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Early season road racing reached a fevered pitch over the weekend, with the Women’s and Men’s Amgen of Tour of California wrapping up and the Giro featuring a decisive climb on Monte Zoncolan.

Not to be outdone, it was also a big weekend for domestic and international mountain biking with the Epic Rides Off-Road Series race in Grand Junction, CO and the XCO UCI World Cup in Albstadt, Germany. As we noted in our preview on Friday, there were a lot of stories worth watching in both races, and as seems to be a regular thing, the cyclocross mountain bike-sters delivered, especially on the Women’s side.

Epic Rides at Epic Rides Off-Road in Grand Junction

Last we saw Katerina Nash, her early summer riding had more of a gravel vibe, after she took second at the Sagan Dirt Fondo near her adopted home of Truckee, California. Over the weekend, Nash swapped the wide-ish knobby tires for the really wide knobby tires and headed to Colorado.

The Epic Rides Off-Road Series consists of four races that include a fat tire criterium and a 40-50 mile backcountry race during each weekend. The fat tire crits are held on Friday night and then the Elite races are on Sunday. Saturday gives amateurs the chance to tackle the same backcountry course as the pros.

Participation in the Friday fat tire crit is mandatory-ish, with a five-minute penalty assessed to any rider who does not make the start. The crits help start the weekend with a party-like atmosphere and give riders the chance to vie for one of five front-row call-up spots.

On Friday in Grand Junction, Katerina Nash (Clif Pro Team) demonstrated her all-distance talent by winning the fat tire crit ahead of Crystal Anthony (Liv Cycling). On the Men’s side, some athlete named Stephen Hyde (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld) beat out a rider named Geoff Kabush (Yeti / Maxxis). Who are they, right?

The main event on Sunday again brought out Nash’s best. The Czech rider took the win by 1:20 over Evelyn Dong (Spry Cycles / Stan’s NoTubes). Anthony wrapped up her impressive weekend with a podium spot in third. Larissa Connors (Ridebiker Alliance), Sofia Gomez Villafane (Stan’s Pivot Pro Team) and Hannah Finchamp (Clif Pro Team) all also scored top ten finishes.

Howard Grotts (Specialized) was the top backcountry navigator in the Men’s race. Grotts topped fellow podium finishers Russell Finsterwald (Team Clif / Groove Subaru) and Fernando Riveros (CZ Racing), whom you may remember from his fourth-place finish at the 2017 Cyclocross Pan-American Championships in Louisville. Kabush finished 7th backcountry race and Hyde finished 24th.

Full results from the Grand Junction Epic Rides Off-Road race are below. The next stop in the series is in Carson City, NV June 15-17.

The Champs Reign in Albstadt

In our mountain bike preview, we noted both defending XCO world champions had something to prove on Sunday in Albstadt. Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing) finished sixth in South Africa just six weeks after her scary crash at the Hoogerheide World Cup, and so she was looking to prove what she could do with two more months of healing and training. For the men, Nino Schurter was hoping to bounce back after *gasp* not winning an XCO World Cup. He, of course, finished second behind New Zealand’s Samuel Gaze in Stellenbosch.

Starting with the race in Albstadt, this year’s XCO World Cups have a new twist. Prior to the XCO races, the top 40 riders in the World Cup rankings compete in a short track race, with the top 16 riders getting prime call-up spots. In the Women’s race, Annika Langvad (Specialized) took the win ahead of Neff.

On a course turned muddy by days of rain, both wearers of the rainbow stripes delivered. Neff won the Women’s race by riding her front-row start to an emphatic two-minute gap. Neff grabbed the lead midway through the start loop, and when the prologue was over, she had over 30 seconds on her competitors. We will just go ahead and be presumptuous and assume Neff’s time racing cyclocross this past season helped prepare her for success in the sloppy German conditions.

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Yana Belomaina (CST Sandd American Eagle MTB Racing Team) of the Ukraine and teammate Anne Tauber (CST Sandd American Eagle MTB Racing Team) rounded out the podium in an impressive afternoon for their squad.

After entering the race on a tear, Langvad had a rough day at the office with a 29th-place finish. Full results from the Elite race are below.

In the Women’s U23 race, Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing) continued her hot 2018 with a second, and fellow cyclocrosser Chiara Teocchi of Italy (Bianchi MTB Team) finished just off the podium in fourth.

Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus) came into the Albstadt weekend with a bit of an ouchy after breaking his wrist during a mountain bike stage race in Spain last weekend that he still went on to win. If Van der Poel’s wrist was bothering him, it certainly did not show during the short track qualifier. Van der Poel won the race and earned the top call-up.

On Sunday, Van der Poel again showed that he probably going to do quite well at his mountain bike endeavor. The Dutch phenom quickly put himself in the lead group, and midway through the race, he was at the front with Maxime Marotte (Cannondale Factory Racing) and Schurter in a bit of a repeat of his battle against the World Champion at the Germany race last year.

Schurter opened up a bit of a gap in the fourth lap and pulled away to take the win. Van der Poel settled for third, with Stephane Tempier (Bianchi Countervail) moving up into the second spot. Gaze had a rough afternoon after his win in South Africa, taking a DNF for the afternoon.

Results are below.

Folks hoping for more mountain bike racing action will not have to wait long. The XCO UCI World Cup returns this weekend at Nove Mesto in the Czech Republic.

Replays of the Women’s and Men’s races are available from redbull.tv.

Grand Junction Epic Rides Off-Road Results

Women's Results: 2018 Grand Junction Epic Rids Off-Road

RankBibNameSponsorsCountryTime
131Katerina NashClif Pro TeamCzech Republic3:56:20
23Evelyn DongSpry Cycles, Stans NoTubes, POC, Maxxis, SR Suntour, Carbo RocketUnited States3:57:39
35Crystal AnthonyLIV Cycling, MAXXIS TIRES, SHIMANO, PARLEE, SMITHUnited States4:01:58
44Amy BeiselORANGE SEAL, KENDA, VOLERUnited States4:01:59
530Alexis Skarda United States4:05:12
61Larissa ConnorsRIDEBIKERALLIANCE, CARMICHAEL TRAINING SYSTEMS, SRAM MTB, KENDA TIRESUnited States4:09:56
77Kaysee ArmstrongLiv CyclingUnited States4:10:54
82Sofia Gomez-villafanePIVOT CYCLES, STAN'S NOTUBES, MAXXIS TIRESArgentina4:12:35
99Hannah FinchampCLIF BarUnited States4:13:14
108Megan Chelf9:ZERO:7United States4:23:29
1133Ellen CampbellPivot-Competitive CyclistUnited States4:27:40
1232Caedran HarveyFitzgeralds BicyclesUnited States4:27:41
1329Nicole TittensorLET'S GO AEROUnited States4:29:45
1412Emma MaaranenKS-Kenda Womens Elite TeamUnited States4:31:11
1510Sparky Moir SearsPIVOT CYCLES, MRP, ERGONUnited States4:32:25
1626Sara SheetsOskar Blues, REEB Cycles, NCGRUnited States4:33:53
1734Vicki Barclay AS4:39:06
1821Ashley CarelockAmy D FoundationUnited States4:48:19
1924Liza HartlaubGU Energy LabsUnited States4:49:26
2014Lisa Leonard Scotland4:53:17
2119Jenny GerowSCRIMSHAW TATTOOUnited States5:01:19
2225Isabella OleksySCHEELS P/B SCRIMSHAW TATTOOUnited States5:06:24
2327Christine JeffreyVeloWorx, Watkin LawUnited States5:11:24
2417Samantha WelterSCHEELS P/B SCRIMSHAW TATTOOUnited States5:30:17

Men's Results: 2018 Grand Junction Epic Rides Off-Road

RankBibNameSponsorsCountryTime
11Howard GrottsSPECIALIZED RACINGUnited States3:11:16
23Russell FinsterwaldTeam CLIF, Groove Subaru, ODI Grips, Union SportUnited States3:13:54
36Fernando RiverosCZ RacingColombia3:15:57
47Alex GrantCannondale, ENVE Composites, Gear RushUnited States3:16:30
581Jeremiah BishopCanyon Topeak Factory RacingUnited States3:16:41
69Benjamin SonntagTEAM CLIF BARGermany3:17:03
72Geoff KabushYeti, Maxxis, Shimano, Fox, Stans NoTubes, GUCanada3:19:39
866Ryan StandishMerida Bikes AustraliaAustralia3:19:54
94Richard Cypress GorryROULEUR DEVO P/B DNA CYCLINGUnited States3:22:13
1039Nic BeechanTREK BIKES, SHIMANO, 100%, STAN'S NOTUBES, FOXUnited States3:22:32
1132Stephan DavoustGiant Factory Off-RoadUnited States3:24:35
1258Spencer PaxsonKona BicyclesUnited States3:24:35
1354Cal SkilskyArizona DevoUnited States3:27:00
1410Liam EarlClif Bar, Niner Bikes, DT SwissUnited States3:28:19
1512Oliver ZurbrueggBiXS Pro TeamSwitzerland3:28:50
1655Nash DoryCZ RacingUnited States3:29:26
1763Tristan UhlGiant Co-factoryUnited States3:29:33
1828Jake YackleFSA, Shimano, Primal, KHS, SIDI, Kali, Osprey, Clif, Slime, Genuine InnovationsUnited States3:31:14
1950Menso De JongClif Bar, Niner, Capo, Maxxis TiresUnited States3:32:32
2065Brian MatterLinear Sport Racing, Trek, Shimano, Clif BarUnited States3:33:11
2174Rylan SchadeggPIVOT CYCLESUnited States3:33:15
2217David KrimstockPEARL IZUMI, PIVOT CYCLES, LAZER, ENDURO BITES, MAXXIS TIRESUnited States3:33:23
2359Nicolas Gaurin France3:33:58
2437Stephen HydeCannondale P/B Cyclocrossworld.com , Cannondale Bicycles, Julbo EyewearUnited States3:34:12
2513Carl DeckerGiant BicyclesUnited States3:34:58
2651Ernie WatenpaughJack Daniels, BMC, Telluride Venture AcceleratorUnited States3:35:16
2731Bryson PerryRouleur Devo pb DNA CyclingUnited States3:36:42
2864Nathan Barton United States3:37:10
2949Herman LarssonCMU Cycling TeamUnited States3:38:53
3046Samuel Elson United States3:38:54
3121Brannan FixAlpha Bicycle Co.-Groove SubaruUnited States3:38:59
3236Nicholas JenkinsTEAM CLIF BARUnited States3:40:10
3320Nick GouldSka/Zia/TrekUnited States3:40:33
3461Garrett GercharClif BarUnited States3:40:59
3511Alex WildSpecialized Factory RacingUnited States3:41:52
3660Eli KranefussBear Development, Trek, Castelli, Fox, Oakley, Maxxis TiresUnited States3:43:10
3768Lucas RowtonPremium Progression, Montrose Bike Shop, Mom & Dad <3United States3:44:35
3827Canyon Emmott787 RacingUnited States3:45:08
3980Trevor Mccutcheon United States3:45:21
4016Payson PartridgeDekorra Products, Skratch LabsUnited States3:46:11
4143Cameron BrennemanBike N Sport racing, Specialized, MaguraUnited States3:47:05
4267Scotty Albaugh United States3:47:20
4318Jake WellsTokyo Joes, Stans NoTubes, Scott Bikes, Shimano, IRCUnited States3:49:04
4470Heath ThumelRace Pace Bicycles Trek Industry NineUnited States3:49:39
4571Harrison BuckleyProcyclingUnited States3:50:18
4645Clayton OttoGiant Co-FactoryUnited States3:51:00
4724Nathaniel VacuraRaceco Racing TeamUnited States3:53:05
4847Tanner VisnickHoney StingerUnited States3:54:17
4929Barry WicksKonaUnited States3:55:28
5062Jason RowtonWhole Athlete p/b DNAUnited States3:57:49
5156Justin DesiletsGiant BicyclesUnited States3:58:44
5253Jeff Minotto United States4:05:39
5348Justin MartinMafia Racing South, West End Bikes, Specialized BikesUnited States4:05:48
5438Jorge Munoz Jr.CZ RacingUnited States4:07:30
5569Travis GillianRouleur devoUnited States4:10:33
5679Jeremy Norris 4:17:26
5715Adam SabanRoots Racing, Shimano, Pearl Izumi, UnTapped MapleUnited States4:32:44

Albstadt XCO UCI World Cup Results

Women's Results: 2018 Albstadt XCO UCI World Cup

RankBIBLast NameFirst NameCountryResult
16NEFFJolandaSUI1:36:17
217BELOMOINAYanaUKR1:38:33
33TAUBERAnneNED1:38:42
410KELLERAlessandraSUI1:38:49
513BRANDAUElisabethGER1:39:06
69INDERGANDLindaSUI1:39:18
75WLOSZCZOWSKAMajaPOL1:39:56
811LASTAnnieGBR1:40:47
92FERRAND PREVOTPaulineFRA1:41:10
1021COURTNEYKateUSA1:41:41
1122ŽAKELJTanjaSLO1:42:01
1237CAMPUZANO CHAVEZ PEONDanielaMEX1:42:39
1314BATTYEmilyCAN1:42:51
1418DAHLE FLESJAAGunn-RitaNOR1:43:35
1546WALTERSandraCAN1:44:03
1626ENAUXSabrinaFRA1:44:07
1761BRESSETJulieFRA1:44:29
1835LECHNEREvaITA1:45:00
197PENDRELCatharineCAN1:45:22
2034ŠKARNITZLOVÁJitkaCZE1:45:49
2129SOLUS-MISKOWICZKatarzynaPOL1:46:15
2231OSLElisabethAUT1:46:53
2340LEUMANNKatrinSUI1:47:24
2471TERENTYEVAOlgaRUS1:47:52
2553POPOVAIrynaUKR1:48:36
2638ŠTĚPÁNOVÁKarlaCZE1:48:56
2712WOODRUFFChloeUSA1:49:00
2819GOULAO HENRIQUERaizaBRA1:49:03
291LANGVADAnnikaDEN1:50:10
3069GROCCIAMarineSUI1:50:16
3166WALDISAndreaSUI1:50:28
3220KALENTYEVAIrinaRUS1:50:32
3323DAVISONLeaUSA1:51:01
3430MICHIELSGithaBEL1:51:41
3515MCCONNELLRebeccaAUS1:53:08
3625STIRNEMANNKathrinSUILap
3768BAUMANNChrystelleSUILap
3851SVEUMElisabethNORLap
3972WORSTAnnemarieNEDLap
4075BOUDOT MORELEstelleFRALap
4142FORCHINIRamonaSUILap
4262MONTAMBAULTCindyCANLap
4379SCHWENKTheresiaGERLap
4445ANOSHINAEkaterinaRUSLap
4581KESEG STEVKOVAJankaSVKLap
4636STRAUSSMariskeRSALap
4754ROLANDLucianaARGLap
4857MITTERBAUERLisaAUTLap
4977MÜGGLERElianeSUILap
5033SMITHHaleyCANLap
5144CALVETTISerenaITALap
5259GORYCKAPaulaPOLLap
5355TANOVICLejlaBIHLap
5448REDECKERCherieRSALap
5547GALICIA CORTINAClaudiaESPLap
5616BENKÓBarbaraHUNLap
5780NOBLEEllenUSALap
5858LLORET LLINARESElenaESPLap
5973JEŽKOVÁHanaCZELap
6076VESELÁLucieCZELap
6163LÕIVJanikaESTLap
6264KOOPMANSLotteNEDLap
6378COLINMarionFRALap
6467FLEURYCatherineCANLap
6549MONTEIROJoanaPORLap
6670RILEYSarahAUSLap
DNF27TERPSTRAAnneNED
DNF41CRNOGORACJovanaSRB
DNF39SHEPPARDSamaraNZL
DNF82SOUPELTatsianaBLR
DNF50RABENSTEINERLisaITA
DNF56PODGORSKAAleksandraPOL
DNF8SPITZSabineGER
DNF32MORATHAdelheidGER

Men's Results: 2018 Albstadt XCO UCI World Cup

RankBIBLast NameFirst NameCountryResult
12SCHURTERNinoSUI1:28:07
215TEMPIERStephaneFRA1:28:23
34VAN DER POELMathieuNED1:28:47
43MAROTTEMaximeFRA1:28:57
514SARROUJordanFRA1:29:18
69FLUECKIGERMathiasSUI1:29:33
718VALERO SERRANODavidESP1:29:38
831FLUECKIGERLukasSUI1:29:58
916FUMICManuelGER1:30:31
1040ROHRBACHNicolaSUI1:30:54
1124FORSTERLarsSUI1:31:10
1212INDERGANDRetoSUI1:31:34
1339FONTANAMarco AurelioITA1:31:49
1433BRAIDOTLucaITA1:32:02
1537LOOMartinEST1:32:12
1658KONWAMarekPOL1:32:26
178AVANCINIHenriqueBRA1:32:26
186COOPERAntonNZL1:32:27
1946BERTOLINIGioeleITA1:32:31
205CARODTitouanFRA1:32:39
2128RODRIGUEZ GUEDEPabloESP1:32:39
2251FOIDLMaximilianAUT1:32:41
2327SINTSOVAntonRUS1:32:55
2442ROSADavidPOR1:32:59
2526LITSCHERThomasSUI1:33:12
2629COLOMA NICOLASCarlosESP1:33:39
2713SOTOCatrielARG1:33:45
2852DISERAPeterCAN1:33:58
2935DRECHOUHugoFRA1:34:11
3063BOTERO VILLEGASJhonatanCOL1:34:20
3145TIBERIAndreaITA1:34:25
3222ŠKARNITZLJanCZE1:34:26
3310FRISCHKNECHTAndriSUI1:34:27
3443BOUCHARDLeandreCAN1:34:28
3554STIRNEMANNMatthiasSUI1:34:47
3638GUERRINIMarcelSUI1:35:01
3732KORETZKYVictorFRA1:35:03
3820MARKTKarlAUT1:35:05
3919KERSCHBAUMERGerhardITA1:35:18
4068GIGERFabianSUI1:35:23
417VOGELFlorianSUI1:35:27
4223RAGGLGregorAUT1:35:28
4359EGGERGeorgGER1:35:31
4480GLUTHMartinGER1:35:48
4571CHENAUXFlorianSUI1:35:50
4684STÜNZIMichaelSUI1:35:56
4788SCHELBJulianGER1:36:01
4821MCCONNELLDanielAUS1:36:02
4936COCUZZILuiz HenriqueBRA1:36:12
50109PETTINA'NicholasITA1:36:14
5150BRAIDOTDanieleITA1:36:27
5286GAYRaphaelFRA1:36:38
5344WAWAKBartlomiejPOL1:36:58
5411MANTECON GUTIERREZSergioESP1:37:07
55114FASNACHTManuelSUI1:37:15
5666PARTIAndrásHUN1:37:21
5778GAGNERaphaelCAN1:37:30
5849VAN DER HEIJDENMichielNED1:37:32
5970PETERSONSArnisLAT1:37:43
6093LORETMaximeFRA1:37:44
6167HAIMYShlomiISR1:37:49
6283VITZTHUMSimonSUI1:37:59
6325CARSTENSENSebastian FiniDEN1:38:07
64131ESTEBAN AGUEROIsmaelESP1:38:19
6579VASTLJanCZE1:38:31
6655L'ESPERANCEAndrewCAN1:38:44
67103TRIGOFlorianFRA1:39:03
6848COSTAMárioPOR1:39:15
6977VROUWENVELDERLukeUSA1:39:16
70123MEEUSENTomBEL1:40:33
7141FERGUSONGrantGBR1:42:03
7247SCHUERMANSJensBELLap
7364SCHEIRERubenBELLap
74130PELLEGRINILorenzoITALap
75124TROPARDYArthurFRALap
7669IVANOVTimofeiRUSLap
77115BEELIAndrinSUILap
7882PAPRSTKATomášCZELap
79100KRAJNCGregorSLOLap
80112BAUMLukasGERLap
8195JEANNIARDBenoîtFRALap
82101STRÄHLESvenGERLap
8394DIAZ BUJIvanESPLap
8461SWENSONKeeganUSALap
8589SESSLERGuyISRLap
86108FUMAROLADenisITALap
8781GASCODarioARGLap
88132SAMPARISILorenzoITALap
8987HOLZMaximilianGERLap
90110PARISAlexisFRALap
9197GOGOLEVMaximRUSLap
92141FLANDREHaroldFRALap
93128POZA RUIZFco. JavierESPLap
94126VALERIODomenicoITALap
9599OCKELOENJasperNEDLap
9685BELLTomGBRLap
9792BEEMERFrankNEDLap
98111MCCRAEErno JacobBELLap
99145WOLFLouisGERLap
10096GEGENHEIMERSimonGERLap
101104JAYNESebastianAUSLap
10253YAMAMOTOKoheiJPNLap
103133SANCHEZ ALDEGUERManuelESPLap
104121HARTMANNJakobGERLap
105142ROTERMUNDTobias DominikGERLap
10676DONIZETE VALERIANORubensBRALap
107117VOBECKÝZdenekCZELap
108113HERNANDEZ DE JESUSJosé AurelioMEXLap
10972GOTARDELO MULLERGuilhermeBRALap
110136MIRANDA JAIMEJaimeMEXLap
11174WITHAARJanRSALap
112125BONETTOEdoardoITALap
113146LEHRIANMarcelGERLap
11490DE POORTERE EMELIENJosephFRALap
115137BONDERThomNEDLap
116144SCHWENKRobertGERLap
11791PERRIN GANIERTitouanFRALap
118102BESAHAMikhailBLRLap
11956SCHULTE-LÜNZUMMarkusGERLap
12098OMARSSONIngvarISLLap
121107DROBISCHTillNAMLap
122116KERSUZANPierrickFRALap
123127SABAUGeorge-VladROULap
124140SINDLINGERTobiasGERLap
DNF1GAZESamuelNZL
DNF62PFÄFFLEChristianGER
DNF30COLLEDANINadirITA
DNF57FANGERMartinSUI
DNF34BLUMSMartinsLAT
DNF73CINKOndrejCZE
DNF118STAFILOVAleksanderRUS
DNF143LUYTENJeffBEL
DNF135SIBILLEVincentFRA
DNF17KULHAVÝJaroslavCZE