The World Cup circuit was back in the USA, and riders and fans alike were buzzing with excitement. With only one race after this round, standings were tight, and you could see all the top riders taking these final chances at overall points very seriously. Because this is currently the only UCI MTB World Series race in the States, people from all over the country flocked to see their favorite riders in action in Snowshoe, West Virginia.

U23 Short Track racing kicked off the week, and Maxxis riders showed up big time. Ronja Blöchlinger (Liv Racing) has been untouchable in the U23 Women XCC in 2023 and continued the trend in Snowshoe, taking another gold medal. Carter Woods (GFORT) and Luca Martin (Orbea Factory Team) also had strong showings in the U23 Men, taking second and third place.

Next up was the Junior Downhill race. Transition Factory Racing teammates Taylor Ostgaard and Valentina Roa Sanchez took on the greasy course with great results, landing in second and third place on the Junior Women’s podium. Unfortunately, Chris Hauser from the Union team had a brutal crash, breaking some bones and ending his season – healing vibes to Chris!

Later that day, it was time for the Elite XCC race. Maxxis claimed two spots on the Elite Women’s podium with Puck Peiterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Rebecca Henderson (PMG Racing Team) charging to second and third place on the evening.

Saturday meant it was time for the Elite Downhill. The crowds were jubilant with American flags and train horns scattered everywhere alongside the course. After a tough semi-final with a crash, Nina Hoffmann (SC Syndicate) came back in spectacular fashion during the finals and snagged second place in the Elite Women. Les Gets winner Marine Cabirou (Scott DH Factory) would end up taking the gold for the second race in a row, rolling to victory on MaxxGrip tires.

Finally, Sunday’s XCO wrapped up the fun times in Snowshoe. Ronja Blöchlinger carried over her momentum from the XCC to the U23 XCO, winning again in West Virginia. The MaxxSpeed results don’t stop there – Carter Woods had a career day, earning gold in the U23 Men for the Giant Factory Off-Road Team. In the Elite Men, Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM) added to his overall points lead with a second-place finish.

These USA rounds of the World Cup are always special, and the 2023 edition was no exception. See you next week in MSA, Canada for the final World Cup race of the year!