The penultimate round of the UCI Cross Country Short Track (XCC) World Cup takes place in Lake Placid in the US state of New York. The victories go to the reigning UCI Cross Country Olympic (XCO) World Champion Jenny Rissveds and the new overall winner of the UCI XCC World Cup 2025, Christopher Blevins.

Rissveds continues her impressive form in short track and celebrates her third victory in a row. The Swede fought a close duel with overall leader Evie Richards and reigning UCI XCC World Champion Alessandra Keller from Switzerland. On the final lap, Rissveds proves her strength and wins the race.

In the men's race, Christopher Blevins takes control right from the start, a picture that has been rare of late. Although the American dominated the series with five victories, he lost his rhythm after the stop in Pal Arinsal (Andorra) and only finished 26th in Lenzerheide two weeks earlier. But in Lake Placid he was back on top form, thrilled the home crowd and narrowly beat his team-mate Adrien Boichis from France in the sprint. He thus celebrates his sixth UCI XCC World Cup victory in 2025.

Rissveds celebrates short track hat-trick

Ahead of the penultimate round of the UCI XCC World Cup 2025, it's all about the duel between Evie Richards and Alessandra Keller. Richards is in top form in Lenzerheide and takes the initiative in the overall standings. But Jenny Rissveds is not giving up. The Swede has already proven her superiority in Les Gets and Lenzerheide and has thus moved up to third place in the overall standings. With two races remaining, she is mathematically in the title race.

The race is fiercely contested right from the start. Jolanda Neff takes the early lead ahead of her former teammate Richards, while Keller falls back at the start. Richards soon takes command, with Rissveds right on her wheel.

On the second lap, Keller has caught up again, but Rissveds takes the lead for the first time. She looks a class above her competitors, riding light-footedly while the others have to fight.

Last year's winner Sina Frei is also in the mix. Again and again, a larger group of riders pushes together on the start-finish straight, only to immediately disperse again in the technical section.

Up to the sixth lap, there is a leading group of twelve riders, in which attacks are launched again and again, but none bring the decisive gap. In the end, Keller is the first to step up the pace again.

At the start of the seventh lap, the Swiss rider gets out of the saddle and mobilizes her reserves of strength. Rissveds counterattacks in the Rock Garden and there are several lead changes.

On the penultimate lap, Keller takes the lead again, but Richards stays right behind her. But Rissveds finally launched the decisive attack. On the final lap she attacks for a long time, literally explodes in the Rock Garden and creates the gap to Keller and Richards. Richards still manages to get past Keller, but she can no longer catch Rissveds. The Swede secures her sixth career UCI XCC World Cup victory.

In the overall standings, Richards continues to lead with 150 points ahead of Keller, with Rissveds just another ten points behind in third place. This means that everything remains open ahead of the final race in Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN).

Rankings Elite Women

Blevins celebrates home win

Christopher Blevins is experiencing a summer to forget after a spring full of victories. The American was initially in dominant form, winning five UCI XCC World Cups in a row and breaking records in the process. But his season seems to fizzle out as it progresses, even if he can afford the luxury of finishing 30th in his home race and still securing overall victory in the UCI XCC World Cup.

However, the Specialized Factory Racing Team rider has other plans in Lake Placid. He looks menacingly strong right from the start and is back in the winning form that characterized him in the spring and not in the weaker performances of recent races. The race is tactical, while the dusty conditions and slippery passages repeatedly cause chaos. The leading trio set a mercilessly high pace.

It looks like a Specialized triumph, as Adrien Boichis and Victor Koretzky (both Specialized Factory Racing) line up alongside Blevins at the front. However, Koretzky crashed in the Rock Garden on lap five and the Frenchman was lucky not to injure himself. Although he got back on his bike, his chances of a second victory in a row were gone. Meanwhile, Boichis proves to be a worthy rival for Blevins. The two took turns at the front several times.

Another heavy crash on lap eight, this time by Luca Braidot, finally tore the leading group apart. This leaves Blevins, Boichis and Mathis Azzaro as the most promising candidates for victory. Things become increasingly aggressive at the front, while Mathis Azzaro is content to stay behind Christopher Blevins. But on the last lap it is Adrien Boichis who attacks first. The young Frenchman overtakes Blevins on the first climb of the course and seems to be able to open up a gap after the Rock Garden. However, Blevins closes the gap again and brings Azzaro with him. The three of them head for the last bend together. There is a thrilling three-man sprint to the finish. Boichis opens the sprint, but Blevins has just enough reserves to catch him at the finish line. Azzaro has to settle for third place. With this sixth win of the season, Blevins also secures overall victory in the 2025 UCI XCC World Cup.

Ranking elite men

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