Swiss and German riders claim second UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) wins in as many weekends with successes in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec (Canada), while Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli) holds on to win overall series.
The Under 23 Endurance riders got proceedings underway in a bumper four-day UCI World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Anne, laying down blistering races in the Short Track (XCC) before the Elites take to the iconic Canadian course tomorrow.
Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) and already-crowned series winner Kira Böhm (Cube Factory Racing) were victorious in the Men’s U23 and Women’s U23 respectively, while Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli) narrowly beat Bjorn Riley (Trek Future Racing) to the Men’s U23 series title by 40 points.
BÖHM MAKES IT BACK-TO-BACK WINS
Kira Böhm had already claimed the overall U23 XCC series with a commanding win last weekend in Mt Van Hoevenberg – Lake Placid (USA), but the up-and-coming German star wasn’t resting on her laurels in her final Short Track race before moving up to the Elites.
Leading from the start, Böhm remained in the front pack throughout, riding in a controlled and commanding way before pulling away in the last lap to win her fourth U23 UCI XCC World Cup of the 2024 season.
The 22-year-old has been an ever-present on the U23 XCC World Cup podiums all season, and her 201-point lead over Emilly Johnston (Trek Future Racing) highlights her dominance in the competition.
Böhm’s closest competitor on the day was again Isabella Holmgren – the U23 UCI XCC World Champion fighting her way to the front group from 18th after the first lap, but the 19-year-old didn’t have anything left in the tank to be able to contest Böhm for the win in front of a home crowd. Expect to see her battling it out for the overall next year though.
Lea Huber (Trek Future Racing) completed the podium in third.
LILLO FINISHES SEASON STRONG, AMOS HOLDS OUT TO TAKE SERIES
After a disappointing home race by his own high standards, Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli) was expected to bounce back with a strong performance in Mont-Sainte-Anne in what is his final race in the U23 UCI XCC rainbow jersey before progressing to the Elites.
The American came into the final UCI World Cup with an 80-point lead over compatriot Bjorn Riley (Trek Future Racing) in the overall, but with Riley back after sitting out Mt Van Hoevenberg – Lake Placid, Amos would need to beat his rival to guarantee the overall series.
It didn’t get off to a great start for the U23 UCI XCC World Champion, who found himself in 10th and four-seconds back on then-race leader Luke Moir (Cube Factory Racing) at the half-way point.
While Amos went on a charge – recovering to lead by the start of lap seven – it was the last time we’d see him at the front of the race.
Instead, Dario Lillo took up the mantel, and the Swiss rider showed that his performance last weekend was no fluke. Taking the bell at the start of the last lap, the 22-year-old held off a surge from Riley and sprinted across the line for his second consecutive U23 XCC win.
Riley would finish second, Moir third, and Amos down in seventh – 11 seconds back. But it was enough for Amos to claim the overall series, which he held onto by 40 points.
Tomorrow sees the turn of the Elites for the men’s and women’s XCC. Find out how to watch all the racing here.
