2013 UCI World Cup Round 6 Leogang

"The 2013 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano concludes on Sunday with the final round of the Downhill competition, in Leogang, Austria, site of the 2012 world championships.

The 2600 metre Downhill run will favour riders with fitness and endurance. The very fast course has a 'Bike Park' feel to it, and requires riders to pedal hard to maintain speed all the way down, especially on the opening half of the run. The weather forecast is for near perfect conditions - with sunny periods and temperatures in the mid-teens (Celcius).

Downhill Women: Atherton in line for title

Last weekend, at the penultimate fifth round in Hafjell, Norway, women's World Cup leader and world champion Rachel Atherton (GT Factory) extended her lead in the overall standings to 160 points over second placed rival Emmeline Ragot (Lapierre Gravity Republic), virtually assuring her of the title.

Ragot is the only rider to have beaten Atherton this season on the World Cup circuit, in round four at Mont Ste Anne, Canada, and will certainly be looking for a win to finish off the season. Other women to watch include third placed overall rider Manon Carpenter (Madison Saracen), who is looking for her first World Cup victory, and Morgane Charre (MS Mondraker), who won the world title in Leogang a year ago.

Downhill Men: competition tight

On the men's side, the competition tightened dramatically after round five, with Steve Smith (Devinci Global Racing) closing to within a mere 17 points of World Cup leader Gee Atherton (GT Factory) with his win in Hafjell. Smith has been closing the gap steadily, with wins in the last two rounds of the series, and the course at Leogang suits him, as evidenced by his bronze medal at the world championships last year.

Having said that, Gee Atherton also rides well in Leogang, finishing in the silver medal spot ahead of Smith at the world championships. Atherton has been extremely consistent all season, with two wins and two second places in five races this year, only finishing off the podium in Hafjell after crashing.

While the race for the overall World Cup title is down to these two riders, there is one other rider who could easily take the victory at Leogang - world champion Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate), who beat both Atherton and Smith last year to win the world title.

In the Junior men's competition there are still four riders in the hunt for the title - World Cup leader Michael Jones (FMD Racing/Intense Cycles), Loris Vergier (Lapierre Gravity Republic), Dean Lucas (Australia National) and Noel Niederberger (Gstaad-Scott).

The action begins on Saturday with the Qualifying runs, and the World Cup concludes on Sunday with the Downhill Final.

Four-cross Men: Who will succeed Rinderchknect?

Member of Switzerland’s Olympic BMX selection (of which he is now coach), Roger Rinderknecht got his hands on the title that he had been missing: that of World Champion. Last year he announced his retirement shortly after his success in Leogang.

For the second consecutive year, the Four-cross World Championships return to the Austrian slopes, and there are a number of athletes in with a chance of claiming the rainbow jersey. Among them, the Czech Michael Mechura (20 years old), second last year and recent winner of an international event on this very Leogang track. His fellow countryman Thomas Slavik, third last year, is again among the favourites. But don’t rule out Michal Prokop, triple World Champion in search of a record.

Four-cross Women: Buchanan dreams of an exploit

BMX World Champion, the Australian Caroline Buchanan is looking for another world medal this year. Although she did not succeed her mission in the downhill at Pietermaritzburg (5th), she will set off in Leogang as one of the favourites. Already World Champion twice (2009-2010) in this discipline, she has proved that she has not lost her touch, dominating Anneke Beerten last weekend in the Leogang international event. The Dutch athlete, winner the last two seasons, is definitely in danger. Will she cope with the pressure?"

2013 UCI Leogang Junior Men Qualifying Results

1	NIEDERBERGER Noel	SUI19950821	GSTAAD-SCOTT	3:42.018
2	WALLACE Mark	CAN19950601	DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING	+1.350
3	LUCAS Dean	AUS19950502	AUSTRALIA	+2.898
4	VERGIER Loris	FRA19960507	LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC	+3.397
5	JONES Michael	GBR19950222	FMD RACING / INTENSE CYCLES	+4.774
6	GRAHAM Innes	GBR19960703	MS MONDRAKER TEAM	+6.075
7	ALGARRA NAVARRO Daniel	ESP19950314	SPAIN	+6.338
8	ESTAQUE Thomas	FRA19961115	FRANCE	+6.470
9	PIERRON Amaury	FRA19960304	FRANCE	+6.846
10	COLOMBO Francesco	ITA19951209	TEAM AIROH AXO SANTACRUZ	+6.916
11	ZABJEK Jure	SLO19951011	UNIOR TOOLS TEAM	+7.512
12	ZELLNER Siegfried	GER19950304	GERMANY	+8.606
13	ILES Jack	CAN19961007	CANADA	+8.754
14	GANNICOTT George	GBR19950311	DIRT NORCO RACE TEAM	+9.563
15	MCCORMACK Stephen	IRL19951028	IRELAND	+10.194

2013 UCI Leogang Women Qualifying Results

1	ATHERTON Rachel	GBR19871206	GT FACTORY RACING	4:00.974
2	RAGOT Emmeline	FRA19860527	LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC	+1.579
3	KINTNER Jill	USA19811024	TEAM NORCO INTERNATIONAL	+4.123
4	CARPENTER Manon	GBR19930311	MADISON SARACEN DOWNHILL TEAM	+6.243
5	SIEGENTHALER Emilie	SUI19860919	GSTAAD-SCOTT	+8.651
6	CHARRE Morgane	FRA19900609	MS MONDRAKER TEAM	+8.720
7	NICOLE Myriam	FRA19900208	COMMENCAL / RIDING ADDICTION	+12.603
8	SEAGRAVE Tahnee °	GBR19950615	FMD RACING / INTENSE CYCLES	+12.697
9	HANNAH Tracey	AUS19880613	HUTCHINSON UR	+14.367
10	GATTO Micayla	CAN19880821		+17.650
11	GRIFFITHS Fionn	GBR19820827		+18.679
12	MILLER Miranda	CAN19900302		+19.542
13	CERNILOGAR Zarja	SLO19891218	BLACKTHORN GT	+21.859
14	AGER-WICK Anita	NOR19780831		+22.754
15	VERBEECK Vaea	CAN19901125		+26.409

2013 UCI Leogang Men Qualifying Results

1	SMITH Steve	CAN19891125	DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING	3:30.029
2	HANNAH Michael	AUS19831121	HUTCHINSON UR	+1.213
3	ATHERTON Gee	GBR19850226	GT FACTORY RACING	+1.263
4	BRUNI Loic	FRA19940513	LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC	+1.935
5	BLENKINSOP Samuel	NZL19881028	LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC	+3.250
6	BROSNAN Troy	AUS19930713	SPECIALIZED RACING DH	+4.025
7	MULALLY Neko	USA19930219	TREK WORLD RACING	+5.172
8	PEAT Steve	GBR19740617	SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE	+6.040
9	GUTIERREZ VILLEGAS Marcelo	COL19900509	GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM	+6.258
10	BEER Nick	SUI19870917	DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING	+6.376
11	BRYCELAND Josh	GBR19900323	SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE	+7.317
12	BEAUMONT Marc	GBR19840925	GT FACTORY RACING	+7.855
13	FEARON Connor	AUS19940119	KONA	+7.988
14	FIGARET Faustin	FRA19931107	TOPCYCLE BY TREK	+8.129
15	THIRION Rémi	FRA19900423	COMMENCAL / RIDING ADDICTION	+8.247