Andreas Seewald and Mona Mitterwallner are crowned 2021 XCM World Champions

The 2021 XCM World Championship started with high expectations but it was sure to be a very tough race full of surprises. And so it turned out. In the women's category, the very young Austrian Mona Mitterwallner won the race when many did not expect her to win due to her age and "lack of experience". In men, the German Andreas Seewald has been proclaimed World Champion after a real exhibition.  

Andreas Seewald wins 2021 XCM World Championship in Capoliveri

The men's race started with the confirmation that the defending champion, Leo Paez, would finally be out of the competition due to the crash he suffered last week. But it would not be the last notable casualty that we would see in Capoliveri. In addition to the hardness of the course, there was a very high pace and constant accelerations from the beginning of the race, most of them carried out by the members of the Swiss team.

But the race was making its selection and three of the big favourites, Lars Forster due to a broken chain, Andri Frischknecht due to physical problems and Nino Schurter due to stomach problems, dropped out. While other serious candidates for the victory, such as Martin Stosek, Tiago Ferreira or David Valero, were paying the hardness of the day and kept riding between the 8th and 11th position. In addition, David Valero had to deal with a mechanical problem that completely conditioned his race.

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Leading the race with great authority was the German Andreas Seewald, current European XCM champion, accompanied by the Colombian Diego Alfonso Arias Cuervo. Both opened a gap of just over 20 seconds on the last lap and increased it as the kilometres went by. Seewald got rid of the Colombian before the start of the final loop, gaining more than a minute's lead in just a few kilometres.

Andreas Seewald arrived first at the finish line in Capoliveri to become XCM World Champion in one of the highest level World Championships in recent years. Colombian Diego Alfonso Arias Cuervo was second and Portuguese José Días third.

Spanish rider Sergio Mantecón made it into the top 10, 15:50 minutes behind Seewald and David Valero was 11th.

Results 2021 XCM World Championships - Men

1. Seewald Andreas GERMANY 6:02.03,3
2. Arias Cuervo Diego Alfonso COLOMBIA +2.24,4 
3. Dias Jose PORTUGAL +5.31,3 
4. Alleman Wout BELGIUM +9.27,3
5. Stutzmann Marc SWITZERLAND +9.44,6
6. Markt Karl AUSTRIA +11.04,7
7. Swenson Keegan USA +12.33,3 
8. Porro Samuele ITALY +13.48,8 
9. Ferreira Tiago PORTUGAL +14.04,3
10. Mantecón Gutierrez Sergio SPAIN +14.50,3 
11. Valero Serrano David SPAIN +15.46,4 

Full rankings at mtbdata.com

Mona Mitterwallner wins XCM World Champion at 19 years old

In the women's race, Austrian Mona Mitterwallner has once again surprised the international mountain bike scene. With only 19 years old, she has been proclaimed XCM World Champion in the elite category, and she has done it in a very hard race of 80km and more than 3000m supposed to be more favourable for more experienced riders. The Spanish Natalia Fischer has been confirmed as one of the best in the specialty entering third behind the Polish Maja Wloszczowska.

The women's race also started very fast and by kilometre 15 a lead group had formed with six of the strongest riders of the day: Maja Wloszowska, Rebecca McConnell, Alessandra Keller, Giada Specia, Jana Czeczinkarova and Mona Mitterwallner. But the passing of the kilometres began to take its toll and after 50km, 37-year-old Maja Wloszowska from Poland and 19-year-old Mona Mitterwallner from Austria were alone in first place. Behind them Natalia Fischer and Giada Specia were trying to close the gap of almost 2 minutes between them and the leaders.

But with 9 km to go and when many of us thought that Mitterwallner was going to give in to the experienced Wloszowska, the Austrian changed the pace and went solo to the finish line to everyone's surprise.

The victory of Mona Mitterwallner, reigning Under-23 XCO World Champion, is just another confirmation that we are in the presence of a real mountain bike talent.

Results 2021 XCM World Championships - Women 

1. Mitterwallner Mona AUSTRIA 4:48.54 
2. Wloszczowska Maja POLAND +1.13,3
3. Fischer Egusquiza Natalia SPAIN +7.37,2
4. Specia Giada ITALY +10.38,7
5. Luethi Ariane SWITZERLAND +14.20,5
6. De Groot Robyn SOUTH AFRICA +14.43,9
7. Keller Alessandra SWITZERLAND +16.32,8
8. Morath Adelheid GERMANY +18.46,4
9. Tovo Marika 1999 ITALY +20.19,6
10. Mcconnell Rebecca AUSTRALIA +21.24,4

Full rankings at mtbdata.com