After suffering a rough crash this week while training for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, Christopher Blevins of Durango recovered in time to race in Thursday’s short-track cross-country championships in Scotland.
“My time here started with a pretty nasty crash that left me with a broken pinky and some stitches on the chin. It’s always the silly crashes that end up the worst,” Blevins said. “I’ve been fully focused on healing, and the USA Cycling medical staff has been stellar in helping me make smart calls on easing back into it.”
The treatment worked, and Blevins was able to resume racing.
Blevins, a 2021 short-track world champion and the 2023 national champion, was the lone American to race in the elite men’s short-track championship.
He ended up finishing 19th out of 55 competitors in the 20-minute sprint, crossing 24 seconds after the winner, Samuel Gaze of New Zealand. Gaze won in 20 minutes, 27 seconds.
Victor Koretzky of France finished second in the same time, while WorldTour road racer Thomas Pidcock of Great Britain finished third two seconds later.
Savilia Blunk of Durango also raced on Thursday in the elite women’s short-track world championship. Blunk, the 2023 short-track national champion, ended up finishing eighth out of 41 competitors, finishing 44 seconds after the winner, Pauline Ferrand Prevot of France (21:47).
Puck Pieterse of the Netherlands finished four seconds later to place second, while Evie Richards of Great Britain crossed third (+:09). Gwendalyn Gibson of the USA placed fourth (+:15).
There is no short-track world championship race for the U23 riders.
However, Durangoan Riley Amos raced with Team USA on Wednesday in the mixed relay.
Amos anchored the six-person relay, which included elite, junior and U23 competitors on USA’s team.
Racing with Brayden Johnson (U23 men), Nicholas Konecny (junior men), Madigen Munro (U23 women), Vida Lopez de san Roman (junior women) and Kate Courtney (elite women), Amos and Team USA finished eighth in the world standings.
Switzerland, anchored by legend Nino Schurter, won the relay in 1 hour, 5 minutes and 42 seconds. France finished nine seconds later to place second, while Denmark won bronze (+:42).
The USA finished 2:39 after Switzerland.
Mountain biking will continue with the cross-country Olympic races on Friday and Saturday. The U23 riders will race Friday, and the elite competitors will battle for the rainbow jerseys on Saturday.
