Ronja Blöchlinger of Liv Factory Racing delivered an inspiring ride at the UCI XCC World Cup in Andorra, storming through the field to secure a remarkable 3rd place finish in the Elite Women’s race—her first-ever World Cup podium at the elite level. The day started with a twist: Blöchlinger, originally not on the start list due to limited UCI points, was added at the last minute after several riders withdrew. Seizing the unexpected opportunity, she lined up near the very back of the grid but refused to let her starting position define her race.
“I was so excited when I got the news that I could race the short track, and I wanted to take this chance to have a good race,” Blöchlinger shared. “My goal was to move slowly up to the front in the first two laps and then keep the speed of the front of the race. So I managed to do that and catch and pass rider by rider.”
Despite a hectic race that saw crashes and traffic jams on the narrow course, Blöchlinger stayed composed. At one point, she had to get off her bike and run around a barrier, but her focus never wavered. Riding her Pique Advanced 29, she continued to pick off riders, moving into the lead group as the race entered its final laps.
“It was the course that suited me really well, and also my Liv Pique was working really nice,” she said. “So I was super, super happy that I could manage to ride onto my first Elite World Cup podium.”
Blöchlinger crossed the line in third after an all-out sprint, celebrating a performance defined by grit, power, and race intelligence. Her podium finish also means she’ll enjoy a front-row start in Sunday’s XCO race.
Don’t miss the action—tune in live Sunday morning to see Blöchlinger and her Liv Factory Racing teammates back on course in Andorra.
