France’s Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Ineos Grenadiers) has won her second pre-season race of the year at the Shimano Supercup Massi in Banyoles, Spain, on Sunday. The 32 year-old from Reims has her sights firmly fixed on the only major title missing from her bulging palmares; the gold medal at Paris 2024.
The reigning UCI Cross-country Short Track and Olympic World Champion took victory ahead of her old sparring partner, Jolanda Neff (Trek Factory Racing), by over one minute at the Spanish race which is seen by many as one of the unofficial starting pistols of the Endurance season.
Neff, who is the reigning Olympic Champion from Tokyo 2020 will have been buoyed by her performance. Her last win was a double at the UCI Cross-country World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec in 2022 but many are tipping her low key (by her standards) 2023 season as belonging to a considered run-in to 2024. The USA’s Savilia Blunk (RockRider Ford Mountain Bike Pro Team) was third.
In the Elite men’s race, Victor Koretzky (Specialized Racing) took victory on the fast, flowing Spanish course ahead of Jordan Sarrou (Team BMC). Koretzky clocked four wins at the end of the 2023 season and looks to be rolling into the 2024 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series campaign in similar form. Titouan Carod was third.
There isn’t long to wait ahead of the opening round of the UCI Cross-country World Cup at the debut venue of Mairiporã, Brazil 12-14 April.
