American Kate Courtney, 23, entered the 2018 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships as an emerging contenders for world honors in the Cross Country Olympic (XCO) class. She ranked ninth in the Mountain Bike World Cup standings and had finished in the top 10 in all six races, with a high of sixth.
But at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Lenzerheide (SUI), she found herself chasing 2016 World Champion Annika Langvad (DEN) for the lead on the fourth lap. By the end of that circuit, she had the lead and with excellent riding over the remaining difficult, technical sections, forged a lead that even Langvad could not overcome and won by 47 seconds!
“It’s an absolute incredible feeling to win,” said Courtney afterwards. “I don’t know if it’s really sunk in yet. I was so focused on executing my race plan, and to look up at the finish and realize that I was first was an incredible feeling. I just focused on riding the cleanest lines I could, and I knew that was my opportunity.”
Langvad finished second and Canada’s Emily Batty was third for the second time in the past three years. It was the first medal for an American woman in this race since Lea Davison’s silver in 2016, but the first win since Alison Dunlap won back in 2001!
The men’s race had so such upset, as Swiss star Nino Schurter continued his complete domination of this discipline with his seventh world title and his fourth straight win. He finished 11 seconds ahead of Gerhard Kerschbaumer (ITA), who really emerged on this year’s circuit, with Mathieu van der Poel (NED) third.
The women’s Downhill saw another dynasty continue, as Britain’s Rachel Atherton came all the way back from last year’s injuries to win her fifth world title, ahead of teammate Tahnee Seagrave (GBR) and France’s Myriam Nicole, who won a medal in her third consecutive World Championships. Switzerland’s Loic Bruni repeated his World Championships win from 2017 and now has three world titles in the past four years.
The Worlds was a big success in Lenzerheide, with 20,000 spectators for the final day and more than 65,000 for the five days of the event. Summaries:
UCI Mountain Bike World Championships
Lenzerheide (SUI) ~ 5-9 September 2018
(Full results here)
Men/Cross Country (33.6 km): 1. Nino Schurter (SUI), 1:29:21; 2. Gerhard Kerschbaumer (ITA), 1:29:32; 3. Mathieu van der Poel (NED), 1:30:35; 4. Henrique Avancini (BRA), 1:31:14; 5. Florian Vogel (SUI), 1:31:15; 6. Mathias Flueckiger (SUI), 1:31:21; 7. Titouan Carod (FRA), 1:31:37; 8. Jordan Sarrou (FRA), 1:31:59; 9. Daniele Braidot (ITA), 1:32:06; 10. Thomas Litscher (SUI), 1:32:25. Also in the top 50: 15. Howard Grotts (USA), 1:33:45; … 46. Lukas Vrouwenvelder (USA), 1:37:08; 47. Keegan Swenson (USA), 1:37:09.
Men/Junior Cross Country (25.2 km): 1. Alexandre Balmer (SUI), 1:13:45; 2. Leon Kaiser (GER), 1:13:47; 3. Mathis Azzaro (FRA), 1:14:58; 4. Loris Rouiller (SUI), 1:15:07; 5. Moritz Schab (GER), 1:15:38. Also in the top 25: 13. Kevin Vermaerke (USA), 1:18:34.
Women/Cross Country (29.4 km): 1. Kate Courtney (USA), 1:34:55; 2. Annika Langvad (DEN), 1:35:42; 3. Emily Batty (CAN), 1:36:53; 4. Jolanda Neff (SUI), 1:37:08; 5. Maja Wloszcowska (POL), 1:38:10; 6. Haley Smith (CAN), 1:38:34; 7. Anne Tauber (NED), 1:39:03; 8. Elisabeth Brandau (GER), 1:39:15; 9. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (NOR), 1:39:24; 10. Irina Kalentyeva (RUYS), 1:39:42. Also in the top 50: 12. Erin Huck (USA), 1:40:00; … 24. Lea Davison (USA), 1:43:48
Women/Junior Cross Country (21.0 km): 1. Laura Stigger (AUT), 1:09:46; 2. Tereza Saskova (CZE), 1:12:49; 3. Harriet Harnden (GBR), 1:13:23; 4. Isaure Medde (FRA), 1:14:25; 5. Sofie Heby Pedersen (DEN), 1:14:50.
Men/Downhill: 1. Loic Bruni (SUI), 2:55.114; 2. Martin Maes (BEL), 2:55.327; 3. Danny Hart (GBR), 2:55.419; 4. Loris Vergier (FRA), 2:55.863; 5. Aaron Gwin (USA), 2:56.455; 6. Luca Shaw (USA), 2:57.308; 7. Laurie Greenland (GBR), 2:57.736; 8. Greg Minnaar (RSA), 2:57.788; 9. Troy Brosnan (AUS), 2:58.015; 10. Matt Walker (GBR), 2:58.508. Also in the top 50: 21. Dakotah Norton (GBR), 3:01.127; … 23. Charlie Harrison (USA), 3:01.230.
Men/Junior Downhill: 1. Kade Edwards (GBR), 3:03.225; 2. Kye A’Hern (AUS), 3:07.635; 3. Elliot Jamieson (CAN), 3:08.663; 4. Thibaut Daprela (FRA), 3:09.036; 5. Henry Kerr (GBR), 3:09.040. Also in the top 25: 25. Cole Suetos (USA), 3:17.762.
Women/Downhill: 1. Rachel Atherton (GBR), 3:15.738; 2. Tahnee Seagrave (GBR), 3:25.721; 3. Myriam Nicole (FRA), 3:26.414; 4. Marine Caribou (FRA), 3:31.701; 5. Tracey Hannah (AUS), 3:31.704; 6. Emilie Siegenthaler (SUI), 3:36.467; 7. Morgane Charre (FRA), 3:39.728; 8. Katy Curd (GBR), 3:40.854; 9. Nina Hoffmann (GER), 3:41.824; 10. Janine Hubscher (SUI), 3:44.869.
Women/Junior Downhill: 1. Valentina Hall (AUT), 3:29.726; 2. Anna Newkirk (USA), 3:50.607; 3. Mille Johnset (NOR), 3:56.420; 4. Nastasia Gimenez (FRA), 3:57.017; 5. Paula Zibasa (LAT), 4:00.988. Also in the top 25: 7. Samantha Soriano (USA), 4:09.714; … 9. Kaytlin Melvin (USA), 4:17.389.
