Cycling: Mud beats back Leuchs

New Zealand mountainbiker Kashi Leuchs' hopes of an impressive final cross-country workout before the Sydney Olympics have been bogged down in Swiss mud.

A torrential downpour before the final race of the World Cup circuit in Lausanne turned the 9.5km course into a mud-bath, forcing 28 of the 128 competitors to pull out.

The Dunedin-born world No 17 plugged away but never threatened the leaders.

He finished 36th in 2h 39m 15s - 18 minutes behind winner Belgian Filip Meirhaeghe.

Leuch's team, Volvo-Cannondale, won the overall team title.

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