Lecomte and Koretzky ride away for UCI World Cup XCO victories 10.05.2021: French double up in hot weather conditions at first Albstadt MTB stop. France's Loana Lecomte rode away with the opening 2021 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup XCO win in the Elite Women's race in Albstadt on Sunday, whilst the Elite Men's race was won

 
French double up in hot weather conditions at first Albstadt MTB stop.


 
France's Loana Lecomte rode away with the opening 2021 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup XCO win in the Elite Women's race in Albstadt on Sunday, whilst the Elite Men's race was won by compatriot Victor Koretzky in a thrilling sprint finish. Here is all you need to know:



- The new season kicked off as it signed out last season with thrilling racing and wild weather. After the wintery snow and rain of Friday morning came summer heat on Sunday and, after the intensity of Short Track, came the endurance of the Olympic discipline.



- With a fifth place in Short Track, Lecomte started on the front row and never looked back after the reigning U23 World Champion took an Elite win at the first time of asking last year in Nové Město.



- World champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot soon gave chase alone in second as the likes of Jolanda Neff and Linda Indergand fell behind while Haley Batten and Yana Belomoina came strong in the last laps.



- Lecomte cruised to victory by 53 seconds with Ferrand-Prévot easily in second, American duo Batten and Kate Courtney third and fourth leaving Ukrainian Belomoina to round out the podium in fifth.



- Lecomte, 21, said: "I think in my head it was my goal for today, but I don't know if I was able to win. I am very happy. I wanted to be in shape for these two World Cup races and qualification for the Olympic Games. I share the motivation with others in the French team because we have the same coach."



- Ferrand-Prévot, 29, added: "For sure, I am happy because I didn't feel really good today. It was super hard. I am so happy with Loana's first place. She was just flying so I knew that it would be hard to win. It was quite hot. I hope to be better in one week. It can change really quickly."



- The men's winner was far from sure until 100 metres to go however, with temperatures creeping up into the high twenties, Friday's Short Track winner Mathieu van der Poel was not in contention.



- The Dutchman started off fast as did Brazilian Henrique Avancini, but both fell back to seventh and 10th by the end as Koretzky powered through to rival XCO legend Nino Schurter for the victory.



- With U23 world champion Thomas Pidcock making a superb charge through from 76th on the grid into the top 10, Switzerland's Mathias Flueckiger suffered a technical late on to derail his win chance.



- Schurter looked on course for yet another World Cup win, nevertheless Koretzky had other ideas as he dug in for a brilliant sprint finish to claim his maiden victory ahead of the veteran Swiss.



- Koretzky, 26, said: "I cannot believe it, it is amazing. During my warmup, I didn't feel my shape but after the first two laps it was better and better. I didn't take any risks and just focus on the line. I overtook Nino on the last part in the grass and I used the same sprint as my Short Track. It was super hot. If you go in the red zone it is not possible to recover on this track so just follow the first group and, if you have good legs, attack."



- Schurter, 34, added: "It is hard to take. I am not really happy with my second place. I am looking forward to Nové Město. It is one of my favourite tracks. I have great memories of this place."



- Flueckiger hung on for third with the Czech Republic's Ondrej Cink battling away for fourth and Briton Pidcock earning a brilliant fifth place in his first race at Elite level thanks to a late sprint.



- Flueckiger, 32, explained: "I felt very strong and the strongest in the climb, but I had a mechanical. I had to stand up the whole last lap. Bad luck, it happens some time."



- Pidcock, 21, revealed: "I was certainly happy with how today went. It was a hard day out there. It was very hot. A lot of guys blew themselves in the first lap, me included. I tried settling in. I had a slow puncture. I was just trying not to let it get completely flat and get to the finish."





RESULTS



WOMEN ELITE

1. Loana Lecomte FRA 1hr21m38s
2. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot FRA +0m53s
3. Haley Batten USA +1m15s
4. Kate Courtney USA +1m20s
5. Yana Belomoina UKR +1m30s



MEN ELITE

1. Victor Koretzky FRA 1hr20m23s
2. Nino Schurter SUI +0m02s
3. Mathias Flueckiger SUI +0m23s
4. Ondrej Cink CZE +0m25s
5. Thomas Pidcock GBR +0m29s




 
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