Posted by Editoress on 07/31/22
Keller Takes First World Cup Victory, While McConnell Loses Overall Jersey to Terpstra
Alessandra Keller (Thomus Maxon) took the first XCO Mountain Bike World Cup win of her career on Sunday, at Snowshoe, West Virginia, in the seventh round. Anne Terpstra (Ghost Factory), with her third place finish behind Jenny Rissveds (Team 31 Ibis), was able to over take Rebecca McConnell (Primaflora Mondraker Genuins) for the leader's jersey; the first time McConnell has been out of the Series lead since the start of the season.
The rain that has been causing floods in nearby Kentucky led to the race being shortened by a lap (to six) and the removal of some sections that became unrideable. The race started in heavy fog, that deepened over the first two laps before starting to dissipate. McConnell, who has suffered flats and other woes in the recent rounds, missed clipping into her pedal on the start, and was in last place before she got going again. She eventually finished 13th after a strong ride up through the field, but it cost her the leader's jersey.
At the front, Rissveds took the lead, followed by Terpstra and Keller, and opened a gap before a chase group of seven riders caught up to her by the end of the first lap. This group was gradually whittled down to Keller, Terpstra, Rissveds and Jolanda Neff (Trek Factory), with Rissveds doing much of the pacemaking, and eventually dropping Neff.
The slippery mud, rocks and roots saw gaps begin to grow, with Rissveds riding the rough conditions the best, and opening an eight second gap to Keller on Lap 4, with Terpstra at 11 seconds. Keller managed to rejoin Rissveds in the lead on Lap 5 and the pair rode together until early in the last lap, when Rissveds had her front wheel slide out in a corner, going down. She was up quickly, but Keller had immediately attacked, opening a gap that grew quickly, eventually reaching 37 seconds by the finish line, with Terpstra hanging on for third at 50 seconds.
"The conditions were crazy," admitted Keller. "When it started to rain it got more and more muddy, and I actually liked that; the more muddy it got, the better it got. It was just a really crazy day, and somehow I won a World Cup! It's unbelievable. I knew that to have the best race you had to stay on your bike and do the best you can, which is what I did. I managed to not crash and ride smooth, and obviously, it was the fastest. Jenny crashed twice, and when I saw her crash in the last lap, and just took the opportunity and went all in. I just managed to do the best overall and that's what you need for a win."
In the overall standings, Terpstra moves into the lead with 1430 points, eight points in front of McConnell with two rounds remaining. Keller moves up one spot to third, 118 points out of the lead.
Laurie Arseneault (Canyon MTB Racing) was top Canadian in 12th, Jenn Jackson (Canyon MTB Racing) 14th, Sandra Walter (LIV Collective) 24th, Cindy Montambault 27th, Haley Smith (Maxxis Factory Racing) 28th, Dana Gilligan 31st.
Valero Wins First XCO World Cup in USA
David Valero (BH Templo Cafes UCC) of Spain has been getting close to a World Cup win over the past couple of years, but it took wet and dirty conditions at the top of a mountain in Snowshoe, West Virginia, for him to finally accomplish his goal. Titouan Carod (BMC MTB) took a close second and Luca Braidot (Santa Cruz FSA) was third. Despite not racing after crashing in the XCC on Friday, Nino Schurter (Scott SRAM) continues to lead the overall standings.
The heavy storms that have battered and flooded nearby Kentucky thoroughly soaked the course, making it muddy and slippery, on top of the roots and rocks, leading to some sections being cut from the circuit and the race being lengthened to eight laps. Carod, Alan Hatherly (Cannondale Factory) and Chris Blevins (Specialized Factory) immediately opened a gap on the first lap through a narrow rooty, rocky section, gaining 11 seconds on chasers. By the end of the lap a lead group of seven had solidified, but Valero was not part of it, falling nearly a minute behind by mid-race, before starting a remarkable comeback in the final three laps.
Blevins and Hatherly got a gap on the other leaders in Lap 3 before Hatherly crashed, leaving Blevins alone at the front with a series of small chase groups all within a minute. Carod and Braidot joined Blevins at the front, but by Lap 7, Valero had them in his sights, and caught the three leaders by the halfway mark of the last lap. Over the top of the second to last climb, the big Spaniard attacked and no one could follow.
"I'm very happy to finally win my first World Cup," said a clearly exhausted Valero. "it was a very difficult track with the mud and rocks, the conditions were quite incredible."
Schurter's lead in the overall World Cup standings has shrunk after not racing at Snowshoe, but he still leads with 1342 points. Vlad Dascalu (Trek Factory) remains second, now 115 points back, and Hatherly remains in third, a further 17 points back. Valero jumped from sixth to fourth in the standings with his win.
Sean Fincham
Top Canadian, Sean Fincham (Norco Factory Team) in 20th, said "Absolutely epic conditions today at Snowshoe. A few hours before the race it started pouring and turned the race into a mud bath. I had a pretty bad start but had some good legs and just kept passing people. Some people were struggling with the technical downhills but I managed to use them to my advantage. It’s been a a while since I have felt like that in a race so I'm really excited for the coming races. "
Other Canadians: Gunnar Holmgren (Pivot Cycles - OTE) 21st, Leandre Bouchard (Foresco Holding Proco Rl Pro Team) 30th, Andrew L'Esperance (Maxxis Factory Racing) 37th, Victor Verreault (Foresco Holding Proco Rl Pro Team) 39th, Raphael Auclair (Pivot Cycles - OTE) 43rd, Quinton Disera (Canyon Devo Racing) 44th, Malcolm Barton 45th, Felix Belhumeur (Pivot Cycles - OTE) 47th, Tyler Orschel (Canyon Devo Racing) 48th, Anthony Audet 58th.
Photo Galleries
Elite Men
Elite Women
U23 Women
U23 Men
Snowshoe World Cup XCC: US Riders Take Top Honours
XCO Results
U23 Women, 19.7 km (5 laps) | |
1 Noëlle Buri (Sui) Bixs Performance Racing | 1:02:26 |
2 Luisa Daubermann (Ger) Trek | Vaude | at 0:43 |
3 Madigan Munro (USA) Trek Factory Racing XC | 1:38 |
4 Virág Buzsáki (Hun) Strüby-Bixs Team | 2:15 |
5 Tamara Wiedmann (Aut) Trek | Vaude | 3:08 |
6 Raquel Queirós (Por) MMR Factory Racing Team | 3:33 |
7 Marianne Theberge (Can) Pivot Cycles - OTE | 3:52 |
8 Emilly Johnston (Can) Norco Factory Team | 4:20 |
9 Sara Cortinovis (Ita) Santa Cruz FSA MTB Pro Team | 4:35 |
10 Kira Böhm (Ger) | 4:53 |
11 Lauren Lackman (USA) | 5:54 |
12 Zuzana Safárová (Cze) Rouvy Specialized | 6:23 |
13 Juliette Larose Gingras (Can) | 6:38 |
14 Roxane Vermette (Can) | 7:08 |
15 Giuliana Salvini Morgen (Bra) Sense Factory Racing | 7:30 |
16 Sofia Forney (USA) | 7:49 |
17 Emily Williams (Can) | 8:09 |
18 Jocelyn Stel (Can) | 8:26 |
19 Yarela Gonzalez Obando (Chi) | 8:50 |
20 Akari Kobayashi (Jpn) | 8:52 |
21 Eva Poidevin (Can) | 9:26 |
22 Urara Kawaguchi (Jpn) | -1 Lap |
23 Sydney Nielson (USA) | -1 Lap |
24 Isabella Hyser (USA) | -1 Lap |
25 Fatima Anahi Hijar Marin (Mex) | -1 Lap |
26 Csenge Anna Bokros (Hun) | -1 Lap |
27 Alexa Lopez Ramirez (Mex) | -2 Laps |
DNF Ruth Holcomb (USA) | |
U23 Men, 23.6 km (6 laps) | |
1 Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Chi) Lexware Mountainbike Team | 1:01:33 |
2 Bjorn Riley (USA) Trek | Vaude | at 0:01 |
3 Mathis Azzaro (Fra) BMC MTB Racing | 0:05 |
4 Luca Martin (Fra) KMC - Orbea | 0:23 |
5 David Domingo Campos Motos (Esp) BH Templo Cafés UCC | 0:38 |
6 Carter Woods (Can) Norco Factory Team | 0:53 |
7 Leon Reinhard Kaiser (Ger) Team Bulls | 2:01 |
8 Jan Sáska (Cze) Rouvy Specialized | 2:08 |
9 Mario Bair (Aut) Trek | Vaude | 2:15 |
10 Mathis Guay (Fra) KTM Vittoria Team | 3:12 |
11 Nils Aebersold (Sui) Trek | Vaude | 3:55 |
12 Gil Ly Gonen (Isr) Teamisgav-Orbea | 4:01 |
13 Finn Treudler (Sui) Jb Brunex Superior Factory Racing | 4:19 |
14 Tyler Clark (Can) | 4:40 |
15 Ethan Rose (NZl) Team Talley's - Kiwi MTB Collective | 4:47 |
16 Francesc Barber Arguimbau (Esp) Primaflor Mondraker Genuins | 5:23 |
17 José Cabrera Gonzalez (Mex) | 5:30 |
18 Brayden Johnson (USA) | 5:33 |
19 Carson Beard (USA) | 5:33 |
20 Caleb Bottcher (NZl) | 5:36 |
21 Joseph Gerardo Ramirez Venegas (Crc) | 5:47 |
22 Daxton Mock (USA) | 6:00 |
23 Mateo Chedaleux (Fra) Cube Pro Fermetures Sefic | 6:03 |
24 Scott Funston (USA) | 6:23 |
25 Logan Sadesky (Can) | 6:34 |
26 Oleksandr Hudyma (Ukr) CST Postnl Bafang MTB Racing Team | 6:42 |
27 William Cote (Can) | 7:00 |
28 Robbie Day (USA) | 7:13 |
29 Daniel Van Der Walt (RSA) Computer Mania MTB Racing Team | 7:19 |
30 Carson Hampton (USA) | 7:22 |
31 Lasse Konecny (USA) | 7:34 |
32 Owen Clark (Can) | 7:39 |
33 Cobe Freeburn (USA) | 8:08 |
34 Toby Hassett (USA) | 8:20 |
35 Xavier Roy (Can) | 8:57 |
36 Cameron Jones (NZl) Team Talley's - Kiwi MTB Collective | 8:57 |
37 Kyan Olshove (USA) | 8:58 |
38 Nicolas Martin Soto (Chi) R1 - Cycling Education | 9:33 |
39 Noah Ramsay (Can) | 9:34 |
40 Nicholas Tabares (USA) | 10:21 |
41 Angel Barron Lopez (Mex) | -1 Lap |
42 Vincent Thiboutot (Can) Pivot Cycles - OTE | -1 Lap |
43 Austin Beard (USA) | -1 Lap |
44 Finn Kahl (Ger) | -1 Lap |
45 Nicolas Richard Kaiser (Ger) | -1 Lap |
46 William Maltais Pilote (Can) | -1 Lap |
47 Dane Grey (USA) | -2 Laps |
48 Jacob Stricker (Ger) | -3 Laps |
DNF Luke Wiedmann (Sui) Thömus Maxon | |
DNF Cole Punchard (Can) | |
DNF Charles Antoine St-Onge (Can) | |
DNS Charlie Millington (NZl) | |
Elite Women, 23.6 km (7 laps) | |
1 Alessandra Keller (Sui) Thömus Maxon | 1:24:35 |
2 Jenny Rissveds (Swe) Team 31 Ibis Cycles | at 0:37 |
3 Anne Terpstra (Ned) Ghost Factory Racing | 0:50 |
4 Mona Mitterwallner (Aut) Cannondale Factory Racing | 1:07 |
5 Jolanda Neff (Sui) Trek Factory Racing XC | 2:24 |
6 Savilia Blunk (USA) | 2:57 |
7 Haley Batten (USA) Specialized Factory Racing | 3:32 |
8 Gwendalyn Gibson (USA) Norco Factory Team | 4:41 |
9 Caroline Bohé (Den) Ghost Factory Racing | 4:49 |
10 Kate Courtney (USA) Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team | 5:22 |
11 Janika Lõiv (Est) KMC - Orbea | 5:27 |
12 Laurie Arseneault (Can) Canyon MTB Racing | 6:03 |
13 Rebecca McConnell (Aus) Primaflor Mondraker Genuins | 7:10 |
14 Jennifer Jackson (Can) Canyon MTB Racing | 7:27 |
15 Martina Berta (Ita) Santa Cruz FSA MTB Pro Team | 8:37 |
16 Greta Seiwald (Ita) Santa Cruz FSA MTB Pro Team | 8:52 |
17 Malene Degn (Den) KMC - Orbea | 9:02 |
18 Yana Belomoina (Ukr) CST Postnl Bafang MTB Racing Team | 9:07 |
19 Rocio Del Alba Garcia Martinez (Esp) BH Templo Cafés UCC | 9:36 |
20 Kelsey Urban (USA) Team 31 Ibis Cycles | 10:05 |
21 Hannah Otto (USA) | 10:21 |
22 Steffi Häberlin (Sui) Bixs Performance Racing | 10:23 |
23 Linn Gustafzzon (Swe) Team 31 Ibis Cycles | 10:28 |
24 Sandra Walter (Can) | 11:22 |
25 Chiara Teocchi (Ita) Trinity Racing Mtb | -1 Lap |
26 Léna Gerault (Fra) KTM Vittoria Team | -1 Lap |
27 Cindy Montambault (Can) | -2 Laps |
28 Haley Smith (Can) Maxxis Factory Racing | -2 Laps |
29 Hercilia Najara Ferreira De Souza (Bra) | -3 Laps |
30 Erika Monserrath Rodriguez Suarez (Mex) Zerouno Factory | -3 Laps |
31 Dana Gilligan (Can) | -3 Laps |
32 Maria Moreno Camus (Chi) | -3 Laps |
33 Maria Castro Gonzalez (Chi) | -4 Laps |
34 Sydney Wenger (USA) | -4 Laps |
35 Abigail Snyder (USA) | -5 Laps |
DNS Emily Batty (Can) Canyon MTB Racing | |
Elite Men, 31.4 km (8 laps) | |
1 David Valero Serrano (Esp) BH Templo Cafés UCC | 1:25:11 |
2 Titouan Carod (Fra) BMC MTB Racing | at 0:05 |
3 Luca Braidot (Ita) Santa Cruz FSA MTB Pro Team | 0:11 |
4 Christopher Blevins (USA) Specialized Factory Racing | 0:11 |
5 Filippo Colombo (Sui) BMC MTB Racing | 0:20 |
6 Luca Schwarzbauer (Ger) Canyon Cllctv | 0:31 |
7 Lars Forster (Sui) Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team | 0:35 |
8 Alan Hatherly (RSA) Cannondale Factory Racing | 0:46 |
9 Antoine Philipp (Fra) Giant Factory Off - Road Team | 1:11 |
10 Pierre De Froidmont (Bel) KMC - Orbea | 1:17 |
11 Thomas Litscher (Sui) Kross Orlen Cycling Team | 1:24 |
12 Jose Gerardo Ulloa Arevalo (Mex) Massi-Beaumes De Venise | 1:36 |
13 Vlad Dascalu (Rou) Trek Factory Racing XC | 1:54 |
14 Sebastian Fini Carstensen (Den) KMC - Orbea | 2:32 |
15 Marcel Guerrini (Sui) Bixs Performance Racing | 2:37 |
16 Maximilian Brandl (Ger) Lexware Mountainbike Team | 2:48 |
17 Juri Zanotti (Ita) BMC MTB Racing | 3:14 |
18 Pablo Rodriguez Guede (Esp) BH Templo Cafés UCC | 3:26 |
19 Erik Hægstad (Nor) KMC - Orbea | 3:39 |
20 Sean Fincham (Can) Norco Factory Team | 3:46 |
21 Gunnar Holmgren (Can) Pivot Cycles - OTE | 3:55 |
22 Reto Indergand (Sui) Giant Factory Off - Road Team | 4:12 |
23 David Nordemann (Ned) CST Postnl Bafang MTB Racing Team | 4:13 |
24 Andri Frischknecht (Sui) Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team | 4:14 |
25 Stephane Tempier (Fra) Rockrider Racing Team | 4:18 |
26 Jens Schuermans (Bel) Scott Creuse Oxygene Gueret | 4:49 |
27 David List (Ger) Lexware Mountainbike Team | 4:56 |
28 Gregor Raggl (Aut) Jb Brunex Superior Factory Racing | 5:15 |
29 Henrique Avancini (Bra) Cannondale Factory Racing | 5:20 |
30 Leandre Bouchard (Can) Foresco Holding Proco Rl Pro Team | 5:40 |
31 Ulan Bastos Galinski (Bra) Caloi Henrique Avancini Racing | 5:48 |
32 Martins Blums (Lat) CST Postnl Bafang MTB Racing Team | 5:55 |
33 Joshua Dubau (Fra) Rockrider Racing Team | 6:22 |
34 Niklas Schehl (Ger) Stop&Go Marderabwehr MTB Team | 6:47 |
35 Bartlomiej Wawak (Pol) Kross Orlen Cycling Team | 6:55 |
36 Nadir Colledani (Ita) MMR Factory Racing Team | 7:09 |
37 Andrew L'Esperance (Can) Maxxis Factory Racing | 7:47 |
38 Luiz Henrique Cocuzzi (Bra) Sense Factory Racing | 8:34 |
39 Victor Verreault (Can) Foresco Holding Proco Rl Pro Team | 8:39 |
40 Luke Vrouwenvelder (USA) Giant Factory Off - Road Team | 8:49 |
41 Thibault Daniel (Fra) Cube Pro Fermetures Sefic | 8:51 |
42 Zsombor Palumby (Hun) | 9:06 |
43 Raphael Auclair (Can) Pivot Cycles - OTE | 11:08 |
44 Quinton Disera (Can) Canyon Devo Racing | -1 Lap |
45 Malcolm Barton (Can) | -1 Lap |
46 Nicolas Delich Pardo (Chi) R1 - Cycling Education | -2 Laps |
47 Felix Belhumeur (Can) Pivot Cycles - OTE | -2 Laps |
48 Tyler Orschel (Can) Canyon Devo Racing | -2 Laps |
49 Carson Beckett (USA) | -2 Laps |
50 Maxime Marotte (Fra) Santa Cruz FSA MTB Pro Team | -2 Laps |
51 Julian Schelb (Ger) Stop&Go Marderabwehr MTB Team | -2 Laps |
52 Georwill Pérez Román (Pur) Purmtb Team | -3 Laps |
53 Jacob Morales Ortega (Pur) Purmtb Team | -3 Laps |
54 Cody Cupp (USA) | -3 Laps |
55 Ryan Standish (USA) | -3 Laps |
56 Samuel Elson (USA) | -4 Laps |
57 Ryan Johnson (USA) | -4 Laps |
58 Anthony Audet (Can) | -4 Laps |
59 Thomas Griot (Fra) Canyon Cllctv | -5 Laps |
DNS Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team | |
DNS Vital Albin (Sui) Thömus Maxon | |
DNS Ondrej Cink (Cze) Kross Orlen Cycling Team | |
DNS Peter Disera (Can) Norco Factory Team | |
DNS Maxime Loret (Fra) KTM Vittoria Team | |
DNS Marc Andre Fortier (Can) Pivot Cycles - OTE | |
DNS Joel Roth (Sui) Bixs Performance Racing |
Return to Cycling 4 Women homepage | Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top |