![\"ccs-41808-0-75181300-1404115838.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-41808-0-75181300-1404115838.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nAnnika Langvad of Denmark claimed a comfortable victory in the women’s race of the UCI MTB Marathon World Championships \/\/ Image credit: Tobias Ginsberg\/Gameplan Media<\/span><\/p>\n The result was especially pleasing for the Dane who came to South Africa putting a lot of pressure on herself to win.<\/p>\n \u201cThis win is just awesome!\u201d Langvad said afterwards. \u201cMy previous two wins I wasn\u2019t really expecting at all but this time I knew I could win and so I put a bit more pressure on myself around so to have come here and got the win despite that little bit of added pressure, is really pleasing!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t expect to win so comfortably in the end though!\u201d she added excitedly.<\/p>\n Familiar with the local conditions having raced in South Africa previously, Langvad looked to stamp her authority on proceedings early on, especially after the non-participation due to illness by Great Britain\u2019s Sally Bigham and early withdrawal by fellow title hopeful Milena Landtwing.<\/p>\n It took Langvad until just after the first tech zone to make her decisive move and her lead was soon a significant one.<\/p>\n \u201cI think riding a full suspension made things a lot easier for me with this terrain and allowed me to recover a lot more,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n Germany’s Sabine Spitz dug deep to clinch second place in the women’s clash of the UCI MTB Marathon World Championships \/\/ Image credit: Anthony Grote\/Gameplan Media<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI also did the Cape Epic, an extremely hard stage race, leading up to World Champs and I came here today in a very similar mood to my Cape Epic mood so I managed to get into a rhythm and just keep pushing and all of a sudden the 74km actually counted down quite quickly!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs I got closer to the finish line and I got told I had a good gap, I just said to myself \u2018Okay, no mistakes now. Just get down safely and you\u2019ve got the World Championships title again!\u2019 and it was just amazing! I loved every minute of it!\u201d<\/p>\n Germany\u2019s vastly experienced Sabine Spitz showed her pedigree once more as she overcame the rest of the world class field to clinch second place while recently crowned European Champion Tereza Hurikova finished third.<\/p>\n \u201cEarly on I tried to go to front so I could keep the speed high because I\u2019ve been involved in two crashes before when the speed was too slow but then Annika made her move between tech zone 1 and 2 and once she opened up a gap it just continued to grow and grow and grow!\u201d said Spitz with a wry grin.<\/p>\n \u201cAnnika was just stronger than me, you have to accept just it when someone is stronger than you and she is a deserved World Champion!\u201d she added gracefully.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n