Vysočina Arena was buzzing from morning to night. Spěšná finished 13th. Fans got to see five World Cup races

Saturday’s Mountain Bike World Cup program in Nové Město na Moravě offered a literal all-day biking marathon. From early morning, the Vysočina Arena was alive not only with the races but also with various side events. Fans could test bikes, join group social rides, watch BMX freestyle exhibitions, try riding the U-ramp, or get autographs from the biggest stars of world biking.

And on top of that, the racing went on practically non-stop. Saturday’s lineup featured five World Cup races—junior cross-country, elite men’s and women’s short track, and subsequently the Olympic cross-country races for men and women under 23.

As early as 9:00 a.m., the juniors appeared on demanding Nové Město circuit. Australian Connor Wright extended his winning streak, remaining undefeated this season. Czech riders were unable to break into the top ranks this time; the best domestic competitor was Matěj Plic in 33rd place.

The exciting elite short track race began before noon. Among the women, Dutch star Puck Pieterse confirmed her excellent form, defending last year’s victory ahead of Laura Stigger of Austria and Nicole Koller of Switzerland. The only Czech athlete in the starting field, Adéla Holubová, was unable to maintain a high pace in her debut in the elite short track and finished in the fourth ten in 35th place.

In the men’s category, fans were particularly looking forward to the return of British cycling icon Tom Pidcock. The British champion bided his time in the peloton for a long while, but in the final stretch he joined the battle for the win. In the sprint, however, he was beaten by France’s Mathis Azzaro, who claimed his second consecutive World Cup short track victory. The sole Czech representative, Ondřej Cink, finished the race in 31st place.

The early evening program concluded with the U23 races, and it was there that Czech fans saw the best domestic result of the day. Simona Spěšná (MS Bike Academy) followed up on her seventh-place finish in Friday’s short track race and finished in an excellent 13th place in the Olympic cross-country event. The Czech rider stayed with a strong group battling for a top-ten finish for most of the race, confirming her excellent form.

“Yesterday’s short track was very intense, so today was a bit of a struggle to survive. I had to watch my position closely in the group because the climbing was absolutely brutal,” Spěšná described.

Another Czech representative, Amálie Gottwaldová, finished 30th, while Eliška Hanáková took 35th place. Austrian Kathrin Embacher cruised to victory, building a nearly two-minute lead at the front.

In the men’s U23 race, Thibaut Francois Baudry of Spain claimed victory with a decisive long solo breakaway. The Czech riders were unable to secure a notable result this time. Patrik Černý finished best in 35th place, while Kryštof Bažant’s promising race was cut short by a crash. Sunday’s program will feature the highlight of the entire Nové Město weekend—the Olympic.