Annie Last (OMX Pro Team) became the first British rider in 20 years to win an Elite cross-country World Cup race on Sunday at Round 4 in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.
The Lenzerheide circuit, while not at as high an altitude as Andorra last weekend, is still nearly 1500 metres above sea level. The 4.2 kilometre circuit has one longer opening climb and a series of short steep climbs, combined with numerous rough and rooty forest sections. Heavy rain the night before made the wooded sections almost unrideable in places, and the UCI made the unusual decision of cutting a lap from the women's race part way through the competition (they also cut a lap from the men's race after).
Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Team Merida Gunn-Rita) and Yolanda Neff (Kross Racing) opened a gap on the first lap of six (initially seven), with Neff falling back halfway through the lap, leaving Dahle Flesjaa alone up front. The Norwegian, chasing her 30th career World Cup win, was joined at the front on the next lap by World Cup leader Yana Belomoina (CST Sandd American Eagle), and the two swapped the lead position over the next few laps, with Belomoina stronger on the climbs and Dahle Flesjaa better in the technical sections.
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However, Last, who has struggled with back problems over the past few years, was steadily moving up from behind, into third by Lap 4 (when the lap reduction was announced) and joining the leaders on the fifth lap. She attacked late in the lap to move seven seconds clear of Dahle Flesjaa by the start of the final lap, with Belomoina starting to drop back further. Last had the fastest lap of the day on the final lap, to beat Dahle Flesjaa by 13 seconds and Belomoina by 27 seconds. With her win, Last became the first British World Cup winner since Caroline Alexander in 1997 at St-Wendel, Germany. It should be noted that Dahle Flesjaa was 17th in St-Wendel that year and Sabine Spitz (Wiawis Bikes), 13th in Lenzerheide, was 24th in the 1997 race.
"To be honest, I have no idea what I feel right now," said Last, overwhelmed by her win. "I've had a tough couple of years, and even to be racing felt incredible, and then to move forward like that ... it's not sunk in yet. It's unbelievable and I'm so happy."
Dahle, who was looking for her 30th World Cup win, was gracious in her defeat, saying "I'm really happy with my result, and I'm also happy for Annie winning her first World Cup ever. There were a lot of strong women out there and you need a good day to be top three."
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