Home > MTB

Sean Fincham fourth at altitude in Andorra U-23 World Cup

Norco Factory Team XC Andy Vathis
July 7, 2019
Share on SMS

Sean Fincham led another weekend of breakout Canadian performances at the Vallnord, Andorra World Cup round on Sunday.

The Squamish, B.C. rider finished fourth in Sunday’s under-23 men’s XCO race. The high altitude venue is always challenging for racers, but an extremely dry course added an extra element of technical difficulty that likely helped the west coast athlete to another personal best result in Europe.

RELATED: Vallnord World Cup XCO: Schurter sprints to first win of 2019, Tauber scored historic win

Fincham was sixth at the last World Cup round, held in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic. This weekend, he moved up two spots to finish just shy of the podium in fourth. Added to a tenth at the opening round in Albstadt, Germany, Fincham now sits fourth overall in the under-23 men’s standings.

Finicham’s Norco Factory Team teammate Peter Disera added another top result for the Canadian squad on Sunday. Disera finished eleventh in the elite men’s race in Vallnord.

World Cup XCO Vallnord, Andorra: Under-23 men’s race

The race was won by Romania’s Vlad Dascalu (Brujula Racing Team), who now leads the under-23 men’s standings.

A small lead group of four rode together in the early stages of the men’s race. Dascalu, Fincham, Jofre Cullell Estape (Megamo Factory Team) and Filippo Colombo (BMC Racing). On the fifth of a six lap race, Dascalu and Cullell Estape accelerated, with the Romanian eventually dropping his Spanish competitor.

Colombo rode in in third, with Fincham following 12 second behind in fourth.

Raphael Auclair (Pivot Cycles-OTE) was the next Canadian across the line in 24th. Quinton Disera (Norco Factory Team) finished 36th, putting all Canadian riders well within the top half of the under-23 men’s field.

World Cup XCO Vallnord, Andorra: Under-23 Women’s race

Mackenzie Myatt was the top Canadian woman in the under-23 World Cup on Sunday. The Nova Scotia racer finished 20th, behind Germany’s Ronja Eibl (Corendon-Circus). Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing) was second and Martina Berta (Torpado Ursus) third. Haley Batten (Clif Pro Team) was the top North American, in sixth.

Canadian under-23 national champion Laurie Arseneault was not far behind Myatt, finishing 25th. Sophianne Samson was one spot, and seven seconds, behind Arseneault in 26th. Juliette Tetreault rounded out the Canadian entries in 36th.

World Cup racing returns in a weeks time at Les Gets, France. Racing starts Friday, July 12 with the Short Track XCC event. Under-23 XCO racing will be Sunday, July 14.