Boichis denies Van der Poel in dramatic final-lap showdown to complete MTB double in Les Gets

Adrien Boichis denied Mathieu van der Poel in a dramatic final-lap showdown to win the elite men’s cross-country event in the UCI World Cup in Les Gets, on Van der Poel’s return to mountain bike racing.

After finishing 10th in Friday’s short-track event, behind winner Boichis, Van der Poel embarked on his first cross-country distance event since last year’s world championships in Valais, Switzerland, where he ended 29th. 

Thanks to his performance in the short-track, Van der Poel found himself on the second row for Sunday’s race.

Within two minutes of the opening lap, Van der Poel reached the head of the race, alongside French trio Mathis Azzaro, Luca Martin and Boichis, who looked to push the pace.

Through the end of the opening lap, Simone Avondetto and Martin Vidaurre Kossman also joined the head of the race, before Azzaro fell out of contention.

The group swelled in size on the third lap as Mathias Flückiger was able to bridge his way across, though the Swiss would struggle to maintain contact through the fourth lap and the halfway point of the race. 

Over the fifth lap, the quartet cemented the advantage over the rest of the competition, as it became clear that the victory would be contested amongst them.

Boichis and Martin battled for front position into the wood section on lap 7, and it was the latter who managed to take control, stretching out the group, before Van der Poel upped the pace himself.

However, it would come down to a final-lap showdown, with Boichis making an early move on the first steep climb. The Frenchman opened a small advantage before Van der Poel was able to close it with Vidaurre on his wheel. 

As Boichis continued to push the pace, Vidaurre was also distanced, though Van der Poel stood strong. 

The Frenchman tried to distance the Dutchman multiple times, and he opened a small advantage on the technical descents, though Van der Poel remained in contention. 

In the end, Boichis held enough of an advantage to celebrate a fine victory ahead of Van der Poel, while Vidaurre took third.

In the women’s race, it was Sina Frei who completed the double after winning the short-track on Friday, narrowly beating Jenny Rissveds, while Savilia Blunk rounded out the podium. 

Attention will swiftly turn to Val di Sole in Italy, where the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships will take place next weekend. 

Boichis, Van der Poel and co will be joined by two-time defending XCO champion Alan Hatherly, who also raced on Sunday, and 2023 world champion and two-time Olympic champion Tom Pidcock.