UCI MTB World Cup – Alan Hatherly claims elite men's cross-country win and series at Mont-Sainte-Anne

Alan Hatherly (Cannondale Factory Racing) takes a solo victory at Mont-Sainte-Anne (Image credit: Getty Images)

In a fitting finale for the Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series, ,the rainbow jersey-clad Alan Hatherly (Cannondale Factory Racing) delivered a dominant performance in the elite men's cross-country Olympic race on Sunday to claim both victory on the day and the overall series win.

Hatherly was already leading the series heading into the technical Canadian race at Mont-Sainte-Anne. Just one rider who could pose a threat overall, the in-form Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing), and only if the French rider won and Hatherly slipped well into the back half of the field. The South African, however, had little intention of letting either scenario come to pass.

“The overall was one objective for today. The main objective was to win with the rainbow jersey," said Hatherly in a race media release. "It’s one thing to win the UCI World Championships, but I wanted to win a UCI World Cup again this year just to finish."

Article continues below

Hatherly had already carved out a gap of around 30 seconds to the first chase group by the end of the first lap of eight. At one point Mathis Azzaro (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) closed the gap, but an attack from the world champion soon meant he was out the front solo again.

"I went to the front in the start lap and got a gap straight away and I was like ‘okay, let’s go long’," said Hatherly. "It was super tough, and I had to be tactical when Mathis caught me, but I had more in the tank and just emptied it."

"I thought - this is it, the final 20 minutes of racing for the year and I just need to go for it - and I did exactly that."

Results powered by FirstCycling

Simone is a degree-qualified journalist that has accumulated decades of wide-ranging experience while working across a variety of leading media organisations. She joined Cyclingnews as a Production Editor at the start of the 2021 season and has now moved into the role of Australia Editor. Previously she worked as a freelance writer, Australian Editor at Ella CyclingTips and as a correspondent for Reuters and Bloomberg. Cycling was initially purely a leisure pursuit for Simone, who started out as a business journalist, but in 2015 her career focus also shifted to the sport.

'At the half-way point, I was four minutes behind' - Unbound Gravel winner Cameron Jones surpasses Keegan Swenson's record time at The White Rim

New Zealander sets new FKT on 100-mile, rugged Utah route by making up deficit and trimming nearly five minutes from US rider's mark
'He can attack in the most random places' – Tadej Pogačar ponders potential tactical headache of Remco Evenepoel at Tour of Flanders

Road World Champion says 'you can never let him go in front with a couple of seconds, because it's almost impossible to catch him'
'I don't consider myself in the big four' – Wout van Aert 'older and wiser' but avoids talking himself up for major Tour of Flanders battle

Belgian says rivals like Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar will 'have something more than all the others' on Sunday
Woes continue for Arnaud De Lie as Lotto Intermarché rider ruled out of Tour of Flanders

Belgian Classics star misses De Ronde with illness with hopes to be fit in time for Paris-Roubaix

Latest on Cyclingnews

'At the half-way point, I was four minutes behind' - Unbound Gravel winner Cameron Jones surpasses Keegan Swenson's record time at The White Rim

'He can attack in the most random places' – Tadej Pogačar ponders potential tactical headache of Remco Evenepoel at Tour of Flanders

'I don't consider myself in the big four' – Wout van Aert 'older and wiser' but avoids talking himself up for major Tour of Flanders battle

Woes continue for Arnaud De Lie as Lotto Intermarché rider ruled out of Tour of Flanders