Gallery: Bec McConnell 3rd at Vallnord World Cup Short Track

Vallnord, Andorra turned on a dry and dusty afternoon for the World Cup Short Track, with Bec McConnell finishing 3rd.

AMB Magazine 16.07.2022

All photos: Piper Albrecht

The World Cup up-stumped from Lenzerheide, Switzerland to Vallnord, Andorra. It's a big trip for Europeans, but probably akin to driving from the Sunshine Coast to Sydney, except with some international borders and a couple of language changes.

Vallnord Bike Park is at about 1500m, so this is another race weekend at altitude. For riders, this emans it is harder to recover as there is less oxygen in the air. It's not that much less – but when you're racing on your limit, you'll notice it!

On the warm Friday evening, the top 40 women lined up. With Bec McConnell in the leader's jersey – would she hold it? Drama started as the lights went green, with Jenny Rissveds missing her pedal, falling into the barriers – and blocking Pauline Ferrand Prevot (who wasn't impressed).

Laura Stigger had a very aggressive start, plus Neff, with Indergand and Keller. McConnell quickly moved towards the top 5, and the race wasn't hanging around!

In the later laps, Keller attacked. It seemed too early, and McConnell and Terpstra came across – but Keller went again in the final few hundred metres, winning the XCC in Vallnord for the second time! Terpstra was second, McConnell third.

The men's race was brutal, with Mathias Flueckiger coming out on top. Alan Hatherly has had yet another top result – with Vlad Dascalu third.