Day 5 saw more XC action with two World Championship titles to be decided – Elite men and Elite women.

With Gunn Rita Dahle Flesjaa not in contention, it was anyone’s guess who would do the business in the women’s race. Hot money was on experienced rider Sabine Spitz, with Russian Irina Kalentieva a close second. And there was a good outside chance that the Chinese rider Jing Jing Wang could cause an upset.

With 72 riders on the line, it was always going to be a scrum on the first lap. As the gun fired and the riders set off at lightning speed, we saw the first of many crashes on the first corner.

On lap three of the four-lap race, Kalentieva made her move and started to open up a gap on second-placed Wang, with Spitz further behind in third. Kalentieva secured her position of the World’s number one, leaving Wang and Spitz to fight it out for sliver and bronze. In the end Spitz came round the fading Wang to pick up the silver, with Wang hanging on to the bronze.

GB riders had a mid-pack race, with Jenny Copnall picking up 47th and Ruth McGavigan 56th. Liz Scalia was forced to abandon the race after riding more than half a lap sans saddle after he seat post snapped.

On to the men’s race and here it was reigning Champ Julian Absalon who was the man to beat. Loads tried to outwit the canny Frenchman – Christoph Sauser’s attack gained him space but a broken shoe ratchet saw him drop back down the pack.

Absalon seemed undeterred by the attacks going on around him and by lap three he was out in front on his own, being chased by Naef, Vogel, Hermida and Sauser who’d made it back to the chasing pack.

Six laps and nearly two and half hours later, Absalon came home to take victory, whilst Naef and team mate Vogel added to the Swiss medal haul, with Silver and Bronze respectively.

Oli Beckingsale did a so-so race coming home in 35th, a result he wasn’t that impressed with, whilst team mate Ian Wilkinson flew to the line, picking up 42nd. Liam Killeen made a welcome return to racing, but with his start position right at the back of the grid, he knew he wasn’t going to do anything spectacular. However he wowed the crowds as he flew from 112th up into 44th. Looking smooth and controlled as ever, he looked to be enjoying the whole experience and is now clearly on the road to recovery.