The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series produced two contrasting but equally action-packed competitions in the UCI Enduro World Cup, as Richie Rude (YETI / FOX Factory Racing) won the men’s overall by 7.3 seconds while Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) proved she’s the woman to beat with a dominant 38-second victory. Returning to Saalfelden Leogang - Salzburgerland for the second time after a successful debut 12 months ago, changing weather kept riders on their toes throughout the event on the first of three exhilarating days in Austria with UCI E-Enduro and Downhill World Cups still to come.
Athletes faced a 73.7km course featuring 2,470m of descent across six stages, roared on by fans who packed out the finish bowl and were able to watch all the thrills and spills of the last stage live on in-venue big screens for the first time ever.
In the men’s competition, all eyes were on Poland’s Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) who was cruelly denied a fairytale maiden UCI World Cup win at his home race last time out by just 0.095 seconds.
Meanwhile Courdurier arrive in Austria just two points ahead of Harriet Harnden (Trek Factory Racing Gravity) in the women’s standings with the pair taking a win apiece in the opening two rounds.
SETTING THE TONE
The damage was done early by Courdurier in Austria, as she finished her run hot on the heels of Harnden who endured a messy performance on the monster Bergstadl Trail. There was no time for any of the riders to ease their way into the day as rainfall had left a demon stage to kick off the day’s racing after a gondola ride into the clouds.
Stage 1 (2.4km) featured a hair-raising super slick root garden, with Courdurier putting almost 20 seconds into Harnden in fourth. British pair Ella Conolly and Rebecca Baraona fared better with the former relishing the challenge posed by the 535m of downhill.
Harnden would regain some ground immediately afterwards in the longest stage of the day, with stage 2 on the X Line offering 3.6km of racing, 802m of descent and the opportunity to make up for lost time.
She did just that, but the six-second win was too paltry to put her back in overall contention then and there, while Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) continued to build her challenge for the top three.
After pipping home Łukasik last time out, Charles Murray (Specialized Enduro Team) opened his account for the day with a two-second stage 1 win over Richie Rude and predictably, the roots were a critical factor as some made it look season, but other big names struggled.
In an abrasive stage, Jack Moir (YT Mob) suffered the worst possible start with a flat tyre at the top of the trail while Canyon Collective duo Jack Menzies and Jessie Melamed got a little too closely acquainted with the trail - a theme that continued throughout the day.
Out of contention for the overall thanks to that puncture, Moir would nonetheless come roaring back in the second stage to finish runner-up behind Rude. The top six were separated by less than five seconds with Alex Rudeau (Commencal Enduro Project), Łukasik, Melamed and Murray all making up ground on the run to the line.
RUDE AND COURDURIER DOUBLE DOWN
A predominantly fast, wide-open stage 3 offered plenty of free time or the smoothest riders - though also required a stream crossing at one point - on the Mtazalm Trail.
After a relatively easy transition from stage 2, 326 metres of descending in just 1.6km meant it could be make-or-break but although Rude missed out on the win for the first time in Austria, he more than doubled his gap at the top of the standings finishing third but just 1.5 seconds behind pacesetter Rudeau.
Łukasik was another close second, just half a tenth behind the Frenchman but it was Murray in sixth who was the loser at top. He wasn’t the only one to struggle though, a spill for Kasper Woolley (YT Mob) dropped him down to 21st and Melamed didn’t just crash on stage 4, he followed suit on stage 4.
Łukasik also went down in the same place but in much more spectacular fashion as riders continued to tire - though both men were able to finish within the top 10 on a short, sharp Hangman 1 packed with bike park features.
And despite Rude once again being denied - this time by Murray - his consistency within the top placings ensured he entered the final stages with a healthy gap of 9.2 seconds against the Kiwi.
Courdurier two-upped Melamed by hitting the deck twice on the Mtazalm Trail but with Charre caught in the rain and finishing outside the top five, the leader extended her advantage by another 6.7 seconds over Harnden and added yet another stage to her collection.
DECIDING ROUNDS
With Richie Rude second once more on the short, slippery, and intense stage 5, the American he entered the final battle with a healthy gap over Rudeau, who claimed his second victory of the afternoon.
Dropping into Bongo Bongo with a seven-second advantage over Rudeau, the Rude was only a hair’s breadth behind his rival at the finish, pushing enough but not too much on a stage littered with traps to catch out the exhausted competitors - including Murray who was launched into an acrobatic flip that ended his challenge and relegate him to 67th on the stage.
The result means Rude regains the lead of the UCI World Cup standings with a gap of almost 200 to the Specialized Enduro rider, as consistency was the key to his win:
Stages one through three that had some had a lot of root sections, when that got wet and greasy it was pretty hard to stay on-line and just riding those clean and having those couple first smooth and clean runs helped me to stay consistent and be up there in the top.
Just starting strong like that, when we got to the last three stages that are a bit more like bike park-y, it definitely helped my mentality. Once you have the jersey you want to keep it, and losing it the other weekend was kind of a bummer but that’s how it goes with us being so tight.
Courdurier entered the final two stages with a lead of 25 seconds meaning that just staying upright on her bike would likely be enough to deliver the overall victory, but Frenchwoman certainly didn’t ride like it.
In an exhilarating display, she won yet another stage by double figures on a Schwarzleo Trail bathed in sunlight after a day that seemed to feature all four seasons in Austria, with Harnden once again best of the rest. And Courdurier finally took a rest - at least by her standards - on the final stage, coming home half a second behind compatriot Charre to seal an imposing win and extend her UCI World Cup advantage from two points to 73 on a day where almost everything seemed to go, at least from an outsider’s perspective.
I think I had a bit of a wrong feeling about today,” Courdurier said. “But maybe because I was focusing so much on hitting the right lines it was not possible today and everyone felt bad on the bike. I had such a good morning, I’m happy, such a good day!
Both U21 races saw major shakeups in the World Cup standings, with incoming women’s leader Lily Planquart (Lapierre Zipp Collective) scoring just 18 points and drop to second behind Simona Kuchynkova, who placed third at Saalfelden Leogang - Salzburgerland behind Emmy Lam (Forbidden Synthesis Team) and winner Winni Goldsbury. And men’s U21 winner Wei Tien Ho shot from fourth to first as the previous leader Bailey Christie (Theory Racing) also failed to hit three figures.
Finally, in Saalfelden Leogang - Salzburgerland, 133 amateurs raced four of the same stages as the professionals in the open racing categories.
RIDERS REACT TO GROUNDBREAKING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ANNOUNCEMENT
Away from the trails, the UCI announced the first edition of the Mountain Bike Enduro and E-enduro World Championships will take place in Val di Fassa Trentino, Italy, on 14 - 15 September 2024.
I’m really happy about it, it’s a good thing, for everybody, was Rudeau’s reaction. And Val di Fassa is also a good spot to have it for the first time, I can’t wait to be there.
Courdurier added: It’s been a long wait. I’ve been wishing for it, always been dreaming about this rainbow jersey. If you’re a rider, it’s The Thing you want. I’m just so happy to see the sport’s evolving, to see how far the woman’s field has come, even if I don’t get it, I’ll just be so proud to be here and live this unique moment, I’m so looking forward to it.
But before that, there's still the exhilarating UCI E-Enduro and Downhill World Cup rounds to go in Saalfelden Leogang - Salzburgerland with Ryan Gilchrist (YETI / FOX Factory Race Team) attempting to continue his electrifying dominance before Valentina Höll (YT Mob) and Andreas Kolb (Continental Atherton) take to the downhill trails to see if they can repeat the memorable double that sent home fans into raptures 12 months ago.
