The Swiss are a powerhouse nation in cross country mountain biking and, with the chance to race on home soil, came storming into Friday’s Short Track XCC World Cup. Four of six podium positions went to the host nation across the men’s and women’s XCC race.
Filippo Colombo delivered a win while Jenny Rissveds disrupted the Swiss plans to repeat her victory in Lenzerheide from one year ago.
Canadians in Switzerland
Sandra Walter was the top – and only Canadian in the women’s Short Track race. The Liv rider placed 32nd.
Léandre Bouchard (Foresco Holdings ProCo RL Pro Team) was the sole Canadian racing in the men’s race- finishing 34th in his first World Cup back after a high-speed injury in Brazil.
Elite Women: A Swede versus the Swiss
Racing at home in Switzerland, Jolanda Neff (Trek Factory Racing) quickly put herself on the front of the women’s short track race. Tucked in her wheel was Team 31-Ibis’ Jenny Rissveds. With a tactical course in Lenzerheide, the group stayed together for the opening laps.
Ramona Fochini was the first to attack, before crashing. That left Rissveds leading a group of 10 riders including Neff, short track world champion Sina Frei, series leader Rebecca McConnell and Loana Lecomte.
Frei and Lecomte took their turns leading. But, on lap six of nine, it was Rissveds that was the first to open up a small gap. After a couple of looks back, Rissveds attacked again and quickly built a sizeable advantage.
Behind the Swedish Olympic champion, the field had shattered. Alessandra Keller (Thomus Maxon), Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (BMC), Neff and Lecomte were left as a chasing group of four. Rissveds, though, built up an 11-second advantage over the course of the next lap.
Keller led the chase group for the final two laps. Neff tried to push past on the final climb, to no avail. Their battle for position started to reign in Rissveds, but not soon enough.
Jenny Rissveds crossed the line alone to take the Short Track World Cup win in Lenzerheide.
“I had no strategy,” Rissveds said after the race. “I had a gap when I looked back and figured I had to go.” It’s a repeat of the Swede’s result last year at the same venue. Asked about her consistent results in Lenzerheide, Risvveds responded that “It’s similar Sweeden. There are lots of roots and it’s fast. I like it.”
Keller sprinted away from Neff to take second place for the home crowd. Ferrand-Prevot tried to challenge, but settled for fourth with Lecomte…
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