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Tom Pidcock finesses muddy World Cup XCO finale at Mont-Sainte-Anne

Jenn Jackson scores career-high elite XCO finish in Quebec

Photo by: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool
October 9, 2023
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A rain-soaked Mont-Sainte-Anne cross country course served up one final test to end the 2023 World Cup season, challenging racers with greasy roots, slippery slabs and muddy madness. Tom Pidcock and Loana Lecomte came away with clean wins to end the weekend and the season while Nino Schurter and Puck Pieterse wrapped up elite men’s and women’s season titles.

Jenn Jackson led the Canadian effort with a career-high World Cup finish while a resurgent Léandre Bouchard squeezed into the top 20 of the elite men’s race.

Canadians in Quebec

Canada’s best had the opportunity to end the 2023 season at home this season and took full advantage. Jenn Jackson (Liv Factory Racing) scored her best World Cup result in the elite women’s XCO, powering through puddles to finish 12th. Laurie Arseneault (Pittstop Racing) followed in 24th and Roxane Vermette 44th in the elite women’s field.

Léandre Bouchard (Forresco Holdings ProCo RL Pro Team) led the Canadian men in his home province, pacing 16th in the elite men’s race. Gunnar Holmgren (Pivot Cycles-OTE) ended his incredible 2023 season 21st in MSA. His teammate, Raphael Auclair followed in 27th, Sean Fincham (Berria Vittoria) 46th, Tyler Orschel 52nd, Victor Verreault 54th out of a large Canadian contingent racing in MSA.

Under-23 Canucks in Quebec

In the under-23 racing, Carter Woods’ season came crashing to a halt on the penultimate lap. The Giant Factory Off-Road Team rider took a heavy slam while riding in the top five, forcing him out of the race. That also dropped Woods from second to third in the overall standings behind Adrien Boichis (Trinity) and the winner in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing).

Xavier Roy (28th), Owen Clark (32nd) and Zorak Paille (38th) were the only three Canadians to finish on the lead lap in the under-23 men’s XCO.

Emilly Johnston (Trek Future Racing) ended her year with a 12th place in Mont-Sainte-Anne, carrying her to eighth overall for the 2023 season. Ella MacPhee scored a top 20 in 19th place. Marie Fay St.-Onge in 25th, Ophelie Grandmont in 27th, Jocelyn steal in 28th and Lea Bouchard in 29th all finished on the lead lap in MSA.

Ronja Blochlinger (Liv Factory Racing) ended her dominant year on the top step of the podium in MSA and at top of the 2023 standings. Noëlle Buri (Bixs) and the U.S.A.’s Madigan Munro (Trek Factory Racing) rounded out the podium in Quebec while Sofi Pederson (Willier Pirelli) and world champion Samara Maxwell (Rockrider Ford) flanked Blochlinger on the overall podium.

Tom Pidcock rode clean through the muck in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Photo: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

Pidcock perfect in World Cup finale

Tom Pidcock (INEOS) capped off his summer racing season with an enthralling battle against Swiss star, Mathias Flückiger (Thomus Maxon) in Mont-Sainte-Anne. The two powered away from the field to duel for the final win on 2023. Flückiger faltered with a series of flat tires, leaving the world champion to celebrate another win alone off the front. The Swiss racer fought back to finish 26 seconds down in second place. Marcel Guerrini (Bixs) was a full 1:31 back in second place.

Marcel Guerrini ends his season with a big third place in MSA. Photo: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM) also struggled with mechanicals at MSA, finishing 12th. That was enough, though, to give the sensational Swiss his ninth World Cup overall title. Jordan Sarrou (BMC) followed just 40 points behind, with 1509 to Schurter’s total of 1549. Flückiger trailed another 10 points behind with 1499.

Loana Lecomte chases Rissveds and Pieterse through the treacherous rocks of Mont-Sainte-Anne. Photo: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

Loana Lecomte ends 2023 on a high note

In the elite women’s race, it was Loana Lecomte (Canyon Cllctv) claiming the top step at the final World Cup of 2023. The French racer out-dueled 2016 Olympic champion Jenny Rissveds (Team 31 Ibis) to claim a very muddy victory in MSA.

Loana Lecomte celebrates one last World Cup win in Quebec. Photo: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

Joining Lecomte and Rissveds on the podium were Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in third. A resurgent Jolanda Neff (Trek Factory Racing) in fourth and Italy’s Martina Berta (Santa Cruz RockShox) round the extended podium.

Puke Pieterse powers through the MSA creek crossing. Photo: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

Pieterse’ third place finish was more than enough to give the Dutch racer the elite women’s overall title, a phenomenal accomplishment in her first year of racing in the elite category. Lecomte follows in second and Austria’s Mona Mitterwallner (Cannondale Factory Racing) third overall.