Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) gained the elite males’s Cross-country Olympic (XCO) race on the Mairiporã spherical of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup on Sunday, with a closing lap assault from the lead group clinching victory within the dusty however humid 2024 opening spherical in Brazil.
The US champion’s teammate Victor Koretzky made it a one-two for the staff, successful the dash for the runner-up place which unfolded because the rider within the stars and stripes jersey celebrated his second World Cup XCO victory. Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing), who was tenacious in his pursuit of Blevins when he attacked, held on for third.
“It’s so surreal, I’m simply sort of in a daze proper now,” mentioned an elated Blevins. “This sport’s simply so lovely and while you’re on days like this, there’s no place I’d relatively be on the planet.”
It hadn’t been the begin to the racing in Brazil the 26-year-old had been hoping for, ending thirty seventh within the short-track, however it definitely ended nicely.
“I had a extremely dangerous day yesterday, and I feel it’s a lesson. In this sport you’ve simply obtained to hearken to your physique, you’ll be able to at all times get extra out of it than you assume,” mentioned Blevins after the cross-country race, which additionally ended with a 3rd teammate on the 5 man podium after Specialized Factory Racing’s Martin Vidaurre took fifth behind fourth-placed Jordan Sarrou (Team BMC).
“We’ve dreamt a few day like this as we’re all on the identical staff. I don’t know if this has occurred in mountain bike historical past, three in the identical staff on the rostrum? I really like these boys; I really like this staff round me,” mentioned Blevins. “I didn’t assume at this time might be my day however you’ve simply obtained to at all times consider in your self and something is feasible.”
The World Cup XCO win is the rider’s first since Snowshoe in 2021 and was a major upturn on latest outcomes, given Blevins didn’t ship a outcome within the longer format race of the collection inside the highest ten final season.
“I’m so pleased with Chris [Blevins] as he’s had two tremendous powerful years and now he’s again on the entrance and on the rostrum,” mentioned Koretzky.
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