The first weekend of World Cup XC racing was one worth watching... if you were lucky enough to have access to TNT Sports/Discovery+
We were treated to an electric weekend of racing for the first round of the XC World Series in Brazil. On the Saturday, Evie Richards won the short-track (XCC) Elite Women’s race, while Christopher Blevins of Specialized Factory Racing beat his teammate, Victor Koretzky to cross the line first in the Elite Men’s.
Come Sunday, and the XCO races were equally as thrilling, with Samara Maxwell of Decathlon Ford Racing Team taking her first-ever World Cup win in the Elite Women’s race, while the Elite Men’s race saw Saturday’s results reversed with Koretsky taking the win.
There was plenty of red clay, decisive climbs and jumps for the riders to take on in a very hot and humid Araxá, Minas Gerais. And, we get to do it all over again next weekend as the second round takes place on a slightly altered course at the venue. But if you missed the action because of that old pesky paywall, here’s how it went down.
Women’s Elite XCC race, Araxa, Brazil
How it happened: XCC
The first World Cup of the year is always an interesting one. Not to say that the rest of the year isn’t, but the first one is more of a question mark in terms of who’s in form, who’s had a bad winter and who is still getting used to a new team and bike setup. We had plenty of movers over the winter, with riders like Alan Hatherly deciding to swap drops and rocks for cobbles with a road-focused calendar, and then the likes of Kate Courtney leaving Scott to set up her own outfit.
And with all these changes, and the fast track at Araxá, it was always bound to be an interesting first weekend of the year. And, with some new changes including the assigned number system and the reduction in podium spots from 5 to 3, there was plenty to get to grips with.
Richards sprinting to the win in Araxa in the XCC
Elite Women’s Race
In the women’s race, a last lap attack on a steep climb saw Evie Richards get that decisive gap. Underdog Samara Maxwell, who’s had a tough few years as an athlete, battling an eating disorder and low confidence, tried doggedly to close the gap but had to settle for second. Although, it was almost as much of a victory as winning for her, and it’s great to see the New Zealander at the pointy end.
Richards’ victory was also doubly sweet as this is where she crashed last year and suffered from a concussion that marred much of her early 2024 season. Speaking after the race, she said it wasn’t a target race for her, but she was pleased nonetheless.
“I wasn’t very confident coming into it, but I like to win so I was really focused. This is what I love doing so I just give it everything and see where I come. I’m just trying to be a bit smarter tactically, the first race of the year it’s more like sus everyone else out and ride my own race. I couldn’t have attacked if I didn’t have the legs, so it was just on my feelings really.”
Results:
- Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli)
- Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) +00:00:01
- Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) +00:00:05
- Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) +00:00:12
- Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) +00:00:22
Specialized had a super Sunday with 1-2-3 on the podium
Elite Men’s Race
The Men’s race seemed to follow a similar pattern – wait until the last minute to attack and build a gap leading into the finish. This time, it was the Specialized Factory Team duo of Christopher Blevins and Victor Koretzky who took the top two steps on the podium, with Blevins finishing above his teammate.
On the final lap, as Blevins attacked, the two embraced the ‘rubbing is racing’ phrase through the flatter corners until Blevins broke free on the final straight and sprinted for the win – his first XCC victory since 2022.
“I was feeling really good on that kick and then the jumps as well,” said Blevins. “So I wanted to lead there and try to old it off which is a hard thing to do with Victor behind you.
“UCI World Cup Short Tracks are such a fight for position the whole time, I made an effort to be more intentional, be more of a fighter and don’t give up positions. This time I spent more time in the wind than I usually do but that paid off for me.”
Results:
- Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing)
- Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) +00:00:01
- Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) +00:00:02
- Thomas Litscher +00:00:06
- Jordan Sarrou (BMC Factory Racing) +00:00:07
Maxwell is now the leader of the XCO World Series
How it happened: XCO
Elite Women’s Race
Continuing her brilliant form from Saturday’s XCC race, Samara Maxwell managed to do one better and win the XCO race on Sunday. After a couple of breaks in the group over the first seven laps, the bunch came back together and Maxwell took her chance to attack.
Only Savilia Blunk, Maxwell’s Decathlon Ford Racing Team teammate and Nicole Koller of Ghost Factory Racing managed to stay with her. Maxwell’s gap extended to 18 seconds at one point, but the chasers began reeling her in with just a few seconds between the top three by the final lap.
Maxwell managed to hang on for glory and took her first-ever World Cup victory. In her post-race interview, Maxwell took the time to thank the team for standing by her while she took a career break to focus on her health.
“I genuinely can’t [believe it], Jenny [Rissveds] was so strong at the start and I was on the limit the whole time. On the descents I’ve been working so hard technically over the summer on my skills, it was just a matter of getting to the front and I just went for it.”
“I just kept telling myself ‘this is for a world cup win, hurt as much as you can because you won’t get it if you don’t’.
“The team has been so incredible for me, I’ve had a bit of hard time the last few years and the team stood by me and said, ‘no matter what you do, as you long as you put your health and yourself as a person first, we will support you’.
Results:
- Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team)
- Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) +00:00:04
- Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) +00:00:05
- Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) +00:00:12
- Candice Lill +00:00:28
Specialized 1-2-3 podium in Araxa, Brazil
Elite Men’s Race
Whilst the women’s race took until lap 7 for a decisive move, the Specialized Factory Team riders of Blevins and Koretzky made their escape on lap 1, gapping Nino Schurter of Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team).
The pair rode well as a team and took turns on the front as they extended their lead on the chasers to half a minute. On the penultimate lap, Koretzky went for the win and gapped his teammate.
All looked like an easy win for the Frenchman until he punctured on the last lap, with his time margin falling as quickly as his tyre pressure. He managed to hang on, however, and open his account for the year with a win in Brazil – with just 1 bar of pressure left in his tyre.
Behind him and another Specialized rider, Martin Vidaurre blocked the efforts of Schurter to keep it a Specialized 1-2-3 on the podium.
Speaking after the race, Koretzky was pleased with his team’s management of the race.
“Chris [Blevins] was super strong at the beginning of the race, he did a super-high pace and it was difficult to follow him. Then I had a second life in the middle of the race.
“We just did one lap each all the time, I had a flat on the last two laps so it was tricky for me on the downhill, tough stuff until the end, but I managed to finish like this.
“I think we were all the time teammates; the goal was to be together until the last moment. Alone it was difficult to do it but with my teammate it was like a hard day in training. It’s so cool to share that with the team.”
Results:
- Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing)
- Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) +00:00:10
- Martin Vidaurre (Specialized Factory Racing) +00:00:29
- Lars Forster (Thömus Maxon) +00:00:29
- Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) +00:00:30
The next round will also take place in Brazil, with the XCC races taking place on Friday 11 April and the XCO on Saturday 12 April.