Brazil continues to deliver fantastic courses, passionate fans, and tight racing as the mountain bike World Cup continues for round two in Araxá. The hot and chaotic racing resulted in Haley Batten and teammate Victor Koretzky taking wins in the leg-testing short track on another dominant day for Specialized Factory Racing.
The elite women’s race was kicked off by Chiara Teocchi (Orbea) who made a statement by setting the pace straight off the line, even opening a minor gap on the first steep climb of the course. The Italian was joined at the front by Batten, Jolanda Neff (Trek), Evie Richards (Trek), Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon), Jenny Rissveds (Team 31), Savilia Blunk (Decathlon-Ford), and Kate Courtney (Scott-SRAM).
Batten took up the pace-making the next lap, and Liv’s Jennifer Jackson moved up into fifth wheel. The Canadian has had a great early season in Brazil, placing ninth in last weekend’s XCC contest. Loana Lecomte of Canyon also began moving up and searching for a key position.
Martina Berta (Santa Cruz-RockShox) was next up to the front as Teocchi faded down the field. Batten and Keller didn’t budge though and kept the pace high. At one point, Keller got a bit tight in a pinch point with Rissveds and the Swede was not happy.
Blunk also took a turn at the front just before the chaos really kicked off. Batten led up the steep climb during the penultimate lap when Keller crashed in fourth wheel, immediately creating a split. Batten, Richards and Liv’s Linda Indergand led, with Courtney chasing in fourth and eventually joining the trio.
Richards set the pace but appeared to be caught off guard when Batten threw down a strong attack heading into the climb. Batten held her gap down the jump line downhill and flat final section, crossing the line for victory 4 seconds ahead of Indergand in runner-up spot and Blunk in third.
The men’s race also brought dramatic and exciting racing. Martin Vidaurre (Specialized) kicked off the line with Sam Gaze (Alpecin) and Simon Andreassen (Cannondale). Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale) came to the front and looked great, but his front wheel slid out and he hit the deck, reshuffling the front group.
Jordan Sarrou (Team BMC) and Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM) then showed themselves at the front, and British national champion Aldridge sought to join the front again, but appeared to have additional problems, getting squeezed out in a tight corner.
Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV) soon came to the front as he likes to do, with Koretzky and Alan Hatherly (Cannondale) also putting themselves in position. Christopher Blevins (Specialized) slotted into the top three during the penultimate lap, with teammate Koretzky leading out the flat section.
The former XCC world champion launched up the climb, opening a gap and using his skills developed as a junior BMX racer to fly down the jump line. But Koretzky joined him on the flat section ready to sprint for the win, and Blevins appeared too gassed to follow the kick.
Elite Women XCC Results
- Haley Batten (Specialized Factory Racing)
- Linda Indergand (Liv Factory Racing)
- Savilia Blunk (Decathlon-Ford)
- Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon)
- Jennifer Jackson (Liv Factory Racing)
- Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing)
- Steffi Häberlin (Team BMC)
- Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing)
- Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing)
- Candice Lill (No team listed)
Elite Men XCC Results
- Victory Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing)
- Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing)
- Alan Hatherly (Cannondale Factory Racing)
- Jordan Sarrou (Team BMC)
- Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV)
- Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM)
- Thomas Litscher (Lapierre Mavic Unity)
- Sam Gaze (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
- Adrien Boichis (Trinity Racing)
- Maximilian Foidl (KTM Factory MTB Team)
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