My best World Cup results of the 2021 season came in Leogang and I was keen to have a repeat of that form once again. I had made the most of a weekend off from racing and put in a couple of solid weeks training in Germany with some good volume. Something I hadn’t been able to do much of since breaking my wrist back in December and trying to fast-track my way back into racing, along with fighting an illness in Brazil and a fair bit of travel and racing chucked in there too.
It rained a lot early in the week and on Friday evening it was still rather wet for the short track. I started well and spent most of the race in the front group fighting it out in the top 8 for the front row start positions. I had a clean race other than the last 2 laps where I lost a bit of time and a couple of positions getting a bit sideways in the mud before the bridge. I was still able to hang on for an 8th place finish which gave me a front row start for Sunday’s XCO race.
I had a good start in the Cross Country and put myself in the front group of 5 riders where I stayed for the first couple of laps.
I was unable to go with all the surges and attacks and dropped back a little but was still able to put out some good laps, finishing in 7th place, almost nabbing 6th at the line and only 9 seconds from the podium.
With Vlad coming 4th we were the men’s team of the day again.
Time now for an altitude training camp in Livigno before the next World Cups in Lenzerheide and Andorra.