XCC Photo Epic: Snowshoe XC World Cup 2023
The XCC Short Track racing kicks off the penultimate weekend of World Cup racing in 2023. The U23 riders were the first on the Snowshoe course as we saw another win for Ronja Blöchlinger and Riley Amos top the podium on home soil.
A day later it was the Elite Women's turn to take on the challenging Snowshoe course. Evie Richards played a clever race dropping the hammer on the final lap to cross the line five seconds ahead of Puck Pieterse. Rebecca Henderson had a great ride ending the day with third.
Next up was the Elite Men and it was Victor Koretzky who once again led a French top-two as he went fastest in XCC for the second time in a row. Jordan Sarrou also matched his Les Gets result as he went two seconds back from Victor. Luca Schwarzbauer continues a great season of XCC racing with a third-place finish.
The elite and U23 have a short rest before the XCO action gets underway on Sunday.
Ronja Blochlinger has been this season's XCC specialist and today was no different.
U23 Women's start.
Noel Buri got to the front of the race on the start loop and held her own. She'd settle into third on the final lap.
Samara Maxwell, sporting her new team gear for the first time, made a few appearances at the front of the pack before dropping to second place.
Blochlinger leads the out the last lap.
Another win for Ronja Blochlinger with only one more U23 XCC left this season.
Can Blochlinger keep the pace up for Sunday's XCO?
Your U23 Women's XCC podium - Ronja Blochlinger, Samara Maxwell, and Noelle Buri
Riley Amos continuing his strong form of late.
The U23 men get their XCC action underway.
Carter Woods dug deep but couldn't quite match Riley Amos.
Riley Amos threading through the Snowshoe skyline.
Luca Martin taking home the final podium spot in the U23 men.
Riley Amos powering up the tech zone climb.
Riley Amos takes his very first short track win.
Riley Amos clinches it on home soil.
Riley Amos takes the win in front of Carter Woods and Luca Martin.
Loana Lecomte gearing up for battle.
Puck Pieterse takes to the line. She's still leading the series with two races left.
Evie Richards has been without a win for some time for tonight that would change.
The Women's XCC race is a go.
Evie Richards bumping elbows getting into position for the first hairpin.
Loana Lecomte forcing the pace early on.
The Snowshoe crowd never disappoints.
Pieterse makes quick work of the start loop and takes the lead early on. She'd eventually secure second after some healthy racing.
Martina Berta matching her number board with a 6th place finish.
Jenny Rissveds would end up 8th meaning she's on the front row of the race on Sunday.
Henderson chasing mid-pack only to emerge in the late stages of the race and onto the last spot of the podium.
Haley Batten continues her strong end to the season.
Loana Lecomte confidently led the race for a couple of laps before slipping a little further back.
Evie Richards back to winning ways.
Rebecca Henderson with a great ride into third.
Evie takes the XCC here in Snowshoe.
Henderson, gassed, crossing the line in third.
Richards planned her attack perfectly and sprinted off in the final moments of the race.
The ever consistent Alessandra Keller in 4th.
Mona Mitterwallner will still be searching for three in a row on Sunday.
Your XCC Women's podium - Evie Richards, Puck Pieterse, and Rebecca Henderson
The only showers in the forecast are bubbly.
Luca Schwarzbauer is set to go.
Eventual winner Victor Koretzky moments before the start.
Luca Schwarzbauer leading the charge.
No surprise here - Schwarzbauer takes the early lead and tries his best to hold it down.
Sebastien Fini Carstensen earns himself a front-row start on Sunday. He'd take seventh place at race end.
Joshua Dubau continues to impress finishing sixth in tonight's XCC.
Koretzky waits patiently for his attack on the final lap.
Schwarzbauer put the hurt on the field but the lead group didn't go away easy. In fact, they'd pressure him into a couple of mistakes.
Jordan Sarrou has had quite the year so far and his strength showed tonight with a second-place finish.
4th place for Vlad Dascalu.
With one lap to go, Charlie Aldridge has a go at the lead.
Jordan Sarrou would be pipped in the dying moments of the race.
Victor Koretzky wins after an intense last-lap shoot out.
Victor Koretzky left nothing on the table.
The face of pain for Vlad Dascalu.
Victor Koretzky takes the win ahead of Jordan Sarrou and Luca Schwarzbauer.
Victor Koretzky is on a roll.
The skies looked ominous towards the end of the day but thankfully didn't amount to anything.
Will Koretzky go two for two on Sunday?
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
The regular Epic's HTA is 67.5*, the EVO is 66.5*. So they're getting that 1* difference out of the rear triangle That's very interesting considering the BB Height is Higher on the EVO. 336mm vs, 324mm.
It's also interesting that they're using a Stock Epic paint job as a Custom Epic EVO paint job...
The EVO's have a little S-WORKS on the Top Tube, the Regular has a big one on the Down Tube,