Anneke Beerten, 2007 Fourcross World Cup overall winner and new entrant of MS-Intense Factory-Racing, dominated the first UCI World Cup fourcross race of the 2008 season.
After last year’s return to the schedule the Slovenian city of Maribor held the inaugural downhill and fourcross races of the upcoming 2008 UCI World Cup season. Perfect weather conditions and breathtaking racing action drew a large crowd to Maribor’s Pohorje mountains.
With Anneke Beerten and Mio Suemasa the MS-Intense Factory-Racing team sent two riders into the women’s fourcross competition. While Mio crashed in her first heat right after the start, Anneke won all her runs, making a sovereign entrance into the big final. There she immediately took the lead after a quick start, showing an impressive racing performance from top to bottom. While she led the pack over the challenging course none of her opponents could keep up with her speed. Finally she crossed the finish line winning the first 2008 UCI World Cup fourcross race by a clear margin. According to Anneke, the fact oft being the favorite for this season’s World Cup fourcross crown doesn’t make her lose her focus and motivation on winning as may races as possible.
Results women:
1. Anneke Beerten NED/ MS- INTENSE FACTORY- RACING
2. Anita Moclik AUT/ 4 ELEMENTS YETI/HOTEC/RSP
3. Fionn Griffith GBR/ Norco World Team
Results men:
1. Alvarez De Lara Lucas Rafael ESP
2. Guido Tschugg GER
3. Johannes Fischbach GER
The men’s downhill final was Matti Lehikoinen’s first major race after recovering from three broken thoractic vertebrae suffered in a training accident two days after finishing second in the 2007 UCI Downhill World Cup overall ranking. Unfortunately, while looking smooth and quick on the track, the rear hub on Matti’s bike broke before the first split time, leaving him without pedaling power for the rest of his run. As if that wasn’t enough bad luck he also blew the cartridge of his fork, thereby losing the last bit of a chance to get anywhere near the podium. He eventually finished in 54th position.
While Maribor was Matti’s first World Cup after his spinal injury, 19-year old young gun J.D. Swanguen raced his first World Cup downhill race ever. Finishing in 27th position gave him a good start into the elite class of mountain bike racing. As a skilled young and confident rider from San Diego, California he showed the potential to find himself on a World Cup podium sometime in the future.
Results women:
1. Sabrina Jonnier FRA/ Maxxis
2. Rachel Atherton GBR/ Animal Commencal
3. Emmeline Ragot FRA/ Suspension Center
Results men:
1. Sam Hill AUS/ Iron Horse
2. Julien Camellini FRA/ Chain Reaction Cycles/ Intense
3. Steve Peat GBR/ Santa Cruz Syndicate
Next stop for the complete MS-Intense Factory-Racing team will be the second UCI World Cup for downhill & fourcross in Andorra from May 29th till June 1st 2008.
See ya there!
