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U.S. doubles-up with XCC wins at home in Snowshoe

Blevins and Gibson deliver for the West Virginia crowd

Photo by: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

Mud and wet weather wreaked havoc on Friday’s short track XC World Cup in Snowshoe, but two U.S. riders still managed to rise above the much to deliver wins for the vocal West Virginia crowd. Gwendalyn Gibson, then XCC world champion Christopher Blevins both crossed the line first after 20 frantic minutes of racing.

Elite Women

Gwendalyn Gibon (Norco Factory Team) rose above conditions and a star-studded women’s field to earn the elite women’s win. Anne Terpstra (Ghost Factory Racing) and Jenny Rissveds (Team 31 Ibis) round out the podium with Swiss riders Alessandra Keller (Thome Maxon) and Jolanda Neff (Trek Factory Racing) following in fourth and fifth.

Emily Batty and Haley Smith race XCC World Cup in Snowshoe
Emily Batty leads Haley Smith in West Virginia. Photo: Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool
Canadians in Snowshoe

Laurie Arseneault (Canyon MTB Racing) led the Canadian effort in America, matching her 14th-place finish from 2021. Jennifer Jackson (Canyon MTB) followed eight seconds behind in 16th. That puts both the Canadian XCC national champion and her teammate on the second row of the start grid for Sunday’s XCO event.

Sandra Walter (Liv Canada) led a trio of Canadians across the line in 20th, with Haley Smith (Maxxis Factory Racing) and Emily Batty (Canyon MTB Racing) in 21st and 22nd. Cindy Montambault in 27th and Dana Gilligan in 28th round ot the Canadian effort.

Elite Men

On the men’s side, Christopher Blevins (Specialized) showed off his rainbow jersey in his home World Cup, crossing the line with time to post up and celebrate the win. The XCC world champion led Romanian Vlad Dascalu (Trek Factory Racing) and Luca Braidot (Santa Cruz FSA), the winner of the last two rounds.

Friday’s short track included a scary moment for Nino Schurter. The Swiss star’s quest for a historic 34th career World Cup win has been a rocky road ever since the opening round in Brazil. Schurter won in South America, matching Julien Absalon’s 33 wins, but has had a series of struggles since. A big crash on Friday threatened to push back that win another week, but Schurter confirmed late Friday that no bones were broken.

Canadians in West Virginia

Leandré Bouchard (Foresco Holdings ProCo RL Pro Team) led three Canadians in the elite men’s race, finishing 32nd. Quinton Disera (Canyon MTB) followed in 34th. His teammate Tyler Orschel rounded out the effort in 36th.

Results: 2022 World Cup XCC #7 (Snowshoe, W.Va)

Elite Women

1.
GIBSON Gwendalyn (NORCO FACTORY TEAM)
21:40
2.
TERPSTRA Anne (GHOST FACTORY RACING)
21:42
+2
3.
RISSVEDS Jenny (TEAM 31 IBIS CYCLES)
21:44
+4
4.
KELLER Alessandra (THÖMUS MAXON)
21:47
+7
5.
NEFF Jolanda (TREK FACTORY RACING XC)
21:49
+9
6.
BOHÉ Caroline (GHOST FACTORY RACING)
21:51
+11
7.
MITTERWALLNER Mona (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING)
21:52
+12
8.
COURTNEY Kate (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM)
21:56
+16
9.
BLUNK Savilia
22:00
+20
10.
L̥IV Janika (KMC РORBEA)
22:05
+25
11.
HÄBERLIN Steffi (BIXS PERFORMANCE RACING)
22:10
+30
12.
URBAN Kelsey (TEAM 31 IBIS CYCLES)
22:11
+31
13.
BATTEN Haley (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING)
22:11
+31
14.
ARSENEAULT Laurie (CANYON MTB RACING)
22:22
+42
15.
DEGN Malene (KMC – ORBEA)
22:25
+45
16.
JACKSON Jennifer (CANYON MTB RACING)
22:30
+50
20.
WALTER Sandra
23:04
+1:24
21.
SMITH Haley
23:12
+1:32
22.
BATTY Emily (CANYON MTB RACING)
23:15
+1:35
27.
MONTAMBAULT Cindy
24:47
+3:07
28.
GILLIGAN Dana
25:01
+3:21

Elite Men

 

1.
BLEVINS Christopher (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING)
21:53
2.
DASCALU Vlad (TREK FACTORY RACING XC)
21:55
+2
3.
BRAIDOT Luca (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM)
21:57
+4
4.
CARSTENSEN Sebastian Fini (KMC – ORBEA)
22:04
+11
5.
CAROD Titouan (BMC MTB RACING)
22:05
+12
6.
HATHERLY Alan (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING)
22:11
+18
7.
BRANDL Maximilian (LEXWARE MOUNTAINBIKE TEAM)
22:15
+22
8.
COLOMBO Filippo (BMC MTB RACING)
22:15
+22
9.
DE FROIDMONT Pierre (KMC – ORBEA)
22:16
+23
10.
VALERO SERRANO David (BH TEMPLO CAFÉS UCC)
22:17
+24
11.
MAROTTE Maxime (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM)
22:17
+24
12.
CINK Ondrej (KROSS ORLEN CYCLING TEAM)
22:18
+25
13.
LITSCHER Thomas (KROSS ORLEN CYCLING TEAM)
22:18
+25
14.
GUERRINI Marcel (BIXS PERFORMANCE RACING)
22:19
+26
15.
COLLEDANI Nadir (MMR FACTORY RACING TEAM)
22:22
+29
32.
BOUCHARD Leandre (FORESCO HOLDING PROCO RL PRO TEAM)
23:01
+1:08
34.
DISERA Quinton
23:15
+1:22
36.
ORSCHEL Tyler
23:59
+2:06