The Les Gets UCI XCO MTB World Cup 2021
As well as the UCI Downhill, Les Gets also hosted the UCI XCO Mountain Bike World Cup at the weekend. It was the last event, taking place on Sunday, but it certainly wasn’t the least! Competitors came from all over for one of the biggest XC Mountain Biking Events in the world and the competition was exceptional. The excitement of the day had us gasping at times, and our hearts were in our mouths on numerous occasions.
Even though the weather didn't play to the riders' advantage, we looked at the muddy conditions as another way to have fun. The rest of the crowd seemed to agree and were no less encouraging than earlier in the weekend. Spirits were still high, and the sound of megaphones and enthusiastic cheering continued to echo throughout the valley. The perfect atmosphere for the last day of The Les Gets UCI XCO MTB World Cup.
In our Chalets 1066 accommodation this year we had the pleasure of hosting the following teams: Santa Cruz, Norco, Pivot Cycles, Nina Hoffman Racing, MS Mondraker, Geocycling, and Eurotours. The whole weekend, we cheered them on from the trackside.
The Course
The UCI XC MTB World Cup returned to Les Gets in 2019 after a 16-year hiatus, and an all-new XCO course was carved from the mountain slopes. This course was 3.8km long with 140 meters of climbing, and it made use of elements from the Dual Slalom and Speed and Style courses constructed for the Crankworx Festival (that used to be in Les Gets).
Just when we thought it couldn’t get much better, the course evolved even further for The Les Gets UCI XCO MTB World Cup 2021 with the addition of some new technical sections and the introduction of a rock garden.
The Event
Like we did the downhill events, we were lucky enough to watch the whole duration of the XCO event where riders raced on the closed trail. The Elite (men & women) races lasted about 1h 30min, whereas the under-23 category race lasted for about 1h 15min. Racers were challenged with climbing steep rises and falls while alternating technical sections and difficult descents.
Now that you have a picture of the setting, let's talk about the results…
Saturday 4th July: UCI MTB World Cup Les Gets XCO Women
Elite
Even with rain and mud making conditions difficult, the Elite Women gave it their all during the XCO event. From the early laps to the finish line, Lecomte held the lead. She dominated the race with plenty of time to spare between her and Jennifer Rissveds. The crowd cheered wildly and it was a well-deserved win for Loana Lecomte. In spite of a huge crash in the first lap and slippery conditions, Jennifer Rissveds finished in second place, and Evie Richards placed third with her aggressive riding on the descents and hard work. Well done to the Elite Women!
Sunday 4th July: UCI MTB World Cup Les Gets XCO men
Elite
Mathias Flueckiger emerged as another dominant rider in the Elite Men's Race. He controlled the pace from the start of the race and looked at ease in the wet conditions. After seven laps, Ondrej Cink made a huge effort up most of the climbs to catch Mathias, but he ultimately came in second, 25 seconds behind. Finally, a big round of applause for the World Champion, Jordan Sarrou, who raced alongside South African Alan Hatherly until a minor mistake cost him third place.
What a day for The Les Gets UCI XCO MTB World Cup 2021. Everyone gave it their all and performed incredibly well. The event this year has been so huge in Les Gets, that we are already looking forward to next year!
Who’s joining us for it? Come and stay with us at the heart of all the action. Don’t wait too long to secure your booking for 2022. We look forward to having you!
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