Christoper Blevins Wins Silver in Elite Men’s Short Track at 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships

Team USA kicked off the second week of the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in the mountain village of Zermatt with the Elite and Under-23 Short Track events. Each race delivered 20 minutes of all-out effort. The men previewed the course at race pace during Monday’s qualifiers, with all riders advancing to Tuesday’s finals.

The course proved demanding, pushing riders to their limits with one-minute lap times that kept the pace high. From the start, positioning was critical. Riders dove straight into singletrack with limited opportunities to pass, making every move count.

Former Short Track World Champion and current World Cup overall leader Christopher Blevins (Durango, Colo.; Specialized Factory Racing) was one of the riders to watch heading into the race. The course played to his strengths, and no one wanted to face him in a last-lap sprint. With 40 riders on the start line, the battle was on from the gun. The lead group remained large through most of the race, stretched nearly 30 riders deep at times. Blevins stayed at the sharp end, consistently inside the top five and ready to launch his attack when the moment came.

On the final lap, Blevins made his move, unleashing his trademark sprint that few can match. He quickly gained a three-second gap, but suddenly Victor Koretzky (FRA) was back on his wheel heading into the rock garden. The two powered into the final turn and onto the finishing straight, both out of the saddle and giving everything. At the line, Koretzky edged out Blevins to claim back-to-back Short Track World Titles, with Blevins earning silver.

After the race, Blevins reflected, “I gave everything for that one spot, which is one higher, but Victor is the best rider ever at closing gaps like that before the finish line, so he absolutely deserves it. I followed him all year, you know, we're [Specialized] teammates, and we're really good friends, so it's bittersweet. A silver medal is not what I came for, but I'm proud of the ride and really hats off to Victor for the win.”

Bjorn Riley (Boulder, Colo.; SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing) and Riley Amos (Durango, Colo.; Trek Factory Racing) also had strong starts, staying in the mix with the strung-out lead group. Both rode aggressively in the early laps before the pace split the field. Amos ultimately finished 27th, with Riley close behind in 35th.

1. Victor Koretzky (FRA)

2. Christopher Blevins (USA)

3. Mathis Azzaro (FRA)

27. Riley Amos (USA)

35. Bjorn Riley (USA)

The Elite Women’s race was fast and chaotic from the gun. With positioning at a premium and slick conditions lingering from earlier rain, multiple crashes disrupted the field. 

Savilia Blunk (Inverness, Calif.; Decathlon Ford Racing Team) positioned herself at the front early, riding in a lead group of four. But her momentum was interrupted when she was caught up in a slide-out on the pavement. Though she stayed upright, she lost all of her speed heading into the climb, costing her valuable time. She dropped the whole way back to eleventh then kept working her way through the field to finish the day in 6th.

Kelsey Urban (Kentfield, Calif.; KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team) had a slow start but steadily fought her way forward avoiding the crashes. Riding solo for much of the race, she climbed from 28th on the opening lap to finish an impressive 13th.

1. Alessandra Keller (SUI)

2. Jenny Rissveds (SWE)

3. Jennifer Jackson (CAN)

6. Savilia Blunk (USA)

13. Kelsey Urban (USA)

22. Gwendalyn Gibson (USA)

26. Madigan Munro (USA)

Jack Spranger (Sammamish, Wash.; Bear National Team), Ivan Sippy (Boulder, Colo.; Team Segment 28), and Dan English(San Ramon, Calif.; Trinity Racing) lined up for the U23 Men’s Short Track.

Spranger powered through the race, positioning himself at the front early on. The top 15 riders set a blistering pace with no signs of letting up, but Spranger steadily picked off riders one by one. His consistency and strength earned him an impressive 11th-place finish against a stacked international field.

Sippy battled back after a rough start, regrouping with English as the two rode together for much of the race. On the final lap, the pace ramped up to full gas. Sippy dug deep to claim 18th, while English followed closely behind in 22nd.

1. Adrien Boichis (FRA)

2. Finn Treudler (SUI)

3. Cole Punchard (CAN)

11. Jack Spranger (USA)

18. Ivan Sippy (USA)

22. Dan English (USA)

Team USA fielded three riders in the U23 Women’s Short Track: Vida Lopez de San Roman (Sebastopol, Calif.; Trinity Racing), Makena Kellerman (Escondido, Calif.; Bear National Team), and Bailey Cioppa (Durango, Colo.; Bear National Team).

Lopez de San Roman got Team USA off to a strong start, charging into the woods in the lead group and holding position near the front of the race. A crash later in the race, however, pushed her back in the field. Kellerman rode a steady and consistent race in the middle of the pack, holding her own against a deep field. Cioppa put in one a strong ride, charging from the back in 24^th place and steadily working her way forward to finish as the top American in 12^th.

1. Isabella Holmgren (CAN)

2. Carla Hahn (GER)

3. Tyler Hacobs (RSA)

12. Bailey Cioppa (USA)

16. Vida Lopez de San Roman (USA)

18. Makena Kellerman (USA)

USA Cycling’s participation in the World Championships is made possible through the support of dedicated donors and partners. To support the USA Cycling National Team, members can donate to the USA Cycling Foundation here. Our supporting partners who have a shared mission to elevate the sport of cycling include, HOVERAir, Visit Bentonville, and Visit Arkansas.