October 3/24 11:55 am - Mont-Ste-Anne Opens with XCC World Cup Finals

Posted by Editoress on 10/3/24
 

The final round of the 2024 Mountain Bike World Cup begins today at Mont-Ste-Anne, Quebec, with the XCC for Under-23 Women and Men, followed tomorrow by the XCC for the Elite Women and Men. While the overall titles are pretty much decided, there are still battles for the top-5 positions in all categories.

Kira Böhm (Cube Factory) has mathematically wrapped up the Under-23 women's title with 696 points. Canada's Emilly Johnston (Trek Future), is second with 555 points but, with only 125 points for the win, cannot catch Böhm. However, Johnston is under pressure from Madigan Munro (Trek Factory-Pirelli) at 503 points and world champion Isabella Holmgren (Lidl-Trek) at 450 points. Holmgren has only raced four XCCs, but she has won two and finished second in two.

In the Under-23 men's XCC, World Cup leader Riley Amos (Trek Factory-Pirelli) doesn't quite have the title locked up, but it will be difficult for second place Bjorn Riley (Trek Future) to displace him - Bjorn Riley will basically have to win and Riley Amos finish out of the points for that to happen. Below Amos, there is still the possibility for an upset, with second through fifth having a spread of 105 points between them. The top Canadian is Cole Punchard (Pivot Cycles - OTE), in 16th place, however, the winner of last week's XCO is clearly on-form in the late season, and could improve to the top-10 overall.

In the Elite women, Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) has an untouchable lead of 1260 points to Puck Pieterse's (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 840. However, second through fourth are separated by only ten points and even Sina Frei (Specialized Factory), last week's XCC winner, is only 106 points out of second. Canadian champion Jenn Jackson (Liv Factory) is 11th in the standings, but only 29 points out of the top-10, so a good race could move her up one or two spots.

Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory) holds a strong 154 point lead in the Elite men's standings but, with 250 points going to the winner, one of the next three riders in the standings could conceivably overtake him (Koretzky would have to finish tenth or lower, in this scenario). The top Canadian is Olympian Gunnar Holmgren (KMC Ridley), sitting 31st, who could move into the top-20 with a strong ride.