Christopher Blevins also wins the cross country race in Lake Placid and secures overall victory in the UCI XCO World Cup. The American has not celebrated a World Cup victory since the third race in Nové Město na Moravě in May and is under great pressure ahead of the penultimate race.

But Blevins thrives on the fast course. He controlled the action at the front, countered the attack by his team-mate Adrien Boichis on the final lap and sprinted to victory.

Already on the gravel climb after the start, all the riders wanted to be the first to turn into the steep Rockgarden. Those outside the top 20 are held up as some riders have to dismount and run. Charlie Aldridge is hit particularly hard, dropping from the front row to 24th place.

After his strong performance in the XCC on Friday, Blevins leads the Specialized Factory Racing Team attack, along with Boichis and Victor Koretzky. The short climbs on the course make for close racing early on. The Specialized team used its XCC experience to maintain the leading positions and put the competition under pressure in the first 20 minutes. The pace picks up on the third lap and Luca Schätti loses his leading position due to a puncture. After around 30 minutes of racing, Fabio Püntener takes the lead and pulls Mathis Azzaro, Boichis, Blevins and Luca Martin with him.

British rider Aldridge, who fell back in the starting scrum, narrowly misses out on joining the leading group and leads the chasing pack just eleven seconds behind. Simone Avondetto also shines and catches up with the leaders on the fast descent. When the pace drops briefly, the leading group grows back to nine riders with three laps to go. Azzaro slipped away briefly on the loose surface, but was able to hold his position.

Blevins remained at the front throughout the race and used an attack on the penultimate lap to reduce the field to five riders, including three Specialized teammates. However, the pace drops again as the riders enter the final lap, allowing more riders to catch up again.

On the final lap, Blevins picks up the pace again on the climb, closely followed by Boichis. The young Frenchman attacks in the narrow forest section and pulls away from Azzaro in third place. In the finish area, Blevins and Boichis prepare for the sprint as the chasing peloton closes in. Blevins opens the sprint, has enough power to fend off Boichis and wins. Azzaro finishes two seconds later in third place after passing Vidaurre.

Rankings Elite Men

Rissveds in impressive form to clear victory

Jenny Rissveds puts in the most convincing performance of the weekend in the women's race. The reigning world champion took the lead on the first lap and never relinquished it until the finish. In impressive form, the Swede quickly rides away from her opponents and secures a commanding victory. Rissveds was faster than her rivals on every lap throughout the race and was even able to slow down on the final lap to enjoy her triumph with a lead of over two minutes.

The start was chaotic: there was a collision in the Rockgarden, which held up riders outside the top 20 and opened up the first gaps early on. Laura Stigger is spared the chaos and takes a narrow lead on the start lap. On the asphalt section, however, the field closes up a little and the riders fight for the best position before Rissveds catches up.

The Swede takes advantage of a brief uncertainty among her opponents in the Rockgarden and in the following technical passage to pull away slightly. After the first advantage, she stays out of sight and extends her lead in the opening lap. After the first complete lap, Rissveds leads by 24 seconds ahead of a nine-strong chasing group.

Evie Richards, who finished second in the XCC on Friday, sets the pace in the chasing group at the start. Behind them, overall leader Samara Maxwell briefly loses control on the dusty, loose surface and falls back a little. Savilia Blunk senses the chance of a home podium and takes over the pace, allowing her to pull away slightly from Richards and ride into second place.

Ronja Blöchlinger also shines on the course with short climbs and fast descents and catches up with Brit Richards. Richards distributed her strength wisely, caught up with Blunk and formed a three-strong chasing group with her and Blöchlinger - 1:17 minutes behind the lone leader. At the end of the third lap, Rissveds was able to see the chasers as they rode down to the finish, while she herself was already riding uphill again.

In the final phase, Alessandra Keller and Maxwell, who had divided their race tactically well, caught up with the leading group of chasers. The battle for the medals comes to a head, Blöchlinger falls back, while Keller, Maxwell, Richards and Blunk now form a quartet. When Richards increases the pace, Keller has to let go.

When Rissveds hears the bell for the final lap, she keeps up her constant pace and leads by 2:40 minutes ahead of the trio behind. Maxwell remained clear on the final lap and fought hard to get to the front. But Richards shows her determination, attacks on the short, steep climb and pushes Blunk out of the medal race. The Brit kept the pressure on, overtook series leader Maxwell and secured second place.

Jenny Rissveds had enough time to celebrate her victory. She wins by 2:16 minutes ahead of Richards, who is coming on strong, while Maxwell holds on to third place. Ahead of the final race next weekend, Maxwell leads the overall standings by 183 points ahead of Rissveds.

Ranking elite women

López De San Román celebrates home win

Vida López De San Román wins a UCI XCO World Cup race in the women's U23 category for the second time in a row and does so in front of a home crowd. The American has already celebrated her first U23 victory at the last World Cup in Bike Kingdom Lenzerheide and continues her winning streak.

On home soil, López De San Román is involved in an exciting duel with the Italian duo Valentina Corvi and Sara Cortinovis. The overall leader Corvi is the first to be unable to keep up the pace. She loses a few seconds in a technical passage and falls back to third place.

Driven by the home fans, López De San Román attacks on the last lap and rides 15 seconds ahead of Cortinovis. Corvi finishes third, but retains an unassailable lead in the overall standings with 178 points ahead of the final race.

Ranking U23 women

Treudler leaves the competition no chance

Finn Treudler continues to dominate the U23 men's category and celebrates another World Cup victory. The Swiss athlete has already decided the overall standings in his favor before the race in Lake Placid. After his victory in the short track on Friday, he now also wins the cross-country race.

Treudler makes his decisive attack on the first full lap and pulls the Spaniard Thibaut François Baudry and Paul Schehl with him. A crash by Schehl on the third lap ended his hopes of victory.

Baudry refused to be shaken off and briefly took the lead on the third lap. But Treudler countered impressively, overtaking his rival and riding the fastest lap of the race. With a lead of over ten seconds, he extended his gap further and ultimately won by 28 seconds.

Ren Teunissen van Manen narrowly missed out on the podium after finishing fourth in the short track. The Dutchman once again battled for bronze, this time against Canada's Owen Clark and Denmark's Heby Gustav Pedersen. Pedersen starts strongly, but has to pay tribute to his high speed. Van Manen seizes the opportunity and secures third place.

Rankings U23 men