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BRANDY RICHARDS seizes WXC lead with late pass at Ironman GNCC

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October 26, 2026

GRRL! SUMMARY:

  • BRANDY RICHARDS (KTM) surged past DANIELLE McDONALD late in the WXC race at Ironman GNCC Round 12, claiming victory and sole possession of the championship lead with one round to go.
  • RICHARDS described a grueling sprint pace throughout: “We dug deep on the final lap to get into the lead,” she said, signaling she likely needs another win at the finale to clinch.
  • KORIE STEEDE (Husqvarna) finished third, dropping out of a tied points lead; just nine points now separate RICHARDS (279), STEEDE (270), and McDONALD (270) heading into the Buckwheat 100.
  • TAYLA JONES (Honda) rounded out the top four in the WXC class on a demanding silt-heavy course in Crawfordsville that tested every rider physically and mechanically.

UPCOMING:

  • Buckwheat 100 GNCC, West Virginia — November 7-8, 2026 (season finale, WXC title decider)

LINKS TO RACER'S PROFILE PAGES:

BRANDY RICHARDS

gncc, ironman gncc, ktm, wxc

GRRL! summary based upon reporting by Shan Moore originally appearing on cyclenews.com