Tension between Vidaurre and Koretzky at the finish line in Mairipora

The Mairipora Short Track inaugurated the 2024 XCO World Cup and did not disappoint. The men's race had so much intensity and excitement that it made us vibrate all the way to the finish line. But that tension also caused Chilean Martín Vidaure and Frenchman Victor Koretzky, both teammates at Specialized Factory Racing, to have some clashes during the race and a "difference of opinions" at the finish line that are rarely seen in this sport.

Martín Vidaurre and Victor Koretzky did not understand each other during the race and asked for explanations at the finish line and in front of the cameras

As we were saying, the level of the first race of the year has been very high due to the surprisingly good form of many cyclists, resulting in a tense race from which no one could escape, ending with a multiple arrival between New Zealander Samuel Gaze, German Schwarzbauer, and the SFR cyclists Vidaure and Koretzky. Here you can read the full report.

It seems that the reason for the discussion captured by the cameras was that Koretzky and Vidaure passed each other in the last lap, giving the impression of hindering each other and ultimately leaving the Frenchman off the podium. Something that would be normal between rivals but not very common to see between teammates.

 

 

 

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As seen in the video, upon reaching the finish line, they both decided to talk it out, with a tone typical of the heat of competition, and without considering the audience and cameras present there.

Later, they exchanged some words on social media where it seemed they had resolved their differences. This is how Vidaure explained it:

The post-race chats with my "bigbro" Victor Koretzky may have sounded bad but they were just "Racing," don't worry

Let's hope that this friction between teammates does not set a precedent for the rest of the season and that they understand each other better in the upcoming races.