Not much happens in the second women's short track race in Nove Mesto - until the last lap. There, Evie Richards crashes in the lead and does everything she can to catch up. She rides back to the front and it comes to a sprint - again between Richards and Ferrand Prevot and again Richards has the faster legs.

However, the fact that Richards spreads her elbows a little wide in the sprint and makes a slight swerve - probably unintentional and in no way a hindrance - does not suit world champion Ferrand Prevot at all. She rages and gesticulates wildly, but her protest fails to materialize. Richards is not happy with her riding style: "I feel a bit bad that I rode a bit too aggressively in the sprint. But I didn't want to hinder anyone or cause any displeasure," Richards apologizes. "Unlike Pauline, I've never ridden a road race before, which is why I don't have the experience in situations like this - I still have a lot to learn."

Linda Indergand finishes in eighth place and is the only Swiss rider to secure a place on the front row for Sunday. Right behind her is Sina Frei in ninth place. She is joined on the second row of the grid on Sunday by Alessandra Keller (13th) and Ramona Forchini (15th), while Kathrin Stirnemann narrowly misses out on a place in the top 16.

Full throttle from A to Z

In the men's race, the pace reached what felt like its maximum right after the start, seemingly leaving no room for attacks. The Pole Bartlomiej Wawak tried anyway and managed to put a small gap between himself and the field. Henrique Avancini then launched a counterattack and restarted the race. Tuesday's winner, the Mexican Jose Ulloa, is also back in the mix and Nino Schurter launches an attack.

However, the field remains together and the sprint final is inevitable and its outcome completely open. In the end, Avancini proved to have the fastest legs and won a short track race for the second time.
"I'm super happy about my victory - it's for all the people who always stand behind me and support me," he praises his helpers.

Just behind the Brazilian, Thomas Litscher sprinted to second place - his first podium finish in short track.
"After my bad luck in short track on Tuesday, I felt good yesterday in cross country and again today, and now it worked out! Now it's time to recover well so that I can start again at full strength on Sunday," said a delighted Litscher.
German Maximilian Brandl surprises in third place

Nino Schurter also secures the front row on Sunday with sixth place, as does Simon Andreassen, Thursday's surprise winner.
Filippo Colombo rides another good race, and thanks to 15th place he also starts from row two at the second Cross-Country World Cup.

Results men short track 2, Nove Mesto

1. Henrique Avancini (BRA)
2nd Thomas Litscher (SUI)
3. Maximilian Brandl (GER)
4th Milan Vader (NED)
5th Manuel Fumic (GER)
6th Nino Schurter (SUI)
7th Anton Cooper (NZL)
8. Simon Andreassen (DEN)
9. Victor Koretzky (FRA)
10th Sebastian Fini Carstensen (DEN)
15th Filippo Colombo (SUI)
20th Reto Indergand (SUI)
24th Matthias Stirnemann (SUI)
34th Lars Forster (SUI)

Results women short track 2, Nove Mesto

1. Evie Richards (GBR)
2. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA)
3. Laura Stigger (AUT)
4th Kate Courtney (USA)
5. Loana Lecomte (FRA)
6th Rebecca McConnel (AUS)
7th Anne Terpstra (NED)
8. Linda Indergand (SUI)
9th Sina Frei (SUI)
10th Malene Degn (DEN)
13th Alessandra Keller (SUI)
15th Ramona Forchini (SUI)
17th Kathrin Stirnemann (SUI)
22nd Nicole Koller (SUI)

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