Sina Frei returns to the top and wins the Short Track in Lake Placid

The penultimate Short Track of the 2024 World Cup has been held at the new North American venue of Lake City. And there, the Swiss Sina Frei has surprised everyone by returning to the top of the podium 3 years after her last victory in the World Cup.

Sina Frei wins the Short Track of the World Cup in Lake Placid

After the rain of the last few days, the sun came out a few hours before the Short Track race. Enough to drain the water from the circuit and allow for a race as explosive as expected.

Swedish Jenny Rissveds was the one to take the lead in the race in the first lap, but there were no major attacks in the early laps and all the favorites stayed in the group: Loana Lecomte, Alessandra Keller, Evie Richards, Chiara Teochi, Laura Stigger, Anne Terpstra, or Martina Berta.

Furthermore, in Lake Placid, Swiss Alessandra Keller was facing her first opportunity to win the overall XCC World Cup. Only Australian Bec Henderson was in a position to snatch the title from her, and the Swiss needed to finish within the top 11 to secure the victory.

It was another Swiss, Nicole Keller, who launched an initial attack halfway through the race, opening small gaps and starting to destabilize the group. Even Laura Stigger suffered a fall in the middle of the rock garden, slowing down several cyclists.

The positions settled down with 2 laps to go, but the pace and race tension remained high for the favorites.

With the bell for the final lap ringing, Jenny Rissveds launched a devastating change of pace, to which surprisingly Swiss Sina Frei joined. Both began to open a gap that seemed definitive.

Just when it seemed that Rissveds had everything in her favor to take the victory, Sina Frei showed her best version again by launching an attack on the last climb. This was the final move and it was enough for her to win the race and return to the top of the podium.

Top 10 XCC World Cup Lake Placid

1. Sina Frei - SUI - 0:19:41
2. Jenny Rissveds - SWE - 0:19:44
3. Evie Richards - GBR - 0:19:45
4. Loana Lecomte - FRA - 0:19:45
5. Nicole Koller - SUI - 0:19:48
6. Savilia Blunk - USA - 0:19:49
7. Martina Berta - ITA - 0:19:51
8. Alessandra Keller - SUI - 0:19:52
9. Rebecca Henderson - AUS - 0:19:52
10. Annie Last - GBR - 0:19:53