Photo Epic: Changing of the Guard - Nove Mesto World Cup XC 2020
The 2020 race season finally burst into life in spectacular fashion here in Nove Mesto. It was a day that saw two youngsters get one over on their more experienced competitors to seize their very first elite World Cup victory. After a strong showing in short track it was Loana Lecomte that reigned supreme after a battle with Anne Terpstra and compatriot Pauline Ferrand Prevot. Not only was it Lecomte's first elite World Cup win but her very first race in the top tier. The men's race followed a similar narrative with Danish youngster Simon Andreassen winning after battling at the front the whole race. Many tried and failed to depose of him but in the end he rolled over the line 9 seconds up on Maxime Marotte. Milan Vader took a strong third place ahead of Nino Schurter who carved his way back through the field and pipped Henrique Avancini in a sprint finish.
Earlier in the day the U23 races took place with Specialized's Haley Batten looking dominant early in the race before fading to third behind Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado and eventual winner Giorgia Marchet. In the men's it was the UK's Tom Pidcock who rode from the back of the grid to the top spot with a big margin in his very first mountain bike World Cup, in behind him came Alexandre Balmer and Vital Albin.
The racing action is now coming in thick and fast with the second short track event scheduled in tomorrow afternoon before the second race on Sunday. Will it be Lecomte and Andreassen out front again or will someone else be able to avenge their result today? Stay tuned.
Low lying clouds kept the woods dark and moody all day long.
Haley Batten was certainly the favourite going into today.
The U23 women kick off the XCO racing action here in Nove Mesto.
Haley Batten looked to have it in the bag but it all started unravelling in the final laps of the race.
Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado didn't quite have enough for the win today.
Harriet Harnden fresh off the back of EWS success slotted into 4th.
Kata Blanka Vas into 5th.
Giorgia Marchet had the measure of the field today.
Giorgia Marchet rode smart and took home the win.
Your top three U23 Women. 1st Giorgia Marchet 2nd Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado 3rd Haley Batten
Thomas Pidcock lining up to the grid with a number plate that has him starting deep in the pack.
U23 men's start.
Vital Albin closed out the podium just behind his teammate in third.
Sean Fincham had a great start and even lead for a short while. He'd eventually get caught and settle for fifth.
Alexandre Balmer had a great race but couldn't hold off Pidcock in the end.
Fourth to start the season for Martin Vidaurre Kossmann.
By the mid point, Pidcock had made his way through most and was closing in on the leaders.
Thomas Pidcock over the line with this first world cup win.
U23 Men's podium. First Thomas Pidcock, second Alexandre Baulmer, and third went to Vital Albin.
Rumble in the pine jungle.
Evie Richards was happy to strap the number 1 plate to her bike today.
Coming off a win at Tuesday night's XCC, Evie Richards is looking to carry that momentum into today's race.
Loana Lecomte about to have one hell of a day.
Laura Stigger was another youngster who had a great race.
Kate Courtney warms up in the pits in the run up to the race.
A big race for Anne Terpstra is coming right up.
Jolanda Neff was a little off the pace today, she'll look to turn it around for Sunday.
Brad Copeland gives Courtney's bike the final once over.
The first elite XCO race of 2020 is a go.
Rebecca Mcconnell sneaking into the top 10 with a ninth.
Alessandra Keller good enough for tenth.
Kate Courtney pushing hard on her way to 6th.
Sina Frei made it two Ghost riders in the top 10.
Pauline Ferrand Prevot pushing hard early in the race.
There are enough awkward rocks in the rock garden that can grab you at any time.
By the time the elite races had begun, the rocks in Expert Climb had a decent coating of slippery mud. Pauline Ferrand Prevot was one of many who ran the section instead. Loana Lecomte wasn't having any of that.
Loana Lecomte tires to shake off Pauline Ferrand Prevot through the rock garden.
Evie Richards couldn't quite match the lofty heights of her short track victory but 8th place in her first elite World Cup is still a great result.
Great race today for Lena Gerault. She'd finish fourth.
Anne Terpstra with a great ride into second place.
Loana Lecomte knows how to make an entrance. This was her first Elite World Cup and win to go with it.
Your Women's Elite podium. First Loana Lecomte, second Anne Terpstra, third went to Pauline Ferrand Prevot, fourth Lena Gerault, and fifth Laura Stigger.
Henrique Avancini looking to come out swinging and that he did.
A rare sight seeing Nino Schurter start a race a few rows back.
Jose Gerardo Ulloa Arevalo revealed a glimpse of his power the other night at XCC. Only time will tell if he can keep up with the big dogs.
Maxime Marotte almost had the answers today. Almost.
Elite Men's start.
Ondrej Cink rode into ninth.
Maximilian Brandl is another new face to the Elites coming up from U23. He'll just miss the top 10 today.
Anton Cooper digging deep on that brutal main climb.
It was an open fight at the front in the early laps.
The field snakes its way up the main climb early in the race.
Thomas Litscher taking the last place inside the top 10.
Nino putting in the watts as he tries to pull the most epic finish.
Milan Vader makes his way back from the far end of the course. He'd settle in into third.
Not the win he seeks but 5th place will do for Henrique Avancini.
Nino Schurter was slow to get going but once he found his feet he was flying. He'll be confident for Sunday.
Big push today from Maxime Marotte but just shy of that first win.
Eighth today for Gerhard Kerschbaumer.
Even when battling for the lead with 2 laps to go, Simon Andreassen finds time for a little fun.
Simon Andreassen passed Vader on a previous climb and will have to play some defence for short while.
Milan Vader rode strongly and led before ending up third.
That first World Cup win for Simon Andreassen.
A photo finish between Avancini and Schurter with Schurter ahead by a hair.
Alan Hatherly happy with his days work. 6th place for the South African.
Your top 5 elite men. 1st Simon Andreassen 2nd Max Marotte 3rd Milan Vader 4th Nino Schurter 5th Henrique Avancini
Boy it feels good to be back.
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
Also, other than Kate Courtney's HR approved bland answers, interviews and comments by the women tend to be more gregarious. Maybe there is less social pressure to come of as a hard-ass or maybe more social pressure to be bubbly, but whatever it is, the men sound like a doctor describing knee surgery after a win and women sound like someone dumped them into a pile of kittens & whiskey. You can just feel a greater sense of excitement.
In just this week alone I've become a huge Richards, Lecomte, and Stigger fan. All you needed to do was listen to those kids after the races and feel their energy and excitement and I was hooked.
I feel like a Pro Women right not if you are not 100% on race day you could be 15th-20th easy. And if you are 100% you could be 1st-10th easy - that's how stacked and the parity.
That said, making it onto the podium just implies that they're really good either way.
And I would be very hesitant in these rocks with these wheels (and tires). Sure something would brake.
On the other hand, if you know you are not going to win, then at least make a good show.
Low sun or mud/rain I could be a reason to use a wizor-helmet, but yesterday had non of that?
If the alternative is the helmet Marotte is wearing, I think Avancini made the right decision.
Helmet looks cool. Cannondale Hunter.
Why is he (and others) pointing this out? Should no one really care about XC? Is it not cool to care about XC? Should Pinkbike do less XC-articles because we actually don’t care?