Scotland’s own Aldridge and New Zealand’s Maxwell storm to Under 23 XCO UCI World titles

Victories for Charlie Aldridge and Samara Maxwell.

After the Junior racing yesterday, Scotland’s beautiful Glentress Forest hosted the rainbow battles for the Men and Women Under 23 UCI World Champion titles for mountain bike cross-country Olympic (XCO). Charlie Aldridge (GBR) and Samara Maxwell (NZL) took the spoils in two thrilling, but very different races.

The Scot brings it home

The front row of the Men Under 23 race featured a formidable line-up including the four different winners of this year’s Under 23 UCI World Cup races so far: Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj (DEN), Dario Lillo (SUI), Adrien Boichis (FRA) and Carter Woods (CAN).

The Canadian was quickly out of contention, suffering a mechanical problem off the line: after setting out last, he put in a huge effort to finish 11th.

Under gentle sunshine in bone dry conditions, a strong start came from Scotland’s own Charlie Aldridge, who had been riding with the Elite in this year’s UCI World Cup. He took to the front along with Lillo, in a repeat of Wednesday’s mixed team relay where the pair had animated the opening lap. The 2021 Junior UCI World Champion Boichis was with them, as was the USA’s Riley Amos. 

At the end of the first of seven laps the Scotsman set the pace and the four had developed a 12-sec gap to their nearest chasers. The 20-year-old Frenchman was quickest up the climbs while Aldridge gained time on the descents.

Approaching half distance the quartet were still away, with a chasing trio at 24 seconds. At the top of the main climb on lap four, 22-year-old Aldridge used his descending prowess to pull out a couple of seconds on his fellow breakaway riders. Amos began feeling the pressure and drifted away on lap five of seven. 

At the bell, Lillo attacked, but the Junior 2019 UCI World Champion from Perth countered. It was clear that the three riders who had graced the podium at the European Championships - won by Boichis – would also be the day’s three medalists in Glentress.

On the final lap, it was Boichis who attacked, and again Aldridge countered. Lillo could not keep up with the pace and was distanced on the long climb. The Scotsman continued to apply pressure and rode away from the Frenchman, claiming the gold medal and rainbow bands in a time of 1:13:53. Boichis took silver 13 seconds back with Lillo a further 16 seconds behind to win the bronze medal.

“It’s like a lifetime opportunity, I’ve been thinking about this for a long time,” said Charlie Aldridge. “To pull it off is insane!”

Relentless Maxwell rewarded!

On paper, the one to beat in the Women Under 23 race for the UCI World title appeared to be 22-year-old Sofie Heby Pedersen (DEN), winner of all of the category’s UCI World Cup races this year.

However, New Zealand’s Samara Maxwell was not to be daunted. She set off fast on the start loop, while Pedersen slipped on gravel but got straight back up to start the first lap proper in 12th position. The front of the field quickly began to string out under the relentless pace of the 21-year-old Kiwi.

By half distance Maxwell was 32 seconds ahead of Switzerland’s Ronja Blöchlinger - who rode a superb lap in the Mixed Team Relay won by Switzerland on Wednesday –, soon joined by fellow Swiss rider Ginia Caluori. The chasers further back could do nothing to get back to the two Swiss women, who had been clearly distanced by the woman of the day, Samara Maxwell.

The New Zealander – who has had two second places in the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup – took a commanding win in the race that mattered most, with a time of 1:16:26. Caluori overtook her compatriot to claim silver 1:01 further back, with Blöchlinger taking a second Swiss medal on the Women Under 23 podium.

“It was incredible. I wanted to start off fast and make it a fast race from the start,” said Samara Maxwell. “I just can’t believe it… Enjoy what you’re doing, you’ll get the results!”