Victor Koretzky (France) used a late-race acceleration to win the elite men’s short track cross-country gold medal on Friday at the 2024 Mountain Bike World Championships in Pal Arinsal, Andorra.
In the men's U23 event, contested for the first time at a world championship, Riley Amos outsprinted teammate Bjorn Riley as the United States went one-two.
The elite men's race ended a full day of racing in Andorra, which included junior cross-country contests and XCC races for U23 and elite women.
Koretzky took control of the elite men's event in the final laps, improving from his silver medal finish in the XCC contest from a year ago.
“I'm super happy about this win,” said Koretzky. “I've had lots of wins in UCI World Cups, but never the UCI Worlds, I'm so happy to win this jersey finally! I think my last short track races were super good, I was in the top 5 all season.”
Riding from a pack of three riders just three seconds back, Charlie Aldridge (Great Britain) outsprinted Alan Hatherly (South Africa) and Christopher Blevins (United States) for the silver medal, while Hatherly secured the bronze.
Early in the 10-lap contest Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) crashed but scrambled to remount and continue. The fall left him in 30th position and in full chase mode.
Frenchman Jordan Sarrou held the early lead across the opening circuits, and by the mid-point ahead of Sebastian Andreasson (Denmark). The Dane lost contact on the fifth lap, and one lap later Koretzky had worked his way five spots to join his teammate at the front.
Koretzky took the lead outright on the eighth lap, with Aldridge, Hatherly and Blevins charging behind as a group. The trio could not close down the gap and Koretzky took the victory. Pidcock finished eighth overall.
Riley Amos and Bjorn Riley dominate men's U23 XCC contest
Riley Amos and Bjorn Riley (United States) rode at the front of a large men's group in the U23 event for most of the race, and Amos attacked to the front and then surged ahead of Riley to earn the rainbow jersey. Tobias Lillelund (Denmark) earned the bronze medal, trailing 4 seconds back.
Amos, who attacked from a large front group on the final lap, entered the history books as the first men’s U23 world champion, the UCI introducing the category to the championships for both men and women this year.
The 22-year-old out of Durango, Colorado was the most dominate U23 rider on the World Cup circuit this season and leads both the U23 standings for XCC and XCO, while Riley is second in the standings.
Dario Lillo (Switzerland) set the early pace and led the front group of 14 riders, kicking up dust on the Pal Arinsal course. Taking brief turns at the front were Riley and Jan Saska (Czechia), who would fall out of the group by the third circuit.
With two laps to go it was Lillelund who made a move to the lead, trailed by the US duo of Riley and Amos, Lillo and Cole Punchard (Canada).
Lillo suffered a mechanical and tried to fight his way back on the final lap, but finished three seconds behind Lillelund to miss the podium.
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