Schurter saves World Cup win by a tire width in Nové Město photo finish

It was another sensational weekend of racing in what is becoming the most exciting World Cup season in a while. The Elite Men’s standings were upended once again, just days after Mathieu van der Poel pulled on the leaders jersey for the first time. His time in the leaders jersey would be short lived, as the Dutch star crashed hard on a recently broken wrist and was forced to drop out of the race. After delivering Nino Schurter his first defeat in a year at the Stellenbosch, South Africa World Cup and winning Friday’s Short Track XCC ahead of van der Poel, Sam Gaze could not capitalized on his momentum. Instead, the young Kiwi crashed hard on the first lap, and had to drop out of the race.

RELATED: Emily Batty fourth in thrilling Nové Město na Moravě World Cup XC

With his two main pre-race rivals out of contention, Schurter seemed to have a clear road to victory. Anton Cooper had other ideas, and the young New Zealand racer finally showed the potential he’s promised since turning Elite, and pushed the Swiss cross country legend in another dramatic sprint finish. It looked like Schurter might lose his second sprint this year when Cooper surged ahead on the finish straight, but a photo finish gave the victory to Schurter by the width of a skinny cross country race tire.

In a race where even the podium finisher’s crossed the line covered in a thick coat of dust from the dry Czech track, Canada’s best Elite cross country men had their work cut out for them to fight through crowds, crashes, and an ever present cloud of dust hanging over the course. Canadian national champion Peter Disera (Norco Factory Racing) was the best placed at the end of the day, crossing in 45th. Two spots behind was Rapaël Gagné (OMX-Silverback Pro Team) in 47th, while Léandre Bouchard (KMC-Ekoi-SR Suntour) finished 68th and Andrew L’Esperance was 70th.

UCI World Cup XCO Elite Men – Nové Město na Moravě

Men’s race started with a big crash in the back of the field as the massive 144 racer pack accelerated down the high speed road start. A number of riders were held up, and at least one riders race ended right there as they crossed the start line.

At the front of the race, it was Mathieu van der Poel, Nino Schurter and Sam Gaze trading turns on the front through the high speed start loop. Positioning was crucial, as anyone not at the front of the massive field was consumed by a cloud of dust.

Conditions were dry, but not easy, as Sam Gaze (Specialized) emerged from the first technical section, a series of high speed log drops, off his bike and looking very uncomfortable on his run to the pits. His front flat tire was changed, but the young Kiwi hesitated, holding his shoulder, before getting back off the bike. Gaze would eventually start to ride again, but the race was long gone in front of him. A short time later, he would pull out of the race entirely, holding his left arm.

At the front, Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM) and Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon Circus) were opening up a small lead, but there was little distance to be gained on the fast, dry course. Just one lap into the race, and everyone outside the top ten was already wearing a thick mask of dirt from the dust hanging in the air, kicked up by the high speed race.

Going out for the third of six laps, Schurter and van der Poel were joined in a group of four with the BMC duo of Lars Forster and Titouan Carod.

The foursome wouldn’t last long, as Schurter quickly started driving the pace, again separating himself and van der Poel. Crossing the line to start the third lap, the two leaders were stretching, taking their time and looking at one another to take the lead. Van der Peol ended up on the front and the pair continued to push, but with Forster joining back on on the climb. The chasing group closing in behind hinted that this race might not be over quite yet.

Schurter attacked again, taking Forster with him. The small gap that opened to van der Poel was cleaved open further when the Dutch rider lost his front wheel in the dust and went over the bars, landing hard on the wrist he’d broken just 10 days earlier in Spain. Three laps in, and Schurter’s two biggest pre-race rivals had succumbed to crashes. There was still a big chase group close behind yet, so the race was far from over.

Anton Cooper (Trek Factory Racing), Maxime Marotte (Cannondale Facotry Racing), Carod, and European Champion Florien Vogel (Focus XC) were moving fast and working well together, while Schurter, perhaps still feeling his own crash in Friday’s XCC seemed content to let Forster set the pace on the front.

A short climb later, and it was now Schurter, Cooper and Marotte on the front, as Forster had dropped 15 seconds back, suffering from the early pace.

Heading out for the penultimate lap the trio remained together with Schurter leading, Forster trailing 20 seconds behind, and Vogel chasing him in fifth. Schurter seemed unperturbed by the company, even letting Cooper take the lead at several points. Even without Gaze and van der Poel it looked like this race might repeat the Elite Women’s race earlier in the day to end in a sprint.

With less than a lap remaining, the pace finally started to gain urgency, as Marotte and Cooper both started putting in an effort to get to the front before the rocky dangerous descent. Schurter seemed uninterested in sitting third, and made sure he stayed in second position. Schurter attempted to attack up the only to look over his shoulder and see Cooper still fixed fast to his back wheel, with Marotte looking to be in trouble, but still on the back of the group.

Behind, Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized) the 2012 Olympic gold medalist put in an effort to try get in podium position on his home course, only to drop his chain and struggle to get it moving again as the chase group rode away from him.

Schurter still led with Cooper on his wheel, while Marotte was fading a short distance back, struggling with fatigue and the rocky physical descent. With no climbs remaining, it looked as if Cooper would have the chance to repeat his fellow New Zelander’s sprint against Schurter from Stellenbosch, when Sam Gaze delivered Schurter’s first defeat in over a year of World Cup racing.

Perhaps remembering his loss in South Africa, Schurter continued to push the pace, trying not to let Marotte back into the race, but looking uncomfortable with leading out Cooper in the sprint.

Schurter when outside, and Anton Cooper surged ahead. Could the small rider known for climbing defeat the legendary Swiss racer? Schurter threw his bike for the line, and Cooper didn’t have the energy to respond. The final effort was enough, just, and Schurter won his second World Cup round of 2018 by the width of his front tire. It had taken everything the Scott-SRAM rider had and he collapsed on the ground off his bike in the finish area. While second was bittersweet, it was still Coopers best Elite World Cup result to date.