UCI Mountain Bike World Cup: Pidcock storms to victory at Nove Mesto

Thomas Pidcock ended a spell of 27 years since a British rider last won a mountain bike World Cup with a superior performance in the cross-country at Nove Mesto. 

The 21-year-old said he was “born to mountain bike” after riding clear of Mathieu Van Der Poel by a minute in the Czech Republic. 

Van Der Poel finished second after seeing off a challenge from Mathias Flueckiger finished third. 

Pidcock reversed the tables from Friday’s short track event when Van Der Poel sprinted past his British rival to win by a bike length. 

In the women’s cross-country event Loana Lecomte took a fine solo victory for the second week ahead of Friday’s short track winner Hayley Batten and Rebecca McConnell in third. 

Pauline Ferrand-Prevot had a weekend to forget after crashing out of Friday’s short track before having a mechanical and taking fourth in the cross-country.  

The second World Cup round in the Czech Republic included short and steep climbs with technical rocky sections which were wet and slippery resulting in some dramatic racing. 

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How it unfolded: men’s cross-country 

Van Der Poel pushed the pace on the opening starting lap as the technical sections and steep muddy climb split the field with just Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) and Mathias Flückiger (Thömus RN Swiss Bike Team) immediately able to follow. 

Pidcock worked his way forward to the leading group before taking charge and only Van Der Poel was able to respond with the duo having a lead of 26 seconds after the opening exchanges. 

After initially being gapped by the fast-starting WorldTour pairing, Flückiger started to make ground on the technical course. 

Pidcock and Van Der Poel were testing each other and their technical ability attempting to ride the rock section and rutted climbs. 

On the third of six laps, Pidcock attacked at the top of a grueling climb quickly distancing his rival and clocking the fastest lap time of the race to quickly acquire a lead of 31 seconds. 

The Ineos Grenadiers rider was a man on a mission using his skills to comfortably ride the rock-garden section as his lead continued to grow.  

As the gap grew to over a minute with two laps remaining Flückiger joined van der Poel in the battle for second. 

Flückiger tried to attack his fellow chaser before van der Poel responded on the descent back down to the finish to pull out a gap. 

Pidcock had time to celebrate his win a minute ahead of van der Poel who was 15 seconds ahead of Flueckiger. 

Strangely, the 17th place for Romanian’s Vlad Dascalu looked to have secured Great Britain a spot in the men’s race at the Olympic Games. 

“I think I was born to do mountain biking,” said Pidcock. 

“It sounds stupid but it’s what I’ve done since I was little and what I’ve enjoyed the most. Coming here and winning an elite World Cup at the second attempt, but the first at an equal playing field is insane. 

“I’m certainly in great shape, I’m going to take a break now and then build hopefully towards the Olympics, I think I’ve shown what I can do on a mountain bike, I guess.” 

Meanwhile, Van Der Poel said he had no response to the attack of Pidcock. 

He added: “I’m happy, I was good at my own pace but had to response when Tom (Pidcock) attacked. 

“He was really strong today and I’m happy I could ride to second place. I didn’t really have the feeling that I had burned myself or needed to slow down it’s just that Tom accelerated on the steepest climb here. 

“He’s very lightweight of course. I was good at my own pace but didn’t have that real attack in my legs, I hope that will come soon. 

“I had to recover after Tom attacked but rode a pretty steady second half of the race so I can be happy with that.  

“I should be okay with some more training and I hope to be at my top level in a few months. 

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How it unfolded: women’s cross-country 

After crashing out in Friday’s short track event Ferrand-Prevot (Absolute-Absalon- BMC) was forced to work her way through the field after a poor gridding position. 

A steep wooded climb with wet routes on the start lap saw several riders crash and nearly every rider was forced to run. 

The tough course soon split the field with Lecomte (Massi) having a slender lead from Batten (Trinity Racing MTB) and Kate Courtney (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team). 

On the first full lap - as she did in the opening World Cup round - Lecomte stretched her advantage looking to take another solo win. 

After winning Friday’s short track event Batten used her climbing ability to put her rivals under pressure and on a fast descent section, Courtney crashed out bending a break leaver and leaving Ferrand-Prevot chasing in third. 

Technical problems plagued a host of riders including Ferrand-Prevot who had to stop to fix a problem dropping down to fourth while a charging Rebecca McConnell (Primaflor Mondraker XSauce) joined and passed Batten in the battle for second. 

Batten has been trailing McConnell until the last lap before having her competitor in sight and using her strength in the climb to pull out an advantage for second. 

Lecomte took a comfortable win, 1 minute and 39 seconds ahead of Batten with McConnell a further 12 seconds back and Ferrand-Prevot fourth. 

“I wanted to be on the podium here today but I won and I didn’t expect that,” said Lecomte 

“It’s a bit unbelievable as I have the leader’s jersey (overall World Cup) which I just enjoy, I’m so happy. 

“I had a little stupid crash (in the short track) but it was not very important crash and my goal is on the Sunday race (cross-country). 

“I felt very good and I was in shape, these two World Cup have been race qualification for the Olympic Games so I had to be in shape. My coach did a good job.”