David Valero (BH Templo Cafes UCC) of Spain has been getting close to a Mountain Bike World Cup win over the past couple of years but it took wet and dirty conditions at the top of a mountain in Snowshoe, West Virginia, for him to finally accomplish his goal of a cross country Olympic (XCO) win.
The heavy storms that have battered and flooded nearby Kentucky thoroughly soaked the course, making it muddy and slippery, on top of the roots and rocks, leading to some sections being cut from the circuit to the race being lengthened to eight laps.
Carod, Alan Hatherly (Cannondale Factory Racing) and short track winner Chris Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) immediately opened a gap on the first lap through a narrow rooty, rocky section, gaining 11 seconds on chasers. By the end of the lap a lead group of seven had solidified, but Valero was not part of it, falling nearly a minute behind mid-race, before starting a remarkable comeback in the final three laps.
Blevins and Hatherly got a gap on the other leaders in lap 3 before Hatherly crashed, leaving Blevins alone at the front with a series of small chase groups all within a minute. Carod and Braidot joined Blevins at the front, but by lap 7, Valero had them in his sights, and caught the three leaders by the halfway mark of the last lap. Over the top of the second to last climb, the big Spaniard attacked and no one could follow.
"I'm very happy to finally win my first World Cup," said a clearly exhausted Valero. "it was a very difficult track with the mud and rocks, the conditions were quite incredible."
Schurter's lead in the overall World Cup standings has shrunk after not racing at Snowshoe, but he still leads with 1342 points. Vlad Dascalu (Trek Factory Racing) remains second, now 115 points back, and Hatherly remains in third, a further 17 points back. Valero jumped from sixth to fourth in the standings with his win.
Results powered by FirstCycling
-
Marion Norbert Riberolle disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct after a crash in elite women's race at UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships
Belgian champion strikes Czechia champion after the two collide on second half of race, then Norbert Riberolle later taken to hospital -
'Mad at myself' for crashing in elite women's Cyclo-cross Worlds race, Brand stays calm to hold off Dutch rival for second title
World Cup leader finds strength this winter after personal tragedy, 'I'm not really distraught from the things that happen around me' -
'I think I can be really proud' – Puck Pieterse recovers from mid-race crash to win another bronze medal at the Cyclo-cross World Championships
23-year-old rounds out 'cross season strongly as part of Dutch podium sweep on home ground in Hulst -
Thibau Nys departs team hotel to avoid sickness that caused four Belgian teammates to withdraw from Cyclo-cross World Championships on Saturday
Kay De Bruyckere misses U23 men's race in Hulst as Belgian rider at hospital with severe illness
