Final sprint distance
After the inhospitable conditions the day before, the mountain town of Johanngeorgenstadt hosted the final sprint distance in sunshine as part of the World Cup as well as the Junior European Championships and the Senior World Championships. This race also marked the end of the World Cup season.
In the "City of the Candle Arch" the participants expected a very fast sprint distance with the requirement to make quick decisions. Since the old town was demolished in the 50ies of the previous century due to mining, the task was to navigate through a very open middle town as well as through garden areas. In the area of the destination a map change had to be completed.
The sprint races opened the open classes as well as the seniors. Then followed the participants of the Junior European Championships as well as elite classes.
Nikoline Splittorff crowned herself Queen of the Junior W20 European Championships. With four starts the Danish could take home four gold medals. Jana Hnilica (Austria) won the W17 European Championship race. Dmitriy Rakovitsa (Russia) and Thomas Steinthal (Denmark) won the European Championship titles in the men's singles.
In the elite classes there were once more top-class runs to watch on the video screen. In the women's race Emily Benham Kvale (Great Britain) won this time with a big gap ahead of Marika Hara (Finland) and Veronika Kubinova (Czech Republic). Krystof Bogar (Czech Republic) stood at the top of the podium ahead of Anton Foliforov (Russia) and Lauri Malsroos (Estonia).
The Masters classes were won by Petr Jasek (Czech Republic / M40), Beat Schaffner (OLG Bern / M45), Bjarne Hoffmann (Mariager Fjord OK / M50), Per Gustavsson (Goteborg Majorna OK / M55), Tamas Janko (Hegyisport Szentendre Egyesule / M60), Lars Ponten (IF Thor / M65), Niels Duedahl (OK Oest Birkeroed / M70), Jan Hausner (OK Oest Bireroed / M75) and Jack Skrydstrup (Kolding OK / M80).
The strongest women among the seniors were Anna Fuzy (Hungary / W40), Nina Hoffmann (OK Soro / W45), Helena Svensson (FK Herkules / W50), Charlie Somers Cocks (GB MTBO / W55), Tove Andersen (OK Oest Birkeroed / W60), Monika Bonafini (SLOW Bern / W65), Kirsten Brunstedt (OK Oest Birkeroed / W70) and Ellis Byrgiel Sommer (OK Oest Birkeroed / W75).
After the sprint race, the winners and runners-up received their medals in the sprint classification. In the aftermath the rankings of the different series were also honoured. The World Cup 2019 was concluded in Johanngeorgenstadt.
Mayor Holger Hascheck referred to the long winter sports tradition of the city with well-known greats like the ski jumpers Richard Freitag or Sven Hannawald. The MTB-O was for the first time a summer sport, which was held with such a large international participation in this region.