WORLD CUP XCO GALLERY: Absalon and Neff win in Albstadt

Absalon takes his 30th World Cup win in Albstadt

World XC Champion Julian Absalon notched up his 30th World Cup victory in Albstadt, Germany on Sunday after a tense head-to-head battle with Swiss Nino Schurter.

Absalon’s victory came after trading first and second place with Schurter through 8 laps of the steep forests around Albstadt. With 500 metres to go it had appeared that the Swiss Champion had a race winning lead, until a heavy crash on a seemingly innocuous section of the course allowed Absalon to pass and ride to the finish 11 seconds clear.

Winner of the opening round in Nove Mesto Jaroslav Kulhavy claimed 3rd place, while Florian Vogel and Mathias Fluckiger were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Australian Champion Dan McConnell mirrored his result of a week earlier in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, with a solid 11th place. Cam Ivory finished a lap down in 61st, a good step up from last week in Nove Mesto.

Bec Henderson continues strong European form as Neff decimates field

World Cup leader Jolanda Neff extended her lead in the rankings with a truly dominant display in Albstadt. The Swiss rider cleared out to a lead of a minute on the opening lap of 7, and was never headed on her way to a 28 second victory.

For the second round in a row, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flejsaa finished in second place to Neff. The Norwegian’s battle with reigning World XC Champion Catherine Pendrel was one of the highlights of the race. Dahle Flesjaa made her move with 300 metres to go into one of the final corners of the race, restricting Pendrel’s ability to respond.

Australian Champion Bec Henderson finished the second round of the 2015 World Cup in the same position as her first. Henderson’s eighth place finish mean two top-ten positions for her Trek Factory Racing team, with Canadian Emily Batty taking a hard-earned fourth place.

Peta Mullens had a blinder of a startm moving from 45th to 15th by the top of the first climb. But crashes with a pedal and cleat problem took Mullens back to 50th before fighting up to finish 34th.

U23 riders find it tough going in Albstadt

Spanish rider Pablo Rodriguez won the men’s U23 race in one of the closest races of the weekend. The first four races were separated by just 31 seconds, however in reality Rodriguez appeared well in control throughout the race, holding his lead from the second lap to the finish line.

Romain Seigle finished second, while Lars Forster finished in third.

Sebastian Jayne was the best placed of the three Australian riders in the field. He finished in 99th, 3 laps down. Scott Bowden finished 4 laps down in 121st, unlucky again with a broken chain after slotting into the top 20, while Jack Lavis was forced out of the race with mechanical issues on his second lap.

In the women’s U23 event, Swede Jenny Rissvelds continued her domination of the category. She cruised to victory ahead of Alessandra Keller, with USA’s Kate Courtney taking third.

Australia’s Emily Parks finished 2 laps down in 39th, with Holly Harris four positions further back in 43rd.

Full results can be viewed online

.