Final Results: Snowshoe XC World Cup 2019

Sep 8, 2019 at 9:05
by Ed Spratt  
Can Kate Courtney finish the season on a high note with a win

The results are in from the final World Cup race of 2019 and Snowshoe provided another day of exciting racing with both races coming down to nail-biting sprint finishes.

Results:


Elite Men

1st. Lars Forster: 1:26.09
2nd. Nino Schurter: +5
3rd. Maxime Marotte: +7
4th. Henrique Avancini: +8
5th. Stephane Tempier: +10
6th. Manuel Fumic: +37
7th. Nadir Colledani: +38
8th. Jordan Sarrou: +41
9th. Erik Haegstad: +54
10th. Nicholas Pettina: +56


Elite Women

1st. Pauline Ferrand Prevot: 1:17.51
2nd. Anne Terpstra: +4
3rd. Annie Last: +27
4th. Rebecca Mcconnell: +57
5th. Kate Courtney: +1:37
6th. Chloe Woodruff: +2:17
7th. Jenny Rissveds: +2:23
8th. Lea Davison: +2:41
9th. Linda Indergand: +2:47
10th. Catharine Pendrel: +2:50



Full Results:
Elite Women


Elite Men



Overall Standings:
Elite Women


Elite Men



Live Race Updates:

COURSE PREVIEW



9:20 am PDT The Elite Women are off! With just 20 points between Jolanda Neff and Kate Courtney, we are guaranteed a big fight for the overall.

9:21 am PDT Jolanda Neff takes the lead straight away, it looks like she is ready to battle for the overall after a disappointing XCC race on Friday.

9:23 am PDT It's Jolanda and Kate right at the front as they go into the first technical section.

9:32 am PDT Incredibly there is still a group of eight riders together as they cross the line after lap one. The race couldn't be any closer right now.

9:34 am PDT Neff is dropping back, she is falling off the back of the leading group. This is not what she wants.

9:34 am PDT She looks to be really struggling, hopefully, she can find some rhythm and get back to the front.

9:37 am PDT Kate Courtney is pushing hard at the front, it looks like she is back to her early season form.

9:39 am PDT Jolanda Neff is now almost a minute back from Courtney in 18th.

9:43 am PDT Top five Elite Women after lap two: 1st. Annie Last // 2nd. Kate Courtney // 3rd. Pauline Ferrand Prevot // 4th. Anne Terpstra // 5th. Jenny Rissveds //

9:49 am PDT Annie Last is having a great race so far as she currently leads the seven rider group at the front.

9:50 am PDT Top five Elite Women after lap three: 1st. Jenny Rissveds // 2nd. Pauline Ferrand Prevot // 3rd. Anne Terpstra // 4th. Rebecca Mcconnell // 5th. Annie Last //

9:56 am PDT Kate Courtney is now struggling with the pace of the leading pack, the overall title could still be Jolanda Neff's if she can find some speed. But the longer Neff leaves a possible attack the less likely it will be for her to catch up.

9:59 am PDT Courtney is now back with the leading group. Neff is now 1:28 behind the front riders, it will require quite an effort to close this gap.

10:04 am PDT Annie Last looks to be attacking at the front, Kate Courtney is dropping off the leading pack again.

10:06 am PDT Top five Elite Women after lap four: 1st. Annie Last // 2nd. Anne Terpstra // 3rd. Pauline Ferrand Prevot // 4th. Jenny Rissveds // 5th. Rebecca Mcconnell //

10:09 am PDT Anne Terpstra is now leading and has pulled out around five seconds on Annie Last and the leading group.

10:10 am PDT In the fight for the overall Jolanda Neff is 13th but with Kate Courtney in 7th the title would go to the American but not by much.

10:13 am PDT Pauline Ferrand Prevot has caught Anne Terpstra and the pair now lead Rissveds and Last by almost ten seconds.

10:16 am PDT Top five Elite Women after lap five: 1st. Anne Terpstra // 2nd. Pauline Ferrand Prevot // 3rd. Jenny Rissveds // 4th. Annie Last // 5th. Chloe Woodruff //

10:17 am PDT As riders crossed the line after lap five it looks like Kate Courtney is closing in on the fifth and sixth-placed riders; Chloe Woodruff and Rebecca Mcconnell.

10:19 am PDT Courtney is into fifth place, it looks like she has recovered from the fast pace of the first three laps.

10:22 am PDT Pauline Ferrand Prevot has launched an attack at the front, only Terpstra and Rissveds can go with her. Annie Last is dropping off the top three riders.

10:25 am PDT Rebecca Mcconnell has taken fifth place with Kate Courtney and Chloe Woodruff fighting for 6th and 7th.

10:27 am PDT Anne Terpstra crosses the line and onto the final lap with an eight-second lead over the new World Champion Pauline Ferrand Prevot. It looks like a disaster for Jenny Rissveds with a rear flat as she comes to the end of lap six.

10:29 am PDT Incredible riding from Rissveds as she negotiates some of the loose and dusty climbs with a flat rear tyre.

10:31 am PDT Rissveds is back in the race after making it to the tech zone. She is still doing well in 7th position.

10:32 am PDT Pauline Ferrand Prevot looks to be closing in on Terpstra, the gap is looking pretty small as they head into the second half of the final lap.

10:35 am PDT Jolanda Neff is still back in 11th place, it is looking like Kate Courtney will take the 2019 overall title today.

10:36 am PDT Pauline Ferrand Prevot has closed the gap to Terpstra. We may be looking at a sprint finish.

10:37 am PDT Whoever comes first between Terpstra and Ferrand Prevot will take third place in the overall.

10:37 am PDT Ferrand Prevot takes the lead, how will Terpstra answer?

10:38 am PDT Pauline Ferrand Prevot takes the win just a week after becoming the World Champion!

10:40 am PDT Kate Courtney crosses the line fifth and secures the overall title.

11:50 am PDT The final World Cup race of 2019 is now underway with Henrique Avancini leading.

11:56 am PDT Riders are still bunched up at the front with 25 seconds separating the top 30.

12:00 pm PDT The riders are being very tactical with Nino Schurter almost pulling over at the side of the track to get someone else to take over the front of the race.

12:01 pm PDT Two Brazilians currently lead the race with Henrique Avancini and Luiz Henrique Cocuzzi at the front.

12:03 pm PDT Ondrej Cink is in the tech zone with a puncture, he has been in there for quite some time and doesn't look to be happy about losing so many places.

12:07 pm PDT As we reach the end of lap two riders are still tightly packed with less than 20 seconds separating the top 30. We haven't seen anything like this in quite a while.

12:10 pm PDT Nino Schurter leads into lap two but no rider looks ready to launch an attack just yet.

12:20 pm PDT Top five Elite Men after lap three: 1st. Luca Braidot // 2nd. Jordan Sarrou // 3rd. Victor Koretzky // 4th. Henrique Avancini // 5th. Nino Schurter //

12:26 pm PDT We are now over the halfway point and the top 30 riders are still within 20 seconds of the leader.

12:28 pm PDT Henrique Avancini is attacking! Only Nino Schurter has managed to stay with him.

12:30 pm PDT Top five Elite Men after lap four: 1st. Henrique Avancini // 2nd. Nino Schurter // 3rd. Lars Forster // 4th. Nadir Colledani // 5th. Sebastian Fini Carstensen //

12:34 pm PDT Avancini and Schurter look to be getting away from the chasing group. They have an eight-second gap at this point.

12:37 pm PDT The gap has built to 20 seconds now and the chasing group is picking up more riders. There are ten riders in the group.

12:39 pm PDT Nino Schurter has a flat tyre!

12:40 pm PDT Top five Elite Men after lap five: 1st. Henrique Avancini // 2nd. Nino Schurter // 3rd. Maxime Marotte // 4th. Victor Koretzky // 5th. Lars Forster //

12:40 pm PDT Schurter loses around 25 seconds and joins up with the chasing group. Can Henrique Avancini hold his lead?

12:41 pm PDT It looks like a front flat tyre for Sebastian Fini Carstensen.

12:43 pm PDT Another flat tyre for Ondrej Cink, what a horrible end to the season for Cink.

12:43 pm PDT Nino Schurter is leading the chasing group in the hunt for Avancini.

12:49 pm PDT Top five Elite Men after lap six: 1st. Henrique Avancini // 2nd. Lars Forster // 3rd. Nino Schurter // 4th. Manuel Fumic // 5th. Victor Koretzky //

12:50 pm PDT The gap has closed to just 11 seconds, it looks like we could be looking at another exciting end to racing today.

12:55 pm PDT Nino Schurter has closed the gap to Avancini.

12:58 pm PDT Top five Elite Men after lap seven: 1st. Henrique Avancini // 2nd. Nino Schurter // 3rd. Lars Forster // 4th. Manuel Fumic // 5th. Stephane Tempier //

13:02 pm PDT Stephane Tempier now goes to the front and launches an attack.

13:06 pm PDT There is now a group of seven riders at the front, if they can't break themselves up we could be in for an incredible sprint finish.

13:07 pm PDT Top five Elite Men going into the final lap: 1st. Stephane Tempier // 2nd. Nino Schurter // 3rd. Manuel Fumic // 4th. Henrique Avancini // 5th. Lars Forster //

13:08 pm PDT Big crash from Manuel Fumic as he runs wide and catches the barriers. He is back up and riding and looks to be okay.

13:09 pm PDT Schurter has launched a flat out attack, only Lars Forster can keep up with him.

13:15 pm PDT Lars Forster takes the lead into the big rock garden!

13:15 pm PDT Nino Schurter has no answer, Forster has made an incredible move here.

13:16 pm PDT Forster takes his first-ever World Cup win.



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119 Comments
  • 22 1
 Awesome result for Annie last!
  • 35 20
 I wouldnt call last awesome but at least its all up from here.
  • 9 0
 The first time I've seen pinkbike heavily down vote a pun
  • 18 1
 What a year for Kate Courtney. Such a battle between Neff and Courtney all year. Prevot and Rissveds had the biggest comebacks this year. Next year is going to be very interesting as well as the Olympics. The ladies racing was more exciting than the men this year.
  • 11 0
 I think the women's racing has been more exciting than the men's for three or four seasons now.
  • 16 0
 Hey TREK did you see how Rebecca McConnell finished higher than any of your riders today?
  • 2 0
 I don’t under the reference
  • 5 0
 @wannabeabiker: McConnell use to ride for Trek a few years ago. They didnt renew contract after some mediocre years.
  • 3 0
 Maybe it takes more than just one race to prove ones worth
  • 5 1
 @scissors888: one has to be worried about Emily Batty now
  • 1 5
flag lou-talks-mtb (Sep 8, 2019 at 22:45) (Below Threshold)
 @Giddyhitch: don't mean this in an offensive way but...... Too pretty to be dropped........ I'd be surprised if they'd do it and if so, would seriously send a message with that...........
  • 2 1
 @Luis-Sc: well, she's beaten Batty every race this season.
  • 1 2
 @iamamodel: everyone did.....!?
  • 1 2
 @Luis-Sc: My remark was in response to your "It takes more than one race to prove ones worth.". Rebecca may have beaten Neff once, but she's beaten Batty many times.
  • 1 1
 @iamamodel: I know man - and a couple batty fans around here downvoting stuff too
  • 1 0
 @Luis-Sc: okay, I think I understand where you are coming from now.

I hope Trek learn from their mistake. Keep Batty on the team and cross it off as a bad season (just as Bec had a terrible 201Cool and hope she's back next year to kick arse again. Batty would have taken my 'most combatative' award for 2018 and it was a pleasure to watch her race.
  • 2 0
 @scissors888: @wannabeabiker : I would say they were better than mediocre. Not a star, but solid for her 1st year on a factory team. A few top 10s, a top 20 and one mediocre midpack result. I remember being really shocked when Trek let her go. www.rootsandrain.com/rider74419/rebecca-henderson/results
  • 22 6
 Cmon Kate, you can do it.
  • 15 14
 USA USA!
  • 5 4
 Congrats to Kate, not too many know how hard it is to win one xc race let alone the overall.
  • 10 0
 I was at the event and the track was tougher than it looked on TV, the pros make it look way easier than it is.
  • 13 14
 Whatever. Of all the courses this year on the World Cup circuit, this was by far the most boring and least challenging. The only "interesting" parts of this course were only 100 yards long! Never mind the endless double and triple-track.
  • 12 9
 Every track is tougher than it looks on TV. Doesn't change how lame/boring this course was in comparison to almost all of the other courses.
  • 10 1
 Whatever, still made for a great men's race (haven't seen the women's yet). Super high speeds and super tactical, loved watching the teams duel it out. Sure the course could have used some more tech features but it was still plenty entertaining from a racing standpoint. Keeping the climbs short and mellow and having fewer bottlenecks than a lot of the more singletracky courses kept the lead group together a lot longer than in most races. Would have been sweet to see MVDP in the mix today.
  • 1 1
 @BigAlfonz: makes for tighter racing
  • 12 2
 Hell yeah, Kate!!! So stoked she grabbed the overall!
  • 9 0
 Nino rejoiced for Lars more than for himself)
  • 5 0
 that was great to see!
  • 9 0
 Cmon Jenny you can do it
  • 10 0
 @howsyourdad Gutted for her flatting on the last lap. She had a top 3 at worst going.
Still finishing 8th in the race and in the overall says a lot about her. What a comeback season.
Almost cleaning that steep grass hill with a flat rear was impressive too.
Next year I can see her as a force to be reckoned with.

As good as this season was I think next year is going to be even better.
  • 8 0
 @formula411: You bet. At least 10. I'd add to your list Chloe Woodruff who missed two races and still finished 9th in the overall. She's another one that looks like her star is rising.

I did see Annika looking better. Very happy not to see another DNF. Been a painful season to watch after it started out so well. Right after Sea Otter things just went in the dumps. IMPO, she over did it with the Boels Dolmans thing. Then the injuries......

On EB, I don't what to think about that situation anymore. The article here on PB the other day left me with more questions than answers. Something about the whole deal is just off.

I'm thinking 2020 is going to be very interesting to say the very least.

Cheers
  • 5 2
 @formula411: well technically Courtney is the top overall rider so I would have included her in the top group you mentioned. The results speak for themselves.
  • 3 1
 @formula411: Courtney is Elite, Its not easy to hold Top form through the whole season. She was the strongest in the first half and only really had one bad race(17th I think) Neff was strong all year but never the strongest at any point and Prevot clearly was the best by the end of the season and will be the rider to beat next year starting healthy from day one. But to say Courtney is in the second tier of ladies is ridiculous. She's up there ever week nearly, Won two races this year, has a World champs under her belt. I would put her above Rissveds overall.
  • 3 1
 @formula411: she has had two elite seasons, and in her first she won a little race called the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. So yes she is legit. I do think she has a long way to go to reach her potential, which should be scary for the other women
  • 1 1
 @formula411: that's great she's the current UCI leader but the discussion here is about WC MTB.
  • 3 0
 @COnovicerider: Also, Terpstra has done a tone of CLass 1, 2 and Hors category mountain bike races where Kate hasnt. The UCI rankings can be a little misleading because of that.
  • 2 0
 @formula411: I'd move Belamoina to wildcard. Agree with Frei as she is only going to get faster, so I think overall you've made a good pick for 2020.
  • 2 1
 @formula411: she steadily climbed as the season went on in 2018 in her first season and culminated it with a world championship. In her second season she won the wc overall. Regardless of your opinion the facts say she and Prevot are the woman you have to beat going into 2020.
  • 2 0
 @formula411: I would move Courtney to Tier 1, she's proven she belongs there. Neff won 2 short tracks but if you asked her I am sure she would tell you those dont count the same way the XCO does. Battys not even a wild card at this point. I would also move McConnell to Tier 2. Shes proven it this year. Tier 2 to me is that on a cusp of their first win. Gets some podiums and is consistently up in the top 10 but hasnt had the break through. Like Batty last year. Courtney was for sure tired at the end of the year. They all were, Im sure he camp will have a better idea how to ensure she stays stronger through the whole year. At the end of the day though, she has three World Cup XCO wins(more than anyone else on the circuit), a 5th, 7th and 8th and a 17th?(not sure on this one) and won the world cup overall. Shes Tier 1.
  • 1 0
 @scissors888: exactly.
  • 1 0
 @formula411: Langvad and Batty as wildcards? I like them both but neither one did anything all season except for Batty's top 10 in Canada last month. Also Courtney in the Tier 2 group doesn't compute simply because of her results the past 2 (and her only 2) seasons in the Elite category.
  • 2 0
 @COnovicerider: IMPO, Annika's problems were of her own making. After winning the Cape Epic and both of the Sea Otter XC races she did 4 100km+ road races. Three of them in April alone. (Amstel Gold Race - Apr, La Flèche Wallonne Féminine - Apr, Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes - Apr & La Course by Le Tour de France - Jul. She also rode the Strade Bianche WE in March.

That has got to take a toll. Again, IMPO, if she wants to get back to the top tier in 2020 she going to have to back off of the road racing.
  • 1 1
 @formula411: For sure Short Track is important to the overall, but no one considers a short track win to be anything close to the same level of prestige as an XCO win. But if we want to count them in the grand scheme of things, it brings Courtney up to 5 World Cup Wins. She was on fire in the first half of the season, no one held form through the whole season. Closest to it was Neff, but she didnt win any XCO work cups and didnt stay healthy either if reports from this weekend are accurate. She is Tier 1 when it comes to the womens field. Its ridiculous to say otherwise. Why does Rissveds gets Tier 1 status over her? Because she finished the season strong? I am by no means a big KC fan, but to say shes not Elite among the women's field is ridiculous.
  • 1 0
 @formula411: no. It’s 50/50 whether she falls from tier 1 status or not. One year removed from world championship and current overall leader. Your opinion doesn’t decide her tier 1 status her results do.
  • 2 2
 @formula411: You are just pulling shit out your ass now trying to justify your opinion that a 5 time World Cup Winner(3 XCO and 2 Short), World Champion for the past year and Overall World Cup for 2019 is somehow not a "tier 1" rider.

You're latest arguement is now, "Not Neff's fault, its clearly the bike" and Jennys a natural and KC has to work harder.(a BS arguement that you have zero basis for) At this point, I am just convinced you dont like Kate Courtney, because everyone else seams to get a pass for a bad result but her in your eyes.
  • 1 2
 @formula411: no you definitely don’t get where i’m coming from. Stats are facts, but i’ll do myself a favor and drop it.
  • 1 2
 @formula411: There is no guarantee that any of these riders remain a top rider in 2020. This entire post is just you riffing and pulling BS out of thin air. Like how can you tell that nothing has changed with Neff? That may be so, maybe she stayed the same and everyone else got better. But that's just more BS too on my part. As @bulletbassman said "stats are facts". You're just making stuff up to justify your insane stance on KC. But I think I will do the same as @bulletbassman is and do myself a favour and drop it as well
  • 1 2
 @formula411: “girls in spandex riding bicycles” is probably the most degrading sentence i’ve heard on this website. Just because you find profanity offensive doesn’t mean others do. And the only point he’s trying to make is that you continually speculate to make your opinion of KC work, when any of us could speculate on the three girls you picked as top tier. You’re clearly a fan and are entitled to your opinions (as much as I might disagree), But I find you’re most recent post pretty disconcerting and in very bad tastes.
  • 2 2
 @formula411: i’m def Not scissors888. I’ll definitely see myself out now cause I don’t f*ck with crazy
  • 3 0
 @formula411: I tend to agree. I would not put Tracey Hannah as tier 1, regardless if her recent season, for your KC reasons.
  • 1 2
 @formula411: Just for the record, I did not call anyone names. Also, I am not @bulletbassman either.
  • 6 0
 Wow that as a carbon copy of the move that Ferrand Prevot used to make her decisive pass. Great racing.
  • 7 2
 I am wondering if Nino let Forster go on to the win. I don't think Nino will ever admit that he let Forster win but Nino was very pleased that Forster won.
  • 5 1
 I thought the same thing. Looked like it was a gift to Forster. Nino just let him go the last few hundred meters. I'm sure he could of out sprinted Forster but chose not to. They are both Scott teammates so must be good friends and Nino was cool with the overall win.
  • 5 1
 @tacklingdummy: Nino was blown
  • 1 0
 Need to add Lars to the great comeback list of 2019. Good to see him back. If you watched the 2019 Cape Epic he really matched him pedal stroke for pedal stroke spending as much time at the front as Nino did. It was a great partnership. Not sure about Nino letting him win but it was good to see just the same.
  • 3 0
 Don’t think he did. He would have loved to equal Absalom’s record before the end of the season, I would think. But he had to go flat out after the flat tire, and Forster knew that Nino would have to go flat out again in the last lap to avoid a sprint against, amongst others, Avancini. Forster was able to match Nino’s pace and had saved a bit more energy for the finish.
  • 3 0
 The link between mental and physical aspects of performance must be awfully complex at that level of competition--especially at that point in a race, when it becomes a game of suffering. Seems like he wouldn't have had to decide to let him go. He might have just been slightly less motivated than usual to chase him down, and that would be enough.
  • 2 0
 My wife was thinking the same thing.

I kind of think after watching it again when I got back to the hotel room that @azogas413 and @phile99 are both right.

Seeing the look on Nino's face at the end tells me he was genuinely happy to see Lars win.
  • 1 0
 @azogas413: He was definitely gassed. He had just spent two laps full out dragging the field back to Avancini after his flat tire, so he had used a lot of the energy he would otherwise have had to make a winning attack at the end.
  • 2 1
 My impression was that Schurter gave Forster the win. If, instead of Forster it was Avancini who was still in the lead, You would have at least seen an attempt at a sprint from Schurter. I agree that he was probably very tired after making-up his 29 seconds of time lost to the rear-wheel change, but it was the last few hundred meters of the course and he didn't even put down enough effort to show any pain in his face/body. He gave it up willingly.
  • 2 0
 @namdoogttam: I suppose we'll never truly know. I know they are teammates and probably pretty good friends who share quite a bit of history together so it's no doubt that Nino was happy for Lars taking the win. With that being said, the competitive racer in me is finding it very hard to believe that Nino could have overtaken him at the end but instead gifted Lars the win. I agree that if it was Avancini, we would have seen more of an effort by Nino to try and match the effort of the attack but I think we would all agree that Lars had more legs at the end after Nino went hard post flat.

This is elite WC racing. No one's giving handouts at this level in sport. But if I'm wrong, then without taking away the selflessness displayed by Nino, I'd find it disingenuous to the sport and to all the athletes competing and I'd be as disappointed as Lars would be learning that he wasn't truly the fastest rider that day.
  • 1 0
 @azogas413: tbf Avancini did say in his interview he gave up a place to Max Marotte so he could quali for Tokyo 2020. But that's a far cry from giving up a win.

I don't think Nino is in the habit of giving away wins though, even to a friend/teammate. Sometimes you just know you don't have the legs to go with an attack.... if there's nobody nipping at your heels for 2nd, why gun it to the finish? He dragged the whole group back up to Avancini, and by Avancini's account it was pretty windy to be leading for any length of time... personally I think Nino was cooked. We'll never know for sure but I'm hesitant to take that credit from Forster without some evidence - he put down a great effort.
  • 1 0
 @namdoogttam: I don't think so. I think he was just gassed after all the efforts he did in the last lap and genuinely happy for Forster.

It is not like Schurter is out of reach from Forster has Lars already beat him several times in non world cup events.
  • 6 0
 Jolanda was faster when she still had the black cover on her frame. Maybe she should put it back ;-)
  • 1 0
 It was a hardtail she was pretending was the new bike.
  • 5 1
 No M. Flueckiger? There goes my Fantasy league, after another DNS not reported on the start list last week.
  • 5 0
 He's in Europe preparing for the Marathon World Champs
  • 10 0
 I feel your fantasy pain.
  • 2 0
 @formula411: he wasnt on the start list posted after the short track race

I also made that mistake, even though I thought to check the start list yesterday
  • 10 8
 Dh track - Yes!

XC track - Boring!! Why are the top xc racers in the world slugging it out in a field? Its like they were racing on a blue run. If you want more spectators then make the tracks challenging for the riders.
  • 5 2
 Agreed! Half the track was double-track...or wider!
  • 4 0
 Awesome, nail biter of a race! Thanks Red Bull!
  • 3 1
 Wow Anne Tauber, such a great season and well deserved spot on the overall podium! Would love to read another insider report by Irmo Keizer.
  • 5 1
 I think you mean Terpstra.
  • 1 0
 @chainslapmag: Oh yeah sorry, mixed them up again!
  • 3 1
 I've got 1,2&3 of the ladies in my fantasy xc now all my men are not going to finish !!!
  • 4 5
 For everyone griping about the XC course... we always get annoyed at XC getting more attention then DH. Then we poke fun at the dirt roadies that they are. For just one week DH was the highlight of UCI and suddenly everyone is complaining about XC getting shafted. Can we just enjoy this moment?
  • 2 0
 Im curious to hear what Neff and Courtney have to say about the race.
  • 10 10
 probably that it was a lame racetrack
  • 14 14
 What a boring xc course, typical american style! Sorry to my fellow american riders but you have so many good trails, why choose a cross cycling course for a world cup?
  • 14 3
 It’s really disappointing, and snowshoe has so many incredible technical xc trails. Here watching all the races, the dh was everything I hoped it would be and the women’s xc was a blast mostly b/c of the competition. Agh what could have been. But overall I’ve been blown away by these athletes at my first wc event, absolutely unreal what they can do.
  • 3 4
 As someone who learned to ride in the tough, rocky mid-Atlantic region, I was disappointed and embarrassed by that course. Nowhere near what a WOrld Cup XC course should be.
  • 2 2
 I suspect that a lot of time and effort when into building an absolutely amazing DH track and unfortunately they just ran out of time to do the same for the XC track. If there is a race there next year I hope they spend some time to build a good XC track. It would be nice to see some longer climbs, matched with some longer descents. The one short wooded descent they had looked amazing.
  • 13 1
 It wasn't too boring! It just wasn't as technical!

Having been here all weekend, I can say that the nature of the race was far different than places like Val Di Sole, Nove Mesto, and others. The course traversed the mountain and was very fast. Even still, some of those climbs were simply difficult or very short steep punchy climbs with tricky grass corners leading into them. You know, the one where Risveds ran wide and hit the fence and Avanci pushed the front and hit the deck?

But the overall speed brought out other issues that a lot of mountain bikers don't often have to consider. A big one is lines. It was a bad line choice that caused Fumic to crash at the start of the last lap. A lot of speed but an early entry meant he went wide and would up sliding out while still trying to complete the turn while at the same time crossing onto a concrete surface from grass.

Another line related instance was during the mens short track when Avancini was pinched against the left most side of the track before the left just after the finish line. He actually put a hand on the rider next to him to let him know he was there, but because he was so inside he didn't even begin to turn until he was well past the apex of the racing line. He wen't nearly two bike lengths across the track before getting it turned. I'm still amazed there was no accident right there.

It can't be denied also that the numerous blacktop, grass, brick road, and gravel transitions had to be something that was kept in mind by every rider. There was also puddles, very damp sections, and straight up mud. Not many places are going to give you all of the above in a single lap, in addition to loose over hard pack and large gravel.

But lastly, I think the nature of the course not having any long climbs or long descents meant there was no place to recover.

It might be boring, but it wasn't easy.
  • 15 3
 @BDKR: most of the people bitching have probably never raced an XC race. I've never looked at a single WC race track and thought it was easy or boring.
  • 6 0
 @BDKR: You nailed it. I was there, as well, and at first I was disappointed in the sheer amount of grass, but this course was anything but easy and made for great racing (and excellent viewing).

I suspect the reason for the course is that they wanted/needed to keep the finish near the village, so taking advantage of some of the XC trails
lower on the mountain was too far afield.

It’s clear from the DH course that Snowshoe knows how to craft proper gnar (holy hell, that course was INSANE!) so it’s not for a lack of trailbuilding talent that the XC course seemed a bit tame.

And that rock garden might’ve been short, but it was no joke!!

!!! SNOWSHOE WORLD CUP 2021 !!!
  • 3 0
 @BDKR: Often absolutely amazing race courses produce rather boring races. Although the races were great this year, MSA is often quite boring races because the course itself blows the race apart, rather than the riders.

Both of todays races were super entertaining and from all reports "freaking hard". However, from what I have seen and what I have heard from racers the course was uninspiring to ride. And that isn't what I want to see as a spectator.

I think spectators want to see quality racing on terrain and courses that inspire them to ride their bike. When I watch European road racing it makes me want to go and ride those roads. When I watch DH it makes me wish I could ride a bike like that on those trails. But todays race course didn't inspire me to go to Snowshoe and ride my XC bike.
  • 3 0
 @WhatAboutBob: Yeah, I'll agree on that one. It wasn't an inspiring course.

But I certainly had fun watching it. It kicked a lot of butts out there too.
  • 2 0
 @BDKR: I chatted with a couple of people who were there and they said relatively the same thing, One who has ridden there said " the grass sections are like riding over a bunch of baseballs half buried in the ground".

The speed of the race was quite something to watch. A nice change, I do enjoy wondrous variety.
So, while the track was not spectacular to look at it did make for some good close quarters racing
  • 3 0
 It was pretty great for spectating. Maybe nothing hard to ride but it was hard to Race. with a lack of real evaluation the course was death by a 1000 papercuts. The few areas a rider could rest were the areas it was easy to pass. Riders had to fight for position from start to finish and it was particularly hard to just ride your race. Feel like nino crushed himself chasing leader charges while Forster kept himself in it and pushed at the right time. Spectating wise it was very easy to spectate nearly all the sections for a lap or two and catch top group multiple times in a lap.
  • 1 0
 Funny that most of the bitchin about the course is from those that watched on tv.
  • 2 0
 Jenny!!
  • 4 0
 Yeah, too bad she had a flat tire. She's doing amazing!
  • 1 0
 WOW that was awesome racing!!! NINO!!
  • 5 4
 Cmon Emily you can do it
  • 3 2
 She really fell off this season. Hopefully Trek keeps her on the team and she sorts out her current situation.
  • 2 0
 @COnovicerider: rooting for her to come up again.
  • 1 1
 Did she even race today? Not one word or camera shot about her.
  • 2 0
 @Rgdelgadillo: same.
  • 3 0
 @panzer103: that’s likely because a lot was going on with the top 7. She finished 27th.
  • 1 0
 @COnovicerider: If her contract is up, I would not be surprised if she moved to another team. But, I know as much as the next fan. Should be an interesting offseason.
  • 8 1
 @COnovicerider: Ya, They need to get her a dietician and have her stay away from the Keto diet. What was she thinking with the Keto?
  • 2 1
 Her diet wasn't really all that keto-y. Lower carb but not keto. Hopefully she gets it all fixed and gets back into form.
  • 11 0
 @COnovicerider: I think the fact Emily was absent from the video about the Trek Supercalibre speaks volumes. I'd be shocked if she's still with them next year.
  • 1 0
 @axcooper: yeah good catch on the absence.
  • 1 0
 @axcooper: Yep. I think we will see that in near future. Neff is definitely taking the Trek spotlight. It will be good for Batty to move to another team.
  • 1 0
 @axcooper: FYI --- guess who is at the CX World Cup at Trek Waterloo this weekend. Hint...not EB (as she was last year)
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