The short-track course in Nove Mesto is the complete opposite of the one in Albstadt: instead of being fast and tactical, it is more muddy and requires technical riding skills. But even if it was criticized in the run-up to the race, the starting position is the same for everyone.

However, in the women's race it quickly becomes clear that the course is not really short-track-like and small groups soon form. Linda Indergand and world champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot were among the first, but she crashed on lap three. It means the end for the Frenchwoman - but possibly not for her start on Sunday.

At the front, the pace is increasingly pushed, allowing Haley Batten (USA) and Loana Lecomte (FRA) to pull away. Batten soon pushed the pace further, also pulling away from Lecomte and then winning her first short track race ahead of Lecomte and Jenny Rissveds (SWE). Linda Indergand finished in second place and Sina Frei sprinted to eighth place to also secure a place on the front row on Sunday.

Results women

Dual decided by the blink of an eye

A similar picture emerged in the men's race. Although everyone is still together at the start, the field of riders is increasingly pulling apart, and this is down to Mathieu van der Poel and Victor Koretzky. Albstadt surprise Tom Pidcock is always lurking in a good position but doesn't do too much.

The pace was extremely high and the break-ups were even thinner. Then, two laps before the end, even Nino Schurter lost contact with the leading group. On the last lap, however, the chasers around last year's winner Henrique Avancini caught up again and he immediately tried to take the lead. But this encouraged van der Poel to attack.

Pidcock may follow the Dutchman's attack and tries his luck on the slightly descending trail - the duel is on. The Briton rides the sprint from the front in a skillful and extremely convincing manner. It looks as if the 21-year-old's tactics will work, but van der Poel clearly has something against it and catches Pidcock in the photo finish. World champion Jordan Sarrou takes third place.

While Schurter "only" finishes twelfth and therefore has to start from row two on Sunday, his teammate Lars Forster qualifies for the front row with eighth place. Mathias Flückiger finished 14th and, like Schurter, will start from row two on Sunday.

Results men