MTB Worlds: France takes record seventh Team Relay title

Team France took the first rainbow jerseys of the 2021 Mountain Bike World Championships on Wednesday, in Val di Sole, Italy, dominating the Team Relay. The defending champions won a record seventh title in the event, breaking a tie with Switzerland in the standings. The USA came from behind to take silver, catching Germany in the final lap.

This is the second year that the Team Relay has featured riders from all six cross country (XCO) categories - men and women in junior, under-23 and elite. The lead changed hands three times during the race.

Team USA pulled out to an early lead on the strength of elite man Christopher Blevins, followed by junior rider Brayden Johnson. However, on the third lap, Sweden jumped to the front on the strength of the lap by Hugo Sandin (junior men). Their lead wouldn't last long, as the French machine was just getting started. They took the lead with their fourth rider, junior woman Tatiana Tournut, and then extended it with another junior woman (instead of a U23), Line Burquier. After that, it was almost a formality, as current elite world champion Jordan Sarrou was the final rider for France.

"It is a very good way to start the week," Sarrou said. "After some disappointment at the Olympics, I am very happy to keep this rainbow jersey, and my lap gives me some confidence for Saturday [the men's XCO]."

The US, after dropping to seventh by the end of lap 4, then had two impressive rides to finish their race off. 2019 elite women's world champion Kate Courtney moved them back to third, 15 seconds behind Germany, with U23 man Riley Amos catching his rival, Luca Schwarzbauer of Germany in the final 300 metres and then out sprinting him on the final straightaway. Amos collapsed after crossing the finish line.

Courtney, who has struggled this season with an injury, said "I think this is the perfect way to start off this week for me. It's been about getting back into my rhythm and finding my form, but also about finding the flow of this course. I think it is the perfect preparation for all of our riders to give our best later in the week in our cross-country races. And we got to do something great as Team USA."