Mathias Fluckiger wins UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup men's race in Andorra, Tom Pidcock third

Mathias Fluckiger (Thomus Maxon) claimed victory on round 5 of the UCI Cross-Country Olympic World Cup in Pal Arinsal, Andorra after a testing mudfest at altitude, with Great Britain’s Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) in third.

Tough conditions brought out the Swiss rider’s best as he proved a cut above the rest on the wet, technical course and held off a late charge from Thomas Griot (Canyon CLLCTV) to take his first XCO World Cup win since Leogang in 2022.

He attacked away from fast-starter Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV) on the second lap and he wouldn’t be caught again despite Griot coming within 10 seconds of Fluckiger in the latter laps.

Pidcock started deep in the pack and despite moving up in the first two laps, seemed to struggle in the middle phase, before rallying in the penultimate lap and eventually catching and passing Jordan Sarrou (Team BMC) for third place.

This was his first XCO race back since winning the World Championships in Glasgow earlier this month and he would’ve been delighted to finish on the podium in Andorra, his second home.

Ten-time world champion Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM) suffered a rear puncture after a slow start, which put him out of contention for fighting out the victory.

Fluckiger had struggled earlier in the season with untimely technical issues and a thumb injury which required surgery, so was thrilled to be back on the top step of the podium despite the exhausting effort required to get back there.

"I probably had it in me many times this season already, but it never actually came together. My goal was just to go as deep as possible so probably I could do that. I'm so exhausted. I still can't believe it but I know it's a World Cup win,” said Fluckiger. "I felt his [Griot's] pressure, but I'm really stoked I could handle it and it didn't make me too under pressure so I could ride my race and actually that's probably the key to me staying in the lead.

“I'm so happy to be back, actually just racing and winning a World Cup again, that's amazing."

Earlier in the day, Mona Mitterwallner (Cannondale Factory Racing) took her first XCO World Cup victory in an equally brutal women’s race, after catching up to and passing Alessandra Keller (Thomus Maxon) who had led the middle portion of racing in Andorra.

Recently crowned world champion, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Ineos Grenadiers), looked ominous in the opening two laps as she hit the front early, but it wasn’t to be a repeat of her dominance from Scotland as Keller and Mitterwallner both made their way up the pack and eventually passed her to fight for the win.

Ferrand-Prevot held on for third, however, despite her French compatriot Loana Lecomte (Canyon CLLCTV) making a late charge through the field.

Mitterwallner is one of the most exciting young talents in the sport and was incredibly emotional after achieving the first of what could be many XCO World Cup wins. She continued her incredible 2023 season which also included a world title in the XC Marathon race in Glentress Forest earlier this month.

Overall series leader, Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) held onto her lead, despite a crash on the first lap ruining any chance of her taking the victory.

The key moment for Mitterwallner came when Keller made a mistake on one of the slippery rock sections that preceded the main descent and allowed the Austrian champion to get to her back wheel.

Mitterwallner was much too strong on the climbs and utilised her lightweight nature to extend the advantage to 34 seconds by the finish.

"It means so much to me," Mitterwallner said. "It took me a long time, it feels like ages and I know I am just 21 but it’s just been so many races where something went wrong or it just didn't come together. Today finally everything came together in the hardest race I think I've done so far, in the mud, in the cold, in the rain. I just didn't know what I could do today but I just kept believing and now finally it came true.

"The lap before I saw that she [Keller] struggled there in the downhill and I was like I need to try to make my gap there because I really like the mud. I have no problem racing in the mud and I'm used to it from home.

“She [Keller] pushed me to my limits. I was absolutely maxed out and it was a proper fight, but victory is much sweeter after a fight."

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