Results: Sean Fincham leads Canadians with fifth in Under-23 World Cup at Nove Mesto
Marianne Théberge posts strong seventh in U23 women's race as Canadians crowd the top placings in Czech Republic
Photo by:
Nick Iwanyshyn
When World Cup racing started up again this morning, Canada’s next generation of racers were ready. An incredibly strong performance by the entire under-23 squad. Sean Fincham and Marianne Théberge led the team, finishing fifth and seventh, respectively.
It was a U.K. cyclocross phenom Thomas Pidcock that surprised the field, though. More well known for his exploits on the road and cyclocross track, Pidcock stormed to the win in Nove Mesto Thursday. Just a week after racing road world championships, the U.K. rider won by a solid 27-second margin in his first XCO World Cup appearance. Like Mathieu van der Poel before him, Pidcock seems unconcerned with sticking to one specific discipline.
Behind Pidcock, the Swiss pair of Alexandre Balmer and Vital Albin, both racing for Thömus RN, rounded out the podium.
Canucks on form in the Czech Republic
While Pidcock surprised the field, the Canadians impressed as a group. Sean Fincham’s fifth continues his excellent results from years past.
In the under-23 women’s race, Marianne Théberge (Pivot Cycles-OTE) moved up steadily through the field to place seventh behind race winner Giorgia Marchet of Italy. Behind her, another cyclocross convert, Ceylin del Carmen Alverado (Fenix-Apecin) rode to second place. After leading for much of the race, American Haley Batten (Specialized) finished third.
Carter Woods, Fincham’s new teammate on Norco Factory Team, finished an incredible ninth in his first World Cup appearance. Quinton Disera (Norco Factory Team) landed just outside the top-10 in 11th.
Not far behind them, Gunnar Holmgren (Pivot Cycles-OTE) was 17th. Tyler Orschel (Durham Shredders) added a 26th to the list. Having all the Canadians inside the top-30, and most inside the top-15 is an incredible result and a strong sign for the future of mountain biking in Canada.
The result is, of course, years in the making. Many of the riders have worked their way up through the u23 ranks over several seasons to earn all-important start positions near the front of often-massive fields.
Under-23 Men – 2020 Nove Mesto na Morave World Cup #1
| 1. |  |
PIDCOCK Thomas
|
1:24:11 |
| 2. |  |
BALMER Alexandre (THÖMUS RN SWISS BIKE TEAM)
|
1:24:38 +27 |
| – | |
ALBIN Vital (THÖMUS RN SWISS BIKE TEAM)
|
1:24:45 +34 |
| – |  |
VIDAURRE KOSSMANN Martin
|
1:24:45 +34 |
| 5. |  |
FINCHAM Sean (NORCO FACTORY TEAM XC)
|
1:25:07 +56 |
| 6. |  |
BLEVINS Christopher (SPECIALIZED RACING)
|
1:25:33 +1:22 |
| 7. |  |
AZZARO Mathis (ABSOLUTE – ABSALON – BMC)
|
1:25:38 +1:27 |
| 8. | |
PUNTENER Fabio (BIKE TEAM SOLOTHURN)
|
1:25:44 +1:33 |
| 9. | |
WOODS Carter (NORCO FACTORY TEAM XC)
|
1:23:43 +1:49 |
| 10. |  |
ZANOTTI Juri (KTM PROTEK DAMA)
|
1:23:38 +2:24 |
| 11. | |
DISERA Quinton (NORCO FACTORY TEAM XC)
|
1:22:51 +2:10 |
| 12. | |
AVONDETTO Simone (TEAM TREK – PIRELLI)
|
1:23:48 +3:07 |
| 13. |  |
LIST David
|
1:23:21 +2:54 |
| 14. | |
ALLARD Basile (VELCAN MTB PRO TEAM)
|
1:23:35 +3:08 |
| 15. | |
SCHATTI Luca (SWISS MTB PRO TEAM POWERED BY STOLL)
|
1:23:45 +3:18 |
| 17. | |
HOLMGREN Gunnar (PIVOT CYCLES – OTE)
|
1:23:41 +3:42 |
| 26. | |
ORSCHEL Tyler
|
1:23:38 +4:30 |
Under-23 Women – 2020 Nove Mesto na Morave World Cup #1
| 1. | |
MARCHET Giorgia
|
1:27:45 |
| 2. |  |
ALVARADO Ceylin Del Carmen (ALPECIN – FENIX)
|
1:27:54 +9 |
| 3. | |
BATTEN Haley (SPECIALIZED RACING)
|
1:28:02 +17 |
| 4. | |
HARNDEN Harriet L
|
1:28:24 +39 |
| 5. |  |
VAS Kata Blanka
|
1:28:55 +1:10 |
| 6. | |
BLOCHLINGER Ronja (FISCHER – BMC)
|
1:30:13 +2:28 |
| 7. | |
THEBERGE Marianne (PIVOT CYCLES – OTE)
|
1:30:25 +2:40 |
| 8. |  |
QUEIROS Raquel
|
1:30:26 +2:41 |
| 9. | |
CLAUZEL Helene (CUBE PRO FERMETURES SEFIC)
|
1:30:34 +2:49 |
| 10. |  |
TVARUZKOVA Tereza (EXPRES CZ – TUFO TEAM KOLÍN)
|
1:30:35 +2:50 |
