While Filippo Colombo finished 13th in the XCC and 6th in the XCO, the entire team delivered a strong performance in Leogang.
Leogang, Austria. While Nino Schurter recovered well from the XCC, which didn’t go as planned, he finished 11th in muddy conditions on Sunday. Filippo Colombo’s 6th place was the highlight of the weekend, but the entire team delivered a strong performance in the XCO race.
Filippo Colombo delivered a solid performance in the XCC, finishing 13th after losing some positions in the final two laps. Emilly Johnston came in 28th, while Nino Schurter was forced to withdraw from the race due to breathing problems.
The cross-country race was marked by heavy rainfall the night before, which continued until shortly before the women’s race. After a slightly disappointing XCC on Friday, the entire team was highly motivated and had strong ambitions for Sunday’s race.
Nino Schurter (starting in 26th) and Andri Frischknecht (starting in 53rd) had an excellent start, however Filippo Colombo got tangled up in the first lap and had to fight his way back to the front. US National Champion Bjorn Riley (starting in 49th) was struggling with the pace in the first half of the race and managed to make his way up in the ranking to a 25th finish.
US National Champion Bjorn Riley in action
The pace at the front was extremely high from the very beginning, with a leading trio breaking away early in the race. Nino Schurter remained in a larger chase group, up to fifth position, until halfway through the race – a group that also included Filippo Colombo. Given the tough conditions, tire choices and tactics played a crucial role, and it was important not to start too aggressively. This approach allowed not only Colombo, but also the young American Bjorn Riley and Andri Frischknecht, to steadily gain positions. With the Maxxis Severe, we had the best possible tire for those muddy conditions.
While Colombo managed to stay with the group and crossed the line in 6th place, Schurter lost a few spots in the closing laps and finished 11th. After the disappointment on Friday, this was a solid performance – especially on a muddy course that doesn’t particularly suit his strengths.
Swiss Champion Filippo Colombo responded as well. By the time he worked his way up to the second group, the train for the podium had already left. Still, his 6th-place finish – his best World Cup result this season – was a clear step forward in the right direction. He said: “After a bad start, I managed to work my way back to the front quite well. The result still isn’t what I’m aiming for, but I’m getting closer – and most importantly, my legs felt strong again. That means everything right now.” The race was won by Ondrej Cink, ahead of Mathias Flückiger and Fabio Püntener.
“Finally, I felt like myself again at a World Cup! After a bad start, I managed to work my way back to the front quite well. The result still isn’t what I’m aiming for, but I’m getting closer – and most importantly, my legs felt strong again. That means everything right now.”
Filippo Colombo
2024 XCO Swiss Champion
SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing
Canadian Emilly Johnston secured a strong 22nd-place finish
The Canadian Emilly Johnston, starting from 32nd position, had a difficult start and found herself in 45th after the first lap. Showing great determination, she paced herself well and steadily moved forward lap by lap, racing once again with a big heart. In the end, she crossed the line in a strong 22nd place – a new personal best in the Elite category.
Andri Frischknecht had to pay for the effort he made in the first lap to move up from his back-row starting position. After that, he kept fighting with consistent lap times and crossed the finish line in 35th place.
The next round of the World Cup takes place from June 20 to 22 in Val di Sole, Italy.
