Emilly Johnston on the podium at U23 World Cup XCO season opener

After a blisteringly fast, and hot, short track race on Friday, Emilly Johnston was front and center during Sunday’s under-23 World Cup XCO season opner. The Canadian national champion battled as part of a leading trio in Mairipora, Brazil, ending up on the podium.

Under-23 women’s XCO

Carla Hahn (Lexware Mountain Bike Team) flew off the start line but, before the long start loop was over, C. Hahn (Lexware Mountain bike team) flies off the front but, before the start loop is over, Gina Caluori (Willier Vittoria), Kira Bohm (Cube Factory) and Canada’s Emilly Johnston catch and pas the German.

Ella Macphee (Pivot Cycles OTE), the only other Canadian in the race, is moving up steadily through the field.

By the time the lead trio heads out from the start loop and onto the first full lap, they have an 11-second cap to Valentina Corvi of Santa Cruz. Johnston is sitting third wheel while Calouri initially seems willing to do the work. Macphee is 27 seconds back in 12th after the start loop.

Johnston makes a daring pass over a technical section of rock, putting pressure on her two fellow leaders. Bohm soon resumes setting pace with Caluori still holding on in third.

Chasing behind are U.S. u23 champion, Madigan Munro and Corvi. They are already 27 seconds back, though, and the U.S. champ looks like shes already hit the dirt.

Through 2 of 4 laps, it’s largely Bohm leading. With the gap to Munro and Corvi continuing to grow behind them, Johnston and Caluori seem happy to let the German do the work setting pace.

That holds until mid-way through the third lap. Johnston starts to fall off the pace as Bohm puts on pressure. Going out onto the fourth and final lap, Johnston is seven seconds down, but still has leaders in sight. That gap quickly grows, though, as Bohm lifts the pace and starts to distance Caluori as well. The fight for fourth is still well over a minute back, still. Macphee is now in ninth, part of a big group racing for top 10 placings in Mairipora.

Bohm holds her lead to the line, taking the first under-23 XCO World Cup win of 2024. Caluori follows close behind for second.

Emilly Johnston returns to a World Cup podium, starting her season with a huge third place result in Mairiporã.

Ella Macphee sprints to try move up a spot, but runs out of room. Its a wildly impressive ninth from the Pivot Cycles-OTE racer.

“The first World Cup of the year is always so exciting. The fact that it stayed so close together made it exciting too,” Johnston said after the race. “Last week I raced the C1 here and had trouble with the heat. To come back and get some redemption was really sweet. Having my teammate on the podium yesterday makes it a really special weekend.”