Australia
 

Van der Heijden caught the early leaders midway through the race, then rode off the front to win.

Van der Heijden Seizes U23 World Cup Lead!

July 1, 2012

Michiel van der Heijden of the of the Rabobank-Giant team won his second consecutive World Cup XC race in the Under-23 category Saturday in Windham, New York, moving into the overall series lead after six of seven races.

Van der Heijden, the current Dutch U-23 champion, caught race leader Howard Grotts of the USA on the second of five laps, then rode off the front on his Giant XtC Advanced SL. He gained a lead of 30 seconds on the third lap, and went on to take the win with a 48-second gap over German Markus Schulte-Luenzum.

With the win, van der Heijden jumped up from third to first in the series. He also won last week in Mont-Ste-Anne, Quebec. The World Cup XC finals will be held later this month in Val d’Isere, France.

In the elite men’s race, Swiss rider Fabian Giger finished 24th for the Rabobank-Giant squad. Giger is ninth overall heading into the final round.