NOVÉ MĚSTO NA MORAVĚ, CZECH REPUBLIC

Round 2 – UCI MTB WORLD CUP

It was a return to one of the sport’s most iconic venues for round two of the UCI MTB World Cup. Nové Město has been a staple on the calendar for well over a decade, and it continues to deliver some of the best racing atmosphere in mountain biking. With sunshine and packed crowds, the first European World Cup of the season brought plenty of energy and excitement for both riders and staff.

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SHORT TRACK (XCC)

Racing kicked off on Saturday with back-to-back days of action, beginning with the elite women’s XCC. Mostly raced on asphalt with a handful of jumps and technical features mixed in, the course is fast, tactical, and unforgiving for anyone who loses the wheel. Emilly Johnston stayed calm and patient throughout the race, executing her strategy perfectly as she steadily moved through the field to secure 28th place.

“I was happy because I rode patiently”
EMILLY JOHNSTON

In the men’s XCC, Björn Riley delivered his best ever elite XCC result, fighting his way into the front group and crossing the line in 9th. Filippo Colombo and Fabio Püntener also navigated the high-speed bunch racing safely and consistently, finishing 13th and 15th respectively.

“It was hectic as always and I just didn’t have the legs in the final to fight for the positions”
Filippo Colombo

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CROSS COUNTRY (XCO)

All the riders were excited for Sunday’s XCO racing, with the course being one of the team’s favourites and the sunny weather from Saturday continuing.

“Feeling a bit like I can’t catch a break so far this season. Keep moving forward.”
Emilly Johnston

In the women’s race, Emilly Johnston managed to avoid several crashes with a few very close calls in the bunch during the opening laps. Despite the chaos, she continued charging through riders and making up positions until an unfortunately timed flat tyre set her back.

“So nice to feel good again… Today everything came together”
Filippo Colombo

The men’s race was one of the highlights of the weekend, with Filippo, Björn, and Fabio all racing together near the front of the field for most of the race. Having three team riders riding inside the top group was a huge moment for the team, and the trio looked strong, composed, and worked together throughout the race.

“It was a bit like a dream… Incredible team performance” FABIO PÜNTENER

Heartbreakingly, Björn suffered a flat tyre near the end of the race and was forced to run a significant section of the course. Despite the setback, he still managed to fight his way to a strong 23rd-place finish. Fabio held his position well in the closing laps to secure an impressive 5th place result. Up front, Filippo Colombo put in a decisive move, opened a gap, and rode an incredibly strong race to finish on the final step of the podium, capping off a great weekend for both himself and the team.

“I feel like it’s a happy, sad moment… Fabio, Filippo and I were talking about if we were all together in the top 5… and then I was in the top 5… and then some bad luck hit me in the worst spot possible.” BJÖRN RILEY

Andri Frischknecht also delivered an incredible performance, overtaking around 40 riders throughout the race to finish in 32nd place.

“My goals were to empty my tank on the same climb and stick to the strategy… [My] shape is good, I’m waiting for another opportunity.” ANDRI FRISCHKNECHT

XCC RESULTS

13th Fabio Püntener

15th Filippo Colombo

9th Björn Riley

28th Emilly Johnston

XCO RESULTS

5th Fabio Püntener

3rd Filippo Colombo

23rd Björn Riley

32nd Andri Frischknecht

48th Emilly Johnston

The team leaves Nové Město with plenty of confidence, strong results, and a lot of positives to take into the next round of the World Cup in Leogang in three weeks’ time.

Photos by Piper Albrecht