Photo Epic: Black Lung - Windham XC World Cup 2015
Windham proved to be a wild race. The track was old school, long grueling climbs, and rocky descents. The lack of rain at Windham of late added another element, some of the loosest conditions this season. The red clay soil had been turned into a fine dust that hung in the air well after the pack had gone through. The descents were blown out and it was a struggle to stay upright in the moon dust for many. Then you add in the heat, the conditions were brutal. It you weren't out front, you were breathing earth. The track started out a bit on the short side, so a longer start loop was included to add about four minutes to the race. Most of the racers weren't too keen on the start loop layout and it did cause some shuffling of the field early on. In this race, it was who got out front and away from the get go. Nino Schurter and Julien Absalon fought long and hard but Schurter would be victorious in the end. Pauline Ferrand Prevot got away early and took advantage of her position. One weeks rest should be ample time to for everyones lungs to clear out, shouldn't it?
![Victor Koretzky on his way to winning the U23 Mens XC.]()
![Titouan Carod powering his was up hill to a second place mens U23 finish.]()
![Howie Grotts was the top U23 American in 7th spot here he appears to chase down a miniature DH rider.]()
![Jenny Rissveds once again with a monster win. Rissveds was 3 42 up on second place Moschetti.]()
![Margot Moschetti taking the fast line into Kabush Falls. Margot Finished second in U23 women.]()
![Annie Last getting limber before the big showdown. She was arguably the best on the descents in the field.]()
![Jolanda Neff was focused at the start. Neff got caught in traffic at Kabush Falls and had to dismount which cost her twenty places. If things had gone differently she would probably have another win under her belt.]()
![Womens start all up hill. Then things got wild and the field was blown apart. It made for some very interesting racing.]()
![Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa trying to make the pass on Annika Langvad in the rocks on the first lap unfortunately it didn t go so well and Gunn-Rita was temporarily slowed by the stump.]()
![Catharine Pendrel started out well second to Pauline in the rocks at the top of the first lap but she couldn t keep it up and ended the race in 25th spot.]()
![Lea Davison powering her was through Kabush Falls. Davison finish fourth.]()
![Jolanda Neff negotiating moon dust and roots.]()
![Pauline Ferrand Prevot owned this race. It was a well deserved win.]()
![Annika Languid getting low in the rock garden. An early spill didn t spoil her race she held on to finish third.]()
![Jolanda Neff had one hell of a ride fighting back from mid pack early on to finish second.]()
![The Stars and Stripes didn t help US National XC Champ Chloe Woodruff she ended up in 24th place.]()
![Pauline Prevot has won World Championship titles in Cyclocross and Road Racing and in 2009 she was the Junior XC World Champion. She just took off in this race and never looked back top of the 2nd lap and already almost a minute up on the rest of the field.]()
![Off line and into the netting.]()
![Paulie Ferrand Prevot bringing home her first win of the season.]()
![Annika Langvad went down early and still fought hard to edge out team mate Lea Davison from third place.]()
![Most of the riders will be hacking up earth for days. For some racers the combination of heat and dust were just too much.]()
![Emily Batty signed her number plate for two of the future generation.]()
![This guy decided that for some reason it was really important for there to be a pink plastic pig on the course.]()
![Huge shout out to Jay de Jesus he rode lead moto for all the XC races that s a lot of laps]()
![Mens start Kulhavy leads out.]()
![Avancini aside Nino Schurter took the lead on the first lap and was never out of the top 3 for the rest of the race.]()
![Manny and Nino racing different lines through the rocks. There is only really one line out of the rock garden first one to it wins...]()
![Sergio Mantecon rode to his first podium since Albstadt when he was on Wild Wolf. The Spaniard has been making steady gains all season and was elated with a fourth place finish.]()
![Manny Fumic had a fantastic ride to third place staying right with the leaders for quite a stretch of the race.]()
![Julien and Nino had many battles throughout the day but Nino would edge out Julien by 0 04 when the dust had settled.]()
![Julian Absalon takes a turn in the lead]()
![The lead between the top three was constantly changing. One and a half laps to go and Absalon leads Schurter and Manny towards the rock garden.]()
![The climbs on this course suited Dan The Diesel McConnell. He rode to fifth place his best result this season.]()
![Canadian Raphael Gange rode to an impressive sixth place.]()
![At the top tech zone most racers chose to cool down rather than take on drinking water.]()
![With the dust from the lead three still hanging in the air Daniel Mcconnell chases through the rock garden. Perhaps he s wondering about the pig]()
![Manuel Fumic leads Nino and Absalon through the rock garden. They all went in together and they all chose different lines.]()
![Get that dust out as ofter as you can. It was murder on the respiratory system.]()
![Florian Vogel finding his way though the dust cloud.]()
![Once again the victor.]()
![Just plain spent.]()
![While it wasn t as hot as Lenzerheide the combination of heat and constant moon dust proved brutal.]()
![Marco Fontana wearing more of Windham s red soil than he would have liked.]()
![Sergio Mantecon greeted team mate Dan McConnell who came across the line about thirty seconds after him.]()
MENTIONS: @mdelorme
Victor Koretzky on his way to winning the U23 Mens XC.
Titouan Carod powering his was up hill to a second place mens U23 finish.
Howie Grotts was the top U23 American in 7th spot, here he appears to chase down a miniature DH rider.
Jenny Rissveds once again with a monster win. Rissveds was 3:42 up on second place Moschetti.
Margot Moschetti taking the fast line into Kabush Falls. Margot Finished second in U23 women.
Annie Last getting limber before the big showdown. She was arguably the best on the descents in the field.
Jolanda Neff was focused at the start. Neff got caught in traffic at Kabush Falls and had to dismount, which cost her twenty places. If things had gone differently she would probably have another win under her belt.
Womens start, all up hill. Then things got wild and the field was blown apart. It made for some very interesting racing.
Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa trying to make the pass on Annika Langvad in the rocks on the first lap, unfortunately it didn't go so well and Gunn-Rita was temporarily slowed by the stump.
Catharine Pendrel started out well, second to Pauline in the rocks at the top of the first lap, but she couldn't keep it up and ended the race in 25th spot.
Lea Davison powering her was through Kabush Falls. Davison finish fourth.
Jolanda Neff negotiating moon dust and roots.
Pauline Ferrand Prevot owned this race. It was a well deserved win.
Annika Languid getting low in the rock garden. An early spill didn't spoil her race, she held on to finish third.
Jolanda Neff had one hell of a ride fighting back from mid pack early on to finish second.
The Stars and Stripes didn't help US National XC Champ Chloe Woodruff, she ended up in 24th place.
Pauline Prevot has won World Championship titles in Cyclocross and Road Racing, and in 2009 she was the Junior XC World Champion. She just took off in this race and never looked back, top of the 2nd lap and already almost a minute up on the rest of the field.
Off line and into the netting.
Paulie Ferrand Prevot bringing home her first win of the season.
Annika Langvad went down early and still fought hard to edge out team mate Lea Davison from third place.
Most of the riders will be hacking up earth for days. For some racers the combination of heat and dust were just too much.
Emily Batty signed her number plate for two of the future generation.
This guy decided that for some reason it was really important for there to be a pink plastic pig on the course.
Huge shout out to Jay de Jesus, he rode lead moto for all the XC races, that's a lot of laps!
Mens start, Kulhavy leads out.
Avancini aside Nino Schurter took the lead on the first lap and was never out of the top 3 for the rest of the race.
Manny and Nino racing different lines through the rocks. There is only really one line out of the rock garden, first one to it wins...
Sergio Mantecon rode to his first podium since Albstadt when he was on Wild Wolf. The Spaniard has been making steady gains all season and was elated with a fourth place finish.
Manny Fumic had a fantastic ride to third place, staying right with the leaders for quite a stretch of the race.
Julien and Nino had many battles throughout the day, but Nino would edge out Julien by 0:04 when the dust had settled.
Julian Absalon takes a turn in the lead
The lead between the top three was constantly changing. One and a half laps to go and Absalon leads Schurter and Manny towards the rock garden.
The climbs on this course suited Dan "The Diesel" McConnell. He rode to fifth place, his best result this season.
Canadian Raphael Gange rode to an impressive sixth place.
At the top tech zone most racers chose to cool down rather than take on drinking water.
With the dust from the lead three still hanging in the air Daniel Mcconnell chases through the rock garden. Perhaps he's wondering about the pig?
Manuel Fumic leads Nino and Absalon through the rock garden. They all went in together, and they all chose different lines.
Get that dust out as ofter as you can. It was murder on the respiratory system.
Florian Vogel finding his way though the dust cloud.
Once again the victor.
Just plain spent.
While it wasn't as hot as Lenzerheide, the combination of heat and constant moon dust proved brutal.
Marco Fontana wearing more of Windham's red soil than he would have liked.
Sergio Mantecon greeted team mate Dan McConnell who came across the line about thirty seconds after him.
MENTIONS: @mdelorme
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I would ride that thing all the freaking time if I lived nearby, and it really separated the descenders from the dirt roadies in the amateur races. So glad to see such interesting courses on the circuit!
During the pro races, plenty of dh amateurs on the ski lift were yelling comments on the pro riders and spectators. Obvious from the lift, not on ground.
the amateur dh race is just a drag without any real jumps or rocky sections. riders on 5-10k bikes going so slooowww... I bet the xc women under 23 (mentioning because they are the slowest) with their hardtails would go way faster then those wannabes on the mini dh course they ride.
And the dh vs xco etc problem is just a North America / Anglophile countries phenomenon.
This is a jocks and missed football player behavior.
Amazing result!
They are such an advantage in climbing and decending - allowing bars to be further back - Bar ends further forward
... and down vote me as much as you want, but I think the American Track was the most old school this season and quite boring to watch and certainly boring to ride... even so, the riders made it awesome.
What made me wonder: Is that the reason XC has such a bad reputation among American crowd and mountain bikers? Because the tracks are predictable and quite boring? As a XC enthusiast I wouldn't like to have to practice on a track like that. I love climbing and downhill, but both should be a bit more technical.
Agree with LeDuke. Lots of mtbers here are lazy, and 100mm bikes aren't "cool".
It's hilarious to see people riding DH bikes down flow trails, they think they are so rad, but they have no idea.
@HaydenBeck -- the sort of bike people "should" be riding on whichever trail is a very, very dead horse. There is no such thing as necessity in a recreational activity. And as bikes become more and more efficient I don't see why anyone who doesn't actually *race* XC would want anything less than a 140mm bike (unless, of course, that's what they prefer!). If you really get your jollies by passing people who aren't even racing, maybe you're taking this recreation thing a little too seriously. And before you get too proud of yourself, keep in mind that there are folks who can pass you on 160mm bikes going both uphill, and down. Guaranteed.
(This comment contains no sarcasm) * really *
hey hey...I actually can't tell how sincere we are here because the internet, but I'd definitely ride with you. Let's meet halfway sometime...that'd be like the front range somewhere? Or maybe you're just offering so you can drop me on the first climb and laugh your way all the way to the top, just to wait for me and do it all again on the way down? I guess that's what friends are for...I'll drop you a note if I ever find myself within shouting distance of Utah.
Have fun!
2. Both men and women winners were NOT using an inverted fork. Take that!
3. What the heck happened to Kulhavy the last two races?
4. Is it just me, or did that photo of the women's start look like a bunch of men? Sorry. Just couldn't resist.
I don't get it