SIMON ANDREASSEN: Yeah, I've been
thinking about this race a lot.
I'm a bit nervous, but I feel like I'm ready for my first
under 23 World Cup.
I'm 18 years old now.
I started racing bikes when I was six or seven years old.
And I started racing on the road, found it a bit boring,
and I changed for mountain biking.
When I got a bit older, started doing Junior World Cup,
and last year, I was second year junior,
and I won Nationals, Europeans, and Worlds and all the World
Cups that I did.
So it was a really good year last year.
So, of course, there has been big expectations for me
to do well in under 23.
And I don't think people expect me to win or something,
but still they expect me to do very well
and I'm expecting that of myself as well.
I know I can be in the top and I really want to do that.
My win this ring has been amazing.
I've been doing great season build-up for mountain bike
in South Africa where we had the training camp with the team.
Training with Sauser is very hard
and, although he's retired, he's still riding so fast.
And it definitely is inspiration to work with Christoph.
It just-- I trust him so much because, you know,
he has the great experience from racing.
He knows the game.
He knows how to deal with different situations, all kind
of training, racing and it's really nice
to have him to get advice from.
CHRISTOPH SAUSER: Simon is a super talent,
and that is the most important in that age.
And you just see it we are out there on the bike.
He has so much technical skills.
It's so nice that he can actually
develop him and work with him so that he can get 100% out
of his body, out of his head.
SIMON ANDREASSEN: We're here in Albstadt
for the second round of World Cup which is my first under 23
World Cup ever.
So I'm feeling very good for it and, yeah, I'm a bit nervous.
I don't feel much pressure, but of course there is some,
but I just will do my best to do a good result
and I'm really hoping for that.
ANNIKA LANGVAD: I think he has a lot of potential
racing his first year U 23.
He knows that there is no pressure on him
because it's his first year.
He still has three more seasons in that category
and he's super hungry to go racing.
I'm sure he'll actually manage quite well.
CHRISTOPH SAUSER: For some, it's very difficult
to set the goal for Albstadt.
He never raced under 23, he never raced that duration
in a cross-country race.
And it will be good to have a solid result
and then we can go from there.
SIMON ANDREASSEN: Yeah, I'm very happy to have Sam as a teammate
and it's really nice to have the opportunity
to ride with-- with the leader of the under 23 World Cup.
And like he has a bit more experience
than me in the World Cup racing and it's nice to ride with him.
You have five minutes before the start on Sunday morning
just thinking about hitting the pedal right,
be in the right gear, focus, and just go flat out.
SUBJECT 1: We've got two and a half laps
to go now, so just over half of the race distance.
So the guys are looking good.
At the moment, Sam is in the front group
with the French National Champs so it's just the two of them.
Simon started from 17th, so the third row,
managed to get up to the top 10, top 8 on the first lap,
and he is top 5 now.
SUBJECT 2: In fourth position, Simon Andreassen.
SIMON ANDREASSEN: It's a big relief.
Like, I was-- I was really hoping
to get a good result and a good start so fourth place,
I'm more than happy with that so that's amazing.
It was harder than I thought, like everybody
is going so fast.
There is just so many good guys on the same level
and you have to push it all out the whole time.
It is such a great inspiration to have Sam as the winner
and we can push each other and I can learn a lot from him.
CHRISTOPH SAUSER: Albstadt down and dusted.
Annika had a big win today.
Kate is in a jersey.
Jaro an amazing fourth place, his first real race this year.
And absolute amazing flying Simon, first race ever
as an under 23.
And he is there, fourth place.
It's the ideal case, you know, having the two biggest
talents in the team pretty much the same age.
I can't think of a better scenario.