Puck Pieterse and Tom Pidcock take statement World Cup XCC wins in Switzerland – Escape Collective

The multi-discipline duo of Puck Pieterse and Tom Pidcock won the climby, technical XCC races at the Crans-Montana World Cup on a course that could be described as a criterium with a downhill course in the middle. 

The circuit began with a steep road climb, and it was Chiara Teocchi who reached the top first in the elite women’s race, and dipped into the steep, slick downhill followed by Puck Pieterse, Martina Berta and Alessandra Keller. 

Loana Lecomte also joined the leaders and upped the pace during the second lap. The high pace dispatched Teocchi, who later rejoined the lead group with Orbea Factory teammate Anne Tauber. 

Pieterse hit the front and gained a gap on the downhill which stretched the group, but it came back together again on the pavement. Gwen Gibson joined the leaders, and fellow American Kate Courtney dangled off the back of the group as well. 

But it was Pieterse, Lecomte, and Keller who looked the strongest and indeed gained a gap by the top of the climb. 

Tauber attacked from the back of the group into the base of the ascent, then Pieterse used the steep grades to bridge across then sail past Tauber. 

The Alpecin rider held out for the win – her second XCC win in a row – and Keller out-sprinted Tauber for second. 

For the men, Luca Schwarzbauer claimed the holeshot, followed by Martiņš Blums, Nino Schurter, and Martin Vidaurre. Schwarzbauer and Schurter separated themselves on the descent but the group came back together on the pavement. 

As was the theme of the day, no single rider could get a gap thanks to the fast pace of the road section. 

Halfway through the race, Christopher Blevins took the lead, looking fast and comfortable on the steep descent. Filippo Colombo and Charlie Aldridge also spent time near the front. Around this time, Pidcock too joined the front group after falling to dead last having slipped a pedal on the start (and also nearly hitting the deck earlier in the race). 

With two to go, Pidcock attacked, towing along the Scott-SRAM duo of Schurter and Colombo. The Brit kept his lead after the descent, followed by Aldridge in second. 

Pidcock then time-trialed to a solo victory, and Julian Schelb and Luca Braidot emerged from the group behind to take the next podium spots. 

Women’s XCC Results 

1. Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 
2. Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon) 
3. Anne Tauber (Orbea Factory Team) 
4. Loana Lecomte (Canyon CLLCTV) 
5. Gwen Gibson (Trek Factory Racing) 
6. Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) 
7. Rebecca Henderson (Primaflor Mondraker Racing Team) 
8. Kate Courtney (Scott-SRAM) 
9. Candice Lille (No team) 
10. Tamara Wiedmann (No team) 

Men’s XCC Results 

1. Tom Pidcock (Ineos-Grenadiers) 
2. Julian Schelb (Stop&go Marderabwehr Mtb Team) 
3. Luca Braidot (Santa Cruz Rockshox Pro Team) 
4. Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) 
5. Maximilian Brandl (Lexware Mountain Bike Team) 
6. Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM)
7. Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM)
8. Marcel Guerrini (Bixs Performance Race Team)
9. Pierre De Froidmont (Orbea Factory Team) 
10. Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) 

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