How to watch Canadians racing Nové Mesto XCC & XCO

Still reeling from a muddy, dramatic Albstadt round that shook up early season expectations, the World Cup rolls right on into Nové Mesto na Moravě on Friday for the next round of cross country racing. The Czech Republic course is a favourite with fans and riders alike year after year, and the thrilling 2018 season will only add to the crowds frenzy on race day.

Nové Mesto will be the second time the Short Course (XCC) features in a World Cup weekend, and the event has already made it’s mark after debuting in Albstadt, where Mathieu van der Poel won and when world and Olympic champion Nino Schurter suffered a mechanical that forced him out of Friday’s race and, as a result, out of the front two rows for Sunday’s XCO start. With the top 16 XCC finishers superseding the usual World Cup rankings for start position, all riders are forced to take the new event seriously or risk a poor start position Sunday. Schurter was able to overcome his third row start position and take the win last Sunday in Germany, but the opposite was true in the Women’s Elite race. Annika Langvad won Friday’s XCC, then faltered for the first time this year when the Elite Women’s race was a treacherously slick  mess of mud and roots.

RELATED: World Cup Short Track XCC: What is it and who benefits

Red Bull will be live streamingéFriday’s XCC race for the first time in Nové Mesto, so schedule your lunch break, or late breakfast if you’re on the West coast, to catch the fast paced action. Races are scheduled for a short 25 minutes for each of the Elite Men’s and Elite Women’s, and are run back to back, so you can catch both races in a short time. Look for the Canadian women to try take advantage of the new race, with Emily Batty, Catharine Pendrel and Haley Smith all fighting for those front row start positions going into Sunday’s main event XCO. Start times for the Friday’s XCC are listed below.

Sunday’s Olympic distance XC race (XCO), remains the main focus of the World Cup weekend in Nové Mesto, and the rocky, technical course is one that could suit Canada’s top racers well. Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing) had a strong showing in Abstadt, finishing 13th on the greasy German track, while Sandra Walter (Liv Cycling) took advantage of the conditions to move all the way up to 15th.

On the Men’s side, Canadian national champion Peter Disera (Norco Factory Racing) rode all the way up to 28th in Albstadt, which will give the elder Disera brother a better starting position this Sunday. Both Disera and Léandre Bouchard (KMC-Ekoi-SR Suntour) are moving close to the top-40 ranking that would include them in the XCC race next round, and the technical Nové Mesto course could help them on Sunday.

Start times for Sunday’s XCO are listed below, and Red Bull will have replays of both Men’s and Women’s Elite races available on demand for anyone that doesn’t feel up for the pre-dawn wake up on Sunday morning. Live and on demand viewing are both available here.

Canada’s U23 Men and Women race on Saturday, but the event is still not live broadcast. Sean Fincham (Team Canada/Forward Racing) was the top Canadian result in Albstadt, German, finishing 21st on the muddy course that saw many of Canada’s young cross country racers deliver strong performances. The Squamish, B.C. rider will benefit from a better starting position and a technical Czech course this weekend.

2018 UCI World Cup Nové Mesto na Moravě XCC & XCO:

Elite XCC: 11:50 am (EST)  Friday May 24, 2018.

Elite Women XCO: 5:00 am (EST)  Sunday May 26, 2018

Elite Men XCO: 8:15 am (EST) Sunday May 26, 2018

2018 UCI World Cup Nové Mesto na Moravě XCC & XCO

Elite XCC: 8:50 am (PST) Friday May 24, 2018.

Elite Women XCO: 2:00 am (PST)  Sunday May 26, 2018

Elite Men XCO: 5:15 am (PST)  Sunday May 26, 2018