Pauline Ferrand-Prevot made history at home in the women's elite cross-country ©Getty Images

France's Pauline Ferrand-Prevot has concluded the International Cycling Union Mountain Bike World Championships by writing herself into the history books after she became the joint-most successful woman in the competition’s history in Les Gets.

The 30-year-old won her fourth women's elite cross-country world title to match Norway’s Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå, who also won in the French commune in 2004.

Ferrand-Prevot started the race alongside 69 other riders - including Switzerland's Olympic champion Jolanda Neff and compatriot and European champion Loana Lecomte – freshly off winning the short-track event.

She stormed out to a 1min 20sec lead over Switzerland's Alessandra Keller and the United States' Haley Batten after three of the six laps.

Lecomte was a further 10 seconds behind while Britain's defending champion Evie Richards was also among those searching for a medal spot.

In the end, Ferrand-Prevot was not troubled as she finished in 1 hour 22min 08sec to defeat closest challengers Neff and Batten.

Neff settled for silver after finishing 1:35 behind her rival and Batten sealed bronze, coming in 2:13 slower than the French winner.

Richards was unable to put a strong defence of her title, finishing 11th and 5:30 behind Ferrand-Prevot.

In the men's elite cross-country, Switzerland's Nino Schurter stood top of the podium for a 10th time.

"It's unbelievable, I couldn’t believe it when I crossed the line that I did it again," the 36-year-old said.

"This place is magic for me.

"I won my first title here and now I’ve won again as the oldest rider."

Disaster struck for New Zealand's Sam Gaze, who recently won the short-course edition, when he crashed on the third lap.

Meanwhile, Olympic champion Tom Pidcock had climbed from 53rd to among the front runners of the race.

After briefly fading, the Briton bounced back to be part of the leading quartet to fight for a podium spot alongside Schurter, Spain's David Valero Serrano and Italy's Luca Braidot.

Schurter made his move on the penultimate lap when he attacked the climb and it soon became a two-horse race when Serrano was the only rider to stay within pace.

Braidot chased the front two but Pidcock suffered a rear puncture, leaving a tough ask to making the top three.

Eventually, Schurter proved why he was still on top of the world as he notched 1:21:13, which was nine seconds and 29 seconds faster than Serrano and Braidot.