Tom Pidcock emerged victorious at the UCI Mountain Bike World Series Cross Country Olympic World Cup Men’s Elite Race in Nove Mesto, despite a bad fall. The race was suspended due to heavy rain, and a crash ensued shortly after it resumed, causing chaos at the start.
Luca Schwarzbauer managed to avoid the commotion and took an early lead. He was helped by a pile-up behind him on the second lap, which allowed him to open up a considerable gap. However, Pidcock soon caught up with the pack of favorites and wasted no time in taking the lead.
Joshua Dubau was the only one who managed to keep up with Pidcock, but drama struck during the fifth lap. Pidcock first unclipped on a rocky climb, losing some time, and then crashed on the descent, giving Dubau the lead.
Despite sustaining a left flank injury, Pidcock eventually caught up with Dubau again and the two faced a final lap showdown. Pidcock emerged victorious, coming close to securing a World Cup double following his Friday’s short track victory.
After the race, Pidcock admitted that it was a difficult race, particularly due to the hard tires and struggles with the roots. However, he was glad to have won.
Fans can catch all the action from the 2020 cycling season and the UCI Mountain Bike World Series live and on-demand on discovery+ and eurosport.com.