Around 30,000 fans are expected in the Eastern European mountain bike Mecca. In addition to the deafening backdrop, the athletes can also look forward to an extremely challenging course. Short but steep climbs and even steeper descents will push man and machine to their limits. Can Nino Schurter (SUI) strike back in the Czech Republic after his sixth place in Albstadt? Can Mathias Flückiger (SUI) and Kate Courtney (USA) repeat their victories from Albstadt? How is the form of Jolanda Neff (SUI) and Annika Langvad (DEN)? Will van der Poel finally achieve his first XCO World Cup victory?
The second round of the Mercedes-Benz UCI Cross-Country Mountain Bike World Cup 2019 with German and English commentary live from Nové Město from 24-26 May and available on-demand anytime and anywhere - only on Red Bull TV!
As usual, Red Bull TV will be broadcasting the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup live and on-demand with German commentary in addition to the English stream. At the second Cross-Country World Cup stop of the season from 24-26 May, Christopher D. Ryan will accompany the races together with former world runner-up and multiple Swiss champion Nathalie Schneitter in the German-language livestream on Red Bull TV. In addition to the main races on Sunday 26 May, Red Bull TV will also be broadcasting the short track races on Friday 24 May from 17:50.
The 3.7 km long, extremely technical course in Nové Město is one of the favourite tracks of many racers. The unique start and finish area in the biathlon stadium in Nové Město, together with around 30,000 noisy fans along the course, creates a unique atmosphere. However, the approximately 170 metres of altitude that the athletes have to climb per lap will certainly not be any less with the support of the spectators, and so the second event of the season will be another tough fitness test for the cross-country stars.
Denmark's Annika Langvad and Switzerland's Nino Schurter in particular have fond memories of Nové Město. The reigning world champion and overall World Cup winner has won the last three and a total of five of the six races in Nové Město. At the XCO opener in Albstadt, Schurter crossed the finish line in a disappointing sixth place. The 33-year-old wants to get back on the road to success in the Czech Republic. Last year, a few centimetres decided the outcome in Schurter's favour. The Swiss rider narrowly beat Anton Cooper (NZL) in the final sprint. The thrilling heart-stopping final was one of the closest race results in cross-country history. Will Schurter succeed in the Nové Město quadruple?
Langvad has also won the last three XCO races in Nové Město. In Albstadt, the Dane finished fifth in her favourite discipline, having won five out of six short track races in 2018. The co-favourite even dropped out of the race over the Olympic distance due to exhaustion. Will the 35-year-old manage to leave Nové Město with better results in her luggage?
Courtney with self-confidence after Nové Město
Kate Courtney (USA) caused quite a stir at the season opener in Albstadt and had a perfect weekend. The 23-year-old showed off her sprinting skills in the short track and gave her rival Jolanda Neff (SUI) no chance on the home straight. In the XCO on Sunday, the reigning world champion demonstrated her power once again, distanced Neff and the rest of the field on the opening lap and dominated the race from the front. The results were impressive first World Cup victories in XCC and XCO. Can Courtney confirm her form from Albstadt or can Neff strike back? The reigning overall World Cup winner has finished the last seven XCO World Cups in the top three, with a total of three victories. After the Albstadt race, she admitted that she wanted to be in top form at the World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Can the Swiss rider still challenge Courtney for victory in Nové Město?
Yana Belomoina (UKR) can also travel to Nové Město with confidence after her third place at the start. Anne Tauber (NED) is also worth keeping an eye on. The Dutchwoman was beaten in Albstadt in fourth place. After crashes and shifting problems, she dropped from second to fourth place towards the end of the race. In the Czech Republic, the former speed skater wants to finish in the top three. Her compatriot Anne Terpstra completed the podium in Albstadt with a courageous ride. Who in the high-class chasing pack can pose a threat to the Courtney/Neff duo?
Elisabeth Brandau (GER) also put in two spirited performances in Albstadt. In the short track, the local heroine led the field for four laps before the top favourites Neff and Courtney forced the pace in the final round. However, Brandau held on and finished a strong eighth place. Two days later, the 33-year-old went one better. Brandau ended her remarkable opening weekend with seventh place in the race over the Olympic distance. Can the German finish in the top 10 again in Nové Město?
High power density in the men's category too
There are also numerous contenders for the top places on the men's side. Mathias Flückiger (SUI) has emerged as the top favourite. His victory in Albstadt was simply impressive. The 30-year-old also won the penultimate World Cup of 2018 in Mont-Sainte-Anne. In addition to Flückiger and Schurter, three other Swiss riders - Florian Vogel (5th), Reto Indergand (8th) and Andri Frischknecht (9th) - finished in the top 10. Will another Swiss rider finish in first place in Nové Město? However, another co-favourite from the Alpine republic will not be at the start in the Czech Republic this weekend: Lars Forster (SUI) was the unlucky one in Albstadt. After three crashes, he skipped Nové Město due to bruises on his knee and foot.
In addition to the strong Swiss riders, three French riders are also among the favourites: Jordan Sarrou in third and Titouan Carod in fourth place showed in Albstadt that they are a force to be reckoned with. Sarrou initially stayed on Flückiger's rear wheel for longer, but was caught by Mathieu van der Poel (NED) on the last lap. Maxime Marotte completed the excellent result for the French in seventh place. Can the Western Europeans repeat their great performance?
In Albstadt, van der Poel finished ahead of rival Schurter for the first time in an XCO event. Nevertheless, it was once again not enough for the Dutch cycling phenomenon to take his first XCO victory. However, van der Poel will start the short track on Friday as the big favourite. He impressively underlined his position as favourite with his XCC victory at the season opener. With his victory and second place, he is also travelling to Eastern Europe as the World Cup leader. Will van der Poel finally achieve his first XCO World Cup victory?
In the run-up to the season opener, Gerhard Kerschbaumer (ITA) and Henrique Avancini (BRA) were also counted among the favourites. After all, the Brazilian finished fifth in the short track in Albstadt. He disappointed in 18th place in the XCO, where the Italian, reigning World Championship runner-up, winner of the World Cup in Vallnord and three-time runner-up in XCO races in 2018, only finished in 14th place. He even missed out on the top 30 in the XCC. Can Avancini and Kerschbaumer compete among the world's best again?
Red Bull TV broadcasts the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup live and on-demand, available anytime and anywhere on redbull.tv. Live coverage of the women's and men's cross-country short track races will begin on Friday 24 May at 17:50. The decision in the Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) will follow on Sunday 26 May. Live coverage of the women's race will start at 10:00 am. The live stream of the men's race will be available from 13:15. Further up-to-date information and even more action-packed mountain bike entertainment can be found on the Red Bull Bike Channel at redbull.tv/bike.
Schedule of the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Nové Město - LIVE on Red Bull TV: (all times in CEST, replays of the live broadcasts will be available immediately afterwards)
- Nové Město XCC Women: Friday, 24 May, from 17:50 live on Red Bull TV
- Nové Město XCC Men: Friday, 24 May, directly after the women's race live on Red Bull TV
- Nové Město XCO Women: Sunday, 26 May, 10:00 am live on Red Bull TV
- Nové Město XCO Men: Sunday, 26 May, 13:15 live on Red Bull TV
