The triple header UCI World Cup weekend in Saalfelden Leogang ends in victory in the rain for Puck Pieterse and Ondrej Cink

Saalfelden Leogang is happy to have welcomed more than 22,000 visitors for the UCI world cup weekend.

Puck Pieterse finishes the perfect weekend in Leogang
Dutch Puck Pieterse (ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK) looked to make it a double by taking both the cross country short track and Olympic wins here in Austria. Like in the short track though, she wouldn’t have it easy, with both Kiwi Samara Maxwell (DECATHLON FORD RACING TEAM) and Nicole Koller (GHOST FACTORY RACING) on form. Local hero Mona Mitterwallner (MONDRAKER FACTORY RACING) would be buoyed by her short track performance and would be one to watch here, too.
The 3.6km course in and out EPIC Bikepark Leogang featured 168m of ascent, but in Saalfelden Leogang, the climbs are fierce punches, while the descents are technical with plenty of rock and root to keep the riders focused. The downpour that arrived for the U23 races left the course very wet indeed and the rain returned at the top of the first climb on lap one.

Puck Pieterse would move ahead of French Loana Lecomte (BMC FACTORY RACING) in the early stages of lap one and would lead the race from there. It was another classic display from the Dutch World Champion with the power on the climbs and skills on the descents allowing her to extend her lead on every lap. Second place Samara Maxwell (DECATHLON FORD RACING TEAM) would also build a gap between herself and Ramona Forcini (BIXS PERFORMANCE RACE TEAM) in third. 

Results XCO Elite Women Top 5:
1.    Puck Pieterse (NED | ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK) 1:26:39
2.    Samara Maxwell (NZL | DECATHLON FORD RACING TEAM) 1:27:29
3.    Ramona Forchini (SUI | BIXS PERFORMANCE RACE TEAM) 1:28:05
4.    Jolanda Neff (SUI | CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING) 1:28:20
5.    Tamara Wiedmann (AUT | MONDRAKER FACTORY RACING XC) 1:28:20

"It's been a goal of mine to have the perfect weekend. I told myself to be patient, but I am not good at waiting. I decided to go for it on lap one and put myself in a situation where I had to push all the way through. Nobody had a perfect race today without unclipping or stumbling. I had some problems on the upper part of the track, but I knew others would make mistakes as well. It was nice to take my own lines. I couldn't see what others were doing but that can be a good thing." – Puck Pieterse

“It was a really good race because you got to ride at your own pace once the gaps were established. I rode the B-line on the first lap because it was safer, but it just wasn't for me. I was happy to back myself and ride the A-lines. I loved the track, it's just awesome. Everyone keeps talking about the overall, but I am just here to enjoy it. I'm flossing on the podium and just having fun. If I lose the red jersey I have no regrets. I have never been in this position, I didn't expect to be here, so it's an advantage for me. My team is just living every moment as well. We don't talk about trying to fight for the jersey, just about doing the best we can. If you do start thinking about the points, you start riding defensive, right? Live in the moment, no regrets, full send all the time. Grip it and rip it.“ – Samara Maxwell

"I had a pretty decent start and was fighting for the top five by the third lap. I was feeling good. Normally I get stronger with each lap, so I was looking to attack. I hit a rock, it was my fault but I didn't see the rock underneath the mud. It's disappointing that it happened at my home World Cup but that's racing. In Nové Město, Puck had a flat, today I had one. Hopefully we'll have it better in Val di Sole.” – Mona Mitterwallner

Overall Standings XCO Elite Women Top 5:
1.    Samara Maxwell (NZL | DECATHLON FORD RACING TEAM) 1022 Pts.
2.    Nicole Koller (SUI | GHOST Factory RACING) 732 Pts.
3.    Evie Richards (GBR | TREK FACTORY RACING – PIRELLI) 634 Pts.
4.    Alessandra Keller (SUI | THÖMUS MAXON) 609 Pts.
5.    Candice Lill (RSA) 583 Pts.

Ondrej Cink takes his maiden UCI World Cup win in Leogang
The rain would ease and then stop for the Elite Men as the lights went green. A track churned up by three successive races causing issues early in the race, with a lot of big names getting caught in traffic. Christopher Blevins (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING) from the USA would look to take the double for the third time this year. His teammate and winner of the opening round in Brazil, French Victor Koretzky, would not complete the race. The flying American, having only dropped a single position so far this year would not have it all his own way. The pace and conditions completely different to the opening three rounds. The track developed through the race, with plenty of crashes as the riders pushed hard with the mud started to dry with the course slowing as a result. 

The front of the pack therefore looked very different to previous race weekends. Veteran Czech rider Ondrej Cink (CUBE FACTORY RACING) would come out swinging and pushing to the front early. He extended his lead as the laps went by to take his first UCI World Cup win at the age of 34 becoming the second oldest Elite Men’s UCI World Cup winner behind Ned Overend. Swiss Mathias Flückiger (THÖMUS MAXON) would attack privateer rider Fabio Püntener at the start of the final lap, finishing just ahead of his compatriot.

Results XCO Elite Men Top 5:
1.    Ondrej Cink (CZE | CUBE FACTORY RACING) 1:25:05
2.    Mathias Flückiger (SUI | THÖMUS MAXON) 1:25:23
3.    Fabio Püntener (SUI) 1:25:32
4.    Mathis Azzaro (FRA | ORIGINE RACING DIVISION) 1:25:48
5.    Lars Forster (SUI | THÖMUS MAXON) 1:26:18

"I am super happy because I have been waiting a long time for this, being second place so many times. I really like this place, I was U23 World Champion here. More than few times I thought my career was over because I am one of the oldest here, so I have no words... This course suits me but not the conditions so much. I don't know what happened, I just did it.  I finally had a good start and I knew I had to be at the front on the first downhill as I knew the other guys were faster than me there. I just ran with my tactics and it went perfectly. Two laps to go I started to struggle but seeing that I had opened a gap gave me some extra power, so I pushed to the limit." – Ondrej Cink

"I didn't have the confidence to attack on that last lap as I was completely on the limit. I know Fabio is in really good form, maybe the form of his life. I tried anyway and it worked. It was the first battle we have had together and so far this season he's been stronger. I really enjoyed racing with him today. I am really happy for him with the off-season team issues, now he's a privateer. I like this track, it suits me. I like the steep climbs and descents especially in these conditions." – Mathias Flückiger

Overall Standings XCO Elite Men Top 5:
1.    Christopher Blevins (USA | SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING) 1092 Pts.
2.    Victor Koretzky (FRA | SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING) 751 Pts.
3.    Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (CHI | SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING) 689 Pts.
4.    Lars Forster (SUI | THÖMUS MAXON) 618 Pts.
5.    Fabio Püntener (SUI) 535 Pts.

Fiona Schibler and Finn Treudler finish the weekend in style
First to head out into the liquid sunshine, the U23 Women wasted no time in making their mark in Leogang. Claps of thunder arrived as the race entered its final stages. Swiss riders would take the top three positions with Fiona Schibler taking an early lead over her Swiss compatriots and staying there until she crossed the finish line. Monique Halter finished second, some 57 seconds adrift, with Elina Benoit (LEXWARE MOUNTAINBIKE TEAM) in third.

Results XCO U23 Women Top 5:
1.    Fiona Schibler (SUI) 1:12:44
2.    Monique Halter (SUI) 1:13:41
3.    Elina Benoit (SUI | LEXWARE MOUNTAINBIKE TEAM) 1:15:07
4.    Sina van Thiel (GER | LEXWARE MOUNTAINBIKE TEAM) 1:15:30
5.    Olivia Onesti (FRA | BH COLOMBA TEAM) 1:15:45

Overall Standings XCO U23 Women Top 5: 
1.    Ella MacPhee (CAN | WILIER-VITTORIA FACTORY TEAM) 451 Pts.
2.    Isabella Holmgren (CAN) 360 Pts.
3.    Sara Cortinovis (ITA | GHOST FACTORY RACING) 302 Pts.
4.    Elina Benoit (SUI | LEXWARE MOUNTAINBIKE TEAM) 279 Pts.
5.    Olivia Onesti (FRA | BH COLOMBA TEAM) 274 Pts.

Another Swiss rider, Finn Treudler (CUBE FACTORY RACING), aimed to make it a double here in Leogang by winning the Cross-country Olympic event. The rain eased for the U23 men but the track remained soaked and slick. Finn Treudler, like his Swiss counterpart in the U23 women, rode off the front for the duration to take the double. German Paul Schehl (LEXWARE MOUNTAINBIKE TEAM) ended the race some 47 seconds adrift, with another Swiss rider, Nicolas Halter, completing the top three.

Results XCO U23 Men Top 5: 
1.    Finn Treudler (SUI | CUBE FACTORY RACING) 1:14.02
2.    Paul Schehl (GER | LEXWARE MOUNTAINBIKE TEAM) 1:14:49
3.    Nicolas Halter (SUI) 1:14:54
4.    Rens Teunissen van Manen (KMC RIDLEY MTB RACING TEAM) 1:15:06
5.    Ian Ackert (TREK Future Racing) 1:15:30

Overall Standings XCO U23 Men Top 5:
1.    Finn Treudler (SUI | CUBE FACTORY RACING) 454 Pts.
2.    Gustav Heby Pedersen (DEN | WILIER-VITTORIA FACTORY TEAM) 352 Pts.
3.    Rens Teunissen van Manen (KMC RIDLEY MTB RACING TEAM) 351 Pts.
4.    Paul Schehl (GER | LEXWARE MOUNTAINBIKE TEAM) 287 Pts.
5.    William Handley (NOR) 282 Pts.

Ella Connolly makes it three from four in Leogang
British Ella Connolly aimed to double up on her maiden victory from Loudenvielle especially with Morgane Charre (PIVOT FACTORY RACING) crashing out in practice. The Elite Women would head out to race just as the heaviest rain arrived in Leogang. With six stages totalling just under 67km there was plenty of time on track across Austria’s largest bike region Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn for everything to change. Ella Connolly would cross the line in first place some 16.379 seconds up on silver medallist Simona Kuchynkova (CUBE ACTION TEAM) pipping Winni Goldsbury who finished third.  

Results Enduro Elite Women Top 5:
1.    Ella Conolly (GBR) 30:04.459
2.    Simona Kuchynkova (SVK | CUBE ACTION TEAM) 30:20.838
3.    Winni Goldsbury (NZL) 30:39.842
4.    Nadine Ellecosta (ITA | ABETONE ANCILLOTTI VITTORIA FACTORY TEAM) 30:43.675
5.    Barbora Vojta (CZE) 31:18:424

Overall Standings Enduro Elite Women Top 5:
1.    Ella Conolly (GBR) 1500 Pts.
2.    Simona Kuchynkova (SVK | CUBE ACTION TEAM) 1010 Pts.
3.    Morgane Charre (FRA | PIVOT FACTORY RACING) 970 Pts.
4.    Nadine Ellecosta (ITA | ABETONE ANCILLOTTI VITTORIA FACTORY TEAM) 970 Pts.
5.    Winni Goldsbury (NZL) 850 Pts.

Jesse Melamed takes his first win of the year in Saalfelden Leogang
In the Elite Men’s race, all eyes would be on Dan Booker who took the win in France and Pietra Ligure. He would be looking to make it three from four in Austria. The podium positions could go to a handful of riders behind the Australian. Canadian Jesse Melamed (CANYON CLLCTV FACTORY TEAM) would take the win ahead of Charles Murray (SPECIALIZED FACTORY TEAM) from New Zealand by 13.980 seconds. Polish Slawomir Lukasik (YETI/FOX FACTORY RACE TEAM) would finish third.

Results Enduro Elite Men Top 5:
1.    Jesse Melamed (CAN | CANYON CLLCTV FACTORY TEAM) 24:46.028
2.    Charles Murray (NZL | SPECIALIZED GRAVITY) 25:00.008
3.    Slawomir Lukasik (POL | YETI / FOX FACTORY RACE TEAM) 25:05.567
4.    Jack Moir (AUS | YT Mob) 25:08.819
5.    William Brodie (GBR) 25:11.596

Overall Standings Enduro Elite Men Top 5:
1.    Slawomir Lukasik (POL | YETI / FOX FACTORY RACE TEAM) 1370 Pts.
2.    Daniel Booker (AUS) 1080 Pts.
3.    Charles Murray (NZL | SPECIALIZED GRAVITY) 960 Pts.
4.    William Brodie (GBR) 920 Pts.
5.    Jesse Melamed (CAN | CANYON CLLCTV FACTORY TEAM) 910 Pts.