Ferrand Prevot and MVP win short track in Lenzerheide
Jolanda Neff misses out on her third short track victory in a row and is still waiting for her first World Cup win in front of a home crowd in Lenzerheide. Neff always stays in the first positions, but in the end she is too early in the wind.
Pauline Ferrand Prevot rides past the inside edge on the curved finish and takes her first short track success."That was sh...", Neff says in the interview with a laugh. "I think I still need to learn where I need to be at the front." She praises the audience and the atmosphere and is confident for Sunday.Jenny Rissveds comes in third, one second behind, after losing positions in the meantime by slipping off the pedals.
Alessandra Keller can't quite hold on in the finish, but secures the front row for Sunday in eighth place.
A curious scene occurred one lap before the end. The German Elisabeth Brandau had worked her way up from the 20s to the leading group, took the lead and rode at the front for two laps. At the end of the penultimate lap, she opens up a gap, but Brandau thinks it's the last one-kilometer loop, clenches her fist as she crosses the finish line and gets off her bike. She doesn't realize it until far too late and only finishes 21st.
Men: Schurter rides actively
In a varied men's race, Nino Schurter shows himself to be more active than usual in the short track in front of the large crowd in Graubünden.
He attacked once early on and tried again three laps before the end. His acceleration is neutralized by Mathieu van der Poel and Henrique Avancini. On the final lap, it is Avancini who attacks first and van der Poel overtakes the attack.
Nino Schurter is powerless in this situation, but secures third place, five seconds behind Van der Poel, who celebrates his eighth short track success and is now unbeaten in four races in a row, including the European Championships.
"I had good legs, it was perhaps my best short track ever," said a satisfied Schurter. "I couldn't keep up with the peak that Mathieu set. He is simply the best in this discipline. But he's also ridden stronger short tracks and I've perhaps ridden my best. I'm confident for Sunday."
Mathias Flückiger shows himself in the lead at the start. "In hindsight, that was perhaps a bit too much," admits Flückiger. "It's just a shame that I always lose points in the overall standings like that. But it doesn't matter now anyway, because I won't be riding the final in Snowshoe and will instead be preparing for the marathon world championships in Grächen." Flückiger ultimately finished tenth.
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