Eva Lechner wins XCO curtain raiser in Germany - 2013 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup

The first elite cross-country titles of the 2013 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano were awarded on Sunday in Albstadt, Germany, with Eva Lechner (Colnago Sudtirol) winning the women's competition, and Daniel McConnell (Trek Factory Racing) taking the men's. Raphael Gay (Creuse Oxygene) won the Junior men's competition held earlier in the day. After sunny conditions a day earlier for the Under-23 races, the clouds moved in overnight, threatening rain. The rain held off until late in the women's race, and only fell for one hour, however, it completely changed the track conditions, turning the downhill sections slippery and treacherous. The Under-23 world champion, Jolanda Neff (Giant XC), who was riding up a category with the elite competitors, took the early lead, and was quickly joined by Lechner, Eliminator World Cup leader Alexandra Engen (Ghost Factory) and Katrin Leumann (Ghost Factory). While other riders faded and were replaced at the front, Lechner and Leumann remained consistently in the front three all race. As Engen and Neff dropped back, former world champion Maja Wloszczowska (Giant XC) was moving up, joining Lechner and Leumann at the front at the halfway point of the six lap race, and the three remained together until Lechner opened a gap in the final half lap to win over Wloszczowska by eight seconds, with Leumann a further eight seconds behind. "I had a really good start and good legs from the beginning," commented Lechner, who last won a World Cup at Houffalize, Belgium, in 2010. "It was a hard fight to the finish. I believed for the victory and I wanted the victory. I am just so happy I am back here after the difficulties I had last season. I cannot describe it in words." "It was much more difficult [after it started to rain on the last lap]. It was slippery, it was like ice. I had to be so careful, pay attention. I had a little gap on the last uphill, but I took no risk on the last descent."