XC World Cup Round 1, Nove Mesto - Course Preview With Tracey Moseley

May 18, 2017
by Matthew DeLorme  


XC World Cup Round 1 Nove Mesto - Course Preview With T-Mo
NOVE MESTO XC COURSE PREVIEW
AMONG TALL PINES
Words and Photography // Matthew Delorme

Welcome to the start of a new Cross Country World Cup season. We are kicking things off in here Nove Mesto, the Czech Republic with a course preview. This is a very special track. It is laced with roots and rocks, features several grueling climbs, and has some of the most technical descents we have found on the World Cup circuit. This course will take its toll on rider and bike alike, and expect to see many riders on dual suspension bikes well as running dropper posts. We will have more on that as the pits get set up and we can peek at the rigs. For now, take a chronological tour through the important sections of this track with us.

This is T-Mo. We trust you know of her and her accomplishments. T-Mo is here helping GB cycling with a bit of coaching. She offered to come along and do a course preview shoot for us. We thought that was awfully nice.
This is T-Mo. We trust you know of her and her accomplishments. T-Mo is here helping GB cycling with a bit of coaching. She offered to come along and do a course preview shoot for us. We thought that was awfully nice of her.

A few log drops once you are through the start.
A few log drops once you are through the start.

XC World Cup Round 1 Nove Mesto - Course Preview With T-Mo

Smashing the first corner.
Smashing the first corner.

Front wheels up on the g out exit of this turn.
Front wheels up on the g out exit of this turn.

A couple of tables in the wide open to get the blood going.
A couple of tables in the wide open to get the blood going.

Heading up into the woods right after the arena.
Heading up into the woods right after the arena.

Shimano Expert Climb 1. Punchy and rocky.
Shimano Expert Climb 1. Punchy and rocky.

Putting the power down on the Expert Climb 1.
Putting the power down on the Expert Climb 1.

XC World Cup Round 1 Nove Mesto - Course Preview With T-Mo

Mitas Choice. Many line choices which one is faster
Mitas Choice. Many line choices, which one is faster?

Lookers on get a Master class of how to run Mitas Choice.
Lookers on getting a Master class of how to run Mitas Choice.

The long straight grueling climb in the middle. It takes it s toll over seven laps.
The long straight grueling climb in the middle. It takes its toll over seven laps.

Setting up wide for the entry into the Vertical Drop.
Setting up wide for the entry into the Vertical Drop.

The Vertical Drop. Enough said there I reckon.
The Vertical Drop. Enough said there I reckon.

Vertical Drop has plenty of rocks.
Vertical Drop has plenty of rocks.

Down the waterfall.
Down the waterfall.

The bermed exit of the Vertical Drop.
The bermed exit of the Vertical Drop.

XC World Cup Round 1 Nove Mesto - Course Preview With T-Mo

More roots.
More roots.

The A line into BMX sets you up for a quick run through.
The A line into BMX sets you up for a quick run through.

BMX. Fast paced straight line drops.
BMX. Fast paced straight line drops.

Riders right down BMX avoids all of the braking bumps. Fast and smooth.
Riders right down BMX avoids all of the braking bumps. Fast and smooth.

Inside exit from BMX. This is the fast line if you can hold it.
Inside exit from BMX. This is the fast line if you can hold it.

The Shimano Expert Climb 2 is long and plenty technical even more so with traffic.
The Shimano Expert Climb 2 is long and plenty technical, even more so with traffic.

Nearing the top of the Shimano Expert Climb 2.
Nearing the top of the Shimano Expert Climb 2.

XC World Cup Round 1 Nove Mesto - Course Preview With T-Mo

Lots of little drops and sneaky roots to foul you up on the descent after the Shimano Expert Climb 2.
Lots of little drops and sneaky roots to foul you up on the descent after the Shimano Expert Climb 2.

Fun rooty descent after the Pro Climb 2 with lots of line choices. T-Mo takes the inside.
Fun rooty descent after the Pro Climb 2 with lots of line choices. T-Mo takes the inside.

Exit from the woods after the BMX and Shimano Expert Climb 2.
Exit from the woods after the BMX and Shimano Expert Climb 2.

Lining up for the next couple corners.
Lining up for the next couple corners.

The AC DC section. Plenty of roots and turns with flow.
The AC /DC section. Plenty of roots and turns with flow.

Rock and Roll for a reason.
Rock and Roll for a reason.

The entry to Rock and Roll. Expect a bit of Chaos here on lap one.
The entry to Rock and Roll. Expect a bit of Chaos here on lap one.

Midway through Rock and Roll Moseley is picking up speed.
Midway through Rock and Roll Moseley is picking up speed.

Rock and Roll is a section that riders frequently get balled up on. Get a little off line and it goes bad.
Rock and Roll is a section that riders frequently get balled up on. Get a little off line and it goes bad.

Rock and Roll dealt with is quick fashion.
Rock and Roll dealt with in quick fashion.

The finial double back into the arena.
The final double back into the arena.

Annnnd across the finish line
Annnnd across the finish line!

MENTIONS: @mdelorme


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98 Comments
  • 153 7
 Hats off to Pinkbike for finally stepping up the XC coverage. XCish riding is actually how a vast portion of people go mountain biking globally. It's been ridiculously undercovered by Pinkbike for way two long. I'd love to see some solid in depth technical coverage. Rider interviews both written and video. Tire choices and pressures at each round of the WC would be interesting too. It's about time we begin reducing the childish disdain for different aspects of the same freaking sport. It's all the same sport, please cover more of it with the same dedication you give DH. Here's a recommendation for readers. Give the XC world cup a go on Red Bull TV. Last year some of the racing was epic. Especially in the women's racing. I'm a huge EWS and DH fan, but last year the XC was just as exciting to watch. On some occasions more so. The secret is finding a rider to support and getting emotionally​ invested. Like any sport it's far more interesting once you're emotionally connected. I'm a Kiwi so I'll be supporting Anton Cooper and Sam Gaze. Hopefully they'll crush you wimps from the rest of the world Wink Who you got?
  • 10 0
 Those young guys are going to have some great battles in the future with Koretsky and Sarou.

When Nino retires that is Smile
  • 2 0
 @jclnv: not only nino will retire also Julien (but I think it will happen sooner)
  • 4 0
 Sam Gaze is a freak, that guy is built like a tank Big Grin
  • 1 41
flag Murbahman (May 18, 2017 at 12:44) (Below Threshold)
 Yawn - XC, what you do on the way to the dairy to get milk and bread and Kale
  • 4 1
 same sport buddy Smile
  • 2 0
 Great to see Anton on form again. Just missing the sprint on Nino at Sea Otter surely has him fired up. It's going to be more than a 2 horse race this year.
  • 5 0
 @Murbahman: Honestly interests me more than any other format these days. Enduro is decided by flats and DH is who can roll the dice and not f*ck themselves up.
  • 1 2
 @jclnv: true, hats off to the guys that ride DH and Enduro - hats on when you're hangin' with the XC crowd
  • 2 1
 @Murbahman: the XC courses are looking just as technical as those raced on the EWS just without the elevation change,
  • 3 1
 @kaeton-sf: hmmm. Must be another EWS we don't know about. Lol "Easy World Series" Wink
  • 3 0
 @kaeton-sf: XC are more technical now but definitely not a EWS .... You need to see one in real to unterstand steep and technical (la thuile, valloire Samoëns, finale...)
  • 32 1
 I actually rode some of the local xc tracks yesterday, rather than the usual trail centre, and it was actually pretty technical with all the slippery roots - it looked a lot like some of these photos with no massive gradient but roots spiderwebbed at odd angles EVERYWHERE. It was a whole lot more fun than I thought it would be!
  • 22 3
 I've been to a local XC comp this saturday, the course was difficult, it had some steep downs on boulders and rock slabs, tough climbs, offcamber corners with roots, lots of mud bath, somedrops, jumps and even a 50m long whoops srction for pumping. I was impressed. Some teenagers were whipping, manualing during the training. Severa dropper posts spotted.

Now these obstacles were hard, now, try that in wet on semi slick in the front and virtual slick in the back and you'd probably rather ride down Lourdes DH course on DH bike.

The sport has changed, a lot. I want to compete once, this looks fun as hell. BTW there was an "expert climb" there too but it looked like these descents in nove mesto
  • 7 6
 @WAKIdesigns: "Now these obstacles were hard, now, try that in wet on semi slick in the front and virtual slick in the back AND A SEAT POST UP YOUR A*S and you'd probably rather ride down Lourdes DH course on DH bike."

You forgot an important detail when it comes to XC...
  • 3 2
 @TheR: the course I saw was bad enough on these tyres if the seat was down... I'd rather ride down Lourdes on 140 trail bike than on XC bike with racing tyres and seat up Smile The last bit into finish arena was a double drop made of two 30-40cm tall logs into a steep grassy/muddy field, into 90 degrees low berm 20m below. Chicken line was forcing you to make an offcamber corner on that grassy muddy field = there was no bloody way to make that turn even with Hans Dampfs. And they had Rocket Rons at best.
  • 4 9
flag alexlag (May 18, 2017 at 11:58) (Below Threshold)
 @WAKIdesigns: You want to "compete" once?

I think it is because of people like you that XC gets a bad image. That "tough" talk of DH riders is nothing but talk and a macho attitude. Try racing one XC event and see how your opinion will change by itself. Until then, stop trying to lecture people with your tech terms.
  • 2 1
 @alexlag: true story bruh. and aloha.
  • 2 18
flag Murbahman (May 18, 2017 at 12:54) (Below Threshold)
 @alexlag: meh. XC = dust roadies and Kale eaters
  • 2 1
 @Hammerschmidt: Aloha to you brother, hope everything is great over there!
  • 7 1
 @alexlag: Trying to figure out what triggered you regarding WAKI's comment... Seems like he liked what he saw and wants to try it out. Why the chip on your shoulder?
  • 3 1
 @TheR: No chip on my shoulder, buddy. But if you really want to know what triggered my note, I guess you missed his comment about how "real men, real racers ride with no dropper posts..." It is the trash-talking, the look down at others, the "I am better than you because I ride a DH bike" attitude that divides people among the sport. Not sure about you but it bothers me because it is just one sport and there's no need for that. Peace out!
  • 1 0
 @alexlag: Yeah, I missed that one. Was it in this post? I wrote the bit about "seat post up the a-S," but I didn't mean anything by it other than it would tend to make an otherwise challenging course even more challenging. I got no dog in the fight. I don't race anything -- XC, downhill or otherwise. I just ride.
  • 2 0
 @alexlag: I raced XC at WC level, make no mistake, it's hard, but the last EWS race in Madeira was 100km over two days. Rotorua EWS was 8 hrs in the saddle over 1 day... you don't see any guys coming from XC winning those races. Yes DH, Enduro and XC are different disciplines that require different strengths and weaknesses but lets be honest, unless you are a superb bike handler, you wouldn't even be able to ride the whole way down a WC DH track, I know I certainly would struggle my ass off. Lourdes has a 15m road gap for example, and that's the easy part compared to "The Wall".

Also interesting to see that T-Mo (ex DH and Enduro champ) is coaching the GB guys...
  • 2 0
 @SonofBovril: As you surely know there is riding down WC track and then there is racing on WC track. This is what hardtail or less travel makes you better doesn't get. Just because you can deal with it, doesn't mean you own it. I've been to 2 WC DH venues, rode one of these tracks down (Hafjell) on 160 bike. I would totally get my arse down Val DI Sole. But that is analogical to climbs on XC race. Yea sure, I could ride through the whole XC track. But I wouldn't last even half of it at the output you guys are delivering. I'd die half way.
  • 3 0
 I guess the good way of saying it is: there are no medals for riding a world Cup DH or XC track and not dying, there are medals for killing it.
  • 26 0
 From the photos that XC course looks pretty damn fun to me - Would almost make be want to do an XC race if it wasnt for the fact I would probably die due to lack of fitness about 1/4 of the way around the first lap.

This looks fantastic for XC though, bringing the techincal element out of this form of riding and I imagine making riders think about bike setup, epecially tyres with the rocks / roots.
  • 21 0
 Nice to see a technical xc course rather than a road race on dirt. This is mountain biking the way it should be. We go off-road to challenge ourselves.
  • 14 0
 Most WC XC courses are pretty technical these days, especially at the speed the racers are riding and with the equipment they are using.
  • 2 0
 Yeah and this course is nowhere near as tech as Lenzerhide etc.
  • 1 0
 @PAmtbiker: I didn't know that, I've not followed xc for years for the same reason I'm not interested in road racing, nice to see it's come back around
  • 20 2
 Probably a T-Mo course preview video??? The course looks awesome and fun.

Would be awesome to see Claudio in those expert climbs... hahaha. It's always awesome to watch Claudio

Beer
  • 9 0
 "Expert Climb" sign to be interpreted as "This is gonna hurt"
  • 21 2
 Is XC the new enduro?
  • 8 0
 Don't start.
  • 34 0
 No,XC is the OLD enduro.
  • 13 0
 XC has truly evolved into a sport enjoyable to watch, the tracks are demanding and the riding is thrilling.
  • 2 0
 You are thrilling.
  • 12 1
 To think that on my 160mm bike I feel uneasy rock gardens like this, and these people bomb right through this with a 100mm bike...... over and over..... Hat's off to you!!
  • 2 0
 add the occasional hard tail aspect that we are bound to see, some serious skill and drive these riders have.
  • 8 0
 Wow, sick course! Love how they are showcasing the skill along with the endurance of these athletes; XC coverage continues to get more exciting every year.
  • 10 0
 Hell yeah T-Mo! Rocking baggies and boosting off anything she can!
  • 3 0
 she could probably rock this race and do pretty darn good. flow is speed, and she's got it.
  • 3 0
 @joose: That would certainly be interested if she did an XC race. She destroys in enduro, so you know her fitness is top notch.
  • 6 0
 Makes me tired looking at it. That tech stuff is challenging on the first lap; after 4 or 5 laps of redline heart rate and climb repeats it starts to get downright brutish - to a duffer like me anyway. I'm just glad the courses don't suit CX bikes anymore.
  • 8 0
 XC racing has finally become what I always thought it was supposed to be like. Good!
  • 9 0
 This is so awesome almost forgot I was on PB site =P More of this please!
  • 7 0
 I've been looking at where on the site I could ask for more XC coverage, I hadn't seen any in a long while. Thank you PB and please keep it coming, XC racing, bikes etc!
  • 3 0
 These trails look awesome, just like in Finland these root sections can be pretty nasty ones to ride. Not one or two times that I has fallen in to them or got scared of tire slip Big Grin . I just ride for fun, so huge respect to these riders Smile .
  • 3 0
 I watched this race at this venue last year on Red Bull TV (after watching DH World Cup of course), it got me hooked! It was so exciting and there was some drama and carnage too, don't miss this broadcast!
  • 5 3
 The dirt roadies in that race are going to have a tough time with that course. Nice to see some tech that's closer to real world XC riding and not just a bunch of climbing asphalt smooth tracks. You will actually need mtb skills. Looking forward to watching this race.
  • 13 0
 It looks like the course is the same as it's been for the last three or four years...
  • 4 0
 @LeDuke: Yeah but was not on PB so nobody knows Smile
  • 5 0
 Novo Mesto isn't even the most technical course.
  • 4 0
 Its been like this for years now. Just goes to show you how a lot of riders on PinkBike is still so much in the dark about XC
  • 2 0
 The 2 onlookers have that "look of disbelief " on their face if you expand the pic......I am wondering if they know who the gal that rides faster then most dudes is....and yes she ignores her dropper and shows it done old school!
  • 6 0
 Seems legit
  • 5 0
 Damn T-MO, You'z a BEAST!!
  • 5 1
 Awesome. I wish Claudio would work on his fitness a bit and get back to providing previews at (close to) race speed.
  • 4 1
 Man the signage for each of the sections is pretty cringe worthy... not meant to be a slight against XC, but "Vertical Drop"? "BMX"? Lol
  • 2 0
 Alright, you just started "The most cringe worthy uci world cup made-up section names contest". We need fake names that sound like they were invented by old folks in an attempt to appeal to young people. Like "fast and furious." God, that's horrible...
  • 3 0
 Hmmm most of enduro races in my country have gentler trails Big Grin A superb way to preview the course!
  • 3 0
 As much as would be more fun seeing Rob Warner doing track reveiw, YES this is better! Brutal rock garden even on a DH BIKE
  • 5 0
 Sick course!
  • 5 0
 Someone get her a gopro!
  • 4 0
 Nino is gonna kill this course
  • 7 1
 Actually it's more of a power course which is why Kulharvy often wins there.
  • 4 0
 Man that looks like a blast, thank you for the coverage!
  • 2 0
 Will this race be re-playable on Red Bull TV after it is over? As much as I want to watch it live, I'm not stoked that it starts at 5am here...
  • 1 0
 In the past I found that the races are able to be watch after the fact. That is how I've watched all the races in the past couple years.
  • 1 0
 Yep, the races go to replay about an hour after the event. Just like a DVR, you can skip the preamble and get right into the action.
  • 3 0
 Really nice coverage. Can't wait until tomorrow, to bad that Jenny Rissveds won't start this weekend.
  • 1 0
 No Jenny, what happened?
  • 1 0
 @Ketzal: Two of her family members past away like two weeks ago. So I guess she is not in the mood to race.
  • 6 3
 She does know there's a dropper on that bike, right?
  • 26 0
 She probably doesnt care, more skills than 90% of male riders right there.
  • 4 0
 That was my favorite part of this piece. T-Mo riding kind of gnarly shit with a high post.
  • 2 1
 @Racer951: True but you can clearly see how the seat is getting in her way.
  • 3 1
 @tbmaddux: When I look at the pictures, she doesn't seem to care about the seat getting in her way.
  • 4 0
 @Racer951: i'd up that to 98%
  • 2 0
 @pigman65: ditto
I bet having her as a teacher, your gonna learn some skills.
  • 3 0
 I'd be lucky to get up technical climb 2 once.
  • 3 0
 So much for Dirt Ten Speeding.
  • 1 0
 Will this race be re-playable on Red Bull TV after it is over? As much as I want to watch it live, I'm not stoked that it starts at 5am here...
  • 2 0
 race xc on a HT, that will teach you how to chose line and how to ride a bike.
  • 2 1
 I love the full screen photos. Props to Pinkbike for actually using the entire width of their website, great coverage!
  • 1 0
 Hell yes! I love the gravity and enduro stuff for sure, but I am an XC & marathon guy myself!
  • 2 0
 TMO is a bloody legend!!! The photography and coverage looks great too.
  • 1 1
 How awesome is T-Mo, proper bike rider who can turn her hand (or legs) to any discipline.
  • 1 3
 probably the fastest rider to grace that course! That power manual out of the corner is baller. T-Mo is in a league of her own.
  • 3 4
 She's probably get lapped by the end of the 3rd or 4th lap.
  • 1 2
 @LeDuke: After lapping everyone on the first lap since she's significantly more skilled and powerful, sure. Razz

Since the PB kids probably have no idea who she is: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracy_Moseley. pay attention to the XC wins, she's on another fitness level than people here can apparently fathom.
  • 6 5
 Kind of offensive to bmx
  • 2 0
 How is it offensive?
  • 2 2
 Can't wait to see an horizontal drop section.
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