Cuthbert scores best ever UCI World Cup result in Lenzerheide

12 Jun 2023 | 10:34 AMBy: AusCycling

Zoe Cuthbert has recorded her best ever results at a UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.

The Canberra rider lined up for the short-track on Friday and put in a sensational race to finish one place off the podium in fourth behind Switzerlands Ronja Blochlinger (LIV Factory Racing).

That result would gurantee Cuthbert a front-row start on Sunday for the all important XCO.

The National Championship silver medalist would form a break away of three early in the five-lap race as they all chased the Netherlands Sofie Pedersen (Willier – Pirelli Factory Racing Team).

Pedersen would go on to take her second straight win, while the Australian rode to a career best fifth place and will take plenty of confidence heading into the next round in Leogang, Austria this weekend.

In the U23 men Domenic Paolilli would finish on the lead lap in 90th place nine minutes behind winner Dario Lillo.

In the elite categories, Rebecca Henderson (Primaflor Mondaker Genuins) would finish 10th in Friday’s short-track for a second row start in Sunday’s XCO.

But it wouldn’t be the National Champions day as she recorded a 24th place finish.

While Sam Fox (Team Bridgelane) fought his way from the back of the field to record at 44th finish on a day when Nino Schurter (SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing Team) claimed a record breaking 34th World Cup victory.

Full results

In the downhill, Sian A'Hern (YT Mob) and Troy Brosnan (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) would be the only Australian's to make it through qualifying.

After an 11th place in the semi-finals Brosnan would secure a top 10 finish at the first of the downhill World Cup season.