Blevins and Puck Pieterse win the Short Track in Leogang with authority

Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Chris Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) were the main protagonists of the day, signing respective victories in the Short Track of the Leogang World Cup.

Puck Pieterse dominates in Leogang and returns to the top of the podium in the Short Track

With the impressive alpine setting of Leogang, the XCC World Cup kicked off with the elite women's race marked by the dominance of Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck), who achieved an uncontested victory after a tactical and explosive performance.

The Dutch rider started from the third row, which hinted at a challenging race, but soon showed that neither the starting position nor the high level of her rivals would stop her ambition. From the start, the race was very open, with Jolanda Neff (Cannondale) launching the first attack in the initial descent. Her offensive was quickly neutralized in the second lap, in a race set for eight laps.

With the peloton still compact in the third lap, Candice Lill (South Africa), Loana Lecomte (BMC), and Pieterse herself took the lead. It was then that Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team), the overall leader, took charge and increased the pace, causing an initial selection. But Pieterse finished with a lightning attack that proved decisive.

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With two laps to go, the Dutch rider was already riding solo with a considerable advantage. In the last lap, she maintained a 15-second lead over Maxwell, an unusual gap for a Short Track. Finally, she crossed the finish line with authority, signing a brilliant victory with a time of 21:13.

Maxwell finished second, 16 seconds behind, while Candice Lill completed the podium with a third-place finish, 21 seconds behind. Meanwhile, Mona Mitterwallner (Mondraker) finished fourth after a very solid race at home, while Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) closed the top 5.

Among the notable absences, Bec Henderson (Orbea) did not start due to illness, and Kate Courtney continues to recover from a wrist fracture.

Top 10 - XCC World Cup Leogang 2025 (Elite Women)

1. Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) - 21:13
2. Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) - 0:16
3. Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) - 0:21
4. Mona Mitterwallner (Mondraker Factory Racing) - 0:26
5. Candice Lill - 0:30
6. Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing) - 0:38
7. Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) - 0:51
8. Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) - 0:52
9. Jennifer Jackson (Orbea Fox Factory Team) - 0:59
10. Ramona Forchini (BIXS Performance Race Team) - 1:00

Chris Blevins secures another victory in Leogang and maintains his dominance in the Short Track

American Chris Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) once again showed why he is the leading figure in Short Track in the 2025 season, achieving his fourth consecutive victory in the XCC World Cup after a commanding performance in the Leogang race. A tactical, fast, and full of alternatives race that was resolved in an explosive final lap where the Specialized team played for a double victory.

From the start, Blevins set the pace and positioned himself at the front of the group in the first corner. An equally brilliant start was made by Spanish rider David Campos (BH Coloma Team), who managed to gain numerous positions on the outside to place himself among the leaders. The race, scheduled for 10 laps, maintained a steady pace during the first laps with figures like Andreassen (Orbea), Schwarzbauer (Canyon), and Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale) taking turns at the front.

Meanwhile, the Specialized riders - Blevins, Vidaurre, Koretzky, and Boichis - rode grouped and without showing themselves, saving energy for the decisive moment. Midway through the race, some protagonists like Andreassen, Campos, or even the legendary Nino Schurter started losing positions, with the latter retiring in the 4th lap for reasons yet to be confirmed.

Mathias Flückiger (Thömus Maxon) launched an attack with three laps to go that seemed promising, but he couldn't drop the group. In the last lap, Charlie Aldridge continued to push hard and control the attack attempts until the definitive blow came: Blevins surged from behind with immense power, followed by his teammate Martín Vidaurre. Both fought for the victory in the final meters, where the American crossed the line first by just a few centimeters.

Top 10 - XCC World Cup Leogang 2025 (Elite Men)

1. Chris Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) - 23:00
2. Martín Vidaurre (Specialized Factory Racing) - same time
3. Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) - 1 s
4. Lars Forster (Thömus Maxon) - 11 s
5. Fabio Püntener - 12 s
6. Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) - 17 s
7. Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) - 19 s
8. Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) - 24 s
9. Mathias Flückiger (Thömus Maxon) - 26 s
10. Maximilian Brandl (Lapierre Racing Unity) - 27 s

With this victory, Blevins strengthens his lead in the overall XCC standings and makes it clear that he is the man to beat in the short format. The Specialized Factory Racing team also placed three riders in the top 10, once again demonstrating their collective dominance in this discipline.