"I didn't expect anything from my first cross-country World Cup race, but now I'm all the happier about my victory," beams Loana Lecomte, adding: "I didn't really think much about the decisive moment on lap three. I just rode my race on the long climb and got away from Pauline."

From this moment on, the 21-year-old continuously extended her lead. Her lead over world champion Ferrand Prevot was up to fifty seconds on the final lap. Behind her, Dutch rider Anne Terpstra increasingly fought her way forward and even overtook Ferrand Prevot. Lecomte's lead also gradually melted, but not threateningly, to 31 seconds.

Two more surprises follow in fourth and fifth place: French rider Lena Gerault and twenty-year-old Austrian Laura Stigger are at the front for the first time, with Stigger still an U23 rider in her first elite year in the World Cup.
Sina Frei is in the first group from the start, then in the chasing group. She finished the race unexcited but in a very good seventh place, just under forty seconds behind the podium.
Frei confirms that her race was unexcited: "For the first time, it's super cool that a World Cup is taking place at all. In the race, I was able to ride at a high pace right up to the limit, but I wasn't yet able to go beyond that, which is necessary to be at the front. However, I am very satisfied with my performance. Now I'm trying to recover as best I can, because the next race is coming up soon and offers the next opportunity."

Another Swiss athlete is doing well. "I'm very happy with my race! As I didn't have the UCI points due to my injury last year, I wasn't able to compete in the short track race and fight for a good starting position in the cross country," summarizes Alessandra Keller. She therefore starts far back and invests a lot on the first lap to get out of the pack. This investment pays off, Keller gradually rides forward and ends up in tenth place after her strong race to catch up.
Linda Indergand takes 13th place, Jolanda Neff doesn't really get up to speed and finishes 17th

Results XC Women's World Cup

1. Loana LEcomte (FRA)
2. Anne Terpstra (NED)
3. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA)
4th Lena Gerault (FRA)
5th Laura Stigger (AUT)
6th Kate Courtney (USA)
7th Sina Frei (SUI)
8. Evie Richards (GBR)
9th Rebecca McConnell (AUS)
10th Alessandra Keller (SUI)
13th Linda Indergand (SUI)
17th Jolanda Neff (SUI)
27th Andrea Waldis (SUI)
29th Nicole Koller (SUI)
36th Kathrin Stirnemann (SUI)
47th Janina Wust (SUI)
48th Ramona Forchini (SUI)

Full results