Laura Stigger and Thomas Pidcock win Nove Mesto Short Track

The 2023 UCI XCO World Cup is underway, with the U23 and Junior racing having already been in action this week at Nové Město na Moravě in the Czech Republic. On Friday evening, the UCI Short Track World Cup course at Nové Město na Moravě provided the perfect stage for the Elite racers to perform, with Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) and Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grendiers) taking gold.

Laura Stigger powers to victory in Nové Město na Moravě

The Elite women’s race had all the big names on the start line as the rain came down, because it's Europe. It has been a long break since the World Cup finished in 2022, and while riders have been racing and winning around the globe – the World Cup is the big show. So who has played their cards close to their chest, who is ready to fight?

Last year’s UCI Short Track World Cup winner Jolanda Neff, the defending overall series champion Alessandra Keller and reigning World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Ineos Grenadiers) were favourites to take the win. But our own Bec Henderson has been on stonking form, and with her sidkick Lenny (her dog) along for the season, would that support make the difference?

The season got off to the perfect start for the Austrian Laura Stigger as she crossed the finish line first after some intense racing at the first Elite UCI Short Track World Cup of the year. The other podium places were taken by Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) from Switzerland just one second ahead of her compatriot Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing).

Unfortunately Henderson was caught up in a crash and didn't make the podium, finishing in 17th but in one piece.

After crossing the line, Laura Stigger said:  

“I didn’t expect this at all. It turned out perfectly. It’s so hard though, I had to fight for every spot. At the right point I was in the right spot. I’m really happy to have such great support all around me, and thanks to all of them. It’s great to go away with this jersey, I’m so proud to do this with the Specialized team as well as in front of my family and friends. It’s just great.”

Results XCC Women Top 5:

1.    Laura Stigger (AUT) 19:02
2.    Alessandra Keller (SUI) 19:03
3.    Sina Frei (SUI) 19:03
4.    Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (FRA) 19:03
5.    Evie Richards (GBR) 19:03

A dream start for Tom Pidcock

Last year’s Nové Město na Moravě UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup winner, the UK’s Tom Pidcock, would join the start line as Czech Ondrej Cink (Primaflor Mondraker Genuins) retired pre-race. Current UCI Cross-country Short Track and UCI Cross-country Marathon World Champion Sam Gaze (Alpecin-Deceuninck) from New Zealand also started as a substitute, as the Short Track has limited field sizes.

Pidcock's new bike had just been revealed, a special project that Pinarello have been working on for him and the other Ineos Grenadiers star Pauline Ferrand-Prevot. You can get more details on the bike at MarathonMTB.com.

However, no-one could compete with Tom Pidcock, who stormed to victory after starting from the back of the pack. Sam Gaze took silver, whilst Germany’s Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV) finished third.

Speaking after the race, Tom Pidcock said:

“Working my way up through the pack to win does make it all the sweeter. I only found out I was racing at three o’clock, having already done a three and a half hour training ride this morning. I always like racing here, I’ve been second in the short track before so it’s nice to win one."

"I wasn’t really stressed at the start as I’d rather start a bit further behind, give ourselves a bit of space. I didn’t want to crash today. I’ve crashed in the short track before and it can ruin the weekend. I just tried to stay out of trouble, and it was all about whoever went into the finish straight first was going to win.”

Results XCC Men Top 5:

Tom Pidcock (GBR) 20:17
Sam Gaze (NZL) 20:18
Luca Schwarzbauer (GER) 20:18
Mathias Flückiger (SUI) 20:19
Nino Schurter (SUI) 20:19

What we have learnt from the opening Short Track

Nothing monumental to be frank. By all accounts the racing was nervous after 9 months without a World Cup. That forces mistakes and some crashes are evidence of that. Flueckiger is back in the mix after successfully proving his positive test was false, and we can expect another season of heated battles with Nino Schurter. If Sam Gaze is injury free we can also expect to see him atop more podiums this season.

The women's top 5 could easily read from 2022, although Bec Henderson isn't in it. However race winner Laura Stigger didn't have the year she could have in 2022, so it's great to see her on top. It will be interesting to see where Loana Lecomte ends up in the OIlympic distance on Sunday.