Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) won the elite men's Cross-country Olympic (XCO) race at the Mairiporã round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup on Sunday, with a late final lap attack from the substantial lead group clinching victory in the dusty but humid 2024 opening round in Brazil.
The US champion's teammate Victor Koretzky made it a one-two for the team, winning the sprint for the runner-up position which unfolded as the rider in the stars and stripes jersey celebrated his second World Cup XCO victory. Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing), who was tenacious in his pursuit of Blevins when he attacked, held on for third.
“It’s so surreal, I’m just kind of in a daze right now," said an elated Blevins. "This sport’s just so beautiful and when you’re on days like this, there’s no place I’d rather be in the world."
It hadn't been the start to the racing in Brazil the 26-year-old had been hoping for, finishing 37th in the short-track, but it certainly ended well.
"I had a really bad day yesterday, and I think it’s a lesson. In this sport you’ve just got to listen to your body, you can always get more out of it than you think," said Blevins after the cross-country race, which also ended with a third teammate on the five man podium after Specialized Factory Racing's Martin Vidaurre took fifth behind fourth-placed Jordan Sarrou (Team BMC).
“We’ve dreamt about a day like this as we are all on the same team. I don’t know if this has happened in mountain bike history, three in the same team on the podium? I love these boys; I love this team around me," said Blevins. "I didn’t think today could be my day but you’ve just got to always believe in yourself and anything is possible."
The World Cup XCO win is the rider's first since Snowshoe in 2021 and was a significant upturn on recent results, given Blevins did not deliver a result in the longer format race of the series inside the top ten last season.
"I’m so proud of Chris [Blevins] as he’s had two super tough years and now he’s back on the front and on the podium,” said Koretzky.
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