Denmark’s Annika Langvad triumphed at Nové Město, the scene of her 2016 World Championships victory, to open the 2017 UCI World Cup cross-country season.
The 33-year-old started strongly in her rainbow jersey with a first-lap move in the Czech Republic and held off early attacks from Swiss pair Linda Indergand and Jolanda Neff.
Photo: Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
Neff, 2014 and 2015 XCO World Cup champion, was many people’s pre-race favourite with recent events seeing the 24-year-old exploding out of the blocks only to falter as the race progresses.
Sadly for her, it would be the same here as she slipped down the field with an eventual 18th-place finish after the start loop and five laps that included a 12% climb and 19% vertical drop.
Indergand was soon joined by 45-year-old Sabine Spitz, whose decision to delay her retirement looked like the right call as she dug in to try and bridge the gap to Langvad.
Photo: Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
The Dane, though, is an expert at forcing the pace from the front and, despite arriving late to the venue this week, she crossed the line first in a time of 1 hour 28 minutes and 45 seconds.
Student dentist Langvad said, “I did not expect this at all. Since September I was very busy at university full-time finishing school. Monday morning I will be back at school doing surgery.
“The last couple of weeks I swapped my training a bit doing more short, intense stuff. I just felt so good. I thought I would make it difficult for everyone else and ride my own pace.”
Photo: Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
German Spitz, who won cross-country gold in the 2003 World Championships and 2008 Summer Games, battled hard to finish second just under a minute behind with Indergand resisting Poland’s Maja Włoszczowska and Ukrainian Yana Belomoina for a deserved podium.
Spitz revealed, “It was really unexpected, but the last training on the track was pretty good. I was very happy with the bike. Had a lot of fun.”
Photo: Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
Reigning UCI World Cup XCO champion Catharine Pendrel did not enjoy the best of days with a broken drivetrain and puncture seeing her finish way down in 21st place.
It was a similar story for Canadian Emily Batty, third overall last season, down in 17th and Norwegian veteran Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå back in 14th.
South African rider results, Nové Mesto:
| 29th | Mariske STRAUSS | RSA | 1:35:12 |
| 45th | Cherie REDECKER | RSA | 1:38:41 |
Photo: Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
Round two next weekend moves to Albstadt in Germany where Spitz will be looking to impress again on home soil while Pendrel aims to close the distance to Langvad in the overall standings.
Source: Red Bull GmbH
