The second of back to back XC racing weekends has kicked off and it was an absolute nail biter. Nove Mesto is traditionally the fastest Short Track loop on the circuit and the dramatic course changes this year may have upped the ante. Both the Women’s and Men’s races came down to sprint finishes after many laps of basically being in an angry group ride.
Warm ups and full focus for Loana Lecomte.
Rebecca McConnell ready for another day between the tape.
Jolanda Neff limbers up for the short track.
Women's start.
The Women's race was super tactical with no one wanting to take charge early on.
This year's XCC course was significantly different to years past.
Loana leading. Even by mid-race, most of the pack was still together.
Eventual winner Jolanda Neff happy to sit back in the pack.
Loana Lecomte ran at the front for the majority of the race.
The Women's field heads out for another lap.
Jenny Rissveds digs deep. Third place tonight and a front row start for Sunday.
Jolanda Neff lunges for the line after outsprinting the rest of the field.
A first top 10 result for Gwendalin Gibson as she chips away at the Women's field.
Strong race from Kata Blanka Vas.
Jenny Rissveds catches her breath after another ruthless short track race.
Loana Lecomte with a solid ride to 5th place and a front row start for Sunday.
Your top 3 Women from the XCC in Nove Mesto. 1st Jolanda Neff 2nd Bec McConnell 3rd Jenny Rissveds.
33 wins for Nino and now he takes the line on his 36th birthday.
Thomas Pidcock well into the zone. The new track should suit him well considering it's basically a crit now.
Filippo Colombo about to do some damage.
The Men's field blasts down the start straight.
First lap in and Schwarzbauer's already toying with the front.
Friday night racing action in Nove Mesto.
Tom Pidcock will be pretty happy with his evening's work.
Vlad Dascalu would end up 4th on the sprint to the line. He charged to third from deep in the pack in both races so far this year... What can he do from the front row?
Luca Schwarzbauer and Vlad Dascalu take charge at the front of the pack.
Nino Schurter chases the front of the pack.
Rubbing is racing.
Pidcock sits midpack waiting for his turn to attack.
Colombo tries his hand at a lead out.
Gerhard Kerschbaumer's turn to lead a lap.
Luca Schwarzbauer ran at the front in Albstadt before slipping down the order on the final lap. In Nove Mesto he left everyone else in his dust.
Luca Schwarzbauer put the hammer down on the finish straight and blew the doors off of everyone.
Absolutely gassed, Luca Schwarzbauer put on a display of power throughout the race.
Never an easy task racing here in Nove Mesto. Arguably the highest speeds we'll see all year.
Christopher Blevins with a strong showing in 5th.
Filippo Colombo into third after timing his attack well on the final lap.
Luca Schwarzbauer, Thomas Pidcock, and Filippo Colombo are your Men's XCC top three.
Goodnight Nove Mesto.
21 Comments
They might as well have included transit turnstyles if they wanted the race to come back together every lap.
The only positive to come of that was it an even greater demonstration of how ridiculously powerful Schwarzbauer's attack was. Great to see a big guy showing that pure watts can still be fun - not just watts/kg!