The Araxá elite men’s cross-country Olympic (XCO) race was a rollercoaster of emotions as Simon Andreassen (Cannondale Factory Racing) emerged victorious, securing his first Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Cup win since 2020 in a thrilling sprint during the second round of racing in Brazil.
The race started with Mairiporã winner Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) facing a first-lap crash that set him back and forced him to fight his way back from the back of the field. Despite this setback, he put on an impressive performance and finished in third place.
As the race progressed, a four-way dash to the finish line unfolded between Andreassen, Hatherly, Colombo, and Koretzky. In the final stretch, Koretzky tried to overtake Andreassen in a sprint, but it was too late for him. Andreassen held off his attempt and secured the top spot on the podium.
Reflecting on his win, Andreassen expressed his surprise and joy at securing a World Cup victory after a few years. Koretzky commended Andreassen for his strength and sprint performance in the final stretch.
Despite his mechanical setback, Koretzky remains at the top of the overall standings with 520 points, followed closely by Andreassen with 136 points behind. Blevins finished 22nd after battling back from his early crash. The next cross-country round is scheduled for Nové Město na Moravě from 24-26 May, setting up an exciting finale to the World Cup series.
Overall, this race was full of drama and excitement as racers pushed themselves to their limits in order to secure their spot on the podium. With each round bringing new challenges and obstacles, it’s clear that this season is going to be one for the history books!
