Last year, Nino Schurter provided the picture of the weekend in the short circuit race in Albstadt: he bent over his jammed rear derailleur while the field sped away. This year he controlled the field from the start almost to the finish. On the one hand, the Swiss riders around him were pleasingly strong: alongside his team-mate Lars Forster, Mathias Flückiger was also always in the top ten. But Henrique Avancini was also obviously ready for the short stage, the Brazilian colors always at the front of the field. In the end, however, it was the man whose attack no one in the Mountain Bike World Cup seems to be able to match: Mathieu van der Poel. Behind Lars Forster, he turned around the last bend onto the short finishing straight, then stepped on the gas pedal and didn't give Forster, Schurter and co. the slightest chance. Forster confessed at the finish: "Coming second behind Mathieu is no disgrace." At this point, it is worth remembering that von der Poel won the Amstel Gold Race road race a few weeks ago - with a finish that has hardly ever been seen before in cycling. Schurter, Forster and co. would do well not to let it come down to lane decisions with the Dutch hunk in the Cross-Country World Cup.

In the women's race, Jolanda Neff set the pace for almost all eight laps. Kathrin Stirnemann had a very strong performance; the former Eliminator World Champion obviously likes the short circuit. On the pump track shortly before the finish, she made up the decisive positions and finished third. The tactical masterstroke, however, was delivered by Kate Courtney: on the last lap she fought her way to the front and sprinted to victory with Jolanda Neff. Only the finish photo confirmed that the world champion had beaten the overall World Cup winner. "The home straight was a bit too short for me, but I'm taking a positive feeling from the short circuit," explained Neff at the finish.
Revenge is on Sunday afternoon. And because the ranking list for the Short Cicruit Race becomes the start list for the cross-country race, the toughest rivals from today will be shoulder to shoulder on the start line.
If the weather forecast is right, then the direct broadcast of the race on Sunday afternoon is definitely a valid alternative. The weather is unlikely to get any better on the Swabian Alb.
Start women: 11.20 am
Start men: 14.35 hrs
Info: www.world-cup-albstadt.de/
Live broadcast: www.redbull.tv