Nove Mesto delivers hectic racing at Short Track XC number two
Bouchard takes initiative in frantically paced XCC #2 in Czech Republic
Photo by:
Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
If it seemed like some riders weren’t quite ready for World Cup #1, Thursday’s bar-to-bar Short Track showdown showed that everyone in the field is firing on all cylinders.
While the young riders that dominated the opening round didn’t slow down, many established riders that had looked off their game showed they still have speed on Thursday. This made for crowded, close racing in Nove Mesto. Crashes, contested sprints, and a phenomenal 40 minutes of elite men’s and women’s racing.
Avancini’s redemption and a bold Bouchard
Léandre Bouchard appeared to draw confidence from his 35th in the prior days XCO. The powerful Pivot Cycles-OTE rider moved onto the font of the group mid-way through the men’s race, and was never more than a few spots back from then onward. Bouchard was still in excellent position mid-way through the penultimate lap until Maxime Marotte (Cannondale Factory Racing) fell in front of him. The Canadian just edged around, but had lost contact with the diminished front group and, with just over a short lap remaining, had no time to chase back. Bouchard finished 17th, but will be a rider to watch in Sunday’s final.
Allua swerves after touching wheels with Schurter on the final lap of Friday's Short Track XC. Photo: Red Bull TV
The Mexican somehow saved himself from crashing, but his chances of repeating Tuesday's Short Track win were gone.
The excitement didn’t end there. With half a lap remaining, Nino Schurter (Scott SRAM) attacked. After an unsully slow start from the world champion in the week’s first two races, Schurter was at the front all day Friday. When Schurter made his move, Tuesday’s winner, Jose Gerardo Allua (A.R. Efideporte Pro Cycling) was the first to follow. The Mexican rider tagged Schurter’s wheel as he tried to get into his slipstream, nearly crashing at the front of the group.
While Allua somehow recovered, the group was gone. Milan Vader (KMC Orbea), on the podium just 24 hours before, led an elite group onto the tarmac start/finish straight. But Henrique Avancini (Cannondale Factory Racing) was on his wheel, and in perfect position for the sprint. The Brazilian rider accelerated around Vader to take his first World Cup win of 2020.
Thomas Litscher (KMC Orbea) finishes second behind Avancini. Maxim Brandl (Lexware MTB) takes third, Milan Vader fourth, Manuel Fumic (Cannondale) fifth and Schurter sixth.
Bouchard’s 17th gives him an all-important third row start for Sunday. Peter Disera (Norco Factory Team) finished 32nd.
Evie Richards revives rivalry with Pauline Ferrand-Prevot
After two podiums already in Nove Mest, but no win, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Canyon) looked determined to control Friday’s Short Track. The reigning world champion control the race almost completely from start to finish. Only Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing) seemed able to challenge the French woman.
In the closing laps, Richards made her move. The young U.K. rider had stretched out the field and was leading into the final lap when she slid out on the paved 180-degree corner after the start/finish line. Somehow, the riders behind avoided her. Richards, using all her cyclocross experience, was back on the bike almost instantly, only losing a handful of positions.
Approaching the start/finish line it was once again Richards and Ferrand-Prevot on the front. Richards led out the sprint. Ferrand-Prevot tried to pass on the far side, with Richards also drifting that way. Ferrand-Prevot sat up, and Richards took her second Short Track XC in as many starts.
Haley Smith (Norco Factory Racing) was the top Canadian finisher in 21st. After finding her way to the front of the race early on, Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing) held on for 27th. After a strong finish in the prior day’s XCO, Jenn Jackson (Norco Factory Team) finished 29th in her first-ever XCC start.
World Cup cross country racing concludes this Sunday in Nove Mesto with the Olympic distance XCO. The very abbreviated season continues with 2020 UCI world championships in Leogang, Austria next week.
