Evie Richards (Trek Manufacturing unit Racing XC) and Victor Koretzky (Specialised Manufacturing unit Racing) powered away from lead teams to win the elite brief monitor races of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Snowshoe, West Virginia.
It was the primary XCC victory of the season for the British rider. She broke free from a small pack of leaders to journey solo for the ultimate one and a half laps. World Cup XCC factors chief Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) completed 5 seconds again for second, and Rebecca Henderson (Primaflor Mondraker Genuins Racing) one other 4 seconds later for third. Alessandra Keller (Thômus Maxon), who holds second place in XCC elite girls’s standings, completed fourth, simply forward of Loana Lecomte (Canyon CLLCTV).
Within the elite males’s race, Victor Koretzky (Specialised Manufacturing unit Racing) scored his third consecutive brief monitor victory of the season, saving one thing for the ultimate climb and driving away from Jordan Sarrou (Group BMC), who took second, and World Cup XCC chief Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV).
It was the seventh podium in seven World Cup occasions for the German. Together with his third place end, Schwarzbauer secured the World Cup title briefly monitor forward of the season finale at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Québec subsequent weekend, however he was not prepared to just accept the title but.
“I’ve completed first? I feel not, however I’m much more comfortable for certain if gained the general,” Schwarzbauer mentioned to Eurosport/GCN on the end. “It was an excellent race. I felt excellent. It’s a secret, however I feel my numbers had been inferior to to start with of the season in coaching. It was tougher as a result of I knew it was the top of the season. The race offers me confidence.”
The UCI Mountain Bike World Collection landed in Snowshoe, West Virginia, for the seventh of eight rounds. Earlier than the snow falls to transform the realm to snowboarding, the uncovered rocks and roots make the programs – Friday for brief monitor, Saturday for downhill and Sunday for XCO – very technical.
Dry climate and delicate temperatures throughout the Appalachian mountains of the jap USA introduced quick racing. The course had a novel begin loop, a rocky chute and a large rock backyard. Positioning proved to be the important thing issue for each races, 4 laps for ladies and 5 for males, plus the beginning loop.
Elite Girls’s XCC
Throughout the lengthy and vast drag on the grass on the girls’s begin, Italian Chiara Teocchi (KTM Protek Elettrosystem) hit the entrance. The 40 riders started to string out on the cross of the slender rocky part, Loana Lecomte (Canyon CLLCTV), winner of check occasion, controlling the tempo. Pieterse adopted in second, however struggled by way of the descent of the rock backyard. Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon), one of many title contenders, trailed in tenth place.
On the second full lap, Pieterse moved in entrance of Lecomte and Richards in third. Only some second again had been Rebecca Henderson (Primaflor Mondraker Genuins Racing) and Keller to spherical out the highest 5.
At first of the third lap, the identical 5 remained on the entrance, then Richardson hit the entrance with Henderson on her wheel as they handed over the slender, single-lane bridge because the entrance duo. Keller slipped again to sixth and was overtaken by Martina Berta (Santa Cruz Rockshox Professional). Batten had labored her approach by way of 20 positions into seventh.
On the lengthy uphill part, Richards started to drag away, creating separation from the six riders behind. With one to go, she held a six-second lead over Pieterse, and one other 4 seconds again to Berta and Lecomte. Henderson and Keller fought one other two second again.
Via the bumpy wooden part, Pieterse appeared to make up a while, however Richards held the lead hole utilizing a excessive cadence on the ultimate climb. She regarded again solely as soon as and didn’t see the Dutch rider, rolling throughout the road solo for the victory.
“I can’t consider it. I’ve bought now phrases actually, simply nice isn’t it,” Richards mentioned on the end for the Eurosport/GCN dwell protection. “I really feel I’m nonetheless jet lagged, actually. With two laps to go, I felt comfy on the descent, however I would like two laps to get an excellent hole, proper? So, let’s go! I used to be fortunate they didn’t catch on.
“The thrill took over when [announcer] mentioned two laps. I’m simply actually pleased with that, and at last get a win on the finish of the yr with my new coach.”
Elite Males’s XCC
On the inexperienced gentle, Schwarzbauer led the pack throughout the grass and onto the primary uphill, the World Cup cross-country chief Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB) on his again wheel. Headed throughout the slender bridge after the opening loop, Schwarzbauer set the tempo. Briton’s Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) had moved into ninth place, with USA’s Christopher Blevins (Specialised Manufacturing unit Racing) in 18th.
Koretzky then took the lead on the primary full lap throughout the primary cross of the rock backyard, pulling Schwarzbauer and Swiss duo of Schurter and Mathias Flückiger (Thömus Maxon) and French rider Sarrou to set the highest 5.
Throughout the second lap, the lengthy line of 40 racers appeared to settle in and no main gaps opened. Schwarzbauer went again to the pacemaking on the entrance on the massive climb and he led Sarrou, Koretzky and Schurter by way of the beginning/end for a 3rd lap, different riders starting to go adrift of the quick tempo.
Solely seven riders matched the tempo of Schwarzbauer because the fourth lap started, others trailing by 12 seconds or extra. Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Manufacturing unit Racing) moved into fourth place, Vlad Dascalu (Trek Manufacturing unit Racing XC) in fifth, as Joshua Dubau (Rockrider Ford Racing) moved into sixth and Schurter in seventh. Tagging on the again in eighth was Sebastian Fini Carstensen (Lapierre Mavic Unity).
Aldridge attacked at the beginning of the fifth and ultimate lap, then Koretzky countered simply earlier than the bridge, taking the lead onto the rocky descent. Schwarzbauer was on his again wheel. Koretzky accelerated within the woods and onto the ultimate climb, making a small hole and holding on for the victory.
“I’m tremendous comfortable in regards to the race. It’s my [third] win in a row, so it’s tremendous good. With a giant uphill within the center, it was powerful to handle, however ultimately it was the strongest who gained. It was just a little bit much less technique in comparison with a standard brief race,” the Frenchman mentioned after the end.
“Firstly of the final lap, I used to be not in good place, I feel I used to be third with a giant battle with Luca [Schwarzbauer] and Charlie [Aldridge]. It’s essential push lots to end and cross the road first.”
Pidcock completed thirteenth and Blevins, the one US rider within the occasion, pale to twenty eighth.
