Highlights: XCC World Cup in South Korea
When the Favorites Fade: A World Cup Race Turned on Its Head
It was a remarkable day of racing with some striking results at the opening round of the World Cup in South Korea. Many of the race favorites faced mechanicals, faded or crashed out of the action-packed (and at times quite chaotic) racing.
Women’s Race
The women’s race was a tactical and tight one as a large yet select group formed upfront. As the pace ramped up towards the last lap, Sina Frei delivered a decisive late attack that proved too strong for the rest of the field. Close behind, the 2025 XCC overall winner Evie Richards put in a solid turn of pace to secure second. Martina Berta took third and Candice Lill placed 22nd. Catch the highlights edit below.
Men’s Race
The elite men’s race played out exactly like a classic modern short track: fast, tactical and decided in the final moments rather than by a long-range attack. From the gun, a large lead group formed and stayed tightly packed. The pace was high, but the course didn’t allow for a clean breakaway – every acceleration was quickly neutralized. Riders who tried to move early were reeled back in pretty quickly, keeping the race wide open. Positioning became increasingly important – especially leading into the downhill section that determined running order into the final straight. In the end, Mathis Azzaro timed his kick over the final climb perfectly and sealed his debut World Cup win in the process. Simone Avondetto took second and Dario Lillo third. //
| Images: UCI |