The XCO World Cup at Crans-Montana this weekend will see a number of notable racers missing from the starting line. Among them is Victor Koretzky, the leader of the XCO-Cross Country Olympics Committee (XCO), who announced on Instagram that he will not be racing due to a crash at the Val di Sole World Cup last week and still recovering from COVID illness.
Despite his absence, Koretzky has had a successful 2024 season, achieving three World Cup XCC podiums and two XCO podiums. However, he fell ill before the Nove Mesto World Cup, resulting in 20th and 24th place finishes in the last two rounds. With the home Olympics in France just over a month away, Koretzky is aiming for gold and has chosen to prioritize his health by skipping this weekend’s race.
Other notable racers missing from the starting line include Pauline Ferrand Prevot, who is focusing on Olympic preparations with an altitude camp, Jolanda Neff, who is undergoing therapy to heal her lungs ahead of the Paris Olympics, and Anne Terpstra, who is sidelined due to a hand injury sustained in Leogang. These absences highlight the challenges and preparations that athletes undergo as they strive to perform at their best on the world stage.