Both short track races came down to a final sprint on the home stretch. Pieterse and Azzaro kept their cool, overtook the leaders, and claimed victory on the tactically demanding course in the Czech Republic.

In the men’s race, Pidcock rode from the back of the pack to the front but was overtaken by Azzaro in the final meters.

Pieterse crowns strong comeback

Puck Pieterse wins a tough and dramatic women’s race. The Dutch rider fights her way from far back to the front and wins the sprint. She takes the lead at the start of the third lap and attacks on the climb every lap in the second half of the race. She pushes her rivals to their limits but cannot shake them off.

The decisive breakaway does not occur on the steep climb, but on the start-finish straight. Alessandra Keller (Thömus-Maxon) and Sina Frei get their handlebars tangled. The Short Track World Champion crashes into the barrier, as does Jolanda Neff (Cannondale Factory Racing).

At first, Neff seems like something of a risk factor because she’s riding on narrow gravel tires under conditions completely different from the apocalyptic weather at Mona YongPyong. In the end, however, she’s left with little more than a sore hand. Later, she says: “I wouldn’t do anything differently.”

Chaos nearly ensues again when Evie Richards (Trek Unbroken XC), who had come to a stop due to the crash, challenges Pieterse before the first corner of the final lap. After that, the Dutch rider attacks again on the climb.

However, Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) leads over the crest. Pieterse lets her pull. Nicole Koller (Lapierre PXR Racing) initiates the sprint but is overtaken by Pieterse and Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing). Richards finishes a strong fourth after the crash chaos.

“I missed it,” says Pieterse. “It always gets pretty tight here on the road and the pace drops a bit. But this year, Jenny Rissveds was riding so fast that it took me a while to get to the front. Once I was there, I decided to stay up front and control the sprint.

I saw Nicole Koller coming from the left and picking up speed. That’s when I thought: Now I have to go. So I did. It’s super cool, bringing back flashbacks to the Short Track here last year. For tomorrow, the goal is to keep the bike in one piece and see how an hour and a half of effort feels compared to four hours on the road.»

Women’s Elite Results

Azzaro defeats the patient Pidcock

The men’s race is much more cautious. Without riders like Pieterse or Rissveds to push the pace, the field stays together for a long time. Tom Pidcock rides at the very back for the first four laps to avoid the risks in the large leading pack.

Then Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon XC Racing) and later returnee Jordan Sarrou (BMC Factory Racing) bring some action to the race. Pidcock also makes his move on the fifth lap, reaching the front by the sixth.

Another stalemate ensues, ending only with the bell for the final lap. Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) wins the sprint at the base of the final climb before Pidcock attacks on the hill and shoots to the front.

Azzaro spots the attack early enough and latches onto Pidcock’s rear wheel. On the following jump line, Pidcock can’t shake off the group. He has to open the sprint early, which Azzaro exploits perfectly. The Frenchman pulls past and wins, with Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-Road Team XC) finishing third.

“Unbelievable. I felt all day that my legs were up to it, but I was very nervous. You just have to stay on the bike. That’s exactly the position I wanted to be in at the finish,” says Azzaro.

“I knew Tom Pidcock would come from behind. I just waited. On the last lap, he came like a Formula 1 car, and I jumped onto his rear wheel. Everyone knows his name. I’m very proud to have beaten him. It’s great to ride against a champion like that.”

Pidcock admits he waited too long to work his way up from the back of the field: “I knew he was right on my wheel. It’s difficult to get back into mountain biking after a break. Whenever I come back, I always feel like I have no idea what I’m doing. That’s why it’s good to have the first race under my belt and to know that my legs are still there. That’s always a doubt when I come back.

I’m here to win. I’ve managed to do that every other time. So I have to continue that streak tomorrow.”

Men’s Elite Results

Schehl and Kellerman Celebrate U23 Victories

Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) and Makena Kellerman won the U23 Short Track World Cup races on Friday, though in different ways.

Kellerman won with classic patience. She launched the decisive attack on the final lap and won the sprint. Schehl is the only short-track rider who can break away from the pack. He rode a seven-second lead on the penultimate lap and held it all the way to the finish.

“Normally, it’s a very tactical race that comes down to the final lap and a crazy sprint.

Women U23 Results

Men U23 Results