France and Spain maintain snowboard cross team World Cup domination

This trip to Austria marked the opening team event of the season, with Regino Hernandez and Lucas Eguibar once again taking the win in the men's competition.

Coming through the quarter- and semi-finals with victory, this pairing always looked like the team to dominate despite the threat of the two Austrian teams.

And that proved true as they secured the win, though they didn't have things all their own way as both Austria I and France I kept up the pace.

But a last-minute move was enough for the Spanish team, with the 2017 World Championship silver medallists building on their already-impressive season.

Austria took silver while bronze went to France and fourth place came the way of Germany I,

"I was waiting for the last rollers, because I know I'm fast in the last turn," said Eguibar.

"So when I saw I was second I thought, ‘Ok, just wait for the last turn, and make your move there. I was following Schairer's line and in the last jump I had a little bit of space and I just went full out and passed him."

Meanwhile the French women's team of Chloe Trespeuch and Nelly Moenne Loccoz made it three in a row at Montafon – pinning down their status as the dominant force of snowboard cross.

The reigning world champions were also to win their semi-final, as did Canada I, but they proved no match as the French pair romped to victory, leaving Russia to pick up bronze.

Compatriots Manon Petit Lenoir and Julia Pereira finished fourth to end a strong day for the French squad.

"It was a very good weekend for us here in Montafon. The course was fun, and I'm really happy to win here with the best teammate ever. We want to just keep winning together again and again," said Trespeuch.

Sportsbeat 2017