Evie Richards' impressive XCO victory in Chur

The women's race started the final XCO round in Chur, and it did so with a very strong grid that lacked very few of the main favourites to win any World Cup. But it was the British rider Evie Richards who took the victory after a great performance that has helped her to sign her return to the front line of competition.

Evie Richards is back and proves it by winning a very high level XCO in Chur

After the start, Laura Stigger was the first to lead a high-voltage group that included Anne Terpstra, Haley Batten, Jolanda Neff, Kate Courtney, Pauline Ferrand Prevot, Alessandra Keller and Evie Richards.

The Chur course combined urban sections with narrow but easy forest trails and although the group remained compact for the first few kilometres, it was the Austrian Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) who launched an attack before lap 2 that allowed her to ride alone in the lead for a few metres.

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French rider Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (INEOS Grenadiers) was lagging a little behind on the first lap, but it seemed to be part of her strategy and she was soon back at the front of the group. One of the big surprises of the day was to see British rider Evie Richards (Trek Factory) back at the front of a race and showing signs that her problems from last year may be behind her.

By the third lap the group was considerably reduced and in front were only Evie Richards, Pauline Ferrand, Alessandra Keller (Thomus), Anne Terpstra and the three Specialized Factory riders Sina Frei, Haley Batten and Laura Stigger. They were followed by Kate Courtney (SCOTT SRAM) and Jolanda Neff, almost 20 seconds behind.

Before the end of lap 3, Evie Richards began to launch attacks, both downhill and on the flat, which took effect and left her leading the race alone and 13 seconds ahead of the chasing group. In her attempt to catch Richards, Alessandra Keller suffered an inconsequential crash that dropped her straight to the back of the group.

By lap 4 there was no doubt that Evie Richards had returned to top form. She was once again riding very fast, adopting her trademark aerodynamic position that makes her a true combat rider, and on both the downhill and uphill sections she was pushing herself to the maximum, just as we saw her do in 2021 when she won the World Championship.

The race continued with the same script and the last lap started with Richards leading alone with a huge cushion of almost 2 minutes over her followers. A group in which the positions were changing fast and the podium places seemed to be disputed between Batten and Pauline.

Evie Richards was solid all the way to the finish and came home first to take victory in the OKK Bike Revolution Chur 2023. But the most important thing was the British rider's impressive performance and her return to the front line after the back problems that kept her on the back burner during 2022.

The second place was decided by sprint and ended with a photo finish that gave silver to Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and bronze to Switzerland's Sina Frei.

Results OKK Bike Revolution Women XCO Chur 2023

1. Evie Richards - Trek Factory Racing
2. Pauline Ferrand-Prevot - INEOS Grenadiers
3. Sina Frei - Specialized Factory Racing
4. Alessandra Keller - Thomus Maxon
5. Laura Stigger - Specialized Factory Racing