- The mountain bike world cup season has started successfully for the Swiss team.
- Alessandra Keller (2nd) and Sina Frei (3rd) finish on the podium in the short track race in Nove Mesto (CZE).
- For the men, Mathias Flückiger (4th) and Nino Schurter (5th) only just go empty-handed.
- The cross-country races (live on SRF) continue in the Czech Republic on Sunday.
After a break of 8 months, the World Cup season for mountain bike professionals has started again – and with great success, especially for the Swiss women. In the short track, 2 Swiss women made it onto the podium.
The short race, which only lasted around 20 minutes, was a close and tactical affair. Alessandra Keller, last year’s overall World Cup winner, started with number 1 and was always involved in the rainy Nove Mesto. She went into the final corner as the leader, but was beaten in the sprint by the surprising Laura Stigger. Thanks to a strong final sprint, the Austrian celebrated her first World Cup victory.
Nevertheless, Keller was satisfied with second place – all the more so that the native of Nidwalden was able to celebrate on the podium together with team colleague Sina Frei. The woman from Zurich, who was the 1st short track world champion in 2021, finished just behind Keller 3.
Last year’s winner Jolanda Neff was ranked 9th, with Linda Indergand (11th) and Nicole Koller (12th) as well as Steffi Häberlin (14th), 3 other Swiss women just missed the top ten.
Pidcock in a class of its own
In the men’s category, the Swiss had to console themselves with positions just behind the podium. The two team leaders Mathias Flückiger (4th) and Nino Schurter (5th) just missed the top 3 places in the sprint.
The outstanding Olympic champion Thomas Pidcock secured the victory. The Brit, who until recently was just as successful on the road as usual, worked his way from the very back of the field to the front on the circuit. World champion Samuel Gaze (2nd/AUS) and short-track specialist Luca Schwarzbauer (3rd/GER) couldn’t keep up with his final furioso.
With Lars Forster (10th), Vital Albin (14th) and Marcel Guerrini (17th), other Swiss were among the top 20. The cross-country races continue in the Czech Republic on Sunday.