Blevins wins the unpredictable Mairipora XCO World Cup

Blevins takes the victory in the Mairipora XCO World Cup. The American prevailed in the huge leading group that kept the race open until the last lap. Koretzky and Colombo, both always at the front of the pack, crossed the finish line behind him.

Blevins wins the brutal opening race of the 2024 XCO World Cup in Mairipora

The Brazilian town of Mairipora raised the curtain on the 2024 XCO World Cup season under a layer of clouds that hid the sun but was sterile to reduce the high humidity of the area. Vidaurre -who had his differences with Koretzky at the end of the XCC race- took the lead in the first meters and chose to push from the start of the huge pack of 106 riders. Schwarzbauer and De Froidmont were among the first to join the Chilean, who stretched the group early on.

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The tough climbs of the circuit caused several bottlenecks, aggravated by Gaze's fall -who hit a rock at the top of the climb and went out in front-. The first short lap was ridden at a tremendous intensity that led to the first cuts of the day.

The passage through the finish line saw Boichis take control of the race in a display of class and personality. The Frenchman's boldness continued to mark the start of the race, even though the lead passed to the legs of Koretzky and De Froindmont. The front group was formed by many units, including a Dubau who had previously fallen after slipping but without further consequences.

Colombo raised the stakes with a more daring pace that did cause a significant fracture in the front group. The Swiss rider turned the pedals violently and only Vidaurre, Koretzky, Dubau, and Boichis resisted the onslaught. The move was further proof that the race was a powder keg where hostilities continued without rest; differences emerged between those who appeared to have complicity and the pack was divided into many small groups.

Vidaurre, Colombo, Koretzy, and Dubau established themselves at the front and sealed a temporary truce; a moment to regain strength, catch their breath, and maintain the distance with the chasing group of Boichis, De Froindmont, Gaze, and Sarrou. Behind them, Schurter was struggling in 42nd place with a stained jersey revealing that he had suffered a fall.

The leading quartet lost the freshness of the start and the group behind closed the gap. The lead, which seemed enough to withstand the threats from other riders, disappeared and Gaze, Blevins, and Sarrou regained contact with the front; the former pursuers reset the race to open up a wide range of possibilities for the final part of the race.

The seven contenders for victory maintained their positions until Dubau took the lead. The Frenchman spread his wings and took off, only finding a response from Vidaurre, Colombo, and Koretzky. However, the flat sections allowed Blevins, Sarrou, and Gaze to rejoin the front group.

The penultimate lap started with an unexpected guest joining the already crowded opposition for victory: Jens Schuermans arrived when no one expected new additions and joined the group to form an eight-rider front. Colombo took the lead and was replaced by Vidaurre, although neither of the two

The race script was turned upside down: the kilometers only served to accumulate contenders for the victory, which included the legs of Avonedetto. And Schwarzbauer. And Griot. And Andreassen. And Hatherly. And De Froidmont. And Braidot. A wild group of fourteen riders in the final lap to fight for a finish in pure Short Track style.

With so many bikes at the front, positioning was more important than ever; Koretzky took the lead, but Vidaurre snatched the first position from him. The Frenchman pedaled hard and took the lead. The group began to break up with Colombo and Blevins as prominent challengers to Koretzky. And then came the definitive move: Blevins took responsibility and changed the pace that ultimately broke the race. The American opened a gap and flew towards the finish line.

Thus, Chris Blevins raised his arms to confirm the victory in the Mairipora XCO World Cup. Behind him, Koretzky and Colombo engaged in a close sprint that favored the Frenchman, while Sarrou and Vidaurre closed the podium.

XCO World Cup Mairipora 2024 Results - Men

1. Christopher Blevins 1h 30' 00"
2. Victor Koretzky +2"
3. Filippo Colombo +3"
4. Jordan Sarrou +5"
5. Martin Vidaurre +5"
6. Simone Avondetto +20"
7. Sam Gaze +20"
8. Alan Hatherly +21"
9. Thomas Griot +23"
10. Vlad Dascalu +29"