At various times today the Cairns cross country course was described as “one of the most technical courses on this year’s World Cup series”. It’s a moot point; the racing it provided was par excellence.
The use of French to describe the action is appropriate, too, as two Frenchmen dug their tyres into the red soil of the rainforest to deliver victory. The first of those was Victor Koretzky, who claimed his maiden World Cup victory after leading the men’s under-23 race from start to finish.
See our gallery of the XCO racing here.
“I had a good feeling today, it was a perfect race and I am very very happy,” said Koretzky afterwards. “It’s my first victory in a world cup in the under 23 category so I’m very happy.”
Koretzky’s BH-Suntour-KMC teammate and compatriot, Jordan Sarrou, had tailed the leader at around 25 seconds back for much of the race. Although a team 1-2 looked certain, a puncture in the final lap for Sarrou brought Michiel van der Heijden back into the picture. The Dutchman caught and passed Sarrou, but after a quick wheel change and chase their positions swapped once more, and that’s the way it would stay.
Koretzky from Sarrou, with van der Heijden in third for the under-23 men.
Earlier, Helen Grobert won the women’s under-23 race. Having claimed the German national XCO title for the past two years, it was somewhat surprisingly Grobert’s first trip to the top step of the podium. And there was little that could contain her excitement at the finish.
“It’s amazing, I can’t believe it,” exclaimed Grobert who revealed her victory was even more special after her fourth place in South Africa two weeks earlier. “I was in the lead and even on the last lap I thought ‘oh my God’ I’m in front.”
After moving clear of World Cup Series leader Jenny Rissveds on the opening lap Grobert built up a dominant 43 second advantage by the final circuit. A hungry Rissveds fought her way back, eventually finishing just 10 seconds off the pace. Serbia’s Jovana Crnogorac claimed 3rd.
Italian National Champion Eva Lechner won the Elite women’s race in convincing style, leading through most of the technical race after series leader, Jolanda Neff, succumbed to stomach cramps and dropped back mid-race.
The steep, rocky descents caused a number of mechanical problems, with Julie Bresset forced to abandon the race, and second and fourth placed Emily Batty and Sabine Spitz having to work doubly hard with similar technical issues.
The prevalence of mechanicals was perhaps more pronounced in the Elite races, with the more experienced riders tackling more challenging A-lines, and paying the price in terms of punctures.
While Lechner had a free run at the course out in front, Batty produced one of the most impressive rides of the day, picking off her rivals and moving steadily into an eventual second place. Behind the Canadian, Irina Kalentieva recovered from a crash to claim third place.
With a parochial local crowd lining the trails, Bec Henderson rode to her best Elite Women’s World Cup result yet in tenth.
“I am so happy, it’s just amazing,” said an elated Lechner afterwards. “I led the whole race, it was a surprise for me. After the second lap I had a long look back and I couldn’t believe I was just alone.”
The prevalence of mechanicals was perhaps more pronounced in the Elite races, with the more experienced riders tackling more challenging A-lines, and paying the price in terms of punctures. But from a spectator’s perspective, this served up plenty of position oscillation.
Case in point one Julian Absalon.
Yes, his win was classy, but in truth he was in a class of his own. Matt Keenan’s declared over the on-course commentary that Absalon was “the greatest French cyclist of the last 20 years”, and the day’s race demonstrated why.
A puncture on lap 2 pulled him out of second and into eighth, yet within 2 laps he was back in the main chase group behind then-leader Thomas Litscher. A puncture for Litscher sadly put paid to what had been an impressive lead and Mathias Fluckiger benefited lapping consistently ahead of what became a two-man chase composed of Maxime Morotte and Absalon.
Absalon bridged to Fluckiger on the penultimate lap. And when the Frenchman gapped his Swiss rival on the final major ascent, it was game over. The 2-time Olympic and 4-time World Champion powered to victory, opening up a 16 second gap on Fluckiger in the final kilometers.
“When I had the puncture I said ‘ok, it is finished for the victory’,” said Absalon. “I did all the downhill with a flat tyre and in front so it was not easy to control the bike especially in the rocks.
“I changed the wheel and after that I was focused on my race, on this long climb it was possible to close some big gaps and that’s how I did it,” he said. “I’m very happy to have this victory in Australia.”
Fluckiger and Morotte held on to their positions to claim the minor placings. Aussie fans were rewarded for their vocal support along the track, with Dan McConnell securing fourth place and a trip to the World Cup podium ahead of Jose Hermida.
“I have really wanted to have a good result here since it was announced a year ago and I really wanted to get on the podium,” said McConnell. “The crowd was crazy out there and I just used that in the last couple of laps to my advantage.
“The first two World Cups are done and my results have been pretty good so I couldn’t be happier with how the season has started.”
The next round of the UCI World Cup will take place in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic from 24-25 May.