Take a serious look at the SC Tallboy.
I have an Epic Pro (X01 AXS, non evo) and an SC Nomad CC X01. Two opposite ends of the spectrum. My climbing PRs on a favorite local segment in Aliso Viejo are 4:51 on the Epic and 5:11 on the Nomad.
This would be a huge difference in an multi-lap XC race where the time gaps would keep adding up, but for segment chasing, a much smaller gap than one might guess.
A Tallboy would give you the descending confidence you need, and its climbing ability is probably closer to that of the Epic than the Nomad.