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Zorak Paillé solos to podium finish at US Cup UCI Junior Series

Photo by: FloBikes

US Cup junior racing continued on Saturday with Quebec’s Zorak Paillé timing his best race of the weekend to coincide with the week’s most important junior race. The PG racing rider put in a long, hard-fought solo ride to take third in the UCI Junior Series XCO race in Arkansas.

RELATED: Holmgren sisters 1-2 at UCI Junior Series US Cup XCO

Junior men’s US Cup XCO – Paillé goes alone

With Saturday being the most important day for the juniors, it was a fast and busy start. Ben Sweet (Hardwood Nextwave) and Zorak Paillé (PG Racing) made their way onto the front for the Canadians. Ben Spranger and Cayden Parker of Bear National, who have swept the top positions in this week’s racing, were lurking near the front. With over 100 juniors on the start line, there was no space to relax, elbows were out and the lead changed constantly.

Coming across the line after the start loop, the two Bear National riders start to create a small gap, with Paillé following. The rest of the field is strung out behind, though, and charging hard.

Spranger and his teammate, Parker soon created a small gap. Paillé trailed around 15 seconds behind but was still well clear of the fourth-place rider.

Riding all on his own, Paillé managed to keep that gap to the leaders in check for several laps. Thursday’s mud was gone, replaced by hardpack fast conditions, but the gusting wind remained. The Bear National riders used that advantage to stretch out the gap until Parker decided to go solo.

Going out onto the final lap, Parker maintained a 20-second gap on Spranger. Paillé was holding his own 1:48 back in third. A chase group for fourth position was well back, over a minute behind the Quebec rider.

Cayden Parker held his advantage to take another win at this week’s US Cup. Jack Spranger followed 27 seconds back in second.

Zorak Paillé earns a hard-fought third place, riding solo in the wind for the vast majority of Saturday’s race.

Simon Ruelland (Equipe du Quebec/Sigma) finished ninth, joining Paillé in the top 10. Ian Ackert (Stimulus Orbea) moved up into 12th on the final lap. Alexander Woodford (Ontario/Ride with Rendall) placed 15th.

Schedule shuffles continue in Arkansas

US Cup organizers are trying to reschedule Sunday’s elite men’s and women’s races to Saturday in an attempt to dodge more adverse weather. Rain and extreme winds are forecast to start overnight. Elite women started staging shortly after the junior men’s race concluded. The elite men are scheduled to stage at 5:45 p.m. CT. Flobikes appears to still be streaming both races.

Results (Unofficial): Moosejaw US Cup UCI Junior Series – Saturday, April 23

1. PARKER Cayden Bear National Team 11:17.8
2. SPRANGER Jack Bear National Team 1:08:14 +27
3. PAILLÉ Zorak Vélo Pays d’en haut PG 1:09:56 +2:09
4. VEENENDAAL Vaughn Boulder Junior Cycling 1:11:06 +3:19
5. HARRELSON Gabe Hatch Toyota Racing 1:11:17 +3:30
6. IBANEZ Daniel Cordillera Trek 1:11:25 +3:38
7. SHELTON Marcis dfL 1:11:27 +3:40
8. WHITE Brady WE Devo 1:11:52 +4:05
9. RUELLAND Simon EQUIPE DU QUEBEC / SIGMA ASSURANCE 1:12:08 +4:21
10. BROWN Ian Bear National Team 1:12:25 +4:38
11. CRISMON Benjamin Texas Roadhouse 1:12:30 +4:43
12. ACKERT Ian Stimulus Orbea 1:12:35 +4:48
13. STANZIONE Johnny Waite Endurance 1:12:46 +4:59
14. BRYAN Leif Boulder Junior Cycling 1:13:02 +5:15
15. WOODFORD Alexander Team Ontario / Ride with Rendall 1:13:06 +5:19
16. COLE Owen First Flight Devo 1:13:09 +5:22
17. ENGLISH Daniel BEAR NATIONAL TEAM 1:13:09 +5:22
18. PLAS Yaël Stappenbelt Specialized Racing 1:13:37 +5:50
19. WHITE Magnus boulder junior cycling 1:13:38 +5:51
20. DEALE Owen Bicycle Express Racing 1:13:38 +5:51
21. HALE Hudson G3 Foundation 1:13:41 +5:54
22. ZABRISKIE Isaac Maybird 1:13:58 +6:11
23. SUNDE Ben Miller School of Albemarle 1:13:58 +6:11
24. MOTE Adam USA Cycling Olympic Development Academy 1:13:59 +6:12
25. GUTIERREZ Raulito Bear National Team 1:14:05 +6:18
26. BOUCHER John Travis USA Cycling Olympic Development Academy 1:14:21 +6:34
27. ST ONGE Maxime Équipe du Québec / Siboire 1:14:30 +6:43
28. DUMANSKI Mason WE Development 1:14:40 +6:53
29. GUERRERO Brandon 1:15:05 +7:18
30. MORRIS Richard Ciclismo Racing 1:15:12 +7:25
31. SCHLAGETER Dylan Texas Devo 1:15:23 +7:36
32. WARREN Noah USA Cycling Olympic Development Academy 1:15:35 +7:48
33. DENDY Landon WE Development 1:15:40 +7:53
34. GENEST Marc Andre Velo Pays d’en Haut 1:15:43 +7:56
35. EDWARDS Matthew First Flight Devo 1:15:48 +8:01
36. COCHRAN Joseph Maybird 1:15:57 +8:10
37. SAIGH Elias ASU Junior Devo 1:16:13 +8:26
38. HART Samuel Reno Devo 1:16:22 +8:35
39. DEWIRE Markus Pinnacle Jr MTB Team 1:16:30 +8:43
40. HANSEN Joe Bear National 1:16:32 +8:45
41. COULTER Bryce OZ Development 1:16:36 +8:49
42. MIZZONI John Riders Incorporated 1:16:50 +9:03
43. LARKIN Tate Maybird 1:16:57 +9:10
44. EGLEY Bryce Riders Inc 1:17:14 +9:27
45. RAINER Johnny Skyridge High School 1:17:14 +9:27
46. IRVING Owen Team California Juniors 1:17:22 +9:35
47. CÔTÉ Mikaël Equipe du Quebec / Siboire 1:17:30 +9:43
48. CHINEA RODRIGUEZ Alberto Leniel Scott -Advanced Team 1:17:48 +10:01
49. PAYNE Gabriel Texas Devo 1:17:54 +10:07
50. COLON Darren PurMtb Team -1
51. DIMAMBRO Enrico Hatch Toyota Racing -2
52. SCHROEDER Dylan ASU Devo -2
53. SWEET Ben Hardwood Nextwave -2
54. TERRY Woodson Dirt Camp Racing -2
55. PTASZEK Adam Waite Endurance -2