Koretzky wins the duel against Blevins and takes the XCC in Araxá

Victor Koretzky takes the victory in the XCC World Cup in Araxá. Blevins flew towards the finish line in a brutal attack on the last lap that only Koretzky could respond to, arriving just in time to follow his wake and snatch the win shortly before reaching the finish line. Blevins had to settle for second place, while Hatherly finished third.

Koretzky takes the first round in Araxá: victory in the Short Track after beating Blevins

The sun appeared and the forty riders started pedaling punctually on the red sand of the Brazilian circuit. A clean start left Vidaurre as the first leader of the day, although quickly the young Charlie Aldridge took the initiative and assumed the responsibility of leading the group. The bravery of the British rider was frustrated shortly after when he fell on a flat pedaling section; Aldridge lost control of the front wheel and bit the dust as a cascade of riders passed him.

And it was time for Schwarzbauer who, as usual, felt comfortable taking charge of the race. The other riders, glued to his wake and showing no signs of overexertion, hinted that they were still in a phase of controlled pace. Sarrou, Schurter, Andreassen, and Hatherly positioned themselves behind the German.

The pedaling continued relentlessly and the huge peloton reached the halfway point of the race. Schwarzbauer maintained the lead with the unapologetic style that characterizes him and continued to lead the race to the cheers of the fans. Sarrou and Koretzky escorted the leader while constant position changes occurred behind them.

Schwarzbauer's quadriceps tensed the race with a harder pace, although the German's proposal was met with a response from everyone. The technical sections and ramps of the Brazilian track were not enough to allow an escape; no one stood out in a race dominated by equality.

 

Schwarzbauer, true to his stubbornness to lead at all costs, finally yielded the throne to Sarrou. The Frenchman spurred the pedals without achieving anything and Schwarzbauer returned to his natural position.

Last lap. Koretzky took the lead and Blevins in second position. And after a few moments of waiting, it was the American who made a move with a devastating attack that left all the members of the leading group behind. Blevins flew with fury and subjected the pedals to a brutal torture to overcome the climb where the attack had taken place.

However, Koretzky showed his determination and caught up to his teammate when no one thought anyone could reach him. And the Frenchman had a bit more explosiveness that allowed him to reach the finish line alone and raise his arms to confirm the victory in the Araxá Short Track.

XCC World Cup Araxá 2024 Results - Men

1. Victor Koretzky 19'26"
2. Chris Blevins +3"
3. Alan Hatherly +4"
4. Jordan Sarrou +5"
5. Luca Schwarzbauer +5"
6. Filippo Colombo +7"
7. Thomas Litscher +9"
8. Sam Gaze +9"
9. Adrien Boichis +10"
10. Maximilian Foidl +10"