Beerten beats the best

Defending 2009 women's four cross World Cup champion Anneke Beerten (Suspension Center) finally won her first World Cup of the year in the cold temperatures and mud of Leogang, Austria. Beerten's win also vaulted her into the lead of the overall series.

In the absence of World Cup leader Jana Horakova of the Czech Republic, who is preparing for the BMX World Championships, the lead for the women's series was going to change, but would it be Beerten, local Austrian favourite Anita Molcik or Czech rider Romana Labounkova?

Labounkova qualified fastest, followed by Molcik and Beerten, but all three were separated by less than a second.

Molcik crashed out in the slippery conditions in the semi-final round, setting up a final with Beerten, Labounkova, Fionn Griffiths (Norco World Team) and South African Joanna Petterson.

Beerten got a good start gate and led from start to finish, while Griffiths and Labounkova fought for second. The pair tangled on the last turn, allowing Petterson to squeak by for second, with Labounkova having to settle for third. Molcik won the small final for fifth place.

The win put Beerten into the series lead, 10 points ahead of the absent Horakova, with Molcik a further 10 points back in third.

Full Results