Just four weeks after the Olympic race in Tokyo the fastest bikers in the world will once again be fighting for medals. But not only in cross country, but also in the relay races and, for the first time in history, in the short track format. There will also be World Championship races in the downhill, four-cross and e-MTB disciplines. A total of six disciplines will be organised by the 25 to 29 August in Val di Sole the new world champions wanted. And the UCI MTB World Championships in the legendary racing Mecca of Trentino are set to be just as exciting and spectacular as the last event in 2008, when Peter Sagan was crowned Junior World Champion.
XC men: Olympic stars missing, European champions at the start
Although Mathieu van der Poel had announced that he would race the Mountain Bike World Championships after his Olympic dream fell through, the Val di Sole World Cup winner will not be at the start in 2019. The reason is back problems, as his team Alpecin-Fenix announced a few days ago. Olympic champion Tom Pidcock will also be missing from the World Championships. He is currently riding the three-week Tour of Spain on the road with his team Ineos Grenadiers. Instead, some top riders who did not compete at the Olympics will be there. For example, Swiss rider Lars Forster, who has been wearing the jersey of the reigning European champion for a week now. Or the two strong Frenchmen Maxime Marotte and Titouan Carod, who won World Championship bronze in Leogang last year. This will be Manuel Fumic's last World Championships. The 39-year-old is ending his long career after this season. David List, who won bronze at the European Championships, is hoping for another top placing in the men's U23 race. Other German starters in the men's race: the Lexware trio of Max Brandl, Luca Schwarzbauer and Georg Egger.
XC Women: Ferrand-Prévot against Neff
In the women's event, the duel in both the Olympic cross country and short track races is likely to be: World and European champion against Olympic champion. France against Switzerland. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot against Jolanda Neff. The Frenchwoman wants to keep her rainbow jersey and showed a week ago with her victory at the European Championships that she is in good form. For Jolanda Neff, it will be exciting to see whether she can save her Olympic form for the World Championships. Other candidates for the medal places are above all the World Cup dominator Loana Lecomte (FRA), the two Swiss riders Sina Frei and Linda Indergand as well as Evie Richards (GBR), Haley Batten (USA) and Anne Terpstra (NED). Ronja Eibl will be hoping for more precious metal after winning bronze at the European Championships in the U23 class.
Downhill: Without Gwin and Pierron - Nina Hoffmann at the start
The World Championships last year in Leogang were wet, muddy and technically extremely demanding. The 2021 title fights on the infamous Black Snake track will undoubtedly be drier, dustier and faster than 2020. The World Cup race in Maribor a fortnight ago delivered exciting runs from the stars of the downhill sector. Myriam Nicole - world champion in 2019 and on the podium in the last three years - won ahead of Eleanora Farina (ITA), with the Italian achieving the best World Cup result of her career in the elite category. Almost two seconds behind was reigning world champion Camille Balanche (SUI). Monika Hrastnik from Slovenia came fourth, just ahead of Tahnée Seagrave (GBR) and Vali Höll (AUT). All of these riders are in contention for the World Championship title. Good news from a German perspective: Nina Hoffmann will also be at the start in Val di Sole following her shoulder injury. However, the German downhill hopeful said in the run-up to the race that she will not be able to race at the front after her injury break. Raphaela Richter, Johannes Fischbach and Max Hartenstern will also be wearing the black, red and gold national team jersey in the downhill.
The men's competition at the European Championships a few weeks ago was dominated by French and British riders. Loris Vergier took the title half a second ahead of his compatriot Benoit Coulanges. Then came three British riders: two-time former world champion Danny Hart, elite rookie Daniel Slack and Adam Brayton. Thibaut Dapréla, who won the World Cup in Les Gets with a stitched tongue, also set the fastest qualifying time, but decided not to compete in the final.
Four French riders finished in the top six at the third Downhill World Cup in Maribor. Vergier prevailed against Dapréla, Laurie Greenland (GBR) completed the podium. He was followed by three-time world champion Greg Minnaar from South Africa and four-time world champion Loic Bruni. Benoit Coulanges finished sixth and Cube rider Danny Hart eighth.
Vergier seems to be in top form at just the right time, while Dapréla's recent results are also hard to ignore. Greenland also showed his qualities and also loves the course in Val di Sole. After winning the race at the Junior World Championships in 2015, he was promoted to the elite category the following year and was Second at the Downhill World Championships in Val di Sole. The town in Trentino was also the setting for his first and so far only Elite victory in the 2019 World Cup. The 24-year-old from Bristol seems ready to take on the French downhill elite.
At the same time, several top riders will miss the World Championships due to injury: US star Aaron Gwin, French riders Amaury and Baptiste Pierron and Briton Gee Atherton.
MTB World Championships Val di Sole 2021 - the most important races at a glance
- Wednesday, 25 August 12:30 p.m. - Relay race
- Thursday, 26 August 17:00/17:45 - Short track race (XCC) women/men
- Friday, 27 August 15:00/16:45 - E-MTB race women/men
- Saturday, 28 August 13:00/15:45 - Cross Country Elite (XCO) women/men
- Sunday, 29 August 12:50/14:10 - Downhill final women/men
The most important World Cup decisions will be broadcast live by Red Bull TV. The short track, cross country and downhill live streams will be available on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. >> Click here for the Livestreams from Red Bull TV
