
|
23:26 +1:40 |
| 32. | |
LITSCHER Thomas (KROSS ORLEN CYCLING TEAM)
|
23:27 +1:41 |
| 33. | |
ZANOTTI Juri (BMC MTB RACING)
|
23:32 +1:46 |
| 34. | |
FOIDL Maximilian (KTM FACTORY MTB TEAM)
|
23:36 +1:50 |
| 35. | |
HÆGSTAD Erik (KMC – ORBEA)
|
23:39 +1:53 |
| 36. | |
NORDEMANN David (CST POSTNL BAFANG MTB RACING TEAM)
|
23:43 +1:57 |
| 37. | |
ANDREASSEN Simon (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING)
|
23:48 +2:02 |
| 38. | |
BRAIDOT Daniele (CS CARABINIERI – CICLI OLYMPIA VITTORIA)
|
23:49 +2:03 |
