May 12/12 21:20 pm - Nove Mesto na Morave World Cup: Junior and U23 Women. Junior and U23 Men reports and photos
Posted by Editoress on 05/12/12
Reports from today's races in Nove Mesto na Morave in the Czech Republic
Junior Women Results
Margot Moschetti (France) was the first winner of the weekend for the third round of the Cross-country Mountain Bike World Cup, in the Junior women's race. After warm and sunny weather leading up to the weekend, the weather in Nove Mesto, in the Czech Republic, turned cold and wet overnight. The Junior and Under 23 women got the worst of it on Saturday morning, starting in cold, pouring rain, but the track held up well, and the rain stopped by the halfway point in the 16.6 kilometre race.
Moschetti, who won the previous Junior World Cup race in Houffalze, Belgium, dominated this one as well, pulling away to finish alone, 1:40 ahead of second place Barbora Machulkova (Czech Republic), of the host country. Jenny Rissveds (Sweden) took third, a further 14 seconds back.
U23 Women Results
Jolanda Neff (Wheeler-IXS) won the Junior women's cross-country at the Nove Mesto World Cup last year. This year, the Swiss rider has joined the Under 23 ranks, but it made no difference to the result: Neff again rode away from the rest of the field to win the 21 kilometre race. Team Canada's Andreann Pichette finished 18th, followed by team mate Laura Bietola in 24th.
Neff was not fazed by the wet conditions, easily clearing all technical sections. Behind her, the leader in the World Cup, Yana Belomoyna (Bi&Esse-Infotre Protek) rode a minute down through the race to finish second and preserve her lead in the overall standings. Paula Gorycka (4F E-Vive) took third.
Junior Men Results
Junior men's world champion Victor Koretzky (Bikepark.ch Craft) led a French sweep of the podium in the junior men's race. He was joined on the podium by compatriots Romain Seigle (Definitive Spectra.Tec Aspit) and Antoine Bouqueret (France).
Koretzky went out in front early in the 21 kilometre race, dropping chasers at the end of the start loop. Koretzky was followed by American Keegan Swenson (Team USA), who was third in the previous World Cup a month earlier. Swenson held Koretzky to a 30 second lead through most of the race until the final lap, when a crash and bent chain in the final kilometres put him on foot. Remarkably, he still managed to finish sixth, despite having to run. Seigle and Bouqueret both jumped a spot after Swenson's misfortune to take the remaining podium spots.
Under 23 Men Results
The Under 23 men's race at the third round of the Cross-country World Cup featured two races within the race. Ondrej Cink (Merida) took a strong victory before a very appreciative home crowd, while World Cup leader Alexander Gehbauer (Austria) had probably the most impressive ride of the day, when he fought his way back from last in the opening start loop to finish third, less than a minute down on Cink. Michiel van der Heijden (Rabobank Giant) took second, only six seconds behind Cink. Cink also took over the world Cup leader's jersey with his win, tied on points with Gehbauer. Evan McNeely (Team Canada) was the top Canadian, in 29th after a four-way sprint to the finish. Evan Guthrie (Team Canada) finished 48th and Etienne Moreau (Xprezzo) 93rd.
Gehbauer suffered chainsuck in the sprint from the start line, falling to last in the 128 rider field before he was able to start riding again. Remarkably, he blasted through the field back into third by the halfway point in the race. In front, Cink and van der Heijden were riding together all race, until Cink attacked in the final half lap to open enough of a gap to take the win.
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