Ramona Forchini surprisingly finishes on the podium in the cross-country at the Mountain Bike World Cup in Leogang. The Toggenburg native equals her career-best result in third place. Jolanda Neff finishes a strong fourth.
08.06.2025, 14:56
08.06.2025, 15:12
SDA
These are stories that only sport can write. As recently as February, Ramona Forchini was threatened with the end of her career because she suddenly found herself without a team. A good four months later, the 30-year-old from St. Gallen is on the podium in the World Cup for the second time in her career - and on a course that was previously not one of her favorites.
But this Sunday, Forchini coped very well in the wet conditions in Salzburgerland. She quickly established herself in the front positions after the start and maintained her place in the top 3 until the end. Her only podium finish in the World Cup to date was almost three years ago in Andorra, when she also finished third.
Jolanda Neff strong fourth place
Jolanda Neff also put in a strong performance in Leogang in fourth place on her preferred muddy course. The 2021 Olympic champion, whose last World Cup victory was three years ago, can also look back on a difficult time after she was forced to withdraw from the Olympics last year due to breathing problems. Nicole Koller (8th) was the third Swiss woman to finish the race in the top 10.
World champion Pieterse once again untouchable
As in the short race two days earlier, world champion Puck Pieterse was celebrated as the superior winner. The fast starter from the Netherlands won after a long solo run with a lead of more than a minute over the overall World Cup leader Samara Maxwell from New Zealand. Pieterse thus celebrated her fifth World Cup victory in the Olympic cross-country, her second in a row.
