Chase Sexton entered Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, aware that he was not in control of his fate for the first time in the 2025 season. The only thing he could do was win the race and keep the pressure on Cooper Webb. When he first walked the track on Press Day on Friday and saw the whoops, he knew he could do his part. Sexton has outperformed Webb in this section all season.
Sexton was in contention for the top spot during the first lap, but was forced to be conservative at the end of the first rhythm sections when Malcolm Stewart cross-jumped Cooper Webb and forced Webb to cross-jump Sexton.