With back-to-back rounds to follow in Snowshoe, USA – one for downhill (DHI) only and one combining DHI and cross-country (XCO) -, competitions reach a critical stage.
Up to 10,000 spectators are expected in Lenzerheide, where the first points will be awarded on Friday in the cross-country short track (XCC). This high-speed format made its UCI Mountain Bike World Championships debut in Val di Sole (Italy) less than two weeks ago with victories for Sina Frei (SUI) and Christopher Blevins (USA). Saturday will competitions for DHI, where Myriam Nicole (FRA) and Greg Minnaar (RSA) are back on top of the world, and XCO is on Sunday with the newly-crowned UCI World Champions Evie Richards (GBR) and Nino Schurter (SUI).
Cross-country
Of the four XCO and cross-country short track (XCC) races so far in the UCI World Cup the most recent was 4 July in Les Gets (France), before the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Val di Sole (Italy).
The XCO course in Lenzerheide (‘Nino’s Gold Trail’) is 4km long, physically demanding and offers plenty of overtaking opportunities. It has evolved over the years, with more technical and steep sections including the ascent to Heidi’s Hell.
Men Elite: Flückiger in command
Mathias Flückiger (SUI) has a commanding lead (1169 points) in the Men Elite UCI World Cup standings, after dominating the XCC and XCO at the last two races. Ondrej Cink (CZE) sits on 934 followed by Jordan Sarrou (790). With 745 points, Albstadt winner Victor Koretzky (FRA) is just ahead of Schurter. The only other race winner this year, Tom Pidcock (GBR) is busy at the Vuelta Ciclista a Espana.
Women Elite: Lecomte back in action
The Women Elite competition has been dominated by 22-year-old Loana Lecomte (FRA), whose four XCO victories have contributed to her 1330 points. Sickness stopped her racing in Italy but she promises: “A good little rest, time to take care of myself and I will be ready for the Lenzerheide World Cup”.
Her compatriot Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, highest scorer in the 2020 UCI World Cup, is second on 995, with Jenny Rissveds (SWE) on 780, Haley Batten (USA) on 755 and Rebecca McConnell (AUS) on 710. All four could bounce back from disappointment in Val di Sole. But the top Olympic trio of Jolanda Neff, Sina Frei and Linda Indergand will draw on home support to try to again dominate the field. The Netherlands’ Anne Terpstra (ranked no 6) is another rider who should never be ruled out.
Men and Women Under 23: Italy and Austria in the lead
Simone Avondetto (ITA) leads the Men’s U23 on 240 points from Canada’s Carter Woods (220) and USA’s Riley Amos (200), while the new UCI World Champion Martín Vidaurre Kossmann (CHI) has 140 from just two starts!
Under 23 Women runaway leader, Austria’s Mona Mitterwallner, has won all four UCI World Cup rounds, amassing 360 points, plus an emphatic win at the UCI World Championships! Caroline Bohé (DEN) has 270 and Kata Blanka Vas (HUN) 230.
For the records, at the last Lenzerheide UCI World Cup round, in 2019, Mathieu Van der Poel (NED) beat Schurter and Flückiger in the Men Elite, while Rissveds beat Terpstra and Ferrand-Prévot in the Women Elite.
Downhill
There have been three DHI UCI World Cup rounds so far, the last at Maribor (Slovenia) in August, where some riders also raced the European Championships.
To win in Lenzerheide, the riders will have to master the 2.5km ‘Straightline’ track. 2009 UCI World Champion Steve Peat contributed to its design, with big jumps, drop-offs and technical sections to test the best.
Men Elite: French athletes in strong position
With a win and two second places, Thibaut Dapréla (FRA) heads the standings with 590 points from Leogang winner Troy Brosnan (AUS) on 353 and the incredible UCI World Champion from South Africa, Greg Minnaar (2nd, 1st and 3rd in his last three Lenzerheide races), on 330.
Maribor winner Loris Vergier is another Frenchman who could win, as could Amaury Pierron and Loïc Bruni (1st and 3rd respectively at the 2019 Lenzerheide UCI World Cup). Bruni even has the thumbs up from Myriam Nicole, who warns “#superbruni is just around the corner”.
Watch out for British athletes Laurie Greenland, who’s “not interested in finishing 15th”, and 2016 Lenzerheide winner Danny Hart.
Women Elite: Nicole and Balanche tied up front
Tied on 560 points, and one win each are the 2019, 2020 and 2021 rainbow stripes winners Myriam Nicole and Camille Balanche (SUI). With 475 points Austria’s Valentina Höll leads Britain’s Tahnée Seagrave (Les Gets winner) on 462: either could win if they stay upright!
Marine Cabirou – winner of three consecutive 2019 UCI World Cups, including Lenzerheide – looks back near her best, while European Champion Monika Hrastnik (SLO) and Italy’s Eleonora Farina have potential to win.
Juniors: Women’s leader Gale out with injury
With 160 points, Canada’s Jackson Goldstone extended his UCI World Cup winning form to the UCI World Championships. Britain’s Jordan Williams (105) scores consistently and claims “I know I have the speed to win”.
Overall leader Phoebe Gale’s broken wrist excludes the young Briton from Lenzerheide. With 100 points, UCI World Champion Izabela Yankova (BUL) is the girl to beat. Meanwhile, Léona Pierrini wants to improve on her Val di Sole 6th place.