Jenny Rissveds takes a solo win, claiming her fourth career UCI XCO World Cup victory, after a grueling women's race. The scorching heat of Araxá and the steep climb made the race very selective.
After winning last week’s XCO race, Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) was full of confidence and looked to take the lead in the opening minutes of the race. A long climb on each lap proved to be a grueling challenge in the heat and on the second of nine laps Rissveds began to distance the group, but was quickly followed by Maxwell and Loana Lecomte (BMC Factory Racing).
However, the slowing pace on the descents and the flat stretch at the end of the course meant the pursuers had to regroup every lap in the first half of the race.
The winning move came on the fifth of nine laps, where the former Olympic champion continued to build a lead.
Looking to defend her lead in the overall standings, Maxwell attacked the chasing group in search of Rissveds, but struggled to break away from the likes of Jennifer Jackson (Orbea Fox Factory Team) and Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli).
Coming into the penultimate lap, Rissveds had a 37-second lead over Wiedmann, Maxwell and Jackson as the chasing group began to fragment. After winning her second consecutive UCI XCC World Cup the previous day, Richards was determined and closed in on the chasing group for the final lap.
Maxwell was the strongest of the chasers on the climb and settled into second place, but her rivals, led by Jackson, remained just seconds behind on the descent to the finish line. Showing her power in the short track, Richards was the fastest on the descent and caught up with third-placed Jackson in the closing stages.
Canyon CLLCTV XCO athlete Rissveds had enough of a lead to fend off a late attack from points leader Maxwell, while Richards outsprinted Jackson for third.
FEMALE ELITE RANKING
| 1. |  | Risveds Jenny (CANYON CLLCTV XCO) | 1:26:59 |
| 2. |  | MAXWELL Samara (DECATHLON FORD RACING TEAM) | 1:27:27 +28 |
| 3. |  | RICHARDS Evie (TREK FACTORY RACING – PIRELLI) | 1:27:33 +34 |
| 4. |  | JACKSONJennifer (ORBEA FOX FACTORY TEAM) | 1:27:36 +37 |
| 5. |  | WIEDMANN Tamara (MONDRAKER FACTORY RACING XC) | 1:27:43 +44 |
| 6. |  | LECOMTE Loana (BMC FACTORY RACING) | 1:28:00 + 1: 01 |
| 7. |  | KOLLER Nicole (GHOST FACTORY RACING) | 1:28:08 + 1: 09 |
| 8. |  | GRAPH Nina (LAPIERRE RACING UNITY) | 1:28:18 + 1: 19 |
| 9. | | FREI Sina (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING) | 1:28:24 + 1: 25 |
| 10 |  | URBAN Kelsey (KMC RIDLEY MTB RACING TEAM) | 1:28:24 + 1: 25 |
GENERAL WORLD CUP
