Canadians were all over the podiums again in Puerto Rico over the weekend. After a successful week at the Tropical MTB Challenge, the maple syrup powered crew brought more medals – and a win – home from the Pur MTB Cup on Sunday.
Ethan Wood lands the top Canadian result, with a win in the UCI XCO Junior Series men’s race. But Wood was far from the only one to stand on the podium in Rincon.
Ethan Wood lands UCI XCO Junior Series win
With a solid international field in Puerto Rico for Tropical MTB Challenge / Puerto Rico Cup combo, racing was as heated as the temperatures in Rincon. For Ethan Wood (Charge BCXC), that meant working his way to the front of a massive, 66-rider junior men’s field for the UCI Junior Series cross country race. Any name wood related seems to be a good start for Canadian cyclists, and Ethan took after the elder Woods’, beating Puerto Rico’s own Yandel de Jesus Claudio for the win. Leonardo Bernardes followed two minutes later.
Andy Donovan followed in 11th for Canada with William McFarlane, 18th, squeezing inside the top 20.
In the junior women’s UCI XCO, Elaine Blais and Lacey Dennis finished third and fourth in a sizeable field. The U.S.A.’s Lily Agnew takes the win. Brooke Bates added a top 15, finishing 15th for Canada.
Elite’s fly to XCO podiums
In the elite men’s XCO, Tyler Orschel (KMC Nukeproof) went on a flyer with Mexico’s World Cup winning Jose Ulloa Arevalo (Massi). The veteran Mexican, and reigning Pan Am continental champion, took the win. But Orschel holds on for second place in Puerto Rico, less than a minute behind.
Riley Amos (Trek Unbroken) was the best of the rest, leading the field home for third. Gunnar Holmgren (Pivot Cycles-OTE) followed in fourth ahead of the U.S.A.’s Austin Beard. Zorak Paille (Pivot Cycles-OTE), in sixth, adds a solid result in the UCI C1 event, ahead of Leandré Bouchard in seventh. Maxime St.-Onge (Pivot Cycles-OTE) adds a 10th for a solid Canadian showing in Rincon.
On the women’s side, Ella Myers (Gravity Academy) and Elli Clark (Armada) add another third and fourth place for the Canadian contingent. U.S. Olympian Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford) proved unbeatable in Puerto Rico taking another win ahead of compatriot Madigan Munro (Trek Unbroken).
Marie Fay St.-Onge (Equipe Siboire QuiRoule) in sixth, Lily-Rose Marois (Pivot Cycles-OTE) in eighth and Ayana Gagne (Equipe Siboire QuiRoule) in ninth put more Quebec racers in the top 10.
XCC Elite Men and Women
Racing at the Puerto Rico Cup started on Friday with short track cross country events. Canada was, again, all over the podium, but with a few different faces showing their speed. Lily Boucher landed a podium for Blue Bridge Racing while Alma, Que.’s XCO veteran Leandre Bouchard returned to the elite men’s podium.
Top five results for the XCC events are below.
Elite Men
- Jose Gerardo ULLOA AREVALO (MEX)
- Gunnar HOLMGREN (CAN)
- Cole PATON (USA)
- Leandre BOUCHARD (CAN)
- Robbie DAY (USA)
Elite Women
- Savilia BLUNK (USA)
- Madigan MUNRO (USA)
- Ella MYERS (CAN)
- Bayli MCSPADDEN (USA)
- Lily BOUCHER (CAN)