A busy day of cross country racing on Friday wrapped up with the elite XCC championship races. After some stunning results in the junior XCO and under-23 XCC events, Canada’s elites added strong top 20 finishes to a wild day of racing.
Elite women: Jackson leads Canada, Richard’s pips Ferrand-Prevot
National champion Jenn Jackson led the Canadian effort in the elite women’s short track race, finishing 14th. Sandra Walter was the next Canuck on the results sheet, in 35th, followed two spots later by Roxanne Vermette in 37th.
The race was won by Evie Richards, who takes the world championship title. The Brit kicks off the hand-off of world championship jerseys from Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, who announced this will be her last mountain bike world championships, by seizing the XCC title before the French woman could move on to road racing. Richards wins the sprint with Ferrand-Prevot second. Jenny Rissveds rounds out the podium, 18 seconds back.
Elite Men: Koretzky clinches title
In the elite men’s race it was France’s Victor Koretzky clinching the short track world championship title. The Specialized rider escaped from the group to win the elite men’s XCC. Charlie Aldridge won the sprint for second, finishin on the same time as Alan Hatherly, who takes third, and the U.S.A.’s Christopher Blevins.
Gunnar Holmgren and Carter Woods were the top Canadians in the elite men’s XCC, finishing 19th and 20th. Tyler Orschel followed in 36th, one lap down.
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