Isabella Holmgren dominates in treacherous conditions at Val di Sole U23 World Cup XCO

Isabella Holmgren dominated her World Cup debut in Nove Mesto. On Sunday in Val di Sole, Lidl-Trek’s Canadian showed that result was no fluke. The Ontario athlete again controlled the under-23 women’s XCO race, leading from lap one to finish with a massive winning margin.

Under-23 women: Holmgren controls chaotic conditions

Holmgren’s win came with the more challenging course conditions. The under-23 women were first on track Sunday morning after heavy overnight rain in Val di Sole. That made the off-camber grass and technical sections of roots and rocks absolutely treacherous. Add in heat, as the sun was out to dry the course for the elites and, later in the day, the under-23 men, and it was brutal test for all riders.

Holmgren thrived under the hard conditions. The presumptive nominee for Canada’s lone women’s Olympic spot took 20 seconds on the first full lap. By the end of the second lap, the Lidl-Trek racer had over a minutes advantage. Holmgren would finish the race 1:26 ahead of France’s Olivia Onesti (Trinx Factory Team). Elina Benoit would round out the podium in third, 2:37 behind.

Emilly Johnston (Trek Future Racing) was fighting for a podium position when, on the third of five laps, a flat tire sent her backwards through the field. The Vancouver Island racer would fight back to finish eighth.

Ella MacPhee (Pivot Cycles-OTE) worked forward all race, posting fast lap times at the end of the race to move up to 13th. Ava Holmgren (Lidl-Trek) followed in 16th. Marin Lowe (Pittstop Racing) added a 31st. Ophelie Grandmont finished 72nd while Nicole Bradbury withdrew on lap 4.

Under-23 men: Cole Punchard jabs into top 10

The under-23 men’s race was, as it has been most of this year, the Riley show. The U.S.A.’s Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing) and Bjorn Riley (Trek Future Racing) went 1-2 in Val di Sole. On Friday, the American’s were 1-2 in the under-23 men’s XCC, though in reverse order. Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) rounds out the podium in third.

Cole Punchard (Pivot Cycles-OTE) led the way for Canada, boxing his way forward into the top 10 over the opening laps. After moving up to sixth, Punchard held that position for the final laps to take an impressive sixth place finish.

Owen Clark was the next across the line for Canada in 22nd. Zorak Paillé (Pivot Cycles-OTE) followed in 59th, Noah Ramsay 65th and, one lap down, Mika Comaniuk (Pittstop Racing) 81st. Ian Ackert (Trek Future Racing) started, but withdrew from the race on lap 2.