UCI Mountain Bike World Series recap - Cross-country Olympic World Cup - Mathias Fluckiger wins, Tom Pidcock third

Mathias Fluckiger (Thomus Maxon) - 1:28:03
Thomas Griot (Canyon CLLCTV) + 23
Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) + 44
Jordan Sarrou (BMC) + 54
Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV) + 1:17
Lars Forster (Thomus Maxon) + 1:23
Tiouan Carod (BMC) + 1:41
Thomas Litscher (Lapierre Mavic Unity) + 1:50
Vlad Dascalu (Trek Factory Racing) +1:57
Vital Albin (Thomus Maxon) + 2:11

Here's what an exhausted Fluckiger had to say following his first MTB World Cup win in the Olympic discipline since Leogang last year: "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 cant believe it but I know its a world cup win.

"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 just 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."

What a wonderful performance from the Swiss rider to win his first MTB World Cup race since Leogang last year. Behind him comes Griot in second after a solid performance and Pidcock finishes in third and honours his rainbow stripes well with a third-place finish in his second home, Andorra. Chapeau to Sarrou and Schwarzbauer who rode well for fourth and fifth respectively to round off the five-man podium.

The World Champion is showing his class as he navigates the course and latches onto Sarrou's back wheel. This should be a great fight for third place.

The gap to the leader is extending as the Frenchman stalls in second place, but take nothing away from his brilliant performance. Behind him, Pidcock is beginning to close in on Sarrou in pursuit of that third place spot.

Griot may have ran out of steam after chasing all race long as Fluckiger extends his lead back out to 18 seconds. Maybe he was holding something back for this final lap all along.

The Frenchman is using every ounce of his power to try and reel back Fluckiger on this final lap. He's got to within eight seconds of his back wheel, but hasn't yet made the catch.

Griot is close behind over the finish line and starts the last lap just 10 seconds down.

Can Griot make the catch before the final lap starts? Even if he does, getting past Fluckiger is whole other beast especially on a course like the one here in Andorra.

The Swiss leader's advantage was only at 15 seconds at the top of the climb, with Griot pushing hard behind him. Ulloa has had a technical issue/crash behind and fallen out of the top ten.

He's giving it a good crack on the descent section and has cut the gap back down to 22 seconds. He can see the lone leader, but needs a bit more effort to make the catch.

The Swiss rider has crossed the line and re-established his lead which is approaching 30 seconds again. Griot and Sarrou are still battling it out behind, with Pidcock now past Schwarzbauer and into 4th.

Fluckiger has been out in front for so long, but there are two Frenchman trying their best to close him down. We're on the fifth of seven laps and the advantage for the leader is now down to just 23 seconds.

Griot has kicked on and has not only put his team mate under pressure, but also Sarrou who is now fighting to get back to his wheel.

He had been sat in the wheels in this chase group, possibly keeping his powder dry for a big attack.

The Brit had struggled in the earlier phases of the race, but is now riding himself into this race at it goes on. He's around ten seconds back from the group containing Sarrou and Schwarzbauer.

Riders behind the leader have been forced to unclip on the incredibly difficult descent sections, losing them precious time. The lead for Fluckiger is now at 41 seconds from the chasing trio.

One of Schwarzbauer's Canyon CLLCTV team mates has been making his way through the pack, Griot, and he's now approaching his team mate and Sarrou in the fight for second and third.

Its been a great race so far for the big German, but he's been caught by Sarrou who will likely attack him soon and try and close down Fluckiger who is riding well, but lost some time as he dabbed a foot down atop one of the climbs.

Sarrou has moved away from the remaining chasers and looks very strong on the climbs. He's around 10 seconds back from Schwarzbauer.

The lone leader has been forced to unclip and take his foot out a couple times to save himself from crashing in the slippery and technical rock descents.

The Mexican and Frenchman have left the other remaining chasers around 10 seconds back as they close in on Schwarzbauer's back wheel. The German is around 18 seconds ahead of the chasing duo, with Fluckiger a further 20 seconds in front.

The World Champion clearly hasn't got the form that saw him take victory in Scotland and he likely won't be challenging for the victory here today as he sits at the rear of the chasing group.

Fluckiger leads Schwauzbauer by eight seconds after the German has managed to hang on. Behind them sits Blums, 36 seconds off the lead, with Sarrou, Ulloa, Dubau, Braidot and Dascalu also chasing.

Its a rear wheel flat for the multiple time world champion and this will cost him lots of time on just the second lap of the race. It happened near to the tech zone, but it's still a very slow change - he would need a massive recovery from here to challenge the win.

The Swiss rider had been sat in the big German's wheel and waiting for his moment. He took his chance near the top of a climb and extended his advantage over the roots that start the descending section.

The Latvian has moved ahead of the other chasers in pursuit of Schwarzbauer and Fluckiger out in front.

The second group on the track sit 19 seconds back with Sarrou, Schurter, Braidot, Dubau and Pidcock all present.

The Brit knows he cannot let any of the leaders get too far away from him as the race goes on. He's just passed Koretzky into 8th.

Schwarzbauer as he has done all season, is trying to establish an early lead and get in front of the competition with only Fluckiger able to hold on. The Swiss rider loves tough conditions, so it is no surprise to see him on strong form. The group behind is being led by Braidot and they now sit 10 seconds in arrears.

One of the many Swiss stars here in Andorra is Fluckiger and he just sprinted up the insdie of a corner into second behind Schwarzbauer who has got back his lead.

The Frenchman has moved past Schwarzbauer into the lead. Behind them, Schurter is trying to recover after a poor start and Pidcock has began to move through the bunch and towards the front.

Friday's XCC race winner, Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV) unsuprisingly explodes into the first lap ahead of Dubau and Sarrou close behind.

World Champion Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) is here at what is bscially a home race for the Brit given he lives in Andorra, and he'll want to impress after being off the pace in Friday's XCC race. MTB legend Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM), Jordan Sarrou (BMC), Luca Braidot (Santa Cruz Rockshox) and Joshua Dubau (Rockrider Ford) are also ones to watch with many World Cup wins between them throughout the years.

After a thrilling women's race earlier today, we are around seven minutes from the start of the men's race in Pal Arinsal with many of the best riders in the world present and prepared for over an hour of brutal racing in the mud, rain, cold and altitude of Andorra.

Mona Mitterwallner (Cannondale Factory Racing) - 1:14:09
Alessandra Keller (Thomus Maxon) + 0:34
Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Ineos Grenadiers) + 1:28
Loana Lecomte (Canyon CLLCTV) + 1:34
Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing) + 1:40
Martina Berta (Santa Cruz Rockshox) + 2:04
Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) + 2:16
Anne Terpstra (Ghost Factory Racing) + 2:57
Savilia Blunk (Rockrider Ford Racing) + 3:31
Kate Courtney (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing) +3:52

Despite only finishing in seventh after an early crash, Pieterse does maintain her lead in the overall XCO World Cup standings, 269 points ahead of Ferrand-Prevot in second and Keller in third a further 55 points behind. Mitterwallner's victory jumped her up from sixth overall to fourth.

"It means so much to me. It took me a long time, it feels like ages and I know I am just 21 but its just 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 he rain. I just didn't know what I could do today but i just kept believing and now finally it came true," said Mitterwallner after the finish. "The lap before I saw that she [Keller] struggled there in the downhill and I was like 'I need to try make my gap there' because I really like the mud. I have no problem to race 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."

What an incredible performance from the 21-year-old Austrian to take her first elite MTB XCO World Cup victory. It's pure emotion at the finish as it sinks in just what Mitterwallner has accomplished. Keller stayed strong for second to add to her XCC win on Friday, with Ferrand-Prevot in third, Lecomte just behind her and Richards in fifth.

This will be a huge moment in the career of the young Austrian and its a win that has been coming for some time.

Ferrand-Prevot will want to hang onto third place, but she's got Lecomte and Richards both pushing hard to try and catch her.

Its far from over as one mistake can ruin your whole race. The Austrian just momentarily unclipped and had to put a foot down at the top of a climb, but she got going quickly and still had a decent lead over Keller.

The fight for third place could still be on with Loana Lecomte (Canyon CLLCTV) moving up positions as the laps tick by. Richards and Lecomte are close to reaching Ferrand-Prevot, but they may run out of laps.

Mitterwallner's advantage is already out to 16 seconds with Keller showing visible pain on her face. The young Austrian has never won a XCO World Cup race despite a number of solid podium performances. Is this finally her day?

She hits up the inside of the Swiss rider and attacks her just prior to an incline. She's got a small gap and was just forced to shout at a back marker before a descent section.

Keller is clearly superior in the descents and you would assume Mitterwallner's big advantage would be over the steepest part of a climb given her smaller size.

Mitterwallner has to make small efforts to reach back to Keller's wheel as she gets gapped in the descents. The Austrian looks very calm, however, and an attack may be imminent for her on the climbs.

The course has claimed some victims in crashes behind with incredibly testing conditions.

The World Champion is left behind by Mitterwallner, who is now getting closer to Keller after the Swiss rider made a small mistake over one of the slippery rock sections.

With Keller asserting her dominance and moving to the head of the race, Mitterwallner has attacked Ferrand-Prevot in an attempt to catch the Swiss leader.

She's left the World Champion behind on the climb and is trying to extend on the descent section.

The duo out in front are back together with Mitterwallner now just 10 seconds back and well within reach of the front. What a season it's been for the young Austrian champion.

She could've sat in Ferrand-Prevot's wheel, but immediately hits the front ahead of the pump-track section. Can the World Champion hang on?

It had looked as if Ferrand-Prevot was simply going to rider away as she did in Scotland at the World Championships, but Kller is very close now at just 3 seconds down and Mitterwallner is also decreasing the French rider's lead at the front.

Ferrand-Prevot is being closed down after she was visibly keeping it safe on the incredibly slippery descent section. Keller sits just 10 seconds back now.

Recently crowned MTB XC Marathon World Champion, Mona Mitterwallner (Cannondale Factory), is making her way through the pack and using her strong climbing ability to pass riders.

The Swiss rider looks fantastic and has gapped the Italian and British champions in pursuit of Ferrand-Prevot.

The French rider looks typically calm and focused as she starts the second of five laps. Behind still comes Berta, now 20 seconds back, with Keller and Richards the closest behind her.

Ferrand-Prevot is showing off the rainbow stripes at the head of the race with a now 10-second gap from Berta, and Richards leading the chase a further eight seconds back.

The Swiss rider wasn't as explosive off the start, but is making her way up through the pack . Ferrand-Prevot has caught up to and left Berta in her dust on the long climb.

Nightmare start for the XCO World Cup leader as she takes a tumble and holds up the majority of the pack behind Berta and Ferrand-Prevot.

Its been a great start for the Italian champion to get out in front. World Champion Ferrand-Prevot moved past Pieterse after the explosive start, with Richards following closely behind.

Everyone gets away clean with Martina Berta (Santa-Cruz Rockshox) taking the early lead into the first climb of the race.

We're minutes away from action getting underway in Andorra, with umbrellas and rain jackets common among all riders on the start line. It's going to be cold, wet, muddy, lung-busting and technical right from the off.

Overall leader of XCO standings, Pieterse, takes the start here and has been excellent all season in the longer format, so look out for her attacking straight from the start. Recently crowned World Champion and all-time legend of the sport, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Ineos Grenadiers) is also present, but was off the pace in Friday's XCC race and finished sixth. That still puts her onto a front row start, however, so the French rider should be right in the mix. Keller should of course be strong and confident after her win in the XCC, with last year's winner in Andorra, Anne Terpstra (Ghost Factory Racing), also one to watch.

Pal Arinsal is the highest course of the year and has build up a reputation of being a very difficult venue due to its very steep gradients that max out at 25% in places across the 3,8km lap and at an altitude above 2000m, the riders will be fighting harder than normal for oxygen with the risk of blowing up completely very apparent. We've seen slippery conditions in the U23 races this morning, so expect more of the same with the rain likely to continue falling. We're in for a mud-fest.

Friday's Cross-Country Short Track races saw a dominant win for Switzerland's Alessandra Keller (Thomus Maxon) as she led from the front and held of a strong charge from British Champion, Evie Richards (Trek Factory), with Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in third. Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon-CLLCTV) produced a typically powerful sprint to take victory in the men's race ahead of Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB) and Jordan Sarrou (BMC) and extend his lead in the overall XCC standings.

Good morning and welcome to live coverage of the next round of racing at the UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Today's action sees both the men's and women's elite MTB Cross-Country Olympic races in Pal Arinsal, Andorra. Many of the sport's finest will line up on the start line here in the Pyrenees, ready to battle it out on laps of a 3.8km course. They'll also have rainy conditions and the high altitude to contend with throughout what should be a brutal day of racing.

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