History making Blevins became the first person to win the opening five UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup rounds of the season. Meanwhile, after missing the opening two rounds Pieterse won her third consecutive UCI XCC event with another blistering finish.
The hot conditions and dry 940-metre track in Trentino resulted in close bunch racing and jostling for positions throughout.
Both Blevins and Pieterse kept inside the top 10 positions throughout and then launched blistering attacks on the last lap before holding on to the finish.
Meanwhile, Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) extended his lead in the Men U23 UCI XCC World Cup after taking back-to-back series wins. Canadian Nicole Bradbury overcame a first lap crash to clinch her first Women U23 UCI XCC World Cup victory.
BLEVINS CONTINUES PERFECT XCC SEASON IN VAL DI SOLE
Blevins returned to the course where he was crowned UCI XCC World Champion in 2021 to continue his winning streak in this year’s UCI XCC World Cup. Another former UCI XCC World Champion, Samuel Gaze (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won at Val Di Sole last season, but was absent in Italy after recently becoming a father.
Blevins has dominated XCC this campaign and was leaving nothing to chance on the fast course in Trentino.
Meanwhile, Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) finished third two weeks’ ago but struggled in a tight opening and was shuffled back outside the top-20 positions.
Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) upped the pace in a bid to break the large leading group which was tightly packed together.
With riders using every inch of the track to position themselves Ondřej Cink (Cube Factory Racing) tangled with the course marking tape and lost his position at the midway point.
Blevins and Specialized Factory Racing team-mate Victor Koretzky were amongst those who were battling for position as Schwarzbauer controlled the front.Heading into the final two laps all-but-one of the 39 starters were separated by less than seven seconds.
Schwarzbauer continued to hold the front position and was powering up the small climb to maintain his position to take the last lap bell.
However, Blevins took the front and launched a blistering attack up the final climb and pulled out a winning advantage.
Koretzky had to tighten his shoe coming into the last lap, but powered through to finish runner-up behind his team-mate for the fourth XCC event this season.
Meanwhile, Schwarzbauer was rewarded for controlling the front positions throughout the race with a third place finish.
“I really try to start from zero every race, it’s easy to let the ideas of what you’ve done or the fear of losing it accumulate,” said Blevins after recording a record fifth consecutive XCC win of the season.
“That’s what is working for me, coming back to ground zero, every race is a new race. I executed it really well today and had the kick on the last lap that I needed. It was always the plan. That’s how you win these short tracks that stay together. I’ve got a lot of confidence in that, as long as I can get there recovered enough.
“Thankfully I was in a good position, it was super dusty and loose so. It was a course where you were prone to mistakes. I did it as well as I could. (Being at the front) was super important. It’s the switch that I’ve made with short tracks this year.
“It was an interesting race in terms of equipment, we raced the gravel tyres on half of the short tracks this year. This time we were on super wide and fast tyres, which on these bumps were really good.
“It was super cagey, you probably bump at last a dozen times out there. The skill level is so high with everyone, that everyone is comfortable even when bumping around these loose corners. That’s the coolest thing about short track titles.”
PIETERSE MAINTAINS UNBEATEN RUN WITH LATE ATTACK
Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) took her sixth career UCI XCC World Cup victory with another attacking display. UCI XCC World Cup series leader Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli) had a commanding overall lead after winning two of the opening four rounds. However, after finishing sixth in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland two weeks’ ago the British rider decided not to travel to Val di Sole.
It was Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) who led away from the start and up the climb, before being swamped by the early pace and slipping back in the tight course. After starting on the second row Pieterse had to battle her way to the front following the opening lap.
Canadian Jennifer Jackson (Orbea Fox Factory Team) took the front and was holding a commanding position in the front row in the opening laps. On the fourth of 11 laps Pieterse launched a blistering attack up the course’s short climb but failed to break a compact front group. The Dutch National Champion attempted to break the close bunch again on lap seven, but saw her effort matched by the large front group.
With four laps remaining the top 26 riders were separated by a handful of seconds as Pieterse continued to control the front. The close racing resulted in several crashes and Loanna Lecomte (BMC Factory Racing) came down on the hard surface and was a non-finisher. Heading into the final lap a long string of 16 riders remaining in contention for the podium positions, led by Jackson.
A close battle into the final corners saw Pieterse lead and then attack into the final climb.
Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) was the only rider to respond as they descended down to the finishing straight.Pieterse launched her winning sprint finish and gave it everything to hold off a quickly finishing Rissveds. Meanwhile, Jackson was rewarded for her efforts during the race with a third placed finish.
“It was quite cagey, the whole race actually,” said Pieterse. “After a few laps you could see where people could overtake and where it wasn’t possible.’’
“In the last lap I knew that I would have to go early, because the sprint finish is a bit shorter than the last few years.’’
“I thought that I needed to try it from the front, luckily it worked out. It was really important to be in the second or third wheel, my start wasn’t too good, you could feel how tight everything was and how crashes are there. I knew just to stay in the front."
Pieterse continues to mix her mountain bike and road racing ambitions and added: “I’ve been with my road team doing some recons of the Tour de France stages, so I had some big days on my bike. I hope to be fresh this weekend. I think I’m quite fresh.”
After missing the round Richards has seen her overall lead reduced to 40 points.
BRADBURY TIMES EFFORT PERFECTLY FOR FIRST WIN
Canadian Nicole Bradbury was the day’s surprise winner after coming back from a first lap crash to win the women’s Under 23 event. A first lap collision with fellow Canadian Ella Macphee (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) saw both women have to battle back through the field. Gaps started to open after 10 minutes of racing after the efforts of Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) and Anina Hutter started to tell
However, the fast course resulted in the field remaining in one line separated by seconds on the Italian course. Home rider Sara Cortinovis (Ghost Factory Racing) and British youngster Ella Maclean-Howell (Cube Factory Racing) were also amongst the leading charge, with the leader changing each lap.
As the race reached its conclusion the Austrian duo of Katherina Sadnik (KTM Factory MTB Team) and Katrin Embacher (Trek Future Racing) came to the front, along with Bradbury.
It was Bradbury who was the fastest to surprise herself with victory, beating series leader Sadnik into second and Embacher third in a tight finish.
“I definitely didn’t expect that at all,” said Bradbury. “I was worried this morning as I just didn’t feel too good. It was super-hot, so I was a bit nervous about all the different factors. It’s my fourth short track, I was really nervous and aiming for a top-20.
“I crashed on the first lap with Ella Macphee. I thought both of our races were probably over. In the last three laps I found myself at the front and made the moves that I need to do to get into the top four and five with two laps to go
“It seemed that everything opened up and I could do what I need to do. I can’t believe it.”
TREUDLER RECORDS BACK-TO-BACK WINS
Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) followed his win in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland two weeks ago with another success in Val Di Sole.
The men’s Under 23 race was equally as fast and furious as the women’s event before it, with German Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountain Bike Team) and overall UCI XCC World Cup leader Treudler pushing the early pace.
Rens Teunissen Van Manen (KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team) and Norwegian pairing Sondre Rokke and William Handley were also in the mix as the fast race reached its conclusion. Treudler was the most powerful rider at the finish to take a two-second victory ahead of challenger Van Manen.
Meanwhile, Schehl completed the podium after riding from the front on the fast terrain.
“I knew that this short race was going to be really hard for me to make a good result,” said Treudler. “It’s super-flat and I’m a rider who needs some climbs to make a difference.’
“I felt super-strong and tried to be at the front in the whole race to keep it easier with positioning. I’m super-happy to take the win.”
The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues in Val Di Sole-Trentino this weekend with the UCI Downhill World Cup Finals on Saturday, followed by the UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup on Sunday.
