Haley Batten wins muddy Short Track World Cup in Nove Mesto
Batty rides into top 15 while world champ Pauline Ferrand-Prevot crashes out
Photo by:
Red Bull TV
The United States’ Haley Batten rode clean to claim her first World Cup win on Friday in Nove Mesto. A significantly changed Short Track course and wet weather caused havoc in the women’s race.
While Batten rode clean, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot wasn’t so lucky. The world champion crashed hard in a rutted section of jumps, and did not finish the short, 20-minute race.
Emily Batty improved her placing from a week ago, riding to 15th in Friday’s XCC.
Mud and Mayhem in Nove Mesto
Nove Mesto’s Short Track race is traditionally a fast and technical 1 km circuit. This year, it is 1.5 km, with the addition of a singletrack climb and rock garden descent. The changes aren’t universally appreciated by the riders, and quickly made an impact on the race.
Knowing positioning would be crucial, Haley Batten (Trinity Racing) and last week’s World Cup XCO winner Loana Lecomte (Masi) quickly made their way to the front. Not far behind, the animator of last week’s XCC, Linda Indergand (Liv) did her best to deal with the added climbing.
Behind the leaders, the group splintered on the first of six laps.
RELATED: Short Track showdown: Van der Poel outkicks Pidcock in Nove Mesto
World champion crashes out
A lead group quickly formed, including Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Absolute Absalon), Olympic champion Jenny Rissveds (Team 31), Lecomte, Batten, Indergand and Laura Stiggers (Specialized). Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing) tried her best to hold on.
Three laps in, disaster struck. Ferrand-Prevot crashed hard, catching a muddy rut on the face of a set of two jumps. The world champ hit a blue course marker as she fell, then landed on her saddle. Ferrand-Prevot exited the race and went to hospital to be checked up, but appears to be in good health. It’s the same part of the course that caused problems during XCC racing in 2020, and a little disappointing to see the unnecessarily problematic section still in place.
Batten vs. Lecomte
While Ferrand Prevot collected herself, it was Lecomte and Batten putting pressure on up front. Rissveds was the lone rider to follow, but by the end of Lap 4, it was just the American and French rider.
On Lap 5, Batten attacked. Lecomte tried to follow, but couldn’t catch the U.S. riders wheel.
Batten, in her second-ever World Cup XCC, had the fields number and takes the win in Nove Mesto.
“I don’t know what to say, still,” an ecstatic Batten said after the finish. “I think I knew I was strong from last weekend.”
Resurgent U.S. XC program
Batten is the second U.S. rider to win the Nove Mesto Short Track World Cup. Chloe Woodruff stood on top of the podium here in 2019. Woodruff was 18th today, one of four U.S. riders in the top 20.
Loana Lecomte rode home to second, and takes over the World Cup leader’s jersey. The French rider seemed happy with the unexpected result, especially after a crash early in the race.
“It was not my plan for today, but it is nice to take this” Lecomte said after. As for her crash, “It is racing, it was only my fault, but it is what happens.”
For Canadians, Emily Batty continued her forward march in the women’s field. The Ontario racer moved up to 15th for her new Canyon squad. Haley Smith finishes 37th, the only other Canadian racing on Friday.
Results: Elite Women XCC World Cup – Nove Mesto, Czech Republic – May 14, 2021
| 1. |  |
BATTEN Haley (TRINITY RACING MTB)
|
23:35 |
| 2. |  |
* LECOMTE Loana (MASSI)
|
23:51 +16 |
| 3. |  |
RISSVEDS Jenny
|
23:56 +21 |
| 4. |  |
LAST Annie
|
23:56 +21 |
| 5. |  |
INDERGAND Linda (LIV FACTORY RACING)
|
23:58 +23 |
| 6. |  |
* STIGGER Laura (SPECIALIZED RACING)
|
24:03 +28 |
| 7. | |
RICHARDS Evie (TREK FACTORY RACING XC)
|
24:11 +36 |
| 8. | |
FREI Sina (SPECIALIZED RACING)
|
24:23 +48 |
| 9. | |
COURTNEY Kate (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM)
|
24:24 +49 |
| 10. |  |
TAUBER Anne (CST POSTNL BAFANG MTB RACING TEAM)
|
24:26 +51 |
| 11. | |
TERPSTRA Anne (GHOST FACTORY RACING)
|
24:39 +1:04 |
| 12. |  |
MCCONNELL Rebecca (PRIMAFLOR MONDRAKER XSAUCE)
|
24:45 +1:10 |
| 13. |  |
BERTA Martina (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM)
|
24:46 +1:11 |
| 14. |  |
WLOSZCZOWSKA Maja (KROSS ORLEN CYCLING TEAM)
|
24:49 +1:14 |
| 15. |  |
BATTY Emily (CANYON COLLECTIVE FACTORY TEAM)
|
24:55 +1:20 |
| 16. |  |
STRAUSS Mariske (CST POSTNL BAFANG MTB RACING TEAM)
|
24:59 +1:24 |
| 17. |  |
CAMPUZANO CHAVEZ PEON Daniela
|
25:15 +1:40 |
| 18. | |
WOODRUFF Chloe
|
25:17 +1:42 |
| 19. | |
KELLER Alessandra (THÖMUS RN SWISS BIKE TEAM)
|
25:17 +1:42 |
| 20. | |
HUCK Erin
|
25:18 +1:43 |
| 21. | |
VON BERSWORDT Sophie (JB BRUNEX SUPERIOR FACTORY RACING)
|
25:18 +1:43 |
| 22. |  |
LOIV Janika
|
25:20 +1:45 |
| 23. | |
KOLLER Nicole (GHOST FACTORY RACING)
|
25:21 +1:46 |
| 24. |  |
* EIBL Ronja (ALPECIN – FENIX)
|
25:21 +1:46 |
| 25. | |
LECHNER Eva (TRINX FACTORY TEAM)
|
25:21 +1:46 |
| 26. | |
GERAULT Lena (VCA ANJOS ASTERION)
|
25:24 +1:49 |
| 27. |  |
BENKO Barbara (MALOJA PUSHBIKERS MTB)
|
25:26 +1:51 |
| 28. |  |
CABELICKA Jitka (GAPP SYSTEM – KOLOFIX MTB RACING TEAM)
|
25:33 +1:58 |
| 29. |  |
GOMEZ VILLAFANE Sofia
|
25:41 +2:06 |
| 30. |  |
GARCIA MARTINEZ Rocio Del Alba (BH TEMPLO CAFÉS UCC)
|
25:43 +2:08 |
| 31. | |
BRANDAU Elisabeth
|
25:46 +2:11 |
| 32. | |
DAVISON Lea
|
25:50 +2:15 |
| 33. | |
LILL Candice
|
25:52 +2:17 |
| 34. | |
FORCHINI Ramona (JB BRUNEX SUPERIOR FACTORY RACING)
|
25:52 +2:17 |
| 35. | |
NEFF Jolanda (TREK FACTORY RACING XC)
|
26:09 +2:34 |
| 36. | |
SHORT Isla
|
26:30 +2:55 |
| 37. | |
SMITH Haley (NORCO FACTORY TEAM XC)
|
26:44 +3:09 |
| 38. |  |
ZAKELJ Tanja (UNIOR – SINTER)
|
18:17 +2:37 |
| DNF | |
FERRAND PREVOT Pauline (ABSOLUTE-ABSALON – BMC)
|
8:26 +1 |
