A fast, but highly technical short track cross country course, made slippery by rain, created chaotic racing at Les Gets world championships on Friday. Pauline Ferrand Prevot finessed the treacherous course to take a big win for the French home crowd. Sam Gaze and Christopher Blevins played out a dramatic last-lap battle for the men’s title.
Rain picked up part-way through the women’s race, tapering off into sun partway through the men’s. A wet course and tricky rock gardens caused havoc in both races with several crashes influencing the course of the races.
Women’s XCC: A hometown hero for France
The arrival of rain didn’t diminish the French fan’s fervor, with a solid crowd lining the XCC course on Friday. Off the line, it was two Brits leading. Evie Richard and Annie Last pushed the pace early, joined by Swiss XCC powerhouse, Alessandra Keller.
Keller’s momentum was stalled on the sixth lap when the Swiss rider lost her front wheel in one of the man-made rock gardens, sending her over the bars in a heavy crash.
Crash 🚨 for @kellerale96
It’s slippery on those rocks here at #LesGets2022 pic.twitter.com/wmnOY7KALi
— UCI MTB (@UCI_MTB) August 26, 2022
Just moments later, as the pack went onto the seventh of nine laps, Pauline Ferrand Prevot launched a fierce attack. Carried by the roar of the assembled French crowd, Ferrand-Prevot quickly opened a gap over Annie Last and Italy’s Greta Seiwald. As the rain started to fall harder, Last’s chase was also ended by a crash in the rocks.
Alessandra Keller put in a huge effort to lead the chase. The Swiss rider overtook Gwendalyn Gibson of the U.S.A. to try close down the French rider’s 32-second advantage. Keller couldn’t catch Ferrand Prevot, but does earn silver. Gibson held off Jolanda Neff to earn bronze.
🥇🌈 @FERRANDPREVOT 🌈 🥇
Your 2022 UCI MTB World Champion in the Women’s XC Short Track!#LesGets2022 pic.twitter.com/py1JrD2UPs
— UCI MTB (@UCI_MTB) August 26, 2022
But it’s Pauline Ferrand Prevot who takes a big win at home, giving the French their first non-electric win at Les Gets world championships.
“I just wanted to push full gas. I had to wait and wait.” Ferrand Prevot said of her late-race attack. “Then I tried to be very smooth through the rock gardens and keep a good pace. I’m very happy. One world title in the bucket, so yes, I am very happy.”
Women Elite XCC Podium 🙌:
1️⃣ Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (FRA)
2️⃣ Alessandra Keller…
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