Swiss and German riders claim the first wins at the brand-new WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series venue, while Kira Böhm also clinches series title. 

The Under 23 riders got the action underway at Mt Van Hoevenberg – Lake Placid’s first ever WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, and if the UCI Short Track (XCC) World Cup is anything to go by, then we’re in for a fast and furious affair this weekend.

Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) and Kira Böhm (Cube Factory Racing) came out on top in the Men’s U23 and Women’s U23 respectively, but both races went down to the wire on a relentless short track course.

Böhm’s victory also meant that she wrapped up the series title ahead of the season finale in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada, next weekend.

BÖHM BLITZES THE COMPETITION

The women’s field kicked proceedings off in crisp, autumnal conditions – a welcome break from the rain that had plagued the course during practice earlier in the week.

Series leader Böhm crossed the line first on lap one, but the new U23 UCI XCC World Champion Isabella Holmgren was right in the German’s slipstream. The Canadian, who already had two U23 UCI XCC World Cup wins to her name this year, took up the mantel on lap two, and looked a solid bet to add a third to her palmarès.

But Böhm had other ideas. After the pair exchanged the lead as the race was entering its final stages, the Cube Factory Racing rider surged ahead on the last lap, leaving Holmgren in her dust. Soloing to the line, she had enough of a gap to celebrate her fourth win of the season, and with it the overall series. Holmgren would finish two seconds back in second, while Czechia’s Simona Spěšná finished third.

LILLO BURSTS AMOS’ BUBBLE

In the men’s contest that followed, all eyes were on Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing - Pirelli). Sporting his new rainbow jersey, the American has dominated the format all year – winning four out of the five races he’s entered this season, and finishing second in the other.

His closest competitor, Bjorn Riley (Trek Future Racing), would not be on the start line too, having pulled out with illness. But it wasn’t to be for the 22-year-old in his penultimate U23 XCC race in front of a partisan home crowd. After battling with the bunch, Amos lead at the end of lap four, but that was the last of him we’d see at the front of the race.

Instead, it was Dario Lillo and the Canadian Cole Punchard (Pivot Cycles) who were battling it out for the win. And as the pace continued to ramp up, no one could hold Lillo’s wheel – the Swiss rider laying down a blistering last lap that saw him break clear of the chasing pack.

In his wake was Luca Martin (Orbea Factory Team) and Luke Wiedmann (Thömus Maxon), who finished in second and third respectively. Amos meanwhile had to settle for fifth.

Tomorrow sees the U23 riders on course again in the XCO as well as the turn of the Elites for the men’s and women’s XCC. Find out how to watch all the racing here.