Just one week after the World Cup kick-off in the Swabian town of Albstadtthe coming weekend from 14-16 May the second MTB World Cup stop of the cross-country racers in the 2021 Olympic season. Nove Mesto na Morave the world's best male and female racers will be battling it out on the fast and technical course for victory in the short track and XCO races.
Loana Lecomte dominated the women's classification last weekend in Albstadt. The reigning U23 world champion also beat the reigning world champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot impressively into second place. The young Frenchwoman finished just under a minute ahead of her compatriot. Lecomte is one of the absolute favourites on the fast and technical course in Nove Mesto. Last year, she won her first World Cup victory in the elite category here.
In the men's race, however, anything can happen. Because the race in Albstadt was unrivalled in terms of excitement. The leading group, consisting of Mathias Flückiger, Nino Schurter, Ondrej Cink and Victor Koretzky fought for victory and swapped the lead position almost lap for lap. In the end, Victor Koretzky won his first XC World Cup race ahead of Swiss rider Nino Schurter after a thrilling final sprint. But the 21-year-old Briton Tom Pidcock is one of the favourites. He fought his way up from 76th on the grid to fifth place in Albstadt. Mathieu Van der Poel finished in seventh place, but the all-round talent wants to be among the front runners again in Nove Mesto. One thing is clear, the riders will not give each other a single metre on the Fully course in the Czech Republic.
Broadcast via livestream Red Bull TV all races of the World Cup in Nove Mesto. On Friday at 17:50 the short track races start. Here, the 40 fastest male and female riders compete for a starting position for the main races on Sunday. The women's XCO race starts on Sunday at 11:00 amthe men's main race is from 15:00 on Red Bull TV. >> click here for the livestream