A rain-soaked Mont-Sainte-Anne cross country course served up one final test to end the 2023 World Cup season, challenging racers with greasy roots, slippery slabs and muddy madness. Tom Pidcock and Loana Lecomte came away with clean wins to end the weekend and the season while Nino Schurter and Puck Pieterse wrapped up elite men’s and women’s season titles.
Jenn Jackson led the Canadian effort with a career-high World Cup finish while a resurgent Léandre Bouchard squeezed into the top 20 of the elite men’s race.
Canadians in Quebec
Canada’s best had the opportunity to end the 2023 season at home this season and took full advantage. Jenn Jackson (Liv Factory Racing) scored her best World Cup result in the elite women’s XCO, powering through puddles to finish 12th. Laurie Arseneault (Pittstop Racing) followed in 24th and Roxane Vermette 44th in the elite women’s field.
Léandre Bouchard (Forresco Holdings ProCo RL Pro Team) led the Canadian men in his home province, pacing 16th in the elite men’s race. Gunnar Holmgren (Pivot Cycles-OTE) ended his incredible 2023 season 21st in MSA. His teammate, Raphael Auclair followed in 27th, Sean Fincham (Berria Vittoria) 46th, Tyler Orschel 52nd, Victor Verreault 54th out of a large Canadian contingent racing in MSA.
Under-23 Canucks in Quebec
In the under-23 racing, Carter Woods’ season came crashing to a halt on the penultimate lap. The Giant Factory Off-Road Team rider took a heavy slam while riding in the top five, forcing him out of the race. That also dropped Woods from second to third in the overall standings behind Adrien Boichis (Trinity) and the winner in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing).
Xavier Roy (28th), Owen Clark (32nd) and Zorak Paille (38th) were the only three Canadians to finish on the lead lap in the under-23 men’s XCO.
Emilly Johnston (Trek Future Racing) ended her year with a 12th place in Mont-Sainte-Anne, carrying her to eighth overall for the 2023 season. Ella MacPhee scored a top 20 in 19th place. Marie Fay St.-Onge in 25th, Ophelie Grandmont in 27th, Jocelyn steal in 28th and Lea Bouchard in 29th all finished on the lead lap in MSA.
Ronja Blochlinger (Liv Factory Racing) ended her dominant year on the top step of the podium in MSA and at top of the 2023 standings. Noëlle Buri (Bixs) and the U.S.A.’s Madigan Munro (Trek Factory Racing) rounded out the podium in Quebec while Sofi Pederson (Willier Pirelli) and world champion Samara Maxwell…
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