Women’s XC recap:
A breakout year for the USA. Kate Courtney left the juniors class late last year and joined the Elite class. And she won the world championship event. Coming into this year, she won the first world cup stop. Both the short track and the long track. The first American woman to win a world cup----in 20 years. She also won the second long track and placed 4th in the short track. The third race was her first sign of weakness. It was the highest altitude event of the season and Kate clearly was not condition for altitude. She has continued to place high in the short tracks. But for some reason, her long track performance has suffered ever since. Still in top 10. But often missing the podium. However, with one stop left on the world cup circuit, she’s still 2nd place in overall points. With I think only about 70 points between her and the leader—
----Swedish rider, Yolanda Neff. Who is probably the most badass rider of them all. She’s amazing. Multiple times this season, she has battled back from crashes, mechanical failures, or just some bad starts. She has basically owned 2nd place for most of the season. No wins yet! But in overall points, she is the leader, with one round left.
There are some other stories, too. But I think one of the most amazing has been Swedish rider Jenny Rissveds.
Jenny won Olympic Gold at Rio, in 2016. But, sometime i n 2017, she had a major mental breakdown. 2019 is her first year back to racing. She’s been interviewed a few times, in complete tears. But, very open. She said that (for whatever reason) she lost her will to compete. Did not feel worthy. Did not want to live anymore. Etc. Early in the season, she said that after coming back, she felt like a fraud. That she didn’t belong with these other women. Actually saying that she “isn’t one of them, anymore”.
Well, she kept going. And a few stops ago, she podiumed 4th or 5th place in a long track (XC mountain biking has a 5 spot podium, as far as points are concerned. Though, still a traditional 3 spot podium, for immediate post ride honors and popping champagne). Although just missing the podium, she did well in another long track race. And she kept going. And then she won a short track event. You can literally see her change on screen.
Lenzerheide in Switzerland, is considered one of the most difficult and most prized races of the season. Yolanda Neff is considered the favorite for that crowd and all eyes were on her to win there (she’s never won there before. But is riding better than ever). But, Jenny Rissveds won it. With a fair gap, too. During her tearful, joyful interview; she said that she doesn’t know what to say in English. But in Swedish they have a saying which she translated literally: “The circle is complete”.