For a long time, eight riders form the leading group over the 26.2 kilometers. The German Max Brandl was the first to drop back, but it was not until the end of the penultimate of a total of seven laps that the group broke up. It was Filippo Colombo who took the first position and put some of his rivals in trouble.

Dutch rider David Nordemann and Christopher Blevins from the USA managed to catch up again, but on the first climb of the last lap only Colombo, Dascalu and Andreassen remained.
At the end of the penultimate climb, Dascalu passes Colombo and is the first to enter the singletrail. This was to be the decisive move.

Dascalu is able to open up a small gap in the technical section, just 1.5 to two seconds, but the Romanian takes this into the new pump track and out onto the home straight.

Dascalu manages to fend off Colombo's attempt to catch Dascalu on the home straight. The runner-up from Albstadt celebrates his second U23 World Cup victory. He was already successful in Nove Mesto in 2018. "I controlled the whole race," said a slightly disappointed Filippo Colombo. "It's a shame that it wasn't quite enough."

However, the Ticino rider admits that Dascalu was also very strong. "It was certainly another good race," said a satisfied Colombo. Dascalu is now tied on points with the Swiss rider for the white leader's jersey.

Joel Roth rides a consistent race. On the penultimate lap, he and Denmark's Jonas Lindberg are able to catch up with Max Brandl and are now fighting for eighth place. Last year's overall World Cup winner Petter Fagerhaug moves up from behind and Britain's Cameron Orr is also in the mix.

In the final lap, the quartet fights for positions. Brandl, who seemed to have been left behind, came back and was able to outsprint Roth on the home straight. The second-best Swiss rider finished in ninth place, 1:12 minutes behind the winner.

Haley Batten wins - Nicole Koller finishes fourth

The US American Haley Batten has secured the second American victory in the women's U23 race at the World Cup in Nove Mesto na Morave. Batten won after a long solo race in 1:13:38 hours, 28 seconds ahead of the German U23 champion Ronja Eibl. Third place went to junior world champion Laura Stigger (+1:20) from Austria.

Haley Batten already pulls away in the 2.8-kilometer starting lap. Albstadt winner Laura Stigger, Ronja Eibl and the Frenchwoman Loana Lecomte ride behind.

Nicole Koller, who did not get off to an ideal start, was able to catch up with Batten's pursuers on the third of six laps. Lecomte falls back and when Eibl attacks on the mountain two laps before the end, Koller fights with Laura Stigger for third position.
"The Coke saved me from the cramps. But Laura noticed that I was struggling and pulled away on the climb. She was simply stronger. But I'm happy with my fourth place, I rode for my grandmother today," commented Koller.

"If it's one ahead every time, it's okay," she says with a laugh. In Albstadt, she was sixth with cramps at the end.

At the front, Batten makes a mistake that reduces her lead from 1:20 minutes to 30 seconds, but the third place finisher from Albstadt defends her lead to the finish.

Janis Baumann rides to the podium

Janis Baumann took second place in the UCI Junior Series race in Nove Mesto. He finished 32 seconds behind the winner Charlie Aldridge. Norway's Helene Marie Fossesholm won the junior women's race, with Ronja Blöchlinger coming fifth.

As in Albstadt, Britain's Charlie Aldridge and Canada's Carter Woods once again dominate the World Cup course in Nove Mesto. The duo had a clear lead until Woods caught his knee on a post and was only able to finish the race in tenth place in pain.

Janis Baumann rides a smart race. "I knew from the Swiss U23 riders that you shouldn't overdo it at the start and I was never at my limit until lap three," explains Baumann.
In the second half, he began to push his reserves and marched forward from tenth position. In the final lap, he battled with the Belgian Lukas Malezsewski and the Dane Markus Heuer for second place.

Baumann has the most reserves and takes second place. "I was so nervous because the race was so late today. But I realized as soon as I started that I had great legs," explained Baumann, who distanced Malezsewski by six seconds.

The next Swiss riders to finish were Luke Wiedmann (+2:51) and Andrea Colombo (+3:03) in eleventh and twelfth place.

Junior women: Blöchlinger in fifth place

Helene Marie Fossesholm from Norway won the junior women's race in a commanding 1:02:43 hours. Second place went to Tamara Wiedmann from Austria (+1:38) from the Swiss team jb Brunex Felt and 1:51 minutes ahead of Sofie Heby Pedersen from Denmark. The best German was Emma Eydt in tenth place (+4:56).

Norway's Helene Marie Fossesholm made off from the leading group on the first big climb of the first lap. She quickly increased her lead and easily won her first UCI Junior Series race.

Ronja Blöchlinger, who initially forms a chasing duo with Wiedmann, quickly loses touch. Pedersen passes her and also the Dutchwoman Puck Pieterse.
In the end, Blöchlinger finished fifth (+3:04). "I had a good start and actually felt good. I had a small crash once, but nothing serious. I rode my pace and was happy with the race overall. The course is really cool," said Blöchlinger.

In the absence of Jacqueline Schneebeli, Lisa Baumann finished eleventh (+5:04) as the second-best Swiss rider.

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