Erin Huck and Keegan Swenson dominate final weekend of U.S. Pro Cup
The American Olympic hopefuls won both the short track and XCO events in Fayetteville, Arkansas last weekend.
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After two weekends of cross-country mountain bike racing in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Team USA hopefuls Erin Huck and Keegan Swenson have a handful of huge deposits in the bank.
Both riders came away from the second round of U.S. Pro Cup racing with victories in both Friday’s short track and Sunday’s XCO races. For Huck, it was a flip of the podium from the prior weekend’s racing when she placed second to Sofia Gomez Villafane in both events. In last weekend’s racing, Gomez Villafane joined Huck on the second step both days; for third, it was Kelsey Urban in the short track and Alexis Skarda in the XCO.
Related: Christopher Blevins, Daniela Campuzano, and Sofia Gomez Villafañe star at U.S. Cup MTB weekend
Huck told VeloNews that the level of racing in Arkansas over the past two weekends was extremely high, especially given the nature of the event venue.
“The courses were technically and physically very challenging,” Huck said, “The highest caliber I’ve raced on in the U.S.”
During the first round of the U.S. Pro Cup, American national champ Swenson finished second to Christopher Blevins in the XCO and third in the short track. Joining him on the XCO podium in last weekend’s racing was Léandre Bouchard in second and Luke Vrouwenvelder in third. In the short track event, Team Canada completed the podium with Tyler Orschel in second and Bouchard in third.
Related: Keegan Swenson to ride with a new Santa Cruz Bicycles cross-country program in 2021
After a few days of rest, both Huck and Swenson head to Europe for the onset of World Cup racing season. Both riders — as well as others from the U.S. Olympic MTB long team — will first stop in Switzerland for the Swiss Bike Cup Leukerbad, one week ahead of the World Cup season opener in Albstadt, Germany on May 8-9.
A full list of results from both rounds of U.S. Pro Cup racing can be found on the U.S. Cup MTB website.