#3 UCI World Series Leogang

One week after the race in Lenzerheide, the Untermünkheim-based Cube Next Generation XC Team went to Leogang for the third round of the UCI World Series. Leogang is located in the Austrian province of Salzburg, in the Pinzgauer Saalachtal, southwest of the city of Salzburg.

The course in Leogang is characterized by steep climbs and descents and is therefore particularly popular with riders who like climbing. The U23 rider Kira Böhm started for the Cube Next Generation XC Team in the short track. Eighth overall in the World Cup Standing, she is always good for a top placement, especially in short track. The same in Leogang, Kira Böhm was able to keep up with the top athletes from the start. Despite everything, the shorter course of the short track in Leogang led over the start ascent on the meadow over the steep gravel part, up to the edge of the forest, back to the bike park. In total, the U23 women were allowed to go up and down five times, which is a lot of effort in this short time of around 25 minutes.

Kira Böhm consistently positioned herself in the top 10 before closing in on the top 5 in the final laps. With a bit of luck she even moved up to 4th place in the last lap, but then after a little inattentiveness, the front wheel slipped away from the woman from Freiburg. With a few meters to the finish, she was then overtaken by 3 riders before she crossed the finish line in seventh place. It's a pity that it wasn't enough for a better placement, especially with this starting position, but with this 7th place she is sure to have a front row start in the following race.

On Sunday at 8.30 a.m. the first starting shot with Kira Böhm from the front row. On the very demanding course, which demands a lot from the athletes, especially physically, the young athlete from Weilheim never really finds her way into the race, but fights her way through in the top 15. At the end she can step on the gas again and finishes the race in a good 13th place. “Of course, with the successes of the last week and in the previous races of the UCI World Series, I have planned more. However, my goal this season was and is to consistently finish in the top 15. I managed that and that's why I'm satisfied, even if I expected more." said Kira Böhm after the race.

Lars Gräter from Schwäbisch Hall was back in Leogang for the U23 men, but after 2.5 weeks of illness, you couldn't expect him to be in top form. On the other hand, Töginger Fabian Eder, in his second U23 year, had a lot planned. As always, the pace was very high right from the start. With increasing heat, in addition to the strain on the route, the temperature also came up, so it was important to eat well and try to provide the body with liquids and, if necessary, cool down a bit. As expected, Lars Gräter fell behind quickly from the start and the only positive thing about that day was that he fought his way through the race to at least take the toughness of the race with him as training. However, things didn't really go well for Fabian Eder either, he was stuck in traffic and never really made any progress. In the end, the two finish visibly disappointed in 70th place for Fabian Eder and 92nd for Lars Gräter. Sven Straehle in the elite men was then allowed to go out on the track at almost 30 degrees. As always in the UCI World Cup, it was his task to catch up with as many riders as possible from 100th place. The Böbinger never really got into the race either, nobody knew why. The form should actually be there after his good race to catch up in Lenzerheide, but sometimes there are days, as the saying goes, when nothing works out. In the end he finishes in 82nd place. “I don't know either, the start is always very hectic, you have to try not to fall but also make up positions. It's always a bit of a gamble. But I didn't get into my racing mode even after the difficult start phase, so it was a tough day on the saddle.”