[UPDATED] Final Elite XCO Results & Overall Standings from the Nove Mesto XC World Cup 2024
The results are in from incredible racing on the rider-favourite course at Nove Mesto.
Pauline Ferrand Prevot delivered a powerful performance as she opened her 2024 World Cup season with a big victory. Ferrand Prevot was unrivalled from the first lap as she took the lead into the first technical descent and kept the pace high from then on. Puck Pieterse was the closest rider to put her lead in danger as, for the first two laps, she was within 20 seconds of the World Champ. A tough third lap saw Pieterse drop back into the chasing group as a four-way battle began for the remaining podium spots.
Of the four chasing riders, series leader Haley Batten found a burst of speed in the final lap allowing her to close the gap slightly to Ferrand Prevot as she crossed the line just over a minute back. XCC winner Alessandra Keller looked strong the whole race as she rode back from a slower start taking third place ahead of Puck Pieterse and Laura Stigger.
Tom Pidcock made it two wins for the Ineos Grenadiers making history in Nove Mesto with his fourth elite XCO win in a row here. The race was closely fought over the first three laps as the lead was swapped between several riders and the top ten all remained in touch with the leader. One of the deciding moves of the race came from Pidcock who launched a wild attack up the middle climb on lap three opening a huge lead as only Nino Schurter and Victory Koretzky could follow.
Koretzky would fall off the lead leaving a face-off between the XC powerhouses Schurter and Pidcock. The Swiss racer did his best to hang onto the rear wheel of Pidcock, but after repeated attacks, he fell back by 25 seconds. As the race entered its final lap Schurter had a resurgence looking to close the gap to Pidcock, but a final burst of speed from the World Champ saw any chance of a comeback denied. With a huge send clearing the bridge before the finish, Pidcock rode across the line 32 seconds ahead of Schurter. Marcel Guerrini rode a great race as he managed to pull away from the chasing pack on the last lap to secure third place, 44 seconds behind Pidcock.
Check out the full results below.
Elite Women:
1st. Pauline Ferrand Prevot: 1:24:44
2nd. Haley Batten: 1:25:46 // (+1:02)
3rd. Alessandra Keller: 1:26:15 // (+1:31)
4th. Puck Pieterse: 1:26:28 // (+1:44)
5th. Laura Stigger: 1:26:31 // (+1:47)
Elite Men:
1st. Tom Pidcock: 1:21:41
2nd. Nino Schurter: 1:22:13 // (+32)
3rd. Marcel Guerrini: 1:22:25 // (+44)
4th. Charlie Aldridge: 1:22:27 // (+46)
5th. Mathis Azzaro: 1:22:27 // (+46)
Elite Women:
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Elite Men:
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Elite Women:
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Elite Women
The Race as it Happened:
1:15 am PDT: The Elite Women are Off
The Elites are off the line with Alessandra Keller leading off the line.
1:18 am PDT: Puck Pieterse Takes the Lead
Puck Pieterse pushes hard up the first big climb as she looks to lead into the singletrack.
1:20 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Goes First into the Singletrack
Pauline Ferrand Prevot manages to get out in front of Puck Pieterse as she leads down the first technical downhill of the race.
1:22 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Had Created a 6-Second Gap
After powering up a tough rooty climb Pauline Ferrand Prevot has broken away creating a six-second lead on Haley Batten who leads the chasers.
1:23 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Leads After the Start Loop
Going into the first full lap Haley Batten catches the World Champ as the pair now lead Puck Pieterse by two seconds. The top ten riders are split by 24 seconds already.
1:25 am PDT: A Group of 4 Forms at the Front
Puck Pieterse is back in the lead as she is closely followed by Pauline Ferrand Prevot, Haley Batten and Martina Berta.
1:26 am PDT: Alessandra Keller Leads the Chasing Group 11 Seconds Back
Yesterday's XCC winner is 11 seconds back and heading up the chasing group, hunting down the four riders who have broken away.
1:28 am PDT: Martina Berta Dropped by the Leading Trio
Martina Berta has fallen off the front of the race as after a technical climb and descent she is 14 seconds off the pace of the leaders.
1:31 am PDT: Haley Batten Now 9 Seconds Back
It's just Puck Pieterse in touching distance of Pauline Ferrand Prevot as the World Champ is keeping the pace high and doing some real damage on the first full lap.
1:32 am PDT: Alessandra Keller Up to Fourth Place
Alessandra Keller has passed Martina Berta as she is 36 seconds back from the leader.
1:33 am PDT: A Tough Start for Jolanda Neff
Jolanda Neff is back in 59th place and over two minutes back as she looks to be having problems on the first lap.
1:34 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Stalls on a Climb
Pauline Ferrand Prevot is looking very strong on this first full lap but the technical climbs are getting the best of her as she has to stop and restart over a section of roots. Ferrand Prevot is still leading by 10 seconds despite a mistake.
1:37 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Leads After Lap One
Pauline Ferrand Prevot has blown the race apart after the first full lap crossing the line six seconds ahead of Puck Pieterse. Haley Batten is trying to close the gap but she hovers around 20 seconds behind the World Champ. Laura Stigger leads Alessandra Keller as the pair battle for the final two podium spots.
1:40 am PDT: Puck Pieterse Closes in on Pauline Ferrand Prevot
After clearing the tough, technical and rocky climb Puck Pieterse has ridden to within four seconds of the leader. Pauline Ferrand Prevot had to get off and walk this section giving away over five seconds to Pieterse.
1:42 am PDT: Haley Batten Caught by the Chasing Group
Haley Batten has been reeled back in by the first chasing group of Alessandra Keller and Laura Stigger. The new group of three are 36 seconds behind Pauline Ferrand Prevot.
1:45 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Extends her Lead
Pauline Ferrand Prevot looks unbeatable on the climbs as she powers through the middle section's climb to rebuild her lead to 17 seconds against Puck Pieterse.
1:50 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Starts Lap Three 17 Seconds Ahead
Pauline Ferrand Prevot can't seem to lose Puck Pieterse as the 2023 series champion is still close to the race leader. With continuing issues clearing the technical climbs, Ferrand Prevot will want to keep a strong lead against Pieterse who is not having any trouble with these sections.
1:52 am PDT: Haley Batten Now in Fifth
Haley Batten has fallen off the chasing group of Alessandra Keller and Laura Stigger as the pace picks up in the battle to close the 20-second gap to Puck Pieterse.
1:53 am PDT: Candice Lill in Sixth Place
Candice Lill is having a great race as she is closing in on Haley Batten as a battle starts for the final podium position.
1:56 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot has a Lead of 36 Seconds
Pauline Ferrand Prevot is showing no signs of slowing down as she pushes Puck Pieterse 37 seconds back by the mid-point of lap three. The top six are now split by one minute.
2:00 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Walks the Big Technical Climb
Pauline Ferrand Prevot decides to get off and walk a climb that has caught her out on past laps. It doesn't make much of a difference to her lead as she only loses around three seconds to Puck Pieterse.
2:01 am PDT: Haley Batten Back in 3rd Place
Haley Batten has ridden back to third place as she is looking stronger after faltering at the start of lap three. Batten and the chasing group are just a couple of seconds behind Puck Pieterse.
2:11 am PDT: The Chasing Group Can't Pull Back Pauline Ferrand Prevot
Despite the best efforts of Alessandra Keller the gap to the race leaders remains at 50 seconds. With only two laps remaining it looks increasingly unlikely anyone will catch Pauline Ferrand Prevot.
2:17 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Leads by Over a Minute After Lap 4
Pauline Ferrand Prevot continues to keep the pace very high as her lead is 1:12 with two more full laps remaining. The chasing group is still Alessandra Keller, Laura Stigger, Haley Batten and Puck Pieterse with two seconds between the four of them.
2:22 am PDT: Haley Batten Breaks Away from the Chasing Group
Haley Batten has put the power down to create a 15-second gap to the chasing group of Alessandra Keller, Laura Stigger and Puck Pieterse.
2:26 am PDT: Haley Batten Pulling Back Time on Pauline Ferrand Prevot
Haley Batten takes five seconds out of Pauline Ferrand Prevot as she is powering through the final stages of the race.
2:39 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Wins in Nove Mesto
After skipping the two opening rounds in Brazil, Pauline Ferrand Prevot secures her first World Cup win of the 2024 season.
Elite Men
The Race as it Happened:
5:00 am PDT: Luca Schwarzbauer Leads the Elite Men into the Start Loop
After a fast start along the tarmac, Luca Schwarzbauer leads the elite men's race into the shorter start loop.
5:03 am PDT: A Big Crash to start the Racing
A big rider pile-up just after the start has slowed down the second half of the field as riders go into the start loop. We hope no one was hurt from the crash.
5:04 am PDT: Filippo Colombo Leads Up the First Climb
Filippo Colombo has a great start as he quickly gets to the front of the race and leads Victor Koretzky into the first technical descent.
5:08 am PDT: Filippo Colombo Still Leads into the First Full Lap
Filippo Colombo remains ahead of Victor Koretzky as he fronts the race into lap one. Nino Schurter has a rapid start in third place while Tom Pidcock falls back to 15th.
5:10 am PDT: Nino Schurter Moves to the Front
Nino Schurter moves to the front of the race as he is off to a rapid start in Nove Mesto., Victor Koretzky goes with him to sit on Schurter's rear wheel in 2nd.
5:14 am PDT: A Group of 5 Breaks Away
Nino Schurter leads a group of five riders who have found a small gap to the rest of the field. Tom Pidcock is back up to sixth place after a slow start and now needs to catch the leading group.
5:15 am PDT: Alan Hatherly Takes Control of the Race
Alan Hatherly is the latest rider to take over the lead after the breakaway group is caught. The top ten are split by just 13 seconds.
5:18 am PDT: Alan Hatherly Raises the Pace at the Front After Lap 1
Alan Hatherly has started to split up the top riders as only Nino Schurter and Victor Koretzky stay with him. Filippo Colombo leads the chasing riders three seconds back.
5:23 am PDT: A Group of Seven Lead the Race
At the mid-point of lap two there is now a group of seven riders split by seven seconds at the front. Luca Schwarzbauer sits in 8th another four seconds back.
5:25 am PDT: Mathias Flückiger Rides Back to 8th Position
Mathias Flückiger has taken the lead of the chasing group and is just a couple of seconds behind the big leading pack of racers.
5:28 am PDT: Nino Schurter First to Start Lap 3
Nino Schurter raises the pace again at the end of lap two as gaps form at the front of the race. There's now a group of four riders sticking with the leader before a gap of five seconds to the chasers led by Tom Pidcock.
5:32 am PDT: Nino Schurter & Victor Koretzky Create 4-Second Gap to 3rd
Nino Schurter and Victor Koretzky are attacking the course with an unrelenting pace as they begin to rider away at the front.
5:34 am PDT: Tom Pidcock into 3rd
Tom Pidcock hammers the pedals as he catches the two leaders with Charlie Aldridge slightly further back in fourth.
5:35 am PDT: Tom Pidcock Launches a Huge Attack
Tom Pidcock is up and makes a massive effort to split up the front of the race. Nino Schurter and Victor Koretzky follow making an 11-second gap to fourth.
5:37 am PDT: Victor Koretzky Struggles to Follow
Victor Koretzky drops back by eight seconds as only Nino Schurter can follow the incredible pace of Tom Pidcock.
5:40 am PDT: Tom Pidcock & Nino Schurter Lead by 15 Seconds
The leading pair of Tom Pidcock and Nino Schurter are already 15 seconds ahead of Victor Koretzky going into lap four. Charlie Aldridge in fourth is over 30 seconds behind.
5:43 am PDT: Victor Koretzky Almost Caught by the Chasing Group
Victor Koretzky has fallen 31 seconds back and is now only slightly ahead of the big chasing group headed up by Alan Hatherly.
5:44 am PDT: Tom Pidcock Attacks Again
Tom Pidcock launches another massive attack opening a six-second lead on Nino Schurter.
5:48 am PDT: Nino Schurter Now 11 Seconds Behind
Nino Schurter falls back again with an 11-second gap to Tom Pidcock. Alan Hatherly moves up to third place, 49 seconds off the pace.
5:51 am PDT: Positions 3 Through 9 Fight for the Podium
Outside the top two the race is incredibly close as positions three to nine are separated by two seconds.
6:00 am PDT: Nino Schurter Holding a 25 Second Gap to Pidcock
Nino Schurter has not been able to make any gains on Tom Pidcock, but he has been able to not lose time in the second half of lap five.
6:02 am PDT: Victor Koretzky Down to 12th
Victor Koretzky is suffering as he has gone from challenging for the win to being 1:44 back in 12th place.
6:08 am PDT: Mathias Flückiger Rides Away in 3rd
Mathias Flückiger builds a small gap to fourth place as he starts to push a little harder with one and a half laps to go.
6:11 am PDT: Nino Schurter Pulls Back Time on Tom Pidcock
Nino Schurter starts to close the gap to Tom Pidcock as it shrinks from around 30 to 25 seconds. Unless something goes wrong for Pidcock it is unlikely Schurter can close this with only a lap remaining.
6:16 am PDT: Nino Schurter is Now Only 19 Seconds Back
Nino Schurter is doing everything he can to catch Tom Pidcock as the gap is now just 19 seconds.
6:18 am PDT: Tom Pidcock Denies a Schurter Comeback
Tom Pidcock has done something special off-camera as he rebuilds his lead against Nino Schurter to 27 seconds.
6:22 am PDT: Tom Pidcock Makes it Four-in-a-Row at Nove Mesto
Tom Pidcock sets a new Nove Mesto record as he is the only rider to win four XCO wins in a row here.
Pauline Ferrand Prevot delivered a powerful performance as she opened her 2024 World Cup season with a big victory. Ferrand Prevot was unrivalled from the first lap as she took the lead into the first technical descent and kept the pace high from then on. Puck Pieterse was the closest rider to put her lead in danger as, for the first two laps, she was within 20 seconds of the World Champ. A tough third lap saw Pieterse drop back into the chasing group as a four-way battle began for the remaining podium spots.
Of the four chasing riders, series leader Haley Batten found a burst of speed in the final lap allowing her to close the gap slightly to Ferrand Prevot as she crossed the line just over a minute back. XCC winner Alessandra Keller looked strong the whole race as she rode back from a slower start taking third place ahead of Puck Pieterse and Laura Stigger.
Tom Pidcock made it two wins for the Ineos Grenadiers making history in Nove Mesto with his fourth elite XCO win in a row here. The race was closely fought over the first three laps as the lead was swapped between several riders and the top ten all remained in touch with the leader. One of the deciding moves of the race came from Pidcock who launched a wild attack up the middle climb on lap three opening a huge lead as only Nino Schurter and Victory Koretzky could follow.
Koretzky would fall off the lead leaving a face-off between the XC powerhouses Schurter and Pidcock. The Swiss racer did his best to hang onto the rear wheel of Pidcock, but after repeated attacks, he fell back by 25 seconds. As the race entered its final lap Schurter had a resurgence looking to close the gap to Pidcock, but a final burst of speed from the World Champ saw any chance of a comeback denied. With a huge send clearing the bridge before the finish, Pidcock rode across the line 32 seconds ahead of Schurter. Marcel Guerrini rode a great race as he managed to pull away from the chasing pack on the last lap to secure third place, 44 seconds behind Pidcock.
Check out the full results below.
Race Results
Elite Women:
1st. Pauline Ferrand Prevot: 1:24:44
2nd. Haley Batten: 1:25:46 // (+1:02)
3rd. Alessandra Keller: 1:26:15 // (+1:31)
4th. Puck Pieterse: 1:26:28 // (+1:44)
5th. Laura Stigger: 1:26:31 // (+1:47)
Elite Men:
1st. Tom Pidcock: 1:21:41
2nd. Nino Schurter: 1:22:13 // (+32)
3rd. Marcel Guerrini: 1:22:25 // (+44)
4th. Charlie Aldridge: 1:22:27 // (+46)
5th. Mathis Azzaro: 1:22:27 // (+46)
Full Results
Elite Women:
Elite Men:
Overall Standings
Elite Women:
Elite Men:
Race Updates
Elite Women
The Race as it Happened:
1:15 am PDT: The Elite Women are Off
The Elites are off the line with Alessandra Keller leading off the line.
1:18 am PDT: Puck Pieterse Takes the Lead
Puck Pieterse pushes hard up the first big climb as she looks to lead into the singletrack.
1:20 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Goes First into the Singletrack
Pauline Ferrand Prevot manages to get out in front of Puck Pieterse as she leads down the first technical downhill of the race.
1:22 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Had Created a 6-Second Gap
After powering up a tough rooty climb Pauline Ferrand Prevot has broken away creating a six-second lead on Haley Batten who leads the chasers.
1:23 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Leads After the Start Loop
Going into the first full lap Haley Batten catches the World Champ as the pair now lead Puck Pieterse by two seconds. The top ten riders are split by 24 seconds already.
1:25 am PDT: A Group of 4 Forms at the Front
Puck Pieterse is back in the lead as she is closely followed by Pauline Ferrand Prevot, Haley Batten and Martina Berta.
1:26 am PDT: Alessandra Keller Leads the Chasing Group 11 Seconds Back
Yesterday's XCC winner is 11 seconds back and heading up the chasing group, hunting down the four riders who have broken away.
1:28 am PDT: Martina Berta Dropped by the Leading Trio
Martina Berta has fallen off the front of the race as after a technical climb and descent she is 14 seconds off the pace of the leaders.
1:31 am PDT: Haley Batten Now 9 Seconds Back
It's just Puck Pieterse in touching distance of Pauline Ferrand Prevot as the World Champ is keeping the pace high and doing some real damage on the first full lap.
1:32 am PDT: Alessandra Keller Up to Fourth Place
Alessandra Keller has passed Martina Berta as she is 36 seconds back from the leader.
1:33 am PDT: A Tough Start for Jolanda Neff
Jolanda Neff is back in 59th place and over two minutes back as she looks to be having problems on the first lap.
1:34 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Stalls on a Climb
Pauline Ferrand Prevot is looking very strong on this first full lap but the technical climbs are getting the best of her as she has to stop and restart over a section of roots. Ferrand Prevot is still leading by 10 seconds despite a mistake.
1:37 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Leads After Lap One
Pauline Ferrand Prevot has blown the race apart after the first full lap crossing the line six seconds ahead of Puck Pieterse. Haley Batten is trying to close the gap but she hovers around 20 seconds behind the World Champ. Laura Stigger leads Alessandra Keller as the pair battle for the final two podium spots.
1:40 am PDT: Puck Pieterse Closes in on Pauline Ferrand Prevot
After clearing the tough, technical and rocky climb Puck Pieterse has ridden to within four seconds of the leader. Pauline Ferrand Prevot had to get off and walk this section giving away over five seconds to Pieterse.
1:42 am PDT: Haley Batten Caught by the Chasing Group
Haley Batten has been reeled back in by the first chasing group of Alessandra Keller and Laura Stigger. The new group of three are 36 seconds behind Pauline Ferrand Prevot.
1:45 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Extends her Lead
Pauline Ferrand Prevot looks unbeatable on the climbs as she powers through the middle section's climb to rebuild her lead to 17 seconds against Puck Pieterse.
1:50 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Starts Lap Three 17 Seconds Ahead
Pauline Ferrand Prevot can't seem to lose Puck Pieterse as the 2023 series champion is still close to the race leader. With continuing issues clearing the technical climbs, Ferrand Prevot will want to keep a strong lead against Pieterse who is not having any trouble with these sections.
1:52 am PDT: Haley Batten Now in Fifth
Haley Batten has fallen off the chasing group of Alessandra Keller and Laura Stigger as the pace picks up in the battle to close the 20-second gap to Puck Pieterse.
1:53 am PDT: Candice Lill in Sixth Place
Candice Lill is having a great race as she is closing in on Haley Batten as a battle starts for the final podium position.
1:56 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot has a Lead of 36 Seconds
Pauline Ferrand Prevot is showing no signs of slowing down as she pushes Puck Pieterse 37 seconds back by the mid-point of lap three. The top six are now split by one minute.
2:00 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Walks the Big Technical Climb
Pauline Ferrand Prevot decides to get off and walk a climb that has caught her out on past laps. It doesn't make much of a difference to her lead as she only loses around three seconds to Puck Pieterse.
2:01 am PDT: Haley Batten Back in 3rd Place
Haley Batten has ridden back to third place as she is looking stronger after faltering at the start of lap three. Batten and the chasing group are just a couple of seconds behind Puck Pieterse.
2:11 am PDT: The Chasing Group Can't Pull Back Pauline Ferrand Prevot
Despite the best efforts of Alessandra Keller the gap to the race leaders remains at 50 seconds. With only two laps remaining it looks increasingly unlikely anyone will catch Pauline Ferrand Prevot.
2:17 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Leads by Over a Minute After Lap 4
Pauline Ferrand Prevot continues to keep the pace very high as her lead is 1:12 with two more full laps remaining. The chasing group is still Alessandra Keller, Laura Stigger, Haley Batten and Puck Pieterse with two seconds between the four of them.
2:22 am PDT: Haley Batten Breaks Away from the Chasing Group
Haley Batten has put the power down to create a 15-second gap to the chasing group of Alessandra Keller, Laura Stigger and Puck Pieterse.
2:26 am PDT: Haley Batten Pulling Back Time on Pauline Ferrand Prevot
Haley Batten takes five seconds out of Pauline Ferrand Prevot as she is powering through the final stages of the race.
2:39 am PDT: Pauline Ferrand Prevot Wins in Nove Mesto
After skipping the two opening rounds in Brazil, Pauline Ferrand Prevot secures her first World Cup win of the 2024 season.
Elite Men
The Race as it Happened:
5:00 am PDT: Luca Schwarzbauer Leads the Elite Men into the Start Loop
After a fast start along the tarmac, Luca Schwarzbauer leads the elite men's race into the shorter start loop.
5:03 am PDT: A Big Crash to start the Racing
A big rider pile-up just after the start has slowed down the second half of the field as riders go into the start loop. We hope no one was hurt from the crash.
5:04 am PDT: Filippo Colombo Leads Up the First Climb
Filippo Colombo has a great start as he quickly gets to the front of the race and leads Victor Koretzky into the first technical descent.
5:08 am PDT: Filippo Colombo Still Leads into the First Full Lap
Filippo Colombo remains ahead of Victor Koretzky as he fronts the race into lap one. Nino Schurter has a rapid start in third place while Tom Pidcock falls back to 15th.
5:10 am PDT: Nino Schurter Moves to the Front
Nino Schurter moves to the front of the race as he is off to a rapid start in Nove Mesto., Victor Koretzky goes with him to sit on Schurter's rear wheel in 2nd.
5:14 am PDT: A Group of 5 Breaks Away
Nino Schurter leads a group of five riders who have found a small gap to the rest of the field. Tom Pidcock is back up to sixth place after a slow start and now needs to catch the leading group.
5:15 am PDT: Alan Hatherly Takes Control of the Race
Alan Hatherly is the latest rider to take over the lead after the breakaway group is caught. The top ten are split by just 13 seconds.
5:18 am PDT: Alan Hatherly Raises the Pace at the Front After Lap 1
Alan Hatherly has started to split up the top riders as only Nino Schurter and Victor Koretzky stay with him. Filippo Colombo leads the chasing riders three seconds back.
5:23 am PDT: A Group of Seven Lead the Race
At the mid-point of lap two there is now a group of seven riders split by seven seconds at the front. Luca Schwarzbauer sits in 8th another four seconds back.
5:25 am PDT: Mathias Flückiger Rides Back to 8th Position
Mathias Flückiger has taken the lead of the chasing group and is just a couple of seconds behind the big leading pack of racers.
5:28 am PDT: Nino Schurter First to Start Lap 3
Nino Schurter raises the pace again at the end of lap two as gaps form at the front of the race. There's now a group of four riders sticking with the leader before a gap of five seconds to the chasers led by Tom Pidcock.
5:32 am PDT: Nino Schurter & Victor Koretzky Create 4-Second Gap to 3rd
Nino Schurter and Victor Koretzky are attacking the course with an unrelenting pace as they begin to rider away at the front.
5:34 am PDT: Tom Pidcock into 3rd
Tom Pidcock hammers the pedals as he catches the two leaders with Charlie Aldridge slightly further back in fourth.
5:35 am PDT: Tom Pidcock Launches a Huge Attack
Tom Pidcock is up and makes a massive effort to split up the front of the race. Nino Schurter and Victor Koretzky follow making an 11-second gap to fourth.
5:37 am PDT: Victor Koretzky Struggles to Follow
Victor Koretzky drops back by eight seconds as only Nino Schurter can follow the incredible pace of Tom Pidcock.
5:40 am PDT: Tom Pidcock & Nino Schurter Lead by 15 Seconds
The leading pair of Tom Pidcock and Nino Schurter are already 15 seconds ahead of Victor Koretzky going into lap four. Charlie Aldridge in fourth is over 30 seconds behind.
5:43 am PDT: Victor Koretzky Almost Caught by the Chasing Group
Victor Koretzky has fallen 31 seconds back and is now only slightly ahead of the big chasing group headed up by Alan Hatherly.
5:44 am PDT: Tom Pidcock Attacks Again
Tom Pidcock launches another massive attack opening a six-second lead on Nino Schurter.
5:48 am PDT: Nino Schurter Now 11 Seconds Behind
Nino Schurter falls back again with an 11-second gap to Tom Pidcock. Alan Hatherly moves up to third place, 49 seconds off the pace.
5:51 am PDT: Positions 3 Through 9 Fight for the Podium
Outside the top two the race is incredibly close as positions three to nine are separated by two seconds.
6:00 am PDT: Nino Schurter Holding a 25 Second Gap to Pidcock
Nino Schurter has not been able to make any gains on Tom Pidcock, but he has been able to not lose time in the second half of lap five.
6:02 am PDT: Victor Koretzky Down to 12th
Victor Koretzky is suffering as he has gone from challenging for the win to being 1:44 back in 12th place.
6:08 am PDT: Mathias Flückiger Rides Away in 3rd
Mathias Flückiger builds a small gap to fourth place as he starts to push a little harder with one and a half laps to go.
6:11 am PDT: Nino Schurter Pulls Back Time on Tom Pidcock
Nino Schurter starts to close the gap to Tom Pidcock as it shrinks from around 30 to 25 seconds. Unless something goes wrong for Pidcock it is unlikely Schurter can close this with only a lap remaining.
6:16 am PDT: Nino Schurter is Now Only 19 Seconds Back
Nino Schurter is doing everything he can to catch Tom Pidcock as the gap is now just 19 seconds.
6:18 am PDT: Tom Pidcock Denies a Schurter Comeback
Tom Pidcock has done something special off-camera as he rebuilds his lead against Nino Schurter to 27 seconds.
6:22 am PDT: Tom Pidcock Makes it Four-in-a-Row at Nove Mesto
Tom Pidcock sets a new Nove Mesto record as he is the only rider to win four XCO wins in a row here.
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I've turned on Eurosport on the TV and the men's race was on a few times and immediately turned it off so that I could watch the replay of the women's race first for exactly that reason.
It's very easy to just watch them in order if you really don't want to see the results before watching it.
www.vojomag.com/news/derniere-saison-a-vtt-pour-pauline-ferrand-prevot
On va attendre les Jeux olympiques de Paris mais d'ores et déjà chapeau l'artiste !
Assume a bad mechanical?
please tell me why the top two women had no Flight Attendand on their bikes, but the men did? did FA not cope with the wet track? the roots are very (!) slippery in nove mesto. that was a strong admission that your system is not yet where you would like it to be...tbh...
Nino has managed to win multiple World titles, and multiple World Cup Overalls.......
No offence, but you come across as the typical ignorant roadie, who disses anything not road.