Tom Pidcock made a spectacular return to the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, claiming victory in the Elite Men’s UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup at Nové Město na Moravě (Czechia) after a race-long duel with Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing).
The win marked Pidcock’s fifth XCO triumph from five appearances on the Czech course, underlining a remarkable record at the venue.
In the women’s race, Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) delivered a masterclass in descending to secure victory in the Elite category. The Austrian champion built an unassailable lead to claim her third UCI XCO World Cup win, while Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) edged out Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) in a sprint for second place.
A staple of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series since 2011, Nové Město na Moravě once again lived up to its reputation. Its technical layout, featuring sharp climbs and demanding descents, set the stage for thrilling racing in both the Elite Men’s and Women’s races.
PIDCOCK OVERCOMES MARTIN FOR SLENDER VICTORY
Tom Pidcock claimed victory in the Elite Men’s UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup at Nové Město na Moravě after a relentless, race-long duel with Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing), eventually winning by 18 seconds.
The multi-discipline star had already signalled strong form with a second-place finish in the previous day’s UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup, narrowly beaten in a sprint by Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division).
In a stacked field of 102 riders, the race exploded into life from the start, with Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-Road Team XC) leading into the opening technical section.
Azzaro pushed the pace early, testing rivals on the course’s demanding descents, while mechanical issues quickly reshuffled the field, most notably ending Simone Avondetto’s (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) chances.
Racing without teammates, Pidcock faced repeated attacks. Martin made an early move on lap two, while Azzaro also surged, but Pidcock responded decisively, bridging across before launching a powerful attack of his own. Within minutes, he had opened a small but crucial gap, holding a nine-second advantage by the end of lap two.
Behind, the race splintered. Mechanical problems struck again, including for Charlie Aldridge, while Azzaro faded from contention after his early efforts. Martin remained Pidcock’s closest challenger, later joined in the podium battle by Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing), but the Briton continued to control the race from the front.
At the halfway point, Pidcock extended his lead as the chasers regrouped behind, with riders like Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) and Martin Vidaurre (Specialized Factory Racing) fighting for the podium.
Further back, more misfortune hit Joshua Dubau (Decathlon Ford Racing Team), whose race was compromised by mechanical issues.
Martin refused to relent, gradually reducing the gap to just five seconds in the closing laps. But each time the Frenchman closed in, Pidcock responded, using his climbing strength to re-establish control. Meanwhile, Colombo broke clear of the chase group to secure third place.
Heading into the final lap, Pidcock maintained an 18-second advantage and kept Martin at bay on the decisive climbs and technical switchbacks. The European Champion could finally celebrate on the final descent, sealing his fifth XCO victory in as many appearances at Nové Město.
“I think that was the hardest one I’ve done,” Pidcock said after the finish. “I didn’t make it easy for myself. Luca was pushing me all the way. I had to dig deep and respond several times. I was a bit cautious on the descents, but I used my strength on the climbs to make the difference.”
Behind him, Martin finished second at 18 seconds, with Colombo completing the podium. Despite finishing seventh, Dario Lillo moved into the overall UCI XCO World Cup lead after two rounds, ahead of Martin and Colombo.
STIGGER RIDES AWAY TO TAKE COMMANDING SOLO VICTORY
Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) delivered a masterclass in technical riding to claim victory in the Elite Women’s UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup at Nové Město na Moravě, pulling clear before soloing to a decisive win.
After taking victory in the UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup the day before, Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) arrived with ambitions of completing a weekend double. But it quickly became clear the race would be far from straightforward, as UCI World Champion Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) set an aggressive early pace, stretching the field from the opening lap.
Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing), winner of the previous round in MONA YongPyong (South Korea), was equally determined to keep the pressure on, while Ronja Blöchlinger (LIV Factory Racing) used her technical prowess to open early gaps on the demanding descents.
The technical nature of the course repeatedly reshaped the lead group. Blöchlinger and Nicole Koller (Lapierre PXR Racing) animated the race with bold riding, but each move was reeled back in on the climbs, forming a tightly packed lead group that included Pieterse, Frei, Rissveds, and Stigger.
Mistakes began to prove costly. Pieterse lost ground after a slip on a rutted climb, while Rissveds sensed the moment to increase the pressure. It was then that Stigger made her decisive move attacking on a technical descent at the end of lap three to open a small but crucial gap.
From there, the Austrian steadily extended her advantage as the chase group grew disorganized. Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon) and Evie Richards (Trek – Unbroken XC) briefly rejoined the fight, but mounting fatigue and technical errors, most notably a crash for Richards while in second, shattered the group’s cohesion.
Behind Stigger, the battle for the podium intensified. Frei launched an attack on the final climb, with Koller and Rissveds responding. In the end, Rissveds edged out Frei in the sprint for second place.
Out front, Stigger had time to celebrate, crossing the line 47 seconds clear to secure her third Elite Women’s UCI XCO World Cup victory and her first on European soil.
“I have no words,” said an emotional Stigger. “I just followed my feeling and rode my own pace. The crowd was incredible. It’s amazing to have that support through the technical sections. This win means so much to me.”
After two rounds, Frei leads the overall standings, while Specialized Factory Racing strengthened its position at the top of the team rankings following a dominant performance across both Elite races.
FRANÇOIS BAUDRY AND EMBACHER TRIUMPH IN U23 UCI XCO WORLD CUP
The previous day’s Men’s U23 UCI XCO World Cup saw Thibaut François Baudry (Canyon XC Racing) take victory after a tactical, race-long duel with Alix Andre-Gallis (Decathlon Ford Racing Team). The Spanish rider eventually pulled clear to secure a decisive 24-second winning margin, while Naël Rouffiac (Origine Racing Division) completed the podium in third.
In the Women’s U23 race, Katrin Embacher (KTM Factory MTB Team) claimed a breakthrough victory, dominating the event to secure her first UCI World Cup win. The Austrian crossed the line 1:24 ahead of Anina Hutter in second, with overall leader Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) rounding out the podium in third.
NEXT STOP: LOUDENVIELLE-PEYRAGUDES
The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues next weekend (28–31 May) in Loudenville–Peyragudes, in the French Pyrenees.
It will be the turn of the gravity disciplines, with the opening round of the UCI Enduro World Cup and the second round of the UCI Downhill World Cup taking center stage.
Endurance racing returns the following weekend, as both endurance and gravity riders come together for a packed programme in Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland (Austria) from 11–14 June.
