May 13/23 12:14 pm - Podiums for Holmgren & Johnston in Opening Round of MTB World Cup

Posted by Editoress on 05/13/23
 

Canada's Emilly Johnston (Trek Future Racing) was the top Canadian finisher on Saturday in Under-23 XCO World Cup racing, finishing third in the women's race at Nove Mesto, Czechia, her first Under-23 World Cup podium. In the men's race, Carter Woods (Giant Factory) fought back from a crash to finish 11th, one spot in front of Cole Punchard (CHC Armada). Danish riders won both races. Earlier in the day, Canadians Ava and Isabella Holmgren finished third and fourth, respectively, in the Junior XCO Series women's race.

Ava Holmgren

The Nove Mesto circuit is known for long technical climbs and rocky, rough descents, with little chance to rest or take on nutrition except through the start/finish sections. The rain that drenched the course the previous night for the XCC had backed off, it was a cool, grey and damp day for racing, making many of the rooty climbing sections slippery. Both women and men did two shorter start laps before the men did five full laps and the women four.

The men's race quickly came down to six riders, with Woods in the chase group just dangling a few seconds back. At the beginning of the first full lap (Lap 3), Woods went down in a banked gravel corner, losing about ten spots and at least 20 seconds on the leaders. He was caught by Punchard, and the pair battled back from the high 'teens to move to the front of the chasers just outside the top-10 by the final lap.

At the front, three riders pulled away by Lap 4 - Oliver Sølvhøj (Denmark), Dario Lillo (Scott Davos) and Riley Amos (Trek Factory). The trio were evenly matched until Lap 5, when Amos lost his back tire, leaving Sølvhøj and Lillo at 20 seconds in front of four chasers. Sølvhøj dropped his rival on the main climb in Lap 6, only to have Lillo close the gap again, and then come off again. The Swiss chaser dangled just a few seconds back through the entire final lap, but couldn't close the gap, finishing two seconds behind.

"It is just incredible and it is still [unbelievable]," said Sølvhøj. "It was just flat out racing all day. I'm over the moon. Riley [Amos] make a mistake on the downhill, and that was the point for me to take it a bit slower in the downhills, and put pressure on the uphills."

In the women's race, it was Sofie Pedersen (Wilier - Pirelli Factory) - another Danish rider - who dominated the entire race. She pulled away on the opening lap before being joined by Ginia Caluori (Thomus Akros - Youngstars) and Ronja Blochlinger (Liv Factory) on Lap 2. Johnston was leading the chase group at 30 seconds.

Emilly Johnston

Emilly Johnston celbrates 3rd place

On Lap 4, Blochlinger was knocked out of contention with a rear flat, leaving Caluori to hang on Pedersen wheel at the front, and Johnston in sole position of third, with a string of chasers behind her. The Danish rider then rode away on the final two laps to win a second victory on the day for her country, while Caluori comfortably held onto second. Johnston had a harder battle for the third podium spot, as her gap over fourth placed Sara Cortinovis (Santa Cruz RockShox) began shrinking through the final lap and a half. But the Canadian held on to take third by 12 seconds.

"It was a super hard and exciting race," said Pedersen, "I just tried to go full gas from the start. I think I was strong on the downhills and could get a little gap there before I went full gas on the uphills."