Photo Epic: The Conclusion - Snowshoe World Cup XC 2021
The 2021 season has concluded atop Snowshoe resort and much like the downhill race the day before, the venue delivered quite the dramatic storyline. We have been blessed with perfect weather all week and it was no different for XC on Sunday. Conditions were dry and fast. Very fast. The track was basically identical to that one of 2019, featuring long hardpack straights, a couple natural sections, and the man-made rock garden towards the end of the lap.
As expected, the racing was flat out. Every category that took the start made it one for the books. History was made in the U23 women’s race as Mona Mitterwallner completed her perfect season with another impressive and utterly dominant ride in front of Caroline Bohe and Savilia Blunk. The points race couldn’t have been any closer in the U23 men with it being decided on the very final laps of the season, the Chilean Martin Vidaurre Kossmann coming out on top on the day and in the standings. The overall podium was a carbon copy of the race with Vidaurre Kossmann on top, Simone Avondetto in second and Joel Roth in third.
The Elite races were plagued with flats and mechanicals as racers pushed their equipment to the brink. Evie Richards kept the throttle maxed out all afternoon to take her second World Cup win in a row as the race for the top five raged on behind her. Rebecca McConnell, Anne Tauber, Sina Frei and Anne Terpstra completed the final women's podium of the year as Loane Lecomte took the overall despite missing the final race of the year. The men’s race wasn’t as clear cut with multiple changes at the front of the pack including final laps puncture for both leading contenders Schurter and Avancini. This opened the door for two very hungry contenders in Christopher Blevins and Vlad Dascalu to go toe to toe for the first win... Rather aptly it was the American who came out on top on home soil, concluding an epic week in Snowshoe in the most perfect of circumstances. While Mathias Flückiger didn't have the race he was looking for it didn't matter, he was already the king of 2021 after taking the overall in short track.
Relive the action in the final photo epic of the season, see you next year!
Early mornings in Snowshoe.
All eyes were on Mona Mitterwallner as usual
Caroline Bohe sandwiched between the American duo of Savilia Blunk and Gwendalyn Gibson off the line.
Mona Mitterwallner streaking clear of the field once again.
Caroline Bohe rounds off her season with another strong second place.
Savilia Blunk takes to the podium on home soil.
Mona Mitterwallner outclasses her completion for a 6th time this season.
Mona Mitterwallner completes a perfect season as Caroline Bohe and Savilia Blunk round off the final U23 women's podium of 2021.
Mona Mitterwallner and Caroline Bohe were the class of the U23 women's field in 2021.
Martin Vidaurre Kossmann ready with the stripes. It will be a battle up front for the U23 top spot.
U23 men are underway in the morning sun.
Joel Roth cleans up the season with a third in Snowshoe and third again for the overall.
Simone Avondetto couldn't quite match the pace of the World Champ. Second place and same goes for this overall.
Martin Vidaurre Kossmann continued his late season domination taking another win here this weekend.
Martin Vidaurre Kossmann takes the win and the overall here in Snowshoe.
Your U23 men's podium: 1st Martin Vidaurre Kossmann, 2nd Simone Avondetto, and 3rd Joel Roth
U23 men's overall: 1st Martin Vidaurre Kossmann, 2nd Simone Avondetto, and 3rd Joel Roth
The back side view of Snowshoe and its rolling hills.
Evie Richards certainly had the momentum towards the end of the year.
Anne Tauber has been on it this season and today was no different.
Rebecca McConnell aiming for another podium finish today. She's strong on courses like this.
The short track World Champ Sina Frei looking to cap a strong season with another good race.
Linda Indergand leads them off the line.
Evie Richards leads them into the technical descent beneath the chair lift.
Rebecca McConnell chasing through the rock garden.
Hats off to Catherine Pendrel who called it a career as this season came to a close. Her career includes Olympic medals, a couple World titles, and a few more overall wins.
4th place for Sina Frei in the final World Cup of 2021.
Anne Tauber about to rocket herself onto the podium.
Evie was putting on a clinic. By mid race she secured the front and worked on pulling away.
The Ghost girls in flying formation.
Linda Indergand finished seventh but was up in podium positions for most of the race.
Rocío del Alba García Martínez completing the top 10.
Anne Terpstra back on the podium. If she continues the momentum into the 2022 season, she could easily shake up the the top steps.
Jenny Rissveds didn't quite have the pace to hang at the front today and would finish off the box in 6th.
Evie Richards takes the World Champs stripes and then back it up with two World Cup wins.
What an end to the year for Evie Richards.
Loana Lecomte missed the final race but still managed to take the overall after dominating the early part of the season.
Anne Tauber delighted with her day's work.
Henrique Avancini limbers up for the last dance of 2021.
Victor Koretzky was held back by a mechanical and was out of contention immediately.
Henrique Avancini leads them through the village as Christopher Blevins and Jordan Sarrou go bar to bar.
Henrique Avancini and Victor Koretzky at the front of the race early on however both would suffer mechanicals later on in the race.
Christopher Blevins executed his race strategy to absolute perfection and took some big scalps in the process.
Just off the podium for Luca Schwarzbauer in 6th.
9th place for David Nordemann here in Snowshoe.
Tough day in the office for Mathias Flueckiger. He would be one of many to suffer a mechanical early on, having to battle back through the traffic.
It was hot out there for the elite races. Vlad Dascalu does his best to cool off.
Nino Schurter lurking in behind Luca Braidot.
You couldn't write this... Christopher Blevins takes the win in Snowshoe much to the delight of the home crowd.
Vlad Dascalu with one hell of a ride into second place, his best elite finish so far.
Henrique Avancini rode it 'til the tire fell off, quite literally.
Luca Shwarzbaumer with an incredible sixth place on the day.
He was patient and it paid off big time. Chris Blevins pushed the front into making mistakes. His late attack was perfectly timed.
Christopher Blevins does the business on home soil. Vlad Dascalu, Ondrej Cink, Nino Schurter, and Luca Braidot rounded out the podium.
Mathias Flueckiger didn't have the best end to his 2021 campaign here in Snowshoe but was full deserving of the overall title.
Your top 5 men from the 2021 season.
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33 Comments
The act of scalping has been commonplace in some European and Asian history too. It's quite a common figure of speech and sports commentary is full of words with a war/battle origin.