After a spring spent racing on the highway in Classics, multi-discipline riders Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) and Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5) made their WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Sequence debuts Saturday in Czechia. Each fought via the sector to contend for victory, however the decisive closing straight settled the end result otherwise in every race.
After a quick begin, Pieterse made her means via visitors from near the again of the pack to hit the entrance at the beginning of lap three. From then on, the Dutch rider attacked up the climb each lap within the second half of the race, placing her competitors within the purple every time, even when she couldn’t shake them off.
Nonetheless, the choice was not made on the climb however on the beginning/end straight when XCC World Champion Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon) crashed into the limitations alongside Jolanda Neff (Cannondale Manufacturing facility Racing) after getting caught up in Sina Frei (Specialised Manufacturing facility Racing)’s handlebars.
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Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) swept to the entrance on the within to steer over the summit on the ultimate lap, however Pieterse used the leadout to unleash her dash on the ultimate straight, going round Nicole Koller (Lapierre PXR Racing) for the win. Laura Stigger (Specialised Manufacturing facility Racing) got here house second, with Koller holding on for third.
“I’ve missed it,” mentioned Pieterse who claimed 5 victories final season WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Sequence, together with a XCC win in Nové Město na Moravě.
“Right here it at all times will get fairly bunchy on the highway and slows down a bit, nevertheless this yr Jenny [Rissveds] was setting such a excessive tempo that it took me a bit to get to the entrance. Once I was there, I simply determined to remain there, and tried to maintain in management for the ultimate dash.
“I noticed Nicole [Koller] coming from the left and he or she was beginning to step on the pedals. I believed ‘now I’ve to kick’, so I did. It’s tremendous cool, flashbacks to final yr’s Brief Observe right here. The objective for tomorrow is simply to maintain the fabric [equipment] good and see from there how a one and a half-hour effort compares to the four-hour highway periods.”
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Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5) completed second at Nové Město Na Moravě XCC (Picture credit score: Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Sequence)
Within the males’s race, Pidcock spent the primary 4 laps useless final to keep away from the potential pitfalls of a a lot larger bunch on the entrance. After accelerations by Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon XC Racing) and Jordan Sarrou (BMC Manufacturing facility Racing), Pidcock began to maneuver up on the fifth lap to succeed in the entrance one lap later.
The group stayed principally collectively till the bell lap sparked a drag race into the underside of the ultimate ascent earlier than Pidcock put in a large flip off pace on the climb to take the lead.
Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) instantly jumped on the wheel however Pidcock was not in a position to shake the pack and was pressured to steer going into the ultimate straight, the place Azzaro was in a position to slingshot off to speed up to the road and take the win forward of Pidcock. Dario Lillo (Big Manufacturing facility Off-Street Staff XC) rounded out the rostrum.
“I knew that Tom [Pidcock] was coming from the again, I simply waited, he got here the final lap like a Components 1 automotive, and I simply jumped into the wheel. It’s a reputation that everybody is aware of and I’m tremendous proud to beat him, it’s nice to race with a champion like this,” Azzaro mentioned.
“I knew when he was straight on my wheel. It’s exhausting coming again to mountain bike from a while away. I really feel like I’ve no concept what I’m doing after I come again, so it’s simply good to get that first race out the best way, know that I’ve nonetheless acquired the legs. It’s at all times a doubt after I come again,” Pidcock mentioned.
“I’m right here to try to win, I’ve carried out it each different time. I’m right here so must hold that streak going [tomorrow], added Pidcock, XCO winner in 2024, the final time he competed in Nové Město na Moravě.
Each Peterse and Pidcock will line up for the XCO race on Sunday.
